Spike jumped onto Hope’s back as she sensed him and Discord. “Spike, go, please, you’ll get hurt!” She managed as she felt his familiar scales on her back.

“You’re not alone this time. I can help, please, mom… Aurora... Let me help.” Spike practically begged. He had never called her by her first name before. Aurora’s mane was now a part of the Aurora that flew above her.

She managed to nod slightly. She had always wanted help, and here was someone genuinely offering to help her, and was fully aware of what was going on, at least, she hoped he was. “Please…”

Spike nodded back and started chanting another spell as the other ponies rushed into the castle. They gasped in surprise as they saw Aurora’s raw power losing control. The Nightmare Queen had finally gotten her courage back and started attacking. Discord found that he could not trap her like the others for some reason. The nightmares he could not trap had started to surround himself as well as the ponies.

“Powers of hope, bring in control, age is meaningless to one who lives long. I am the medium, control to my will, please.” Though the spell did not have an action that the ponies knew or any rhymes, Discord was surprised to find the young dragon knew such an old and ancient spell. All but the alicorns glowed slightly, leaving the sisters and Twilight slightly confused. While they were all distracted, Aurora had managed to get enough control to dodge Sierra’s blast.

Sierra was now facing her off while Spike was on Aurora’s back. Spike was still glowing a little with power, as his mother’s glow was more dominant, and cast another spell, this time on himself. “May age of maturity come forth in my size! May just for a moment, I be wise!” Spike jumped off of Aurora as he started to grow a little. He was now the size of a teenage dragon, and glaring coldly at the nightmares who were still attacking. There were too many for Discord to stop them all, even with his magic of chaos.

Spike started to slash at the nightmares, clearing a path to his friends, who were fighting their way to the princess of hope. He was especially enraged when five nightmares had pinned Twilight down. He had often considered Twilight his second mother, since after Hope, she had raised him, though he would never say this to her. He roared at the five nightmares, causing them to back off in fear as he helped his oldest friend stand.

“Spike? Spike, what happened to you?” Twilight looked up at him fearfully. She remembered the last time he had grown, and he had nearly torn apart Ponyville.

“I’ll explain later, Twilight. At the moment, we have to get you all out of here.” His voice was now more mature, and a little gruff. He sounded much more like an adult than the baby he was. “Aurora can’t keep Sierra occupied forever.” Spike then noticed Screwball and Discord having trouble and Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack were surrounded by nightmares as well. He groaned inwardly as he thought about the best thing to do. He groaned inwardly as he realized what he had to do. “Twilight, go help Rarity and the others. I’ve got to help Discord and that filly!” He ran quickly towards the two, who were barely able to use their chaos powers against the nightmares without being bombarded with fear.

Fear was a nightmare’s strongest power, all save for Stella’s, which was now entering dreams and nightmares. Spike found himself soon up to his scales in Nightmares with Discord and Screwball by his side.

Aurora, now more in control of her powers, thanks to Spike, kept up her attack with Sierra. She found herself bouncing around the chamber, trying to stay alive, while making sure that the others had the help they needed.

Sierra’s eyes glared as she noticed this and she smiled maliciously as she hatched a plan. “You wish to be a hero this time around? Fine… let’s see you keep them safe…” Sierra aimed a blast of dark nightmarish magic towards all of the ponies.

Aurora’s eyes glowed golden again as she cast a powerful shield upon the others. Spike knew instantly what she had cast, as did Discord and his siblings, she had cast a powerful dream shield. The problem with dream shields though is that it causes physical strain, as well as mental, to the wielder of the shield. “I don’t think you heard me, Sierra. You’re fighting me, not my family!” She ran right up to the nightmare queen unicorn and knocked her back.

The queen quickly got up laughed at Aurora’s attempt to protect her friends and family. “You think that’s going to stop me? Fine, then I’ll take you down first.” With that, Sierra blasted a strong dark energy at the youngest of the royal sisters.

Aurora was facing it with her shield actively guarding her family and friends, keeping them in a shield that neither they, nor the nightmares could cross. She still had spare magic in her horn that she used to defend herself, but it was quickly running low as the two faced off, horn to horn. “I’m not afraid of you, Sierra. You are a disgrace to your kind!”

Discord took one look at the fight and realized what was going on. Aurora made one last slash towards Sierra and a bright light enveloped her and the Nightmare Queen. “Aurora, NO!”

Everyone turned their heads towards the two fighting in the center of the throne room. Luna tried to break her sister’s force field but was surprised to find it too strong. Normally, one who used such a shield would only be able to hold it up for a few minutes, but Aurora was able to hold it up. “Not again, please no…” Luna whispered as she saw the light envelope her sister. The light then enveloped the whole room.

Author's Note

Hope you like how its going so far. You'll see what happens in the next chapter "Hope's Healers" Which will give a little more background to who I am and what I've been doing for the past 1400 years or so.