To Die Another Day

(3 days later)

Spike sat at a bar in the downtown area of the dragon capital, Surkesh. Surprisingly it was run by a stallion named Thunderwing. Spike was on his 6th shot of hard liquor. Spike was dead on the inside as he waited for his summons from the Overlord. Over the last three days what had happened really sank in.

With him not being dead, stopping another outbreak, and then being exiled. It was hard to take but he took it as a new begining. They would forget about him in time and move on and he could start a new life somewhere far away maybe.

He could go to Griffon Empire and actually start a family, meet a good female have kids, settle down and really enjoy life or he could stay here and find a good female dragon to have hatchlings with and live out the rest of his days just watching his children grow.

Spike sighed as he finished the rest of his drink as Thunderwing came by.

"Need another one buddy?"

"Yeah thanks."

"No problem."

He was to meet with Luna by sundown today to get his camera back from them so he could show the Overlord his proof of the outbreak in his time. Spikes head thumped on the bar as he sighed as Thunderwing came back.

"You gonna be ok buddy?" He asked as Spike sighed and took the drink from him.

"When Im finished with this I will be. Thanks sir, here take these." Spike said handing him a handful of gems making the stallion go wide eyed.

"Your giving me part of your horde?" He asked as Spike chuckled.

"No I dont keep gems and bits and all the other stuff these dragons lay on. I have everything I need on my back and my hip." He said patting the sword on his side as Thunderwing nodded and took the gems.

Spike turned in his seat and looked around at the other dragons in the bar wasting their lives away over some dragoness or some stupid small thing that life threw at them. He sighed as he stood up and left his drink on the counter and left the bar.

He walked down the street unknowingly retracing his steps with Trixie as he headed to the same factory she died at. He walked in and looked around at the workers as they stopped and looked at him.

"Hey mac you ok you dont look so good?" A beautiful dark red dragoness asked as he walked past her.

"Im fine just passing through." He said as he stopped and looked at the offices that they hid in as the horde passed and where his killed his last friend. Rainbow Dash. He stood in the middle of open area as a tear came down his face as he looked at where he layed his sister to rest.

"Sir are you sure you ok?" He looked back and saw it was the same dragoness looking at him worried.

"Ill be fine thank you though ma'am." He said as he walked out of the factory and headed out the factory as she looked on with worry before getting back to work.

As Spike walked he saw he was at the border of the dragon Kindom and the meeting point of where the Griffon Empire started as he sighed and looked back at the city.

"Well I better go meet Luna before I head out. Im tired and I just want to sleep." He said to himself as he took flight towards the Equestrian border where he met two royal guards.

"Halt! The borders have been locked down till further notice. Im sorry but you must turn back." One said as Spike shook his head.

"I will as soon as Princess Luna brings me my camera so I can give evidence to the dragon overlord." He said as they nodded.

"Just stay on the dragon border and we'll have no problems." One said as Spike nodded.

"Dragons honor." He said as they smiled.

"So how many cities have gotten the cure and have their been any bordercrossing attempts?" He asked as the looked at him shocked.

"How do you know that?"

"Im the one who convinced Princess Celestia to declare marshal law and close the borders." He said.

"Oh Im sorry but we cant give that information out sir. Im sorry." The guard said as Spike shrugged.

"Doesnt matter I was just curious." He said as they nodded.

After a while Spike sat down and leaned against a rock while waiting for Princess Luna.

(2 hours later)

Spike was starting to get worried before he saw the princess in the sky as she came down with her night guard.

"So sorry Im late Spike we had a bit of a situation with Ponyville and lost track of time." She said as she pulled out his camera.

"What kind of situation?" He asked as she sighed giving him his stuff.

"Applejack and Fluttershy were caught trying to cross the border." She said as he raised an eyebrow.

"Why Princess Twilight made it clear that I wasnt welcomed there anymore. Why are they crossing the border?" He asked as she smiled.

"Because they want you back Spike. They dont care about what Twilight and the others think of you. They want you back. You wont believe this but they havent spoken to any of their friends since they were brought back. Fluttershy even layed into them for what they said to you." She said as he looked at her in shock.

"Thats bordering on jail sentence Luna. They dont need to do that. Tell them to stop I dont want them to get in trouble." He said as she sighed.

