Hearts of Class IV: The Looming Nightby ImAPonyXYChaptersChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourChapter OneChapter TwoSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter Three Sounds of a Melody The moon was high. The moon was full. The moon was nigh. And the danger was too. Ash and smoke filled the star-ridden sky and caught the attention from many unwanted eyes. When they cart transporting the four ponies finally pulled up in Canterlot, Spike and Sweetie Belle were rushed to the safety of the old Canterlot castle-turned school hidden behind a set of walls. Lined with courtyards and gardens, the school was a symbol of safety dedicated to the royalty of those who rule. It was like a heavenly sip of hot coco on a cold winter's morning but the two teenagers finally reached a sanctity they very much deserved. With a sigh of relief and the comfort of the infirmary beds the two slept peacefully and soundly for the rest of the night they still had. For when morning finally came, they would have their hands full with the trivial tasks of friendship... and the thoughtless, ridiculing chore of recounting the night's near-endless occurrences. They were tempted to stay awake just so they could see what may happen next, yet the encumbering exhaustion overwhelmed them and before they could say a single word to one-another, they fell into the dreary land of dreams and peace. When morning came Spike was rudely awoken by the annoying chatter of two very recognisable voices. He opened his eyes and merely groaned to mark is awakening. "Oh. Spike. You're awake?" one of the girl's asked. Although due to his abrupt disruption to his sleep, he couldn't tell which one was speaking to him. "No. I'm still asleep," he replied sarcastically. They giggled like the innocent girls they were. Except. They were miles away from innocent. Spike had finally arrived to his senses and realised that who stood before him were non-other than his two best friends, Lyvia Sounds and Lil' Dew. Lyvia had her innocence ripped harshly away from her when she only a child. She was forced to kill her father in cold blood in an attempt to preserve her own life - A choice that, to this day, she still questions with horrifying regret. But with the merciful friendship of Spike and his darling mate, Sweetie Belle, Lyvia had learned to suppress those feelings and cherish only the ones that made her smile. The other girl, Lil' Dew, had her innocence taken away when she stabbed a school-yard bully in an attempt to save a life. Falling prey to the despair and grief that was forced upon her by her own child-like nature. She merely pushed through when discovering that she actually had not killed anyone and that the bully she had stabbed was recovering healthily in the infirmary. With the realisation that he was in the presence of these two girls, Spike sat up and give them a weak smile. He was still exhausted and only had a few hours sleep. "Well someone's a little drowsy," the earth-pony Lyvia said, "When was the last time you smiled like that to me?" "Ummm...." no immediate answer came to his mind and Lyvia could easily see that written all over his face. All she could do was let out another giggle. "Oh I forgot how much fun it was to tease you," she reminisced and without further hesitation she lunged at the purple dragon and wrapped her arms around him tightly, pulling him into an inescapable hug. That's when her happy and care-free attitude dissolved and transformed into one of worry and caution, "I've been so worried about you two," she said with a shattered voice. "We're fine Lyvia. The guards did their job and kept us safe," he responded quietly, in a hushed tone as he was careful not to startle her with an over-promising tone. "Look, you may be alive - but the same cannot be said for those gang members. That is not good!" Spike fell into a spiral of confusion. Although he was more shocked than befuddled. He just couldn't wrap his mind around her puzzling words. Her motives had never been clear to him but she just got weirder and weirder the more he knew about her. Did she poses sympathies towards the Black Apple Gang? She did have a profound history with them, but she turned her back on them and vowed to stop them. Did she have ulterior motives - or was this another one of her crazy mysteries that showed up more often then not. Eventually, after a moment of silence, Spike needed to respond, otherwise he ran the risk of making the conversation awkward. "So... what does that mean?" he replied stupidly, "Isn't it good that their dead. They won't hurt anyone anymore right?" Lyvia simply shook her head, "You need to look at this in a tactical point of view. Captain Blaze is freaking out in his office right now because their dead. He doesn't know what to do," she paused, "I know it's not a bad thing that they're gone. But it certainly isn't a good thing. "Lyvia. I'm still really confused. I don't get it," he grunted in frustration, "It's too early in the morning for this shit." "Look at this way Spike. If you were commanding an army and trying to get a precious prize, you send out a small battalion to scout out the area and distract the enemy right? But what happens if they get wiped out? You've just lost a fair few soldiers and gained absolutely nothing. You've been thwarted by the enemy and you're back at step one - the drawing board. You would have to revise your thought-out strategy all over again. Wouldn't that make you angry?" "Uhh, yeah. Sure why not," he replied, not really listened as he was distracted by the peaceful flapping of the curtains that hung low over the open windows. "... But these men," she continued, "The Black Apple gang. They are not ordinary people. They are not soldiers, they are scoundrels, murderers, thieves. They represent everything wrong with life. So would it be wise to piss them off?" she paused to let her explanation kick in," Hell no!" she answered, "Who in the right mind would want to piss off such a dangerous and unpredictable para-military force like them. It's a suicide wish if you ask me." "So... what you're saying is that we've awoken the beast, so to say?" Spike asked curiously. "Yes." "And now we're all in danger right? "Yes." "And there's little-to-nothing we can do about it?" "That's right." Spike paused and tried to get a grip on the situation. It didn't work. He then proceeded to yell and swear to express his stressful emotion. It worked. "Well. Fuck!" "I agree entirely." "This is not good at all!" "I know. That's what I'm trying to get at." "Shit!" "Uh-Huh." "Please tell me Captain Blaze has some sort of plan to deal with emergencies like this." "Well...." "He doesn't have anything does he?" "Not at the moment," "We're absolutely, one hundred percent, without a doubt, fucked!" "Yeah. Pretty much." "Why are you so calm about this!" Spike continued to yell, but in a some what hushed tone. He was careful not to prematurely awake Sweetie Belle. "Aren't you scared that people are going to die." "No not really." "Why the hell not?" She smirked and gripped the hilt of her pocket knife, "I'm glad you asked Spike. You see, I always have a plan." Spike felt stupid as her words hit him like a brick. "Of course," he groaned, "You always have a plan don't you. I could I forget." She merely giggled and coughed three times to clear her throat, "I haven't brought it up with the captain yet but I will when I finalise all the details. Would you like to hear what I've got so far?" "Hit me." "So this is what I was thinking, we hit them where it hurts..." "We take out the leader?" "We sack their base." "And how do we get there? I doubt they just have it written on a notice-board in town." "You're right, they don't. So we use Sweetie. She's been there before and maybe she remembers the way." Spike's eyes shot wide open, "You're kidding right?" he scowled at the though of Lyvia's suggested using his beloved to get to where they need to. He remembered the hardship she had told him about and how distraught she was after the ordeal. He knew Sweetie would be in no rush to go back to such a sinister place and there was no way he would risk letting her go - He couldn't bare the thought of losing her again. "No. I'm dead serious. There's no other way to find them. This is our best lead and we need to use it. Otherwise we run the risk of them recovering before we can prepare for a counter attack," her breathing increased as her determination blooded her sense, "You wanted a plan Spike. Well here it is. You either take it or leave it. Because people are going to die if we don't!" she took a moment to recover herself and catch her breath before looking the dragon dead in the eye, "So. Are you with me, or are you going to let hundreds of innocent people die?" These final words shook Spike. He was torn between being a hero and protecting the one he loved. He hated the thought of making Sweetie Belle go back to that horrible place, but he also couldn't bare the thought of letting innocent people die just because he held his girlfriend too close. Alas, he sighed and he couldn't deny this any