Spike was making his way home from Zecora's from dropping off some books Zercora wanted to borrow. While Spike would be annoyed having to carry a bunch of heavy books into Everfree he was in a really good. That night was Nightmare Night. It the time to stay up a night for scares, have fun, and most important of all, free candy. His was snapped out of his thoughts of candy when a manticore burst out of some bushes. In a dangerous situation a being's fight or flight kicks in. Spike tries the first option with a fire ball to the manticore's face. While it stunned the beast it ticked it off more than actually hurting it. Seeing how option two didn't work he decided to use plan B.
Run like there's no tomorrow.
Sadly he was so busy staying ahead of the angry hybrid that he wasn't paying attention to where he was going and ended up veering off the path. He made his through the forest jumping over bushes and ducking under low hanging branches all the while running on all fours. He continued to run into an unfamiliar part of the forest. As turned to see that he lost the beast he accidently fell into a hole into the ground. The young drake hits his head few times before he landed on his face and he blanked out.
-----1 Hour Later-----
Spike woke up with a groan and a killer headache. It felt like he got trampled by a stampede. As peeled his face off the ground and tried to get the taste dirt out his mouth he looks around to see where he was. He was at the bottom of the hole and in front of him was a tunnel that was about his size. He looked up from where he came and was it was long and winding tunnel back the surface. He couldn't even see where it reached the end and opens to the surface. Spike decided to follow the easy path for the moment and hopefully it will lead to the outside world. He walked and walked for about what seemed to be an hour. All the while he noticed that the tunnel was getting bigger little by little the further he went in.
He soon saw a light at the end of the tunnel and started running towards it. When he gets there he sees that it wasn't the way out. It actually led to a large chamber. The floor, walls, and ceiling was made up of stone slabs. In the center of the chamber was a pedestal. On that pedestal was a pitch black diamond. The diamond, even though it was pure black, gave off a glow the lite the room. He felt drawn to it, by both its glow and his empty stomach. He grabs the gemstone and feels something coming from it. Something that he likes. So he decided to do the first thing that came to his mind.
Eat it.
In one bite Spike ate the thing whole, the taste unlike anything he ate before. Even better than that fire ruby he ate when he was little. Then he felt something surge throughout his body. For a split second his body was in pain but it faded away, it was replaced by a rush of energy. Feeling full and energize the young dragon looks around again and see another tunnel on the other side of the chamber. He followed the tunnel until he finally was outside. Sadly the manticore from earlier is waiting for him.
The beast pounce him. Spike raised his arm on instinct hoping to stop the beast when something unexpected happened. An aura of darkness gathered around the drake's arm and shots out in the form of a large arm and claw. Grabbing the manticore midflight and slamming it against a tree. After doing so the arm dissipates like mist, the aura still on his arm as Spike looks at it in surprise and curiosity. The manticore managed to get back up and charged at Spike. Just as the blow was about to connect Spike sunk to the floor and disappeared. As the beast looked for his prey he didn't notice a shadow zip under him and into the forest. Once the shadow is in a clearing it stay in one spot for a few seconds, than bunch of random movements, and then stops again. This continued for five minutes until a very confused Spike rise from the shadow.
This all came to a complete surprise. Now he had shadow powers but how did he get them. Than he suddenly remembers the gemstone he ate. It must have been the thing responsible for his powers. At first he was worried about turning into something like Nightmare Moon or King Sombra. Though he didn't feel any different from how he usually feels. He decided to give his new powers a quick test. He create the dark aura around his arm tries to make the shadow claw again. It took a moment to focus but he was able to do so without any problems and didn't feel any different. After he makes the aura disappear he thought to himself what he should do with his new powers,
Take over the world? 'Nah.' he thought to himself. 'Too much effort and no way can I sit around all day signing things and listen to everyone complaining all the time.'
Become a superhero or something? 'Hmm...Maybe another day.'
Prank and or scare everypony during Nightmare Night? A mischievous smirk appeared on his face as he ringed his hands like a villain. 'Oh there's an idea.' With that in mind he stayed to the clear so he can get a feel for his new powers. While doing so new ideas for his powers were popping up by the second. All the while Spike couldn't help but think that this was going to be the best Nightmare Night ever.
Author's Note
This is basically a little something for Halloween coming up. I might do something base off of this later but no promises. Right now I'm more or less making it up as I go. I'll add tags as I go.
