Facing the Future

Chapters

Part 1 Premonition
Part 2 The Past: Bonds and Depending
Part 3 The Present: Separation and Pain
Part 4 The Future: Beast and Ruins
Part 5 The Future: Truth and Belief
Part 6 The Future: Silence and Bonds
Part 7 The Future: Two Monsters
Part 8 The Final Lesson

Part 1 Premonition

Twilight Sparkle was helpless as the giant claws shoved her against the mountain. Trapped, she could only watch as Ponyville burned to the ground, along with all the friends she had come to know and love. Black smoke and embers rose from the burning city and painted the sky blacker than night.

Eyes wet with tears, she gazed at the beast before her towering over all of Ponyville. She stared into the beast’s soulless eyes. Quietly, she whimpered, “S-Spike?”

The monster paused for a second as though the name held some meaning for it. The moment passed. Rearing his head back he opened his mouth and green flames boiled up from his jaws. The fully-grown, purple and green dragon threw his head forward and released a torrent of flames. The alicorn let out a blood-curdling scream as her body melted under the heat.

***

Spike woke up and screamed. Sitting upright, he clenched his blanket, stained with sweat. He stared into the darkness, completely afraid of his uncertain future.

“Spike,” Twilight rushed into his room in concern, “I heard you scream. What’s wrong?”

He stared at his friend with teary eyes. He had just burned her to a crisp seconds ago. Now, she stood before him asking what was wrong with him. He knew what was wrong: he was a monster, a catastrophe waiting to happen. He lowered his face and trembled.

Twilight wrapped her hooves around the little dragon and stroked his head, “Was it a nightmare?”

Spike nodded, feeling unworthy to embrace his protector.

“Well, whatever it was it can’t hurt you now,” Twilight softly spoke as retrieved a handkerchief and wiped away his tears. “You’re safe.”

But you’re not, Spike realized, his trembling intensified, as long as I’m here you’re not safe. Twilight rubbed the handkerchief against his nose, dried his tears, and rested a hoof on his shoulder. Look at me, Spike grew frustrated at himself, I’m sitting here crying like a useless baby, when I should be doing something, anything to stop what I just saw from happening..

Twilight lifted him onto her back and trotted back to her bed. She tucked him under the covers and joined him, wrapping her hooves around him in motherly affection.

“You sleep here tonight, okay?” Twilight whispered into his ear. She kissed his cheek and waded off to sleep.

Spike longed to embrace her. He craved to believe that everything would be fine. But how could he do either after seeing—? Spike tried not to remember the nightmare, but it was all too vivid, and all too real. He was too scared to close his eyes, so he lay awake, facing a sleepless night.

***

Twilight realized Spike had not slept all night and told him to take the day off and rest. She wanted to ask what was wrong but thought against it, reasoning he would tell her when he was ready.

Spike sat in her bed, numbly. Twilight offered him breakfast, lunch, and dinner and he wordlessly accepted each. She had never seen him so quiet and distant. It made her immeasurably concerned. She could barely focus on her studies, and was seriously considering asking Pinkie Pie to come cheer him up.

Spike gazed out a window at Ponyville. It was so beautiful. The charming little houses standing side-by-side, the sweet scent of apples rose from Sweet Apple Acres, and ponies from every walk of life trotted outside, greeting each other and going about their lives. How much longer would they have? Spike chided himself. He had to do something, anything to prevent his nightmare from coming reality.

In the end, he could think of only one solution. It burned him inside even thinking about. Then, he thought of Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Big Macintosh, Shining Armor, Cadence, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Bell, and all his other countless friends. They all trusted him and treated him as a friend even though he was a dragon, even though his fire breath could set the whole town on fire, and even though he could grow unnaturally large and potentially destroy Ponyville if he ever succumbed to his greed. Maybe it was high time for him to return the favor.

***

That night, Spike snuck out of Twilight’s bed and tiptoed across the room, careful not to wake the slumbering pony. He snuck into his room and found his knapsack, quietly he scooped his allowance of bits that he saved for months, several gems for the road, a map of Equestria, and a picture of Twilight and his friends. He found a piece of paper and quill and tearfully wrote a message.

Dear Twilight,

I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you face-to-face, but I am leaving Ponyville and I don’t plan on coming back. It’s not your fault, really. You’ve been the best friend in the world ever since I was born and all of our friends here have been so kind to me. I’ve just been thinking about the future.