longer. He knew it was the right thing to do, but he didn't like it one bit. If he had his was, this would all be over. "We should ask her..." he said quietly. He was defeated but dared not admit it. "Who? Sweetie?" "Yeah. We should ask her first. She should be the one to make the decision not me," he sighed for a second time, "It's only fair." "I suppose you're right," Lyvia replied, "Alright. We'll ask her when she wakes up." This put Spike's heart at ease and he simply nodded as a response. He sat back down and looked around the room. He knew he was in the infirmary but the realisation that he was back in the school suddenly came to him. This place was like a sanctuary to him not that Twilight was the headmistress and Captain Blaze roamed the halls. So much had happened over the past few weeks. No. Over the past few years. It was easy to forget that an entire year had passed without him knowing. But that wasn't important. What was important was that Sweetie himself were safe and within the presence of their friends. He couldn't help but think that things might finally get back to normal, but he knew that was simply not true. Things would only get worse from now on. So much more was to come. The war had only just began... Later, after what was presumed to be roughly an hour or so, the unicorn of pure white awoke with the most ungraceful motions conceivable. Although Spike was blind to them, Lyvia and Lil' Dew couldn't help but laugh and Sweetie sat up with confusion riddled across her face. "What?" she asked befuddled. They tried to answer but couldn't cease their laughter in order to make a timely reply. Instead the merely gave into the humour of the moment and continued to giggle and laugh. Spike on the other hand was not stricken by laughter and was able to answer clearly to her. "Don't mind them," he smiled and pulled her in close for a hug, rubbing her soft mane and running his fingers between the hairs, "We made it. We're safe" ... "For now..." "For now?" she asked, still confused from everything that was going on. It was too early for her. She had just woken up after all. "Well..." Spike began to say. But was cut off by Lyvia. "We need you to help us win this little war," she said abruptly. No longer laughing and a face masked with seriousness, "You need to take us back to the hideout." "What? Why?" she raised an eyebrow and gently let go of Spike so she could have eye contact with her friend, "I don't really want to go back there." "I know. But we need to sack their hideout and possible kill their leader. Hundreds will die if we don't." "Oh... umm well. Sure," she answered, "If those are the stakes then I don't really have much of a choice. Just let me recover." "Great! I'll go speak to the captain," she said hastily and ran off down the hall as fast as she could, which was surprisingly fast for a girl as small as her. Lil' Dew stayed. She had been out of contact with her friends for such a long time and the amount of shit she copped from Leo about their disappearance was astonishing. She merely let out a small smile and nervously stood in front of the bed, her happy-go-lucky nature seemed to be absent and instead stood a shy girl full of despair. "I'm so glad that you're back," she said simply, "So much has happened while you two have been gone. I'm sorry it has to be like this. But things have gone to shit and its getting out of control..." a few tears fell from her eyes and she looked down to let them. But the moment she realised what she was doing she straightened herself and wiped away her tears. She looked up and acted as though nothing had happened, showing a beaming smile and holding her hands by her side. "You were so much easier to convince then Spike, you know. I hope this works out." Author's Note There's nothing to say here really except that something's up with Lil' Dew - and there's no sight of Cinder either... If you have any suggestions for corrections or future ideas then please leave a comment bellow. As always leave a like and I'll be posting again soon. Chapter Four "You're Just a Kid" - Part One Going Rouge "It's a worthwhile proposal Lyvia," Captain Silver Blaze said honestly as he sat back in his black office chair and reviewed the plan that the school girl had offered him, "However," he continued, "It's too risky and the consequences of a failure outweigh those of us not even trying. A preemptive strike would be beneficial and so I understand why you're offering this, but if we fail then there will be no-one left to defend the towns and cities from their wrath." "But," Lyvia objected, "This is our only chance to destroy them!" "I don't care about that Lyvia, I care about the safety of those who are under my protection. You're letting your emotions get ahead of you. You need to think about this in a more professional way - from the standpoint of my position. I've dealt with them before and I know how dangerous they can be. It's only natural to assume that those guarding their base will be much more powerful." "So you're just going to pass this opportunity by. That's it! No maybe and no trying?" she stood up angrily, her fists by her side and her eyes filled with rage and determination. "I will not be leaving this office until I make sure you do something about this!" "Sit down girl. There's not point in popping a blood vessel because I refuse to send my soldiers on a suicide mission," he growled and fixed his posture, "There's no point in arguing this with me. You have no idea how to handle a situation like this. Best you leave it to me, since I know what I'm doing." Silence befell the room and Lyvia sat herself back down in the chair, pouting. She did not appreciate being ignored simply because she was young. She crossed her arms and hesitated to speak, fearing that she may be shot down again. Never the less she refused to back down, she did not want this opportunity to be ignored simply because it was 'risky'. She sat up straight just like the captain and cleared her throat to speak once again - this time, she made sure her words had much more impact. "I figured you'd be much smarter than this captain. I don't know what happened to make you so soft, but last I saw you, you were freaking out and needed a plan. Well I thought of one and now you're just passing it by. What the fuck is wrong with you." The captain grumbled and rolled his eyes, he put down his papers, unfolded his arms and looked her directly in the eyes, "Listen here Lyvia, because I will not say it again. Don't you ever take that tone with me again - I understand your frustration but you need to calm down and think about what you're trying to make me do. I am the captain of the elite guard, not you. So excuse me if I pass-by the poorly thought out plan of a 16 year old who lets her emotions cloud her judgement." "I am not letting my fucking emotions cloud my fucking judgement. I am trying to save people here! Can you not fucking see that!" she yelled and found herself standing yet again with her hands slammed down upon the table. "Uh huh," Blaze sighed in disbelief, "I think you need to leave Lyvia, you're not making yourself look good right now," he got up and walked past her to show her the courtesy of opening the door, "You're just a kid," ... "Come back to me when you've calmed down." Lyvia stood up, defeated. She can't believe she had let her emotions get the better of her. Now there was now way she would be able to convince him of her plan. Never-the-less she sighed deeply in regret and walked out of the office, which was soon closed behind her. She had never not been successful before and this was more of a wake-up call than anything else, but it still stung like nothing else. "You're just a kid," Blaze's voice echoed throughout her head. She had always seen herself as an adult, the way she acted, behaved, thought and handled situations had always been responsible, although not always sensible. The only thing that had stopped her from being an adult was her age and that had always restricted her of her chances. She had never been able to get a job or convince others of her independence due to her young age. The only she was was ever able to do was go to school and listen to teachers ruin her life for the sake of 'learning'. Yet. This is how it was for now and she had no choice but to put up with it. If she was to make this work she would need to find a way around it - and that meant doing it herself. Although her plan consisted of more than one apparent problem. The most significant one being, she had to do it all by herself. There was no one else she could properly trust to stay alive. She was the only combat trained mare among her entire group of friends and armed with only her trusty pocket-knife she would most have her hands full. Yet, it would be worth it, the sacrifice to save her friends - and if she didn't die that would be good too. The possibility of the damage she could cause to the enemy outweighed all risks in her mind, which is why later that night she sneaked out of her bed, down the numerous hallways and into the ill-guarded armory that Captain Blaze and his soldiers had been using. The place was empty - in terms of people anyway. It was just her and the dozens of crossbows, swords and armour for her taking. She gave herself a reassuring smirk as she took her pick of the lethal equipment before her. Her only regret was that she had been trained to use absolutely none of them, so if nothing, it would at least be interesting to see how things played out. Coming to the realisation that she would be risking herself needlessly if she took items she was not comfortable with, she placed down everything she had taken except for the crossbow. Now that she had 'borrowed' all that she needed, Lyvia advanced down the hallways yet again and continued to stay out of sight as though she was on hostile territory. Eventually after what seemed like an eternity she managed to reach outside the grounds of the school. The vast city of Canterlot stood before her with not a soul in sight and only the moonlight to illuminate the magical city of royals. It occurred to her that she had no idea where the hideout was and she was armed with only the knowledge of what Sweetie Belle had shared with her. 