"You know they're not going to listen to me." She said smiling as he sighed.

"Just dont send them to jail Luna they mean well and they just want to make sure Im ok. Just tell them I said that Im fine." He said as she nodded.

"Ill tell them Spike. Ill see you later my friend." She said pulling him into a hug as he stiffened a little before hugging her back.

"See you later Luna." He said

(With Applejack)

"Come on sugar cube lets get goin ah know a path that will take us past the guard posts and we'll be in the dargon lands in no time." Applejack said as Fluttershy nodded grabbing her saddle bag. The where geared up for a long trek as they made their way to the dragon border.

Applejack had a headache as she ran with her friend. She had been have dreams like a past life. She couldnt make sence of it but something was driving her to find him like a need to find him and bring him home.

"Applejack are you ok?" AJ looked at her friend and smiled.

"Ahll be fine sugarcube ah just need to find Spike." She said galloping faster towards the border.

(3 hours later)

Applejack and Fluttershy were waiting in the treeline as the guards pasted them.

"Now go!" Applejack whispered as the two made a dash for the border.

"Halt!"

"GO FLUTTERSHY GO!" They crossed the border making the guards gowl looking at the two mares.

"HA! Out smarted by a couple of mares. You boys have fun now ah got a dragon to find." She said sticking her tongue out at the guards who sighed.

"Please just be careful you two I know your looking for Spike. Last I saw of him he came to get his evidence to show to the Overlord. I wish you two luck in your journey." He said and the two went back to their patrol least more ponies get past them.

"Thanks guys and we will by the way yall might want to increase your guards." Futtershy said as they nodded and five more guards came from the road.

"Yeah we had already sent for backup, now go your dragons waiting on you." A guard said making them smile.

(That night)

Fluttershy watched her friend mumble in her sleep before she layed down as well. They had stopped at a local hotel outside the capital. Fluttershy snuggled up to her friend on the large bed sighing at the warmth she was giving off. She felt Applejack wrap her hooves around Fluttershy and sigh.

"Mmm Spike." Fluttershy smiled at her friend and would use this to tease her one day as she layed down feeling herself fall asleep.

(Dream)

"Spike ah told you to get them apples to the barn!" Applejack yelled stomping up to the dragon who was smiling at her.

"Oh I know AJ and I know that you wouldnt leave the fields until they were all done." He said stepping aside to show all of the orchard done. Her mouth dropped open and looked at her friend just now seeing how tired he really was.

"Spike you did all this yourself?" She asked looking back at the orchard and the last wagon carrying the other apples. She smiled and saw out the corner of her eye Spike grabbing something.

"Yeah took three days and nights to do it. But I finally did. Oh and I almost forgot." He said handing her a beautiful necklace with her cutie mark on it making her gasp.

"Happy birthday Applejack." He said smiling looking at her shocked face.

"Spike ah, ah dont know what do say. Nopony has ever gotten me something just for me." She said with tears breming her eyes threatening to fall before she felt a claw wipe them away.

"Your my best friend AJ why wouldnt I see you as the loving mare you are? You helped me after Rarity left you were there, when Twi left I just wanted to show how much you mean to me." He said smiling making her blush.

"Oh shoot Spike yall didnt have to get nothin for me." She said smiling and pawing at the ground.

"I know but I wanted to. Now come on birthday mare. Lets get these apples in storage and then I have a party just for you waiting at sugar cube corner." He said strapping himself to the wagon.

"Ok sugar cube come lets get this done with." She said as time blurred.

Applejack found herself inside Sugar Cube Corner with her friends that were still there. Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie along with Ms Cake and Spike over by the punch with the twins.

She sighed watching the two lovers talking and could feel something jerking at her heart.

"AJ you ok?" She jumped and looked over at Dash smiling.

"Yeah ahm ok sugar cube." She said looking back at Spike and Cupcake laughing while they both held the twins. Spike looked so happy with Cupcake she just felt this tearing at her chest watching them together with each other.

"You sure?" Dash asked following her line of sight watching Spike give Cupcake a kiss and take Pound from her heading up the stairs to put them to bed.

"Aint nothin ah can do now sugar cube. Mah time is done and gone." She said looking down at the necklace.

