60 years in the future...
A couple dragons were walking through the wasteland that once housed many ponies. They were just talking about the winter ahead. But then they noticed a ruins of a town. "Hey. What do you think happened here?" One asked.
"Not entirely sure." The other replied. Then they saw a book, badly damaged and very small compared to them. It had no front page as it was destroyed.
"Hey look at this." One said picking up the fragile work. They turned it over in their claws and finally found a picture in it. The picture was a nice sunny day with a town filled with multi coloured ponies.
"Wow. Do you think this was what used to be here?" One asked. The other nodded. "Must have been a little while ago. We haven't seen a clear sky in some time."
"I can't read it, could you?" "Um...yeah, a little." "Do you mind reading it, I-I'd like to know what went down you know?"
The dragon nodded. 'Of course." He said as he squinted to see the barely readable little writing. "Okay, I'll begin: 'There was war, destruction, betrayal, and torture. But I'm getting ahead of myself. The story begins on a rainy summer night, in the town of Ponyville...'
62 years prior...
A stallion was walking through the town in a rush. It was pouring rain and all he had was an old cloak to keep himself warm and dry, needless to say it failed. He needed to find some break from the wetness of the outdoors. He finally stopped at library. It was his only chance. He owned a very powerful jewel. The gem was rather useless unless he could manage to ground it up.
But he didn't have the means. Other ponies wanted it and were hunting the poor pony relentlessly. The jewel he had was yellow and grey, split neatly through the middle. It represented balance of Harmony and Chaos but it was really just a fake, right?
Any ways, the pony finally reached his destination, he knocked at the door eagerly. It took a moment but a little purple dragon answered. "I need a place to get dry for a moment please. I can pay you well." He begged. The dragon was Twilight Sparkle's assistant Spike.
Spike thought for a moment but couldn't turn the poor stallion down in good mind. "Okay, okay. Not too long." Spike said letting him in. Spike was home alone as Twilight was having a slumber party at Rarity's. He originally wanted to go but Twilight wouldn't let him. But he rethought and turned out he actually didn't.
"What's your name?" Spike asked. "Just call me 'Key'." Key replied. 'Hello Key, I'm Spike." Spike replied as they shook claws/hooves.
Key didn't remove his cloak as Spike expected. "How are you going to warm up if your wearing a wet cloak?" Spike said. "I'm fine." Key sat down.
Spike sat across from him. "What were you doing out there where you couldn't get home?"
"I was just caught in the unlucky circumstance." Key didn't seem to want to talk but Spike continued.
"Okay. So what's-*" "He's here?!" Key interrupted looking quickly to the door which was closed. "Who?" "N-no pony." He said slowly.
Spike narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. "Uh...huh." Spike said. Key just looked at him and did a guilty smile. 'What about that pay." Key randomly said. He began fumbling with his many pockets until a bunch of bits spilled out.
Spike just watched not saying anything. The rain seemed to pound harder on the roof and the lightning seemed fierce. Then one bolt hit right outside and the flash was huge, the candles flickered.
"Oh..no" Key said freezing. "What?" "Lightning Strike..." "Huh?" Key grabbed Spike's head quickly and brought it close to his.
"Lock the door." He whispered. Spike slowly got up and locked the door. He then slowly approached Key.
"He's coming..." Key whispered. "Who?" Spike was getting annoyed. "Lightning Strike!" Key randomly yelled. Spike was on edge.
"I should leave. I'll get you that pay." Key said as he fumbled with his pockets again. He finally took out a pouch that Spike guessed had the pay in. But before he could open it an arrow flew threw the bottom allowing all his bits to fall. They fell with little clinks, except Spike heard a thump.
That's when Spike saw the magnificent little jewel. His mouth instantly watered at the thought of consuming it. But there were more pressing matters, like where did that arrow come from. There indeed was a hole in the glass, the hole was very neat. Key quickly packed back up the gem when Spike was distracted.
"All on the floor is yours." Keys said as he quickly got up and moved to the front door. Spike got excited and looked to where the gem was, but was disappointed to see it missing. "Yeah...oh..." Key quickly got to the door and put his hoof on the knob.
"Wait, is there a back door?" Spike slowly shook his head, even though there was, he'd rather Key not know. "Very well, thank you little dragon. I'll be off!" Key announced as he opened the door. When he did do he was instantly launched back into a table by a magical blast.