'It's near an old, burned down shack on the outskirts of Ponyville' she reminded herself. It was far away and there was no way she would reach it before sunrise but she figured it would be best to start heading towards her omniscient target and gain as much ground as possible before the captain or her friends caught wind of her rouge adventure. Only having a few Bits at her disposal she was able to afford one train ticket which was unfortunately only valid up until Appleloosa. So that was to be her next stop. She would sleep there until rested and work out where to go afterwards. She was to take this one step at a time if she was to be successful but for now, she didn't worry about what was to happen only what she was doing. The young mare boarded the empty train and took her seat of which she traveled from a majestic city out of legend to a western town of cowboys. The journey was long and by the end she was both tired and hungry, but she did not have enough money to rent a room nor buy a meal. She decided to brave her conditions and once exiting the train to stand before the town stuck in the past she acquired her bearings and slept under a tree upon the outside of the settlement's borders. She hadn't planned for any of this, and in hindsight she really should have. She had no money left and no food or water in which to survive with. It was time she took matters into her own hands and decided that journeying further upon her current course would only lead her to despair and poverty. It was for these reasons that she planned to make her way through the wilderness to hunt for food and scavenge for any water source, whether it be a river or a left over canteen. However, before she could set forth upon her, no doubt, dangerous adventure, she was stopped by a stranger who seemed to taken notice of her. "Howdy lass!" he called out, "I couldn't help but notice that y'all knew around these parts. Do you need any kind of assistance?" Lyvia didn't even give the stranger the kindness of looking at him as she shot down his offer of aid, "No," she replied bluntly, "I'm fine," yet, this was another choice she regretted making as she really did need aid. If this stranger could offer her water then maybe she stood a chance. "Are you positive lass? You look parched. I could fetch some water? Maybe even some food?" he continued to extend his offer despite being denied her cooperation beforehand, "Or perhaps I could give y'all a tour, show you around so you know where to go." Lyvia sighed and gave him the courtesy of looking at him this time. She nodded, putting aside her previous mistake and accepting his kind offer of help. If things played out well then maybe he could help her in more ways then one. "Very well," she accepted, "I will gladly take some water," her stomach grumbled and echoed across her immediate area, "And some food wouldn't hurt." "I knew you'd come to your senses," the arylide yellow stranger said with a grin, "Come, follow me and I'll get you that water," he began to lead her through the bustling town of hard labor as the sounds of farming, blacksmithing, mining filled the atmosphere until they finally arrived to a small house on the other side of Appleloosa, "So. What's your name lass?" he asked as he opened the door for her to show his chivalrous nature. "I'm Lyvia Sounds," she answered blankly and walked in showing him no regards of kindness except for her following question which she asked after turning her head to glance at him behind her back, "And what's yours?" The stranger smiled and sat down before answering as he knew she would have plenty more questions to asked before his help was through, "Why thanks for asking Lyvia Sounds, my name is Braeburn - and I am at your service." Author's Note Again, sorry for such the long wait, I hope the quality of this chapter intrigues you enough to forgive me. But it seems as though Lyvia has gone her own way - not surprising really. I hope you enjoy and let me know of any improvements or suggestions in the comments below. Chapter OneAuthor's Note Welcome. Welcome to the highly anticipated fourth addition of the Hearts of Class series. Now before you read the story, you NEED to read this. The first half of this chapter is highly descriptive and conveys a clearly dark and depressing tone to it. I urge you to realise that this is NOT what the story is about and this style only lasts for half the chapter. Now that that's out of the way you may proceed. Enjoy! Chapter One Open Eyes Love was a trivial matter - especially in Equestria. Love can enlighten you but it can also hurt you and twist you in impossible ways. It can corrupt a person to do drastic things and punish them for it afterwards. It can easily destroy lives and renew benevolence with the snap of a finger. Love was powerful. And it was dangerous. Spike had felt the sting of betrayal left by love's cruel mark only a few weeks ago. Yet despite near-impossible odds and constant counseling he managed to push through his anger and hatred and rejoin his beloved in eternal courtship. As long as love let it be that way. But why did Spike pursue such a dangerous and corrupting form of entertainment - the simple answer is known only as addiction. He was addicted to the feeling of loving and being loved and that was something he didn't plan on giving up any time soon. Spike was a dragon... and his mate, Sweetie Belle, was merely a unicorn. Such a companionship would be considered blasphemous - Dragons were not meant to love or even be loved by a cute and innocent girl. Yet the bonds of harmony brought them together against impossible odds and more than a few prying eyes that against them. They had fought both each other and the forces of darkness that moved against them, yet their love remained. And along the way they picked up a few people interesting enough to call friends. Life was strange and weird like that - it held countless possibilities with endless outcomes of which could be perceived for better or worse. Life may be strange. Yet. Life was also good - and Spike would have it no other way. But all he had worked towards was at risk. His love, his friends, his future. Even his very life was all endangered due to the constant threat of the corrupted cult known as none-other than the Black Apple Gang, whose work marked the blood and screams upon his beloved's innocent body. Equestria was a hard place - beasts from the forest moved against the peace guarding the lands and certain corrupted individuals sought to destroy the work built over generations of hard labour and pointless politics. The image of her soft white body being stained with the crimson essence of blood was poison to him and all he wanted was to see the beloved unicorn safe and sound. He cared not for anyone else. His heart was pounding as the screams of the pretty little unicorn filled the heavy air and burdened him with the charge of saving her. She was in danger and Spike was the only one who could stop it. He had no idea where the two soldiers Sheela and Buzz were and he had no time to risk a reliance upon them. It was down to him and him alone. Only he stood ready to strike down the one foolish enough to disturb the peace of his Sweetie. Without hesitation the purple dragon charged full-force into the shrieking cabin-in-the-woods only to be merely stopped by a cloaked figure all to familiar to him. The adrenaline surged through his veins and granted him both the strength of a bull and the courage of a lion needed to eliminate the foe who stood before him. Spike was the predator and they were the prey - nothing would stand in the way of his tranquility. Not even an infamous member of the Black Apple Gang who thought it would be a good idea to mess with a dragon. He had gone beyond the point of reason and the only answer to all his problems was to plant a solid punch into the soft and fleshy face of any such fool. And he did. And it felt good. No. It felt really good. Blood sprayed along the