I’m going to grow up to be a fierce, dangerous dragon. Maybe not any day soon, but eventually, I will. I’m afraid. I don’t know how I’ll live among ponies when I’m so big and I don’t know what will happen to me when I grow up. Will I even be the same dragon? That’s what had me shaken up last night. I had a nightmare that I became a fully-grown dragon and destroyed Ponyville. It was horrible. The worst part was I burned you to a crisp and heard you scream. If I ever did that, I’d never forgive myself. I’d never stop crying. I love you Twilight. You’ve always looked out for me even when I gave you grief. If something happened to you and hurt you, I don’t know what I’d do.

Please don’t try to find me. I’ve thought about this all day, and I can’t see any other way. I think this works out for everyone. I leave and reduce the chance of destroying Ponyville and you don’t have to put up with me anymore. Just take care of yourself, Twilight. I know you’ll make it without me. After all, I’m just a baby dragon on the road to becoming a monster. You’re the smartest alicorn in the world. I know you’ll be a great princess.

Love,

Spike

Tears rolling down his cheeks, Spike placed the letter in his bed and stared at his room one last time. He had come to know and love this castle, this town, these ponies with all of his heart. How could ever think of leaving them?

Then, he remembered his nightmare and gritted his teeth, determined to do the right thing. He left his room, closing the door behind him. Slowly, he took his hand from the door and walked to the castle exit. He stared at his surroundings. This place held so many memories for him.

He went out the door into the cold night. As he tread behind the grass, he heard a “Who, who.” He turned around to see Twilight’s pet, Owlicious, approaching him with a quizzical look.

“I’m leaving,” Spike sighed, “what does it look like I’m doing?”

“Who, who,” the owl flew in front of him with a concerned and shocked expression. Spike pushed past him and kept walking towards the train station.

“Because I’m dangerous,” Spike growled bitterly. “I’m going to grow up to be a mean dragon that destroys all of Ponyville. I have to leave, save the city, save my friends.”

“Who, who,” the owl barged into Spike, impeding his way.

“But I know it’s going to happen!” Spike cried, “I saw it. Please, get out of my way. I’ve already decided.”

“Who, who,” Owlicious stood before Spike with fierce defiance.

“You won’t let me leave, huh?” Spike gave the owl a hard stare, “whatever will I do?”

After much pecking, scratching, bruising, Spike tied down Owlicious with some conveniently nearby ropes, and threw him onto a table inside the castle, tying him against a chair.

“I’m sorry,” Spike rubbed where the owl pecked him repeatedly on the head, “this hurts me more than it hurts you, literally.”

“Who, who,” the owl struggled against the ropes.

“Look this has to happen. I have to leave before I become a monster,” Spike sighed wishing he didn’t have to tie down the poor animal. “Just promise me you’ll take care of Twilight.”

“Who, who,” the owl’s eyes appeared to be both furious and remorseful, “who, who, who.”

“Owlicious, please stop,” Spike raised a claw over its beak to silence the protesting bird. The owl simply bit his finger, causing Spike to cry out in pain as he wrested back control of his finger. Eventually, he managed to pull out his finger, which had red marks where the bird bit him.

Nursing his sore finger he turned to the bird one last time. “For the record,” he grabbed his knapsack and headed back out the door, “I’ve never been able to understand you. It’s the show’s great lie!”

***

Spike walked to the train station just as a train pulled into the station. He walked to the conductor and asked for a ticket to wherever would be the farthest station away from Ponyville. The conductor gave it a moment of thought and then suggested Griffonstone Station but warned that it would take some time to arrive and there were many stops along the way. Spike said it was fine, handed him some bits, and bought his ticket. He entered the train and found his seat. Placing his knapsack next to his side, he stared out the window at Ponyville, wondering what his friends were dreaming about.

“All aboard!” The conductor yelled. The train whistled and moved forward. Spike never stopped glancing back at Ponyville until it was long out of sight. When he could no longer see it, he let out a sob. Grabbing the provided blanket and pillow, he lied down on his seat and across the adjacent seat. He had it all to himself anyways. Spike painfully cried himself to sleep, as the world he knew vanished.

***

Princess Luna gazed out her window across the night sky. She sensed a very troubled heart, one that did not know its importance. She closed her eyes and listened closely to the wordless heart song. The heart was afraid of the future, of his future. She listened even more closely. It was Spike! Twilight’s little dragon friend! What was he doing so upset and why was he leaving Ponyville? Luna instantly knew what she had to do.

She entered the dream world and walked past countless doors. Luna walked past all the doors until she reached an unusual looking door. It was a familiar shade of purple, rounded at its edges, with a curved handle, and a green fire insignia decorating the front. She opened the door and walked through.

As Princess of the Night, she had a duty to visit ponies