Spike quickly jumped and hid behind a chair. A beat up looking stallion walked in along with a red mare. The stallion had an interesting mane that seemed like a lightning bolt.
"Quickly viper. Gather the immortality gem!" He ordered. Spike figured they were referring to the gem he saw. Key was groaning on the broken table as his cloak was wrecked and viscous burn marks covered him.
The red mare went forward and started searching Key. Key quickly bucked her away. She walked off the wound and returned to the black stallion who Spike guessed was Lightning Strike.
"He has a little fight in him." The mare said. The stallion nodded and then went over to Key. Strike's horn lit up and the volted Key with a very intense beam. Key had a huge wound.
Spike couldn't just stand there any more. "Now, Swift Hooves, the gem." The stallion said extending a hoof. "Hey back off!" Spike yelled at him as he jumped from behind the chair. "Now, now- Aye! A dragon! Retreat Viper!"
And with that the stallion and mare bolted it away. Spike felt pretty proud of what he had accomplished. "Spike...come." Key said, or Spike believed his real name to be Swift Hooves.
Spike went over. "This is it for me... you must carry this, keep it safe. Keep it hidden." Key said giving Spike the gem. Spike's eyes widened at the fact he had such a treat. Key saw his expression.
"Not for eating. Now remember, keep it hidden and safe." Key said. ''Okay." Spike simply said as he admired the gem.
It was a perfect yellow and grey gem with a silver-ish core. When Spike looked to Key to thank him, he was gone, vanished into thin air.
For the next two years Spike has successfully hidden it, but eventually all things are revealed.
Spike and Twilight were in the library, Twilight reading a book and Spike just sitting there thinking. He was thinking back to that one night where he got that gem. Immortality Gem it was apparently called, he wasn't sure what that meant, but it sounded important.
"Spike?" Twilight suddenly said breaking Spike's thoughts. "Yeah?"
"Can you get another candle please?" "Sure." It was a rather dark night so it made sense. Spike got up and got the candle and brought it to Twilight. "Thanks."
He just nodded. He then saw what she was reading. It was about the immortality gem. That made him look to his bed. He had been hiding it under his little bed for the whole time he's had it. He felt a sudden tug, as if something wanted him to go to the jewel. Like some pony was calling his name.
He slowly made his way to his bed, not turning his gaze. He reached out his hand and lifted his bed slightly and carefully removed the gem. It looked just as nice as it did two years previously. He was completely absorbed in it. He was just turning it around in his claws, staring at it.
"Have you ever heard of the Immortality Gem?" Twilight asked, she didn't look up at him. Spike said yes not really paying attention.
"Apparently it's really important. In fact it does tons of stuff." She continued but Spike was still in his own little world.
"Like it gives alicorns their immortal powers and fuels strong magic sources! It mostly keeps good and evil balanced." She said as she took notice of Spike's odd behavior. "Spike?"
He didn't answer. The gem was whispering gibberish Spike couldn't understand but only he could hear it. Twilight walked over to him.
"It's also been missing for hundreds of years..." She said looking down into his claws to see what he was looking at.
"Spike!" She said noticing what it was. Spike snapped out of it and quickly jumped back. "How long have you had that!?" She exclaimed.
Spike looked down at the gem in his claws. "I don't know Twilight. I don't know..." he said staring at the gem again.
"You were going to eat it weren't you?" She asked. She didn't get a response. "We have to get this to Celestia, it is very powerful." She said wrapping it in a purple aura and pulled on it. But Spike didn't let go.
She tried a couple more times but the dragon kept his grip. "It's mine Twilight! I found it!" He protested jumping back.
"It isn't yours. It's meant to be with the princesses." "Nah, they got tons of stuff. They won't miss one little jewel." He said.
"Spike, its really important. They have been searching for it for a while. Just give it here." She ordered putting out her hoof. Spike thought for a moment. "No."
"No?" She asked surprised. "You heard me." Spike said holding his ground. "Consider this my payment." he said walking around the room with it.
"Payment?" She asked. "Yes. I'v been a great assistance for many years without asking for too much." "Too much? I give you a place to live, a place to sleep, food, and a lot of care." She protested taking a step to Spike.