floor as his claws bared the crimson mark of defeat of the fallen enemy whose body lay quiet and still in an eternal sleep of total darkness and failure. He smirked as he brandished the blood as warpaint under his eyes. It was time to end the threat that had plagued the safety of the one he held so close for over a year now... and without a doubt the kill would nothing but satisfying. And so soon followed more screams. But not from Sweetie Belle, instead from the one who held her demonic values too close and brandished her beliefs firmly upon a false foundation. Diamond Tiara was meeting her fate... and a bloody one at that. Yet the trickster mare had more than a few surprises up her sleeve as she lured the the blood-crazed and vengeance-thirsty dragon into a false sense of security before striking out with dangerous sorcery and dark magic. He fell to the floor and felt the light draining from his vision as blackness slowly crept its way into his consciousness. He coughed and sputtered, but before his mission met its failure he would have one final stand against the villainous earth pony who marked all the apparent danger. He rose to his feet and his cold, hungry eyes met the deathlike and stillness of her's. It was darkness against darkness. But one darkness was lighter than others. He held the spark of hope close to his heart as the still body of Sweetie lay cold and bloody upon the heavenly silks that lined her place of rest. He let out a slow, low growl and charged full-force at the demonic villain who cursed his adolescence and forced his hand to murder those who stood in his way. He was not a killer, but he certainly not a pacifist and there was no way he would allow the one he cherished most to be harmed by the ill that haunted their sanctity. "You're done for!" He snarled and pinned Diamond against the wall. She was rendered useless and was to suffer the fate of whatever Spike chose. She was in her rightful place and the fear emanated from her as the tremor of her pupils enlightened her of her misconception and the imminent end that drew ever closer. She begged and pleaded desperately for the merciless dragon to let her go free. She was still so young and had an entire life to live for. She wanted to see the morning light of the days that would follow. She did not wish to die today... Nor any day marked before her allocated time. "Please.... PLEASE!!!" she yelled helplessly and found herself confined to no action but the limited use of squirming and wriggling. "I beg you! Let me go! Please!" she was shaking tremendously as the cold eyes of her foe pierced her and destroyed any morale she possessed. Spike was right about one thing - she was done for. There was no denying that now. Spike smirked upon the helplessness forced upon the writhing filth but never the less he was no murderer and he was prepared to spare her life... but at a cost, "And what would you do if I released you?" he asked but showed no sign of letting up as he spoke strong and asserted his dominance over her. Her fear was nothing but pleasure him. "I.... I'll leave.... I'll never come back... I promise!" the desperation her voice composed was music to his eyes. He felt utter satisfaction from hearing her stutter and squeak. Payment was due - and she was paying with her life. "Where will you be going?" the dragon held his eyes upon her's and relished this moment as he knew it would be over too quickly. He was going to let the beast go and watch her run mad for her life... and the very sight of seeing that smirk wiped off her face was enough for him. "I'll... I'll go home... To mummy and daddy! I promise!" tears streamed down the young girls face and the realisation of her drastic actions finally caught up with her. She had been told her entire life that the good guys always win and yet she denied the words their justice by opposing them. She now knew how foolish she had been by trusting her faith in a false benevolence as the consequences grew from the seeds of carelessness and recklessness. This was it for her. She was no longer a member of the Black Apple Gang. She was prepared to renounce that life in mere seconds if the dragon would allow her too. "And will you leave this 'gang'?" "Yes!" she answered without hesitation and the crumbling heap of flesh that had once called herself an enemy of Spike was let go and fell helplessly to the floor. She did naught against her aggressor and acted the role of the innocent victim by curling up in a ball and bawling her eyes out. They were tears of happiness but her action were of the opposite. She was relieved that Spike had showed her mercy where she would have not but she distraught from the actualisation of the limits of her powers. She was weak and helpless - a feeling she had never felt before and one that no one should ever have to feel. They were safe. Spike's mission was complete. The dashing dragon had saved his beautiful princess from further harm and sealed the agreement of permanent sanctity from Diamond Tiara's wrath. All was looking up again and Spike was finally able to relax. His anger was vented and he allowed his exhausted body to fall gently to the soft silks that Sweetie had kept for herself and lie lovingly next to her. Her soft body gave of a warmth that only she could satisfy and all he could do was merely smiled. They ran through the fields of spring as the pink and purple flowers tickled their ankles. Sweetie and Spike together again. Enjoying none-other than each others company in a hopefully long and prosperous time of peace. They were cute together and despite being from different races they seamlessly formed a perfect match - bound by a loving harmony. The sky was a peaceful cyan with soft, fluffy clouds taking form of various shapes and sizes that patterning the overhead view and it didn't take the loving couple long to realise the beauty around them. They lay cutely in the tall grass under a tree with hand in hand. The difference between the two was staggering. Spike had grown exponentially taller and Sweetie voice had matured to a state of utter beauty as she softly hummed the lyrics of the very first song she had sung to him upon the grounds of Canterlot's most prestigious school. Peaceful memories were all that floated around the scenic landscape as the two of them lay in silence... as one. "I love you Sweetie Belle," Spike spoke happily and eyed his love with nothing but care and respect. Although they had been through a lot with seamlessly endless despair they were together at last, hand in hand and bound forever by blossoming courtship. "I love you too Spiky," she replied and giggled cutely, poking his nose. Spike found himself drawn to the fine look of her body. Not just her curves or sizes but also by the purity and innocence of external figure. Her white fur marked unmatched beauty and her curled pink and purple hair and tail seemed to only further pursue the perfection of her image. To him - she was remarkably beautiful and there was no doubt that he would risk his life for her. He had done it when charging head first into Diamond's intrusion and he would do it again without hesitation. "You're beautiful, Sweetie," he said in awe with his hand running the lengths of her blue dress hemmed with purple lace. "Aww. Thanks Spiky. But you're just saying that," "No. I mean it," "Really?" "Of course I do," "Thank you," she kissed him quickly, but before she could pull away Spike grabbed hold of her and pulled her in closer. His green eyes meeting the emerald colour of her's and continuing the kiss - only deeper. It was like heaven. The sheer wetness of her lips against his was unmatched against any pleasure he had felt before and it had been so long since he was last granted the bounty of such a remarkable experience. But now that he was reliving the thrill of her taste again he was addicted to her. He was lucky to have her as a girlfriend. She was smart, beautiful, ambitious and was clearly a spectacular kisser. He was a lucky boy and she was his blessed princess. No other couple across Equestria would match their loyalty and compassion for one another - their love was truly something special. "Spike!" called out a voice that belonged to neither one of them. "Spike wake up!" A wave of confusion washed over the young dragon, but a sharp pain in the back of his head snapped him from the luscious dream world to reality. There stood Sergeant Sheela and the charming little Sweetie Belle. Spike sighed. It was all just a dream - well not all of it. Their love was still strong and the compassion they shared for one another would surely convert that dream to reality. Now he hoped to return to the fields of spring when the flowers tickles and sky charmed - where the love's pleasant and girl with him cares just as much about him as he does for her. And to think. Not even a few days ago had they hated each other, vowing to never speak again and wishing for a vengeful aftermath of their feelings - but that was behind them and now they started anew. Stronger than ever. This dream was proof. Spike merely smiled, all was good. And it was to only ever get better. "Why are you smiling Spike?" she asked. "Because you're here beautiful."
