“I just thought…” she began, though she trailed off, the look in her face distant. “He’s like a brother to me, you know? I raised him from when he was in an egg. Celestia helped.” She smiled, a fond memory coming across her thoughts. “I’d do anything for him, and I thought you could help him. The dragons would have to let you in, even if only out of curiosity. They’d have to.” She shook her head and looked away back towards the door, pointedly not looking at him. “I realise now how stupid that was. Dangerous. But Spike can't go on his own… not anymore.”