Chapter 97 – Logical Minds
"So, what would make them move a prisoner to a room in the upper chambers?" Spike asked.
"They wouldn't, they'd just move them to a different jail." the prince said.
"Even if they were a prisoner that they wanted no one knowing about?" Spike asked.
"I don't understand though." Kklip said, "You told me that the People's Voice knew about them. So why go through all of that trouble if the secret's already out?"
Spike couldn't answer, the points made by the prince were sound, "Good point, but we should be close, right?" the baby dragon asked.
"Yes, in fact, it's just on the other side of this wall." the Sunik child announced.
"Great." Spike said and thought a bit more, "How do we get through?"
"I'm not sure." the prince said in thought, "They've completely replaced this wall. We're going to have to approach from the hallway, I think."
"I can hear you." the two of them heard from inside their minds. The voice was melodic, soft, and gentle, yet held very little emotion behind it. The female's voice echoed rather abruptly.
"WHO, WHA…" Kklip said as he began to panic.
"Calm yourself, child. I will not hurt you." the voice said calmly.
"Are you Image's sister?" Spike asked.
"Perhaps." the voice said, "Is Image, by chance, a young Meltackian male with a lost mind and whimsical ideas of fashion and perfection?"
"I wouldn't say lost." Spike said, "Maybe easily discouraged but…"
"Just remember him and I can see it." she interrupted.
"How are you so calm about this?" Kklip asked in a harsh whisper.
"I'm used to how Meltackians communicate." the baby dragon said and quickly placed a picture of Image in his current ensemble in his mind, a red silk shirt and white slacks that ended in black leather shoes that shined like diamonds.
"Yes, I am his sister." the voice said, "So, you have given the nameless a name. Illogical, seeing as it is easier for Meltackians to simply keep their defining thoughts."
"And it's easier for us to label others with names to give them a sense of identity." Spike snapped back, "What's your point?"
The Meltackian stopped for a moment, "Perhaps it is logical to accommodate you then?" she said, not a hint of offense, "This is my defining thought." The picture that appeared was of a large field of flowers, many different colors and varieties, each gently swaying in the wind. Off in the distance was a large tree that reached out and sprouted deep green leaves as pink flowers blossomed from them. "It calms me."
"Wow." Spike said to himself, "Where do I even start?"
"You said the thought, 'calms you'?" Kklip asked, "Perhaps 'Serenity', until we understand more?"
"I will accept this name." the Meltackian girl said, "Shall I meet you in the hallway then?"
"Wait, I don't think you'll be able to fit in these walls." Kklip said.
"Correct assumption, yet I believe since you are the prince of the castle, the others would not bat an eye if you approach from the other side and…" she stopped, just as the two of them heard a door open.
"Lunch is ready." they heard a tired voice say. Serenity remained quiet as the sound of a dish was set down, "Eat up, ok?" the voice said and walked out the door again.
"I must apologize." she said, "They are under orders to arrest anyone who approaches, regardless of social status."
"How do you know that?" Spike asked.
"The guards around here are surprisingly lax in their mental fortitude." Serenity explained.
"Huh?" Kklip asked.
"Their minds are easy to read." the dragon explained.
"Though I may actually be able to fit inside the space you are in." she continued, "I am thin and somewhat flexible."
"What do you think?" Spike asked as he turned to Kklip.
"I'd rather the guards not know of my tunnels." the prince said.
"If I may?" Serenity asked, and the two of them quickly heard the sound of people falling to the ground, "There, now they will not know."
"What did you do?" Spike asked.
"I sang a lullaby in the back of their minds." she admitted, "They were tired from their shift and quickly succumbed to slumber."
"You can do that?" Spike asked as the two of them moved towards the hallway.
"Unguarded minds are simple enough, though willpower is quick to take hold when a mind is rested and alert." she told them.
"So, they had to be tired if that was to work?" the prince asked as he slowly pushed open the wall.
"Yes." Serenity confirmed as she opened the door to her room. When she emerged into the hallway, Spike could see why Image saw her as the embodiment of perfection, she was beautiful. Her face was slim and symmetrical, her figure fit with a trim waist. Her skin flowed with the colors of an aurora, but was much more controlled than what Image's skin was. The hands that reached out from the sleeves of her traditional Meltackian robe were slender, perfect, with not a wrinkle to be seen. Her feet did not show from under her robe, and the look in her dark blue eyes was of a calmness that defied emotion and what could be considered hair was long and flowing, like that of Celestia's mane. She was also somewhat shorter than they had anticipated and moved as if she were a robot, turning before moving and each movement precise. "Ah." she thought into their minds and then floated to them, "There you are."
"Wow!" the two of them gawked in surprise.
"Shall we go then?" she asked.
"Right." Kklip said as he shook off the shock and blushed, "Right this way." He backed up a bit, allowing her to squeeze her way into the corridor. She moved her arm first, inching her way into the room before turning and continuing her journey until she had completely brought herself into the wall, and he shut the wall behind them. 'I didn't think she would be this beautiful. Like an angel that visits dreams.' he thought to himself.
"I assume that was a private thought?" she asked as Spike led the way. She now squatted at the waist, her head tilted to look straight and her small frame floating forward to follow the baby dragon.
"WHA?" the prince asked startled and blushing, "Um…yes, it was."
"I will accept the compliment then, and will make a note that thoughts as this are not announced on purpose." she said with less emotion than he had expected.
"Are all Meltackians like this?" Kklip asked.
"No." she announced, "Some, like my brother, follow a more undesirable path."
"She means they find their passion and think less logically." Spike interpreted.
"Passion." she said almost in a scoff, "Such an illogical phase."
"And yet, others would never achieve such great feats without it." Spike said in annoyance.
These words once again caused the Meltackian girl to pause in her thoughts, "What do you mean by 'such great feats'?" she asked.
"Space travel, finding more efficient routes for commerce, defending the place you call your home, overthrowing tyrants…" the baby dragon said as he continued his route, even climbing down a claw-made ladder.
"I see." she said, "You are surprisingly good at combatting the logical mind with reason."
"When you've lived with Twilight as long as I have, you learn to use reason like I do." he said, "Sometimes it's the only way."