Chapter Three Sounds of a Melody The moon was high. The moon was full. The moon was nigh. And the danger was too. Ash and smoke filled the star-ridden sky and caught the attention from many unwanted eyes. When they cart transporting the four ponies finally pulled up in Canterlot, Spike and Sweetie Belle were rushed to the safety of the old Canterlot castle-turned school hidden behind a set of walls. Lined with courtyards and gardens, the school was a symbol of safety dedicated to the royalty of those who rule. It was like a heavenly sip of hot coco on a cold winter's morning but the two teenagers finally reached a sanctity they very much deserved. With a sigh of relief and the comfort of the infirmary beds the two slept peacefully and soundly for the rest of the night they still had. For when morning finally came, they would have their hands full with the trivial tasks of friendship... and the thoughtless, ridiculing chore of recounting the night's near-endless occurrences. They were tempted to stay awake just so they could see what may happen next, yet the encumbering exhaustion overwhelmed them and before they could say a single word to one-another, they fell into the dreary land of dreams and peace. When morning came Spike was rudely awoken by the annoying chatter of two very recognisable voices. He opened his eyes and merely groaned to mark is awakening. "Oh. Spike. You're awake?" one of the girl's asked. Although due to his abrupt disruption to his sleep, he couldn't tell which one was speaking to him. "No. I'm still asleep," he replied sarcastically. They giggled like the innocent girls they were. Except. They were miles away from innocent. Spike had finally arrived to his senses and realised that who stood before him were non-other than his two best friends, Lyvia Sounds and Lil' Dew. Lyvia had her innocence ripped harshly away from her when she only a child. She was forced to kill her father in cold blood in an attempt to preserve her own life - A choice that, to this day, she still questions with horrifying regret. But with the merciful friendship of Spike and his darling mate, Sweetie Belle, Lyvia had learned to suppress those feelings and cherish only the ones that made her smile. The other girl, Lil' Dew, had her innocence taken away when she stabbed a school-yard bully in an attempt to save a life. Falling prey to the despair and grief that was forced upon her by her own child-like nature. She merely pushed through when discovering that she actually had not killed anyone and that the bully she had stabbed was recovering healthily in the infirmary. With the realisation that he was in the presence of these two girls, Spike sat up and give them a weak smile. He was still exhausted and only had a few hours sleep. "Well someone's a little drowsy," the earth-pony Lyvia said, "When was the last time you smiled like that to me?" "Ummm...." no immediate answer came to his mind and Lyvia could easily see that written all over his face. All she could do was let out another giggle. "Oh I forgot how much fun it was to tease you," she reminisced and without further hesitation she lunged at the purple dragon and wrapped her arms around him tightly, pulling him into an inescapable hug. That's when her happy and care-free attitude dissolved and transformed into one of worry and caution, "I've been so worried about you two," she said with a shattered voice. "We're fine Lyvia. The guards did their job and kept us safe," he responded quietly, in a hushed tone as he was careful not to startle her with an over-promising tone. "Look, you may be alive - but the same cannot be said for those gang members. That is not good!" Spike fell into a spiral of confusion. Although he was more shocked than befuddled. He just couldn't wrap his mind around her puzzling words. Her motives had never been clear to him but she just got weirder and weirder the more he knew about her. Did she poses sympathies towards the Black Apple Gang? She did have a profound history with them, but she turned her back on them and vowed to stop them. Did she have ulterior motives - or was this another one of her crazy mysteries that showed up more often then not. Eventually, after a moment of silence, Spike needed to respond, otherwise he ran the risk of making the conversation awkward. "So... what does that mean?" he replied stupidly, "Isn't it good that their dead. They won't hurt anyone anymore right?" Lyvia simply shook her head, "You need to look at this in a tactical point of view. Captain Blaze is freaking out in his office right now because their dead. He doesn't know what to do," she paused, "I know it's not a bad thing that they're gone. But it certainly isn't a good thing. "Lyvia. I'm still really confused. I don't get it," he grunted in frustration, "It's too early in the morning for this shit." "Look at this way Spike. If you were commanding an army and trying to get a precious prize, you send out a small battalion to scout out the area and distract the enemy right? But what happens if they get wiped out? You've just lost a fair few soldiers and gained absolutely nothing. You've been thwarted by the enemy and you're back at step one - the drawing board. You would have to revise your thought-out strategy all over again. Wouldn't that make you angry?" "Uhh, yeah. Sure why not," he replied, not really listened as he was distracted by the peaceful flapping of the curtains that hung low over the open windows. "... But these men," she continued, "The Black Apple gang. They are not ordinary people. They are not soldiers, they are scoundrels, murderers, thieves. They represent everything wrong with life. So would it be wise to piss them off?" she paused to let her explanation kick in," Hell no!" she answered, "Who in the right mind would want to piss off such a dangerous and unpredictable para-military force like them. It's a suicide wish if you ask me." "So... what you're saying is that we've awoken the beast, so to say?" Spike asked curiously. "Yes." "And now we're all in danger right? "Yes." "And there's little-to-nothing we can do about it?" "That's right." Spike paused and tried to get a grip on the situation. It didn't work. He then proceeded to yell and swear to express his stressful emotion. It worked. "Well. Fuck!" "I agree entirely." "This is not good at all!" "I know. That's what I'm trying to get at." "Shit!" "Uh-Huh." "Please tell me Captain Blaze has some sort of plan to deal with emergencies like this." "Well...." "He doesn't have anything does he?" "Not at the moment," "We're absolutely, one hundred percent, without a doubt, fucked!" "Yeah. Pretty much." "Why are you so calm about this!" Spike continued to yell, but in a some what hushed tone. He was careful not to prematurely awake Sweetie Belle. "Aren't you scared that people are going to die." "No not really." "Why the hell not?" She smirked and gripped the hilt of her pocket knife, "I'm glad you asked Spike. You see, I always have a plan." Spike felt stupid as her words hit him like a brick. "Of course," he groaned, "You always have a plan don't you. I could I forget." She merely giggled and coughed three times to clear her throat, "I haven't brought it up with the captain yet but I will when I finalise all the details. Would you like to hear what I've got so far?" "Hit me." "So this is what I was thinking, we hit them where it hurts..." "We take out the leader?" "We sack their base." "And how do we get there? I doubt they just have it written on a notice-board in town." "You're right, they don't. So we use Sweetie. She's been there before and maybe she remembers the way." Spike's eyes shot wide open, "You're kidding right?" he scowled at the though of Lyvia's suggested using his beloved to get to where they need to. He remembered the hardship she had told him about and how distraught she was after the ordeal. He knew Sweetie would be in no rush to go back to such a sinister place and there was no way he would risk letting her go - He couldn't bare the thought of losing her again. "No. I'm dead serious. There's no other way to find them. This is our best lead and we need to use it. Otherwise we run the risk of them recovering before we can prepare for a counter attack," her breathing increased as her determination blooded her sense, "You wanted a plan Spike. Well here it is. You either take it or leave it. Because people are going to die if we don't!" she took a moment to recover herself and catch her breath before looking the dragon dead in the eye, "So. Are you with me, or are you going to let hundreds of innocent people die?" These final words shook Spike. He was torn between being a hero and protecting the one he loved. He hated the thought of making Sweetie Belle go back to that horrible place, but he also couldn't bare the thought of letting innocent people die just because he held his girlfriend too close. Alas, he sighed and he couldn't deny this any longer. He knew it was the right thing to do, but he didn't like it one bit. If he had his was, this