Rachel stared at her dumbfoundedly. "Queen?" she echoed Ember's words.
"Did I stutter?" Ember asked, annoyed. "You're his queen, always have been since he took you as his mate. Since the guy doesn't have a horde, he has you."
"But they haven't wed." Twilight responded, trying to reel in the fact that Rachel was queen or something.
"All that wedding junk is pony customs," Ember said. "Every dragon knows she's Spike's mate, once a dragon takes a mate, there isn't really a ceremony."
"Just what the actual fuck have you been smoking?" Rachel asked, not believing what she's hearing. "I'm not a queen."
"This is complete nonsense. Please leave before I call security." Brimstone snarled, stepping into the room and getting in between Rachel, Ember and Twilight.
Ember snorted. "No offense, but this isn't up to you." She said, cutting her red eyes at him. "When he chose you, did the two of you consummate?" She then asked Rachel.
Rachel rubbed her head at that, frowning. "Uh… yeah we did…on the cruise ship…" she muttered, remembering the first time she and Spike made love, and many, many more since then.
"It's pretty much all it takes. It just is." Ember responded. "Trust me, this was discussed months ago between Spike and I during the last migration. It was one of the reasons why I put you through those trials, to see if you got what it takes. And lemme tell ya, you got more balls than anyone else I've seen. Spike nearly took back the title from me in order for me to stop the trials." She then chuckled at that before growing serious.
That would explain why he had jumped in the middle of the arena during one of Rachel's trials.
"He didn't want you to both get hurt and others to realize who you truly are to him and have others go after you to get to him. You passed the trials with flying colors, which was what all members of the royal family go through. That was your initiation into Queendom."
Holy fucking shit.
"That would…explain a lot of things…including the Elder Dragon." Rachel muttered, remembering the Elder Dragon tried to kill both her and Spike but they were able to take that fucker out - well, Spike did.
Queen…. Rachel scratched the fur on her arms as that title echoed in her mind. She joked about that shit with Spike but she didn't know it was literal.
"I…I didn't know Dragons had such customs and laws." Twilight muttered, listening to this.
"It might be as ancient and backwards than what your pony laws are but that's the truth." Ember said. "The only one that can get the Dragonlord to do anything is his Queen. And guess what Rachel, that's you." She then motioned her hand for her to come to her. "Let's go, we gotta get you prepared."
"Rachel is in no position to leave." Brimstone snapped. "If that creature doesn't want to be found, let it be and leave this place!"
Rachel glared at Brimstone. As uncalled for as that statement was, he was also right. "Ember, I can't just go. I don't even know where to start in the first place to find him."
"Have you tried finding him using the staff, Ember?" Twilight asked.
Ember rolled her eyes. "If I was able to, we wouldn't be having this conversation, you would've seen me grabbing his ass by the horns and tail and forcing his way back here. I taught him too well with magic."
Twilight then frowned. "Is he really that powerful? I mean I saw him use his powers against Garble but…"
Ember sarcastically gasped. "Gee I wonder why, egghead? He's good at keeping things under wraps, only doing it because of you."
Twilight's ears drooped.
Rachel reached up to rub the ring around her neck. She had memories between her and Spike flashed before her eyes. Everything they had done in the months they've been together, what they had done for each other in the act of love.
Her chest hurts each time she envisioned his face, his smell, his touch, causing her to shake her head. "I… I have to think about this," Rachel responded.
Ember snarled, "What is there to think about?" She snapped at Rachel.
"Leave her alone, can't you see she doesn't want to do this? " Brimstone shouted, walking over to her.
"Brimstone, I understand you just want to protect her, but she's our only shot." Twilight said, her wings flexed a little.
"How many times must she risk her life because she's involved with you and your dragon? She ca-"
"Get out." Rachel cuts Brimstone off suddenly.
Brimstone made horse noises. "You heard he-"
"You too, Brimstone. All of you, get out of here." Rachel snarled.
The old stallion turned to her with a look of shock. "My dear I was just-"
"I don't care what you were trying to do, I need to think about this and I can't with all of you in my fucking ears. I'm feeling like I'm going to be sick again. Everyone get the fuck out of here, now!" Rachel snapped as fresh tears streamed down her soaking face.
"Rachel, we're just~"
Rachel just grabbed something off the wall and threw it at them. "GET OUT!"
The three creatures jumped out of the way as the projectile was thrown at them.
"What the actual fuck, okay okay!" Ember snarled, balling up to her before being ushered out. "You know, the more you just sit on your ass and wallow in pity, the harder it gets to find him." She barked before heading out.
Twilight frowned looking at her. "Rachel… if you need anything, please call." Twilight said before leaving.
Brimstone looked at her after the two left. "Rachel, I~"
"Please…Brimstone…just…go." Rachel croaked, her body shaking, unable to look at the professor.
Brimstone stared at her for the longest time, his heart broke for her before walking away, closing the door behind him.
Rachel waited in her spot as she listened to the voices outside of the door. The three creatures were heard talking and barking at each other loudly before disappearing. The weight of the conversation replayed over and over in a continuous loop, nothing ever prepared her for that.
Then again, nothing has ever prepared her when it comes to this crazy life of hers.
Hours slowly ticked on by as she sat in the darkness of the room. Her fingers peddling with the ring around her neck, her mind slipping into a familiar dark place. As time went on, she couldn't take it anymore. The room was getting too cramped for her.
She grabbed her jacket out of the closet and went out the door.
Rachel quickly rushed down the hall towards the stairs. Brimstone sees her heading out and runs after her.