" Its gonna be ok AJ." Dash said bringing her into a hug.

(End dream)

Applejack woke up confused and saw Fluttershy getting up out of the bed.

"Oh good morning Applejack." She said smiling.

"Mornin sugar cube." She said stretching before rolling out of the bed.

"Yall ready? Lets go find that dragon." She said pawing at her neck where she could still feel the weight of the necklace he gave her.

"You ok AJ?" Fluttershy asked looking at her friend who snapped out of her daze and smiled at her.

"Um yeah ahm fine sugar cube. Come on we're wastin daylight." She said walking out the door and towards the exit. Once they got outside Applejack saw much to her suprise Trixie smiling at Spike walking towards the Inn. But something was wrong they were both covered in blood and just looked so tired.

"Hahaha we made it!" Trixie said leaning up against Spike who looked down at her.

"Yeah we did. Im glad we both got out of there alive." He said looking down as she grabbed his face.

"Spike look at me. You had no other choice but to kill them. They were no longer your friends that you grew up with they were zombies hell bent on eating you for lunch." She said watching him tear up only for her to bring his head into her chest as she sniffed.

"Come on lets get cleaned up and some food ok?" She said pulling him with her past the mares.

"Applejack!"

"Huh what!?" Applejack shook her head and looked at her worried friends face.

"Um well Ive been calling you for a minute and you just stared at the dirt. Are you sure your ok?" She said coming up beside her.

"Yeah ahm fine just thinkin is all." She said looking back at the Talon Inn before looking back down the road asking about their dragon.

(With Spike)

(Flashback)

"GO SPIKE MOVE!" Spike looked over at Trixie as they from the walkers and dodged any that tried to ambush them. They had just made it to Canterlot when they ran into a pack of pegasus they went for them, now with them grounded they ran to the castle and through the gates before Spike turned and pushed the large heavy doors closed and bolted them shut.

"Come on lets get inside before those flyers come after us." Spike said grabbing Trixie and bolting inside, he closed the door behind them and slid the large door bolt in.

"Come on lets go see if anypony is still alive." He said getting a nod from the mare. They walked down the castle halls watching out for any ambushers. They saw a few bodies down the hall and steered clear of them talking a turn down another. He saw bodies lining the walls headless and had bite marks on them making him turn away.

"Looks like they killed anyone that was bitten." Trixie said in a hollow voice looking at the bodies.

"Yeah cant really blame them though." He said getting a nod from his partner. They continued to walk the hallways the only sound were Trixies hoofclops before they stopped as a walker came out from the corner making them freeze. They watched it stop and look right at them.

"Uggggghhhhhh."

Spike reached back and took hold of his sword as Trixie grabbed a curved sword with her magic.

"RAAAAAHHHHHH!"

They turned around to see to their shock Rainbow slowly coming towards them making the other infected start to stumble towards them like jogging drunk.

"Here they come get ready." He said before he went pale seeing a small horde of zombies behind the two coming at them.

"There's no way we can take all of them!" Trixie yelled looking between the two hordes.

Spike looked behind him and saw a door hoping against hope that that it led somewhere other than a dead in.

"Trixie check the doors see if they go anywhere!" He said ripping open the door only to come face to face with a walker.

"Guah."

SHUNK

Spike pushed the dead pony and looked inside only to see it was a bed room.

"AHHH!" Spike turned to see Trixie cutting the head of another infected off before looking in and groaned.

"NO LUCK WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!" She said starting to panic continuing to look through the doors. Spike opened another door and saw a stallion standing there like he was going to open the door.

"Spike?"

"Shining?"

"GREAT YOU KNOW EACH OTHER NOW MOVE!" Trixie yelled slamming them into the room and slammed the door shut.

"Come on we got to move there's no way that door is gonna hold." Shining said running through the room off to the otherside. Shining opened the door checking to see if the coast is clear when he was hit by a flyer. They rushed out to help and saw him throw the stallion off him before shoving a sword through its head and turned to them.

"Lets go you two I have a AHHHHH!" He backed up looking at them seeing there bites and held up his sword.

"YOUR BIT! GET AWAY FROM ME!" He said wide eyed backing up.