would all be over. "We should ask her..." he said quietly. He was defeated but dared not admit it. "Who? Sweetie?" "Yeah. We should ask her first. She should be the one to make the decision not me," he sighed for a second time, "It's only fair." "I suppose you're right," Lyvia replied, "Alright. We'll ask her when she wakes up." This put Spike's heart at ease and he simply nodded as a response. He sat back down and looked around the room. He knew he was in the infirmary but the realisation that he was back in the school suddenly came to him. This place was like a sanctuary to him not that Twilight was the headmistress and Captain Blaze roamed the halls. So much had happened over the past few weeks. No. Over the past few years. It was easy to forget that an entire year had passed without him knowing. But that wasn't important. What was important was that Sweetie himself were safe and within the presence of their friends. He couldn't help but think that things might finally get back to normal, but he knew that was simply not true. Things would only get worse from now on. So much more was to come. The war had only just began... Later, after what was presumed to be roughly an hour or so, the unicorn of pure white awoke with the most ungraceful motions conceivable. Although Spike was blind to them, Lyvia and Lil' Dew couldn't help but laugh and Sweetie sat up with confusion riddled across her face. "What?" she asked befuddled. They tried to answer but couldn't cease their laughter in order to make a timely reply. Instead the merely gave into the humour of the moment and continued to giggle and laugh. Spike on the other hand was not stricken by laughter and was able to answer clearly to her. "Don't mind them," he smiled and pulled her in close for a hug, rubbing her soft mane and running his fingers between the hairs, "We made it. We're safe" ... "For now..." "For now?" she asked, still confused from everything that was going on. It was too early for her. She had just woken up after all. "Well..." Spike began to say. But was cut off by Lyvia. "We need you to help us win this little war," she said abruptly. No longer laughing and a face masked with seriousness, "You need to take us back to the hideout." "What? Why?" she raised an eyebrow and gently let go of Spike so she could have eye contact with her friend, "I don't really want to go back there." "I know. But we need to sack their hideout and possible kill their leader. Hundreds will die if we don't." "Oh... umm well. Sure," she answered, "If those are the stakes then I don't really have much of a choice. Just let me recover." "Great! I'll go speak to the captain," she said hastily and ran off down the hall as fast as she could, which was surprisingly fast for a girl as small as her. Lil' Dew stayed. She had been out of contact with her friends for such a long time and the amount of shit she copped from Leo about their disappearance was astonishing. She merely let out a small smile and nervously stood in front of the bed, her happy-go-lucky nature seemed to be absent and instead stood a shy girl full of despair. "I'm so glad that you're back," she said simply, "So much has happened while you two have been gone. I'm sorry it has to be like this. But things have gone to shit and its getting out of control..." a few tears fell from her eyes and she looked down to let them. But the moment she realised what she was doing she straightened herself and wiped away her tears. She looked up and acted as though nothing had happened, showing a beaming smile and holding her hands by her side. "You were so much easier to convince then Spike, you know. I hope this works out." Author's Note There's nothing to say here really except that something's up with Lil' Dew - and there's no sight of Cinder either... If you have any suggestions for corrections or future ideas then please leave a comment bellow. As always leave a like and I'll be posting again soon.
Chapter Four "You're Just a Kid" - Part One Going Rouge "It's a worthwhile proposal Lyvia," Captain Silver Blaze said honestly as he sat back in his black office chair and reviewed the plan that the school girl had offered him, "However," he continued, "It's too risky and the consequences of a failure outweigh those of us not even trying. A preemptive strike would be beneficial and so I understand why you're offering this, but if we fail then there will be no-one left to defend the towns and cities from their wrath." "But," Lyvia objected, "This is our only chance to destroy them!" "I don't care about that Lyvia, I care about the safety of those who are under my protection. You're letting your emotions get ahead of you. You need to think about this in a more professional way - from the standpoint of my position. I've dealt with them before and I know how dangerous they can be. It's only natural to assume that those guarding their base will be much more powerful." "So you're just going to pass this opportunity by. That's it! No maybe and no trying?" she stood up angrily, her fists by her side and her eyes filled with rage and determination. "I will not be leaving this office until I make sure you do something about this!" "Sit down girl. There's not point in popping a blood vessel because I refuse to send my soldiers on a suicide mission," he growled and fixed his posture, "There's no point in arguing this with me. You have no idea how to handle a situation like this. Best you leave it to me, since I know what I'm doing." Silence befell the room and Lyvia sat herself back down in the chair, pouting. She did not appreciate being ignored simply because she was young. She crossed her arms and hesitated to speak, fearing that she may be shot down again. Never the less she refused to back down, she did not want this opportunity to be ignored simply because it was 'risky'. She sat up straight just like the captain and cleared her throat to speak once again - this time, she made sure her words had much more impact. "I figured you'd be much smarter than this captain. I don't know what happened to make you so soft, but last I saw you, you were freaking out and needed a plan. Well I thought of one and now you're just passing it by. What the fuck is wrong with you." The captain grumbled and rolled his eyes, he put down his papers, unfolded his arms and looked her directly in the eyes, "Listen here Lyvia, because I will not say it again. Don't you ever take that tone with me again - I understand your frustration but you need to calm down and think about what you're trying to make me do. I am the captain of the elite guard, not you. So excuse me if I pass-by the poorly thought out plan of a 16 year old who lets her emotions cloud her judgement." "I am not letting my fucking emotions cloud my fucking judgement. I am trying to save people here! Can you not fucking see that!" she yelled and found herself standing yet again with her hands slammed down upon the table. "Uh huh," Blaze sighed in disbelief, "I think you need to leave Lyvia, you're not making yourself look good right now," he got up and walked past her to show her the courtesy of opening the door, "You're just a kid," ... "Come back to me when you've calmed down." Lyvia stood up, defeated. She can't believe she had let her emotions get the better of her. Now there was now way she would be able to convince him of her plan. Never-the-less she sighed deeply in regret and walked out of the office, which was soon closed behind her. She had never not been successful before and this was more of a wake-up call than anything else, but it still stung like nothing else. "You're just a kid," Blaze's voice echoed throughout her head. She had always seen herself as an adult, the way she acted, behaved, thought and handled situations had always been responsible, although not always sensible. The only thing that had stopped her from being an adult was her age and that had always restricted her of her chances. She had never been able to get a job or convince others of her independence due to her young age. The only she was was ever able to do was go to school and listen to teachers ruin her life for the sake of 'learning'. Yet. This is how it was for now and she had no choice but to put up with it. If she was to make this work she would need to find a way around it - and that meant doing it herself. Although her plan consisted of more than one apparent problem. The most significant one being, she had to do it all by herself. There was no one else she could properly trust to stay alive. She was the only combat trained mare among her entire group of friends and armed with only her trusty pocket-knife she would most have her hands full. Yet, it would be worth it, the sacrifice to save her friends - and if she didn't die that would be good too. The possibility of the damage she could cause to the enemy outweighed all risks in her mind, which is why later that night she sneaked out of her bed, down the numerous hallways and into the ill-guarded armory that Captain Blaze and his soldiers had been using. The place was empty - in terms of people anyway. It was just her and the dozens of crossbows, swords and armour for her taking. She gave herself a reassuring smirk as she took her pick of the lethal equipment before her. Her only regret was that she had been trained to use absolutely none of them, so if nothing, it would at least be interesting to see how things played out. Coming to the realisation that she would be risking herself needlessly if she took items she was not comfortable with, she placed down everything she had taken except for the crossbow. Now that she had 'borrowed' all that she needed, Lyvia advanced down the hallways yet again and continued to stay out of sight as though she was on hostile territory. Eventually after what seemed like an eternity she managed to reach outside the grounds of the school. The vast city of Canterlot stood before her with not a soul in sight and only the moonlight to illuminate the magical city of royals. It occurred to her that she had no idea where the hideout was and she was armed with only the knowledge of what Sweetie Belle had shared with her. 