"What if that's not enough." Spike said as his expression turned more fierce. "I think some pony is going through another greed spell." She said.
"Stay back Twi!" He ordered. She grabbed it with her magic but Spike pulled it back and shielded it with his arm.
"It's mine and you can't have it!" He yelled. "Spike, you better give it." She said getting angry.
Spike growled and the light seemed to dim. "You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead claws!" He said as his eyes began looking more dragon like. Twilight got frightened.
"Sp-spike, what are you doing?" She said shaky. He then shook his head and realised what he was doing.
He looked at himself in shock. But just then Twilight teleported the gem from him to her which made him mad again.
"No!" He yelled charging at her. She quickly teleported herself and the gem behind him. He turned and hissed. "Eep!" She said startled and started backing away as he advanced.
"Spike, go to your bed." She said desperately. He continued. She hovered a broom to her and blocked him with it. He simply set the broom on fire with a green flame.
"Ah!" She said as she quickly blew it out. Before she could react he tackled her with surprising strength and took the gem from it's levitation. He then lept to the window sill.
"Spike STOP!" She yelled very angry and froze him in an aura. He started resisting. They began having a tug of war over Spike's body. But Spike finally got free from her hold. But he was sent flying through the window and fell from the second floor.
He tried to catch the gem but he missed and it hit the ground with a smash. It cracked directly in two. Spike panicked as he paid no mind to his injuries. He saw the grey half and picked it up.
"Spike!" Twilight yelled from the window. He looked back to see Twilight teleport down. He got up and bolted it away. Twilight tried grabbing him with magic but he was to fast and escaped into the darkness of the night. He ducked behind a ditch as she desperately scanned the horizon.
"You better come back here Spike!" She yelled getting teary. He stayed hidden. There was a little silence. "Fine! Come back when you're willing to co-operate!" She yelled as she stomped back home. Spike smiled with glee.
"That'll be a while." He said with an evil grin as he held his precious gem.
It was a chilly night and the cool breeze was caressing Spike's scales. He held his gem tightly against his gem as he walked through the night, it was a bright one, too. The moon shined and the stars glistened making the night almost magical. But Spike didn't care, he was to involved with the jewel, or half the jewel.
Spike decided he was going to go into the Everfree, that's what the gem told him. Or at least he figured it did. He just felt an urge to travel there. But in a blink of an eye the night turned fearsome, as if someone had turned off the nice night with a switch. Rain poured down unscheduled and the wind was brutal. Spike needed somewhere to stay, he decided to go to Fluttershy.
He ran to her cottage protecting the gem from the rain. He snook in through the window and fell gently on his toes. He closed the window but realized he was caught. Fluttershy saw him.
"Spike?" She said. He put a claw to his lips. "Shhhh." he said. Fluttershy did a soft eep. He took a step forward with a wicked grin but then shook it off.
Fluttershy was creeped out. "Fluttershy, how are you tonight?": He asked casually. "Um...good." She said very quietly. Spike made his way over to her. "That's good, feeling fresh?" He asked as he stepped behind her.
He was being driven by an unnatural force. "Huh?" She asked. He twisted his body around her. She was frozen in fear. "I said feeling fresh?" He said into he ear as he flicked his tongue. She jumped back from him and hid behind her couch.
Spike acted surprise at first then smiled maniacally. "Challenge excepted." Spike hummed. "Spike, please stop." She begged.
"Stop what?" He asked blankly. "Your...being creepy." She whispered. "I'm doing my duty!" He defended. "I don't understand..."
"Master needed a host. Two years overdue. But now master needs its own form, it wants to be born." He stated. "Who's master?" She asked shaking. He paused staring her down.
"I am!" He yelled in a deep voice that was not his. Fluttershy shrunk behind the couch even more completely scared. Spike cleared his throat. He slowly walked over to Fluttershy's hiding spot. "It has a scheduled that is already behind. It must not be delayed." Spike said holding up the gem.
"Spike?" She asked desperately. "Last question." "What are you talking about? Is this a joke?" She asked. "I said only one, bad obedience!" Spike yelled. Fluttershy began tearing up.
"I will answer your second! No, this is no joke." He said. tears began running down her cheeks, Spike ignored. "We must be swift, there is so much that needs to be accomplished!"