"Shining wait! We had these bite for weeks now! Please stay with us." Spike begged as the stallion continued to back up trembling shaking his head.

"No no no no. Your not real your another one of those vision your all in my head." He rambled.

"Shining? What happened here?" He asked the twitchy former guard.

"They, they were everywhere we couldnt stop them, they came at us in waves and even the princesses were taken down with barely a fight. I watched my parents get eaten by children and Celestia and the others turned on us after a while." He said starting to sound insane.

"Shining please calm down." Spike tried.

"What next my sister comes after me?" He said to himself looking at Spike who had his head down.

"No I killed her two days ago." Spike said watching Shining nod and back away.

"Good good so I wont run into her later thats good." He said staring at them watching spike and Trixies eyes widen.

"SHINING LOOK OUT!" But he was to late to react as five ponies tackled him and bit into his face and body.

"AHHHHHH! HELP MEEEEEE!" He screamed in pain while Spike jumped to his families side he swung cutting both Velvet and Night Lights heads off with one swing. He froze realizing who these ponies were watching as Celestia and Luna looked at him while Cadence continued bite into the struggling stallion.

"Cadence stop!" Spike yelled as the mare looked up at Spike and started to advance with the other three.

"Trixie check on him Ill deal with them." Spike said spreading his wings and taking off back down the hall as the three gave chase.

He flew taking Twists and turns trying to loose them only to be cut off or nearly taken down by the three. After a while he found himself in the throne room and stopped seeing all the dead bodies torn to pieces. He heard the sound of hoove clacking behind him and turned to see the three mares.

"This was the last stand wasnt it? This is when we lost contact with you isnt it?" He said to the who looked at him confused for a second.

"Sssssssppppppiiiiiikkkkkkeeee"

Spikes eyes widened with tears hearing Luna say his name.

"Yeah its me Lu." He said smiling as the mares bent down and lunged at once making Spike dive and roll away before coming up to see Cadences face. On instink he extended his claws and shoved his claw from the bottom of the mares jaw all the way out the top of her head.

"RAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" He looked over to see Celestia running at him making his heart nearly stop as he pulled his hand from the mares head and jumped away just as the sun bringer slamed into spot he was at. She whipped her head to him just when he got to his feet. Spike got up just in time to feel a horn go through his side.

"AHHHHHH!" He screamed as he was lifted off the ground by Luna.

"Spppppppppiiiiiiiikkkkkkkkeeee." She said and bit into his back making him scream again as Celestia trotted over towards him.

"NO!" He yelled and kicked out smacking Celestia in the face hard knocking her back. He screamed again as Luna bit into him again before he took a deep breath and jerked right snapping the mares horn off and fell to the ground.

He quickly got to his feet and got away as hooves smashed into the spot he was at. He groaned in pain grabbed his sword and shoved it through Luna's chest and out her back cutting her spinal cord making the mare drop like a sack.

He turned and narrowly avoided being gored by Celestia's horn. He went to fly away but his wing was grabbed and was flung into the steps of the throne making Luna's horn go deeper into him losing his sword as it clattered to the ground.

"YAHHHHHHHHH! FUCK!" He screamed looked up just in time to catch Celestia's face from biting into his neck.

"GET OFF ME!" He said trying to push her back while she kept gettting closer and closer to. Spike started to panic before he looked at Luna's horn and got a idea, he used all the remaining strength he had and pulled her down on it forcing it out the top of her head.

"URK!"

He held her there with his head to hers just holding her while she struggled for a few seconds before her movements stopped.

"Im sorry, Im so sorry." He said before pulling her off of him and limped to his sword.

"Spiiiiikkkkeeee." He looked over to see the milky white eyes of Luna looking at him and her front two hooves trying to drag herself over to him.

"Luna." He walked over to her and put his hand under her jaw holding her head up to him.

"Im so sorry I wish I could have been here for you. Some friend I am huh?" He said and felt her nuzzle his hand.

"Spiiikkkee."

"I know I know shhhhhh itll be all over soon he said smiling at her as she weakly nibbled on his finger before going still looking up at him she got closer and layed her head on his lap. He could feel her breathing stop but not before saying one last thing.

"Thank...Youuuu." She said before going still. He choked on sobs and pulled her head in his chest before bursting into tears crying loud and long holding one of the other special mares in his life as they died.