"Rachel, where are you going?" He shouted as he ran after her. "Rachel!"
Rachel didn't stop as she ran up the many flights of stairs and made her way towards the exit. Brimstone was hot on her tail, bursting through the exit door and out in the cold blizzard. The new facility is in the middle of the Frozen North, surrounded by ice and snow.
Though the fur and the scales did prevent her from getting cold, the jacket Rachel took was to help with her eyes and to cover her appearance as she took off.
"RACHEL!" Brimstone called out to her, finally getting her to stop and turn to look at him.
She gave him a sad look before she disappeared into the blizzard.
After hopping on 2 different trains, keeping her head down and trying to get as small as she could to not attract attention, ignoring the newscasts about the human invasion and Sombra's assaults, Rachel eventually made her way to Fillydelphia. She would fly but she still didn't know how to use her new wings, never really asking to learn how crazy things got.
As soon as she stepped foot into the city, she quickly made her way towards the Evergrove National Forest. Not even going to go and see the twins. She didn't want to see anyone. Wanting to be left alone, left to the only place where she can have her own thoughts.
Though her memories of her and Spike were imprinted with their time spent in the cabin.
Rachel made her way down the pathway to the cabin, edging closer and closer to it, she noticed something different towards the pathway after entering the barrier.
There was a tall iron and crystal fence that looked to have surrounded the area.
She looked up at it with her jaw dropped. Knowingly that this wasn't there the last time she was here… here with him.
She walked up to the iron woven gate, peering through the tight spaces between the bars and let out a shuddered gasp.
Up ahead, the path was lit up with tall lamps with special crystals that light up at night that led the way up to the once small and cramped one area cabin, now a much bigger building. The original part of the cabin was still on the bottom floor, but there was more added, making a rather large and whimsical looking multi-level home.
She pushed the gate open and dragged her feet closer to the cabin. Made up of wood with crystal accents that didn't make it look like an eyesore unlike the Friendship Castle. It looked like something from a fairy tale she once read as a child.
Rachel recognized the shape of the building from an old sketch she drew that she showed Spike.
Her heartbeat was going 180 per minute as she walked up to the door, now hearing voices inside. She quickly grabbed the knob of the door and pushed inside.
Inside were a handful of crystal ponies in construction uniform, redecorating the bottom layer of the home. Entering the small foyer into the spacious living room. The ceiling was much larger, much more liveable for much taller creatures that aren't ponies. The walls were currently white as the ponies inside were putting up drywall. Two pathways, one room which looked to be the dining room and the other side was the kitchen that was already finished using beautiful dark wooden cabinets with a resin covered in blue and pink crystal countertop and all its utensils ready and waiting to be used. A long staircase that still doesn't have railings lead up to the second floor. Down a stretch of hallway behind the staircase was a familiar door that led to the small bathroom.
One of the construction ponies looked up and jumped in sight of Rachel, dropping their tools.
"Who in Tartarus are you and how did you find this place?" They barked in alarm. Causing the others to turn and see her.
"This is my place. Who the fuck are you guys?" Rachel growled.
Before the other could get up and confront her - which would be a mistake - another crystal pony spoke up. "Hold on Sprite." They said, going between her and the worker.
They used their magic to poof up a clipboard and read through the paperwork. "You Rachel Lockhart?"
"Who's asking?" Rachel grunted.
"Easy there. We're just here for a job." They said, walking up to her and handed her the paper. "We got contracted by Sir Spike a little over a month ago. We would've been done sooner but that dang protective barrier spell you guys put up delayed my boys and I a week. Was a pain to find this place. "
Rachel stared at them before reading the invoice. Several detailed specifics written down and the modified schematics of the bigger cabin.
He must've contacted them the day two of them left for Canterlot before everything turned to hell.
The contractor looked at her before turning to his guys. "Let's take five, boys."
The construction workers put their tools down and quickly headed outside. Leaving Rachel to look around.
Her lips quivered as she read the papers. Her eyes looked all over the first level, everything was remodeled to make it more… homey. As she looked, her mind started echoing Spike's words from all their talks. The ones that stuck out here were the loudest.
This could be our place, a home for us…
Wouldn't you want a place called home? To have a family here of our own?
I can't imagine my life without you…
You deserve so much more, I'm so sorry that I can't give you everything… no matter what happens to me, just know that I will always love you…
The clipboard and papers slipped from Rachel's claws as fresh tears rain down her face, collapsing to her knees and sobbing. One hand clutching her ring while the other clutching her chest as her heart ached painfully. Of all the pain she felt throughout her own life, this was by far the worst thing she ever endured.
"Why did you leave me, Spike?! Why?!" She shouted between sobs. Her stomach twisted as she sobbed, causing her to cough and gag haphazardly. Puffs of blue fire scorched the wooden floors, unable to puke up anything since she couldn't keep any food down.
Dry heaving, she got up from the ground, rushing out of the home. She walked up to the lead contractor.
"I-I need to borrow a phone, may I?" She asked with a groan, a hand on her stomach.
They dug their pockets and pulled out their phone and handed it over to her. "Uh, here."
She said thanks before her fingers flew across the number pad, dialing a number before pressing the phone up against her pony ears.
A few rings, someone picked up.
"Hello? Twilight Sparkle speaking, who's this?"
"Twilight, it's Rachel." Rachel grunted in response. "You and Ember said I'm the only one who can bring Spike back?"
"Theoretically speaking, yes. Ember said he has to if you get him. "
Rachel shuddered.
She knows what she has to do.
"I'm at the cabin, come get me. We got work to do. "
She was going to get her dragon back.