'It's near an old, burned down shack on the outskirts of Ponyville' she reminded herself. It was far away and there was no way she would reach it before sunrise but she figured it would be best to start heading towards her omniscient target and gain as much ground as possible before the captain or her friends caught wind of her rouge adventure. Only having a few Bits at her disposal she was able to afford one train ticket which was unfortunately only valid up until Appleloosa. So that was to be her next stop. She would sleep there until rested and work out where to go afterwards. She was to take this one step at a time if she was to be successful but for now, she didn't worry about what was to happen only what she was doing. The young mare boarded the empty train and took her seat of which she traveled from a majestic city out of legend to a western town of cowboys. The journey was long and by the end she was both tired and hungry, but she did not have enough money to rent a room nor buy a meal. She decided to brave her conditions and once exiting the train to stand before the town stuck in the past she acquired her bearings and slept under a tree upon the outside of the settlement's borders. She hadn't planned for any of this, and in hindsight she really should have. She had no money left and no food or water in which to survive with. It was time she took matters into her own hands and decided that journeying further upon her current course would only lead her to despair and poverty. It was for these reasons that she planned to make her way through the wilderness to hunt for food and scavenge for any water source, whether it be a river or a left over canteen. However, before she could set forth upon her, no doubt, dangerous adventure, she was stopped by a stranger who seemed to taken notice of her. "Howdy lass!" he called out, "I couldn't help but notice that y'all knew around these parts. Do you need any kind of assistance?" Lyvia didn't even give the stranger the kindness of looking at him as she shot down his offer of aid, "No," she replied bluntly, "I'm fine," yet, this was another choice she regretted making as she really did need aid. If this stranger could offer her water then maybe she stood a chance. "Are you positive lass? You look parched. I could fetch some water? Maybe even some food?" he continued to extend his offer despite being denied her cooperation beforehand, "Or perhaps I could give y'all a tour, show you around so you know where to go." Lyvia sighed and gave him the courtesy of looking at him this time. She nodded, putting aside her previous mistake and accepting his kind offer of help. If things played out well then maybe he could help her in more ways then one. "Very well," she accepted, "I will gladly take some water," her stomach grumbled and echoed across her immediate area, "And some food wouldn't hurt." "I knew you'd come to your senses," the arylide yellow stranger said with a grin, "Come, follow me and I'll get you that water," he began to lead her through the bustling town of hard labor as the sounds of farming, blacksmithing, mining filled the atmosphere until they finally arrived to a small house on the other side of Appleloosa, "So. What's your name lass?" he asked as he opened the door for her to show his chivalrous nature. "I'm Lyvia Sounds," she answered blankly and walked in showing him no regards of kindness except for her following question which she asked after turning her head to glance at him behind her back, "And what's yours?" The stranger smiled and sat down before answering as he knew she would have plenty more questions to asked before his help was through, "Why thanks for asking Lyvia Sounds, my name is Braeburn - and I am at your service." Author's Note Again, sorry for such the long wait, I hope the quality of this chapter intrigues you enough to forgive me. But it seems as though Lyvia has gone her own way - not surprising really. I hope you enjoy and let me know of any improvements or suggestions in the comments below.
Chapter OneAuthor's Note Welcome. Welcome to the highly anticipated fourth addition of the Hearts of Class series. Now before you read the story, you NEED to read this. The first half of this chapter is highly descriptive and conveys a clearly dark and depressing tone to it. I urge you to realise that this is NOT what the story is about and this style only lasts for half the chapter. Now that that's out of the way you may proceed. Enjoy! Chapter One Open Eyes Love was a trivial matter - especially in Equestria. Love can enlighten you but it can also hurt you and twist you in impossible ways. It can corrupt a person to do drastic things and punish them for it afterwards. It can easily destroy lives and renew benevolence with the snap of a finger. Love was powerful. And it was dangerous. Spike had felt the sting of betrayal left by love's cruel mark only a few weeks ago. Yet despite near-impossible odds and constant counseling he managed to push through his anger and hatred and rejoin his beloved in eternal courtship. As long as love let it be that way. But why did Spike pursue such a dangerous and corrupting form of entertainment - the simple answer is known only as addiction. He was addicted to the feeling of loving and being loved and that was something he didn't plan on giving up any time soon. Spike was a dragon... and his mate, Sweetie Belle, was merely a unicorn. Such a companionship would be considered blasphemous - Dragons were not meant to love or even be loved by a cute and innocent girl. Yet the bonds of harmony brought them together against impossible odds and more than a few prying eyes that against them. They had fought both each other and the forces of darkness that moved against them, yet their love remained. And along the way they picked up a few people interesting enough to call friends. Life was strange and weird like that - it held countless possibilities with endless outcomes of which could be perceived for better or worse. Life may be strange. Yet. Life was also good - and Spike would have it no other way. But all he had worked towards was at risk. His love, his friends, his future. Even his very life was all endangered due to the constant threat of the corrupted cult known as none-other than the Black Apple Gang, whose work marked the blood and screams upon his beloved's innocent body. Equestria was a hard place - beasts from the forest moved against the peace guarding the lands and certain corrupted individuals sought to destroy the work built over generations of hard labour and pointless politics. The image of her soft white body being stained with the crimson essence of blood was poison to him and all he wanted was to see the beloved unicorn safe and sound. He cared not for anyone else. His heart was pounding as the screams of the pretty little unicorn filled the heavy air and burdened him with the charge of saving her. She was in danger and Spike was the only one who could stop it. He had no idea where the two soldiers Sheela and Buzz were and he had no time to risk a reliance upon them. It was down to him and him alone. Only he stood ready to strike down the one foolish enough to disturb the peace of his Sweetie. Without hesitation the purple dragon charged full-force into the shrieking cabin-in-the-woods only to be merely stopped by a cloaked figure all to familiar to him. The adrenaline surged through his veins and granted him both the strength of a bull and the courage of a lion needed to eliminate the foe who stood before him. Spike was the predator and they were the prey - nothing would stand in the way of his tranquility. Not even an infamous member of the Black Apple Gang who thought it would be a good idea to mess with a dragon. He had gone beyond the point of reason and the only answer to all his problems was to plant a solid punch into the soft and fleshy face of any such fool. And he did. And it felt good. No. It felt really good. Blood sprayed along the floor as his claws bared the crimson mark of defeat of the fallen enemy whose body lay quiet