He looked up hearing hooves to see Rainbow Dash looking at him.

"Go away Rainbow now is not the time for this." He said through sobs hearing the clops get closer. He swung his arm and struck the mare hard in the face.

"FUCK OFF DASH! DONT YOU HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TO EAT THATS NOT CLOSE TO ME OR SOMETHING!?" He said getting up just when the mare jumped in the air only to be hit by a large rock in the side.

"SPIKE!"

Spike shook his head and looked around him seeing other dragons looking at him before looking at the Overlord.

"Are you ok son? I have reviewed the evidence and agree with you. But when I came out to tell you, you were staring at the throne. Gem for your thoughts?" He said to the pale dragon.

"I dont think you want my thoughts your great you'll never get to sleep again." He said handing a vial over to him.

"Please make sure everyone gets it just in case. I dont want your kingdom to end up like your predesessor." Spike said walking out of the throne room.

"Thank you Spike and I will. Where will you be heading from here?" The Overlord asked watching him reach the doors.

"To the Griffon Empire." He said turning back to open the door.

"And then?"

Spike stopped not really thinking about what to do, he could settle down but realalisticly speaking who would stay with him? He sighed looking at the door.

"I dont know, I just... I dont know." He said opening the door.

"You are alway welcome here young dragon for however long. You are a hero to us for this." The Overlord said standing and bowed catching others off guard and bowed themselves. Spike looked back and smiled.

"Thank you all really Ill keep that in mind." He said finally going out of the room. He came outside to come face to face with the dragoness from the factory.

"Hey I know you. Your that guy from the factory. What are you doing here?" She asked making him smile a little but she took a step back.

"Delivering a cure. Now if you will excuse me I need to get to the Griffon Empire." He said starting to move past her.

"Wait wait wait. What cure and for what?" She getting a sigh from him.

"You'll find out soon since the Overlord will be making it manditory once its mass produced." He said stepping past her but she blocked his path.

"Ma'am please Im on a important mission right now and I cant delay." He said with a tired look in his eyes looking at her searching one as they wondered his body looking at the old bite marks and scars.

"What happened?" She asked never taking her eyes on the large scar on his side.

"An outbreak and I lost everything and everyone I loved. Now please can I finish my mission now." He said and moved past her this time.

"Are you coming back?" She asked looking at him with something in her eyes he couldnt really tell. Pity, sorrow, worry? He didnt know.

"Maybe I dont know. After Im done dont know where Ill go from there maybe find a nice Island to live the rest of my days on." He said watching her walk up to him still staring in his eyes.

"Come back when your done in the Griffon Kingdom. I want to hear about it. Im Kalah by the way who are you?" She said sticking out her claw while Spike looked at it for a minute.

"Spike, just Spike." He said shaking her claw smiling a little.

"I'll see you later Kalah it was a pleasure meeting you." He said and turned around heading for the border just as two mares walked out of a building across the street.

Kalah watched Spike walk away before he took flight heading to the border just outside the city.

"Very interesting male. I hope he does come back I want to know what that look in his eye are." She said turning to see two tired looking mares walking up to her.

"Excuse me ma'am but have yall seen a dragon bout 6 feet tall green and purple with a bunch of scar on his body?" The one with the hat on.

"Is he in trouble or something?" She said eyeing the mares.

"No ah want him back home where he belongs. His name is Spike." She said making the drogoness sigh.

"Yeah he just went to the griffon border about five minutes ago." She said watching the mare look like she was going to break down.

"What is he to you?" Kalah asked as the mare look up at her.

"He's... Special to me ah want him back in mah life no matter what." She said making the dragoness raise a eyebrow.

"Why dont you come with me to my place and rest for the night and you can tell me about Spike. I want to know something." She said getting a nod from the mares as they followed her to her place.

(With Spike)

Spike sat out in the open fields that lead to the griffon homeland with a fire by a tree. He sat looking on as the sun dipped into the land.

"If only it could always be like this." He said when the ground a few hundred feet on the other side of the field lit up in a blue light. Spike jumped up and took flight towards it before long coming up on the site. What he saw shocked him to the core.

"Gilda?"

"Spike?"