Spike was walking back home. He had spent an hour or so seeing what his new powers could do. He could do a lot of interesting things to say the least. Though he didn't notice but Spike had gotten a bit taller and his scales is now a slight shade darker than before. However it wasn't anything anypony would notice unless they look really closely. As he made his way inside he noticed that the place looked like a tornado hit the place. He then notices the note on the table and picks it up.
Dear, Spike
I'm sorry about the mess but I had to go somewhere. Princess Luna needed my help with finding something in the Everfree Forest and I might not be back until tomorrow morning. I'm sure you can go trick or treat by yourself. Just make sure to lock up the library before you go. And can you please clean up the mess. I'll make sure to make it up to you when I get back.
Love, Twilght
"I don't mind being on my own at this point but can't she at least pick up after herself?" Spike muttered to himself. He signed to himself and starts cleaning the library. He puts away some of the books in their places. That is when a thought occurred to him. Why not use his new powers to clean the place faster? With this in mind he locks the door and closes the blinds so that no one could walk in on him while he uses his powers. He concentrates on his power focuses it on his arms. A dark aura appeared and multiple shadow claws jump out that was the size of his regular claws. They zip about the library picking up and sorting books. After about 15 minutes the Library was clean as a whistle. Spike dismisses the arms and plots down on the floor to catch his breath. Creating those arms and controlling them to do so many different things at once really tired him out. Seeing as the place was clean he decided to take a nap so he will be rested for Nightmare Night.
----Later That Night----
It's was night and the other trick or treaters were just coming out. It was a tough to pick what costume for him to wear. He was torn between the get up he wore when he tried to frame Owlowisicious or the costume of his favorite video game/comic book character Scott Pilgrim. While he liked the awesomeness of Scott Pilgrim he went with his evil guy costume. It went better with what he had planned for tonight. He goes out with a large fur lap sack in hand and locked up the library. He made his way to Sugarcube Corner to meet up with his friends, while doing some trick or treating along the way. Their standing in front of Sugarcube Corner was Button Mash in his Mario costume, Featherweight in some cardboard royal guard armor he made, Rumble in a Shadowbolt outfit, and Pipsqueak in his pirate outfit.
"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." Spike said.
"No problem dude. You’re just on time" Mash said. "You guys ready to get boat load of candy?"
"YEAH!" The others said. .
"How about we make this a contest? Whoever gets the most candy wins?" Spike suggested. All the while thinking that his powers will allow him to get to the houses faster than his friends.
"Let’s do it." Rumble said.
"I hope you buggars are ready to lose." Pipsqueak bragged.
"You better be ready to eat those words when I win." Mash challenged.
"Dream on, I'm the fastest one here. I'm going to win." Featherweight boasts.
"Okay guys, we have three hours to get as much candy as we can. Now let’s go this!"
"Yeah!" And with that the four young colts zip into the night, leaving one dragon behind. Spike grins as he made his way behind a tree so one can see him. Once he made sure no one was looking he sinks into the ground, turning into a shadow on the ground. He then zips off on the ground and to a nearby house. He raised himself from the ground when no one is looking, get some candy, sinks into the ground, and goes to a different house. He repeats the process, making great time by moving as a shadow and since it was night almost nopony noticed him. And those who did thought it was nothing or their eyes playing tricks on them. In no time at all, the drake’s bag was half way full. He was taking a moment to pat himself on the back when a clap of thunder startled him and everyone in the area. They look up and see Rainbow Dash in a Wonderbolt costume laughing her tail off before she flies off. That is when Spike decided to give Dash a taste of her own medicine. While everypony was looking where Rainbow flew away the young dragon sinks into the ground and quickly moves to where the rainbow mane pony went.
Rainbow Dash was leaning against a wall, laugh to herself at her latest prank while eating some candy. "Ha, I got those guys good. I should have brought a camera."
"No kidding." An unrecognizable voice echoed around her and through the night startling the mare. "And I wish I had a camera so I can take a picture of the look on your face in a minute."
The mare gets on her hoofs, a bit scared but not about to show it. "Where are you? You better have a good reason for trying to mess with a great Rainbow Dash."
"Isn't Nightmare Night supposed to be a night of scares? As for where I'm am, why I'm right behind you." The mare quickly turned around to confront the pony only to find the wall and her shadow in the moonlight.
"Very funny." She said sarcastically. "Seriously come out unless you’re scared. And who are you anyway?"
"I'm right here." This time the voice came from the wall, or more specifically her shadow. Suddenly two glowing white eyes appeared on her shadow. It slowly moved out of the wall, looking like a solid black outline of the mare in front of it with glowing white eyes. "As for whom I am, that's easy." The usually brave mare was shaking in fear at the moment, staring at her shadow that came alive. Then cracks appeared on the shadow's face, where the mouth should be. It opened it to make a mouth for itself. An eerie light coming out of it and the cracks used to make it made it look like its mouth was full of fangs. In a menacing voice and with a twisted grin the shadow said, "I AM YOU."
As soon as it said that the Element of Loyalty did the first thing that came to her mind. Fly away. Which she did. She flew to the point where she made a sonic rainboom. At the site of her face and the fact that she ran away the shadow stayed behind and laughed. As it laughed a dark wind circled around it, picking up speed until a dark mini tornado covered that shadow. When the wind died down standing the shadow's place was Spike. Though he now looked a bit different from before. He was half an inch taller, his stomach was a bit smaller, his tall bit longer, and his scales had gotten a shade darker. "Man that was awesome. Now I really wished I had a camera."
After having his laugh the now slightly taller drake turned into a shadow and zips off to do some more trick or treating. After hitting a couple of houses Spike saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders dressed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles run by crying. Looking at where the three ran from he saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon dressed up as vamponies laughing and having three extra bags of candy. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened. The drake decided to teach the two bullies as lesson.
The two bullies of the local school were laughing their tales of at their latest bullying of the CMC. "Did you see how those three little crying babies run?" Diamond Tiara asked her partner in crime.
"Indeed. That'll teach those blank flanks a lesson." Silver Spoon replied.
"And best of all we get to eat their candy." The two laughed until they noticed something happening nearby. It looked like a drop of pitch black water appeared on the ground in front of them. It gave the two an uneasy feeling. The drop suddenly grew until it was the size of a large round puddle. Then out of nowhere a pitch black clawed hand and arm thrusts out of the dark portal. It slammed down on the ground with a mighty thud. Another arm appears and slammed down on the ground as well. Slowly a black dragon head with large spikes that looked like teeth on a buzz saw, chest, and wings raised itself from the portal. There were no features on this dragon from the void, just an outline like a shadow as it towered over the scared fillies. The two bullies' eyes were as wide as dinner plates and their bodies were shaking like a leaf. It opened its eyes, reveling two glowing white eyes. Its mouth opened as well, giving off the same light as its eyes and showing off its snout full of razor sharp teeth. It looked down on them for and second and suddenly yelled at the top of its lungs.
"ZULL, YOU SPOILED BRATS, ZULL!!!"
The two ended up running away so fast ponies thought Nightmare Moon was after them. As soon as the two left the dark being faded away, leaving behind a slightly taller and darker Spike. And now he had two itches on his shoulders that just won't go away. He noticed that the two fillies left theirs and the CMC's candy bags behind. He decided to take Diamond Tiara's and Silver Spoon's candy while giving back the CMC's candy. After dumping the bullies' candy into his bag he grabbed the other bags and shadow sneaks off to where the Cutie Mark Crusaders might be.
The three young fillies were at their clubhouse, wiping their tears and trying to come up with a plan to get their candy. Out of nowhere they heard a knock at the door. Applebloom walked up to it and slowly opens the door. Right in front of her was their trick or treat bags their bullies took. The bow wearing mare yelled in joy as she grabbed the bags and showed them to her friends. Unaware of the moving shadow that made its way through the apple trees.
After dropping off the candy Spike went out to continue his trick or treating. Thankfully the itch on his shoulder blades went away; they now feel a bit funny. If somepony looked closely they could to small bumps on his cape. While the one's giving out the candy thought he looked different than normal but chalked up to the costume and for it being dark. As Spike is about to shadow sneak to the next house he spotted Applejack in her scarecrow costume trotting nearby. He decided to mess with the farmer real quick. He went to the corner of a house so that one can see him. Once he was out of everypony's sight he concentrates on the cowmare's shadow. Unaware that as he did the white of his eyes turned black. The mares' shadow started ripple. As the mare looks away her shadow started to tap dance. Some the ponies nearby looked at the odd spectacle. The mare looked around see the odd looks that were pointed in her direction. As she turned around her shadow stopped dancing. When she looked away her shadow started doing the Can Can. Looked behind her, the shadow stops. This continued for a little while, with the audience laughing at the scene while Applejack having no idea what's going on but felt like she was the butt of the joke. Deciding that he had a good enough laugh Spike stops and went back to trick or treating.
By using his shadow sneak he was able to trick or treat every house in record time. His bag got so full it was close to overflowing. Spike decided to give away some of his candy to make it easier to move his bag. But who to give it was the question. Then he remembered that Fluttershy cooped herself in her house on Nightmare Night. The drake thought that maybe it was time that he paid her a visit.
Fluttershy was curled up in her bed trying to fall asleep. The easily scared mare always locked herself in her home on Nightmare Night for obvious reasons. As she tried to an asleep she heard a swoosh in the room. At the hoof of her bed a dark portal appeared on the ground. The dark shadow looking winged dragon slowly raised itself from the portal. The shy mare was so scared by the demon of darkness she was hyperventilating. As she was about to hit her breaking the shadow holds out its claws full of candy to her. While the mare was still scared she was able to calm down a little bit and was confused. She looked the dragon, turned her attention to the candy, and back to the dragon. The dragon gives her a gentle if a somewhat scary smile. Fluttershy took the smile as a sign that the being wasn't going to hurt her and took the candy from its claws. When she did so the dragon slowly sinks back into the portal. As it did so it slowly waved its claw at her.
"Happy Nightmare Night." And it disappeared along with the portal without a trace. Leaving behind a confused mare with her hoofs filled of candy.
After giving some of his candy to Fluttershy he decided to walk home. He noticed that the bag felt lighter, seemed smaller than before and his costume felt a lot tighter than before so he took them off. His scales and spikes were now a dark purple and dark green with black outlining the spikes. He was almost as tall as Twilight on two legs now. The drake normally pudgy stomach was now flat. His snout had lengthened with his teeth longer and sharper. The dragon now had two small bat like wing on his back and his tail had gotten longer. Suddenly the dragon sneezed, spewing green and black flames.
As he made walked up to his home he notices his friends waiting for him. When he got closer his friends turned and stared at him. When he was standing next to them he noticed they looked shorter. "What happened to you guys? You've gotten shorter."
"No mate. We didn't shrink, you got bigger." Pipsqueak said. The drake raised an eyebrow at the response. He unlocked the tree house, went inside, and looked at the mirror. Spike was shocked, happy, and worried. While he always wanted to get bigger and have wings he was worried that it was his greed growth acting up again. He calmed himself down when he told himself that this wasn't the case since he didn't feel any different. However the young dragon still didn't know what happened. Than he realized that it must have been a side effect of the gem he got from Everfree.
"So Spike what happened?" Rumble asked. The drake turned around to his friends thought about if he should tell them. He decided to tell them half the truth.
"I think it must be because of this gemstone I ate I found at the Everfree Forest." He explained. From the looks of it his friends didn't see anything wrong with his story. They even said that his new look was way cool. They decided to dump their candy on the floor to see who had the most and Spike won it by a landslide.
"Dude, where did you get all that candy?!" Mash asked.
"I have my ways." The dragon replied with a smirk on his face. "Now than, I think this calls for a candy party!"
"Yeah!" The rest of the night was filled with dancing, rough housing, and telling ghost stories. All the while eating candy like there was no tomorrow.
The Next Day
Twilight was galloping to her home, hoping to get some rest. Last night Luna needed her help to find some gemstone that had magic powers shadows or something along those lines. While the stone itself wasn't dangerous The Princesses didn't want it to fall in the wrong hoofs. But when they found the chamber that is supposed to hold the stone it wasn't there. They were worried that somepony else took it before they had arrived. They looked all over the forest but couldn't find any trace of the gem through their magic detector spells. Luna decided to continue look when they were well rest.
As Twilight opened the door she saw that her library was a complete mess. Furniture was misplaced, a few books on the floors, and candy wrappers everywhere. She also noticed some young colts and her assistant lying about out cold. One was sleeping upside down on a chair, one on a bookshelf, one was hanging off of her couch, one was lying on its stomach on her table, and he assistant was buried under a pile of wrappers on the floor.
"Spike wake up!" She yelled." Why is this place a mess? You have some explaining to do!" Her yelling aroused the sleeping drake who sits up for his make shift bed. Twilight than realized he had more to explain than she thought. Taking in Spike in look a million questions ran through her mind as Spike looked her with his tired blood shot eyes. He gave her a determined look as it was possible with a candy crash headache and raised a fist into the air.
"I. Regret. Nothing." With that said his eyes rolled back into his head and felling back into his bed for his return the dreamland.