and still in an eternal sleep of total darkness and failure. He smirked as he brandished the blood as warpaint under his eyes. It was time to end the threat that had plagued the safety of the one he held so close for over a year now... and without a doubt the kill would nothing but satisfying. And so soon followed more screams. But not from Sweetie Belle, instead from the one who held her demonic values too close and brandished her beliefs firmly upon a false foundation. Diamond Tiara was meeting her fate... and a bloody one at that. Yet the trickster mare had more than a few surprises up her sleeve as she lured the the blood-crazed and vengeance-thirsty dragon into a false sense of security before striking out with dangerous sorcery and dark magic. He fell to the floor and felt the light draining from his vision as blackness slowly crept its way into his consciousness. He coughed and sputtered, but before his mission met its failure he would have one final stand against the villainous earth pony who marked all the apparent danger. He rose to his feet and his cold, hungry eyes met the deathlike and stillness of her's. It was darkness against darkness. But one darkness was lighter than others. He held the spark of hope close to his heart as the still body of Sweetie lay cold and bloody upon the heavenly silks that lined her place of rest. He let out a slow, low growl and charged full-force at the demonic villain who cursed his adolescence and forced his hand to murder those who stood in his way. He was not a killer, but he certainly not a pacifist and there was no way he would allow the one he cherished most to be harmed by the ill that haunted their sanctity. "You're done for!" He snarled and pinned Diamond against the wall. She was rendered useless and was to suffer the fate of whatever Spike chose. She was in her rightful place and the fear emanated from her as the tremor of her pupils enlightened her of her misconception and the imminent end that drew ever closer. She begged and pleaded desperately for the merciless dragon to let her go free. She was still so young and had an entire life to live for. She wanted to see the morning light of the days that would follow. She did not wish to die today... Nor any day marked before her allocated time. "Please.... PLEASE!!!" she yelled helplessly and found herself confined to no action but the limited use of squirming and wriggling. "I beg you! Let me go! Please!" she was shaking tremendously as the cold eyes of her foe pierced her and destroyed any morale she possessed. Spike was right about one thing - she was done for. There was no denying that now. Spike smirked upon the helplessness forced upon the writhing filth but never the less he was no murderer and he was prepared to spare her life... but at a cost, "And what would you do if I released you?" he asked but showed no sign of letting up as he spoke strong and asserted his dominance over her. Her fear was nothing but pleasure him. "I.... I'll leave.... I'll never come back... I promise!" the desperation her voice composed was music to his eyes. He felt utter satisfaction from hearing her stutter and squeak. Payment was due - and she was paying with her life. "Where will you be going?" the dragon held his eyes upon her's and relished this moment as he knew it would be over too quickly. He was going to let the beast go and watch her run mad for her life... and the very sight of seeing that smirk wiped off her face was enough for him. "I'll... I'll go home... To mummy and daddy! I promise!" tears streamed down the young girls face and the realisation of her drastic actions finally caught up with her. She had been told her entire life that the good guys always win and yet she denied the words their justice by opposing them. She now knew how foolish she had been by trusting her faith in a false benevolence as the consequences grew from the seeds of carelessness and recklessness. This was it for her. She was no longer a member of the Black Apple Gang. She was prepared to renounce that life in mere seconds if the dragon would allow her too. "And will you leave this 'gang'?" "Yes!" she answered without hesitation and the crumbling heap of flesh that had once called herself an enemy of Spike was let go and fell helplessly to the floor. She did naught against her aggressor and acted the role of the innocent victim by curling up in a ball and bawling her eyes out. They were tears of happiness but her action were of the opposite. She was relieved that Spike had showed her mercy where she would have not but she distraught from the actualisation of the limits of her powers. She was weak and helpless - a feeling she had never felt before and one that no one should ever have to feel. They were safe. Spike's mission was complete. The dashing dragon had saved his beautiful princess from further harm and sealed the agreement of permanent sanctity from Diamond Tiara's wrath. All was looking up again and Spike was finally able to relax. His anger was vented and he allowed his exhausted body to fall gently to the soft silks that Sweetie had kept for herself and lie lovingly next to her. Her soft body gave of a warmth that only she could satisfy and all he could do was merely smiled. They ran through the fields of spring as the pink and purple flowers tickled their ankles. Sweetie and Spike together again. Enjoying none-other than each others company in a hopefully long and prosperous time of peace. They were cute together and despite being from different races they seamlessly formed a perfect match - bound by a loving harmony. The sky was a peaceful cyan with soft, fluffy clouds taking form of various shapes and sizes that patterning the overhead view and it didn't take the loving couple long to realise the beauty around them. They lay cutely in the tall grass under a tree with hand in hand. The difference between the two was staggering. Spike had grown exponentially taller and Sweetie voice had matured to a state of utter beauty as she softly hummed the lyrics of the very first song she had sung to him upon the grounds of Canterlot's most prestigious school. Peaceful memories were all that floated around the scenic landscape as the two of them lay in silence... as one. "I love you Sweetie Belle," Spike spoke happily and eyed his love with nothing but care and respect. Although they had been through a lot with seamlessly endless despair they were together at last, hand in hand and bound forever by blossoming courtship. "I love you too Spiky," she replied and giggled cutely, poking his nose. Spike found himself drawn to the fine look of her body. Not just her curves or sizes but also by the purity and innocence of external figure. Her white fur marked unmatched beauty and her curled pink and purple hair and tail seemed to only further pursue the perfection of her image. To him - she was remarkably beautiful and there was no doubt that he would risk his life for her. He had done it when charging head first into Diamond's intrusion and he would do it again without hesitation. "You're beautiful, Sweetie," he said in awe with his hand running the lengths of her blue dress hemmed with purple lace. "Aww. Thanks Spiky. But you're just saying that," "No. I mean it," "Really?" "Of course I do," "Thank you," she kissed him quickly, but before she could pull away Spike grabbed hold of her and pulled her in closer. His green eyes meeting the emerald colour of her's and continuing the kiss - only deeper. It was like heaven. The sheer wetness of her lips against his was unmatched against any pleasure he had felt before and it had been so long since he was last granted the bounty of such a remarkable experience. But now that he was reliving the thrill of her taste again he was addicted to her. He was lucky to have her as a girlfriend. She was smart, beautiful, ambitious and was clearly a spectacular kisser. He was a lucky boy and she was his blessed princess. No other couple across Equestria would match their loyalty and compassion for one another - their love was truly something special. "Spike!" called out a voice that belonged to neither one of them. "Spike wake up!" A wave of confusion washed over the young dragon, but a sharp pain in the back of his head snapped him from the luscious dream world to reality. There stood Sergeant Sheela and the charming little Sweetie Belle. Spike sighed. It was all just a dream - well not all of it. Their love was still strong and the compassion they shared for one another would surely convert that dream to reality. Now he hoped to return to the fields of spring when the flowers tickles and sky charmed - where the love's pleasant and girl with him cares just as much about him as he does for her. And to think. Not even a few days ago had they hated each other, vowing to never speak again and wishing for a vengeful aftermath of their feelings - but that was behind them and now they started anew. Stronger than ever. This dream was proof. Spike merely smiled, all was good. And it was to only ever get better. "Why are you smiling Spike?" she asked. "Because you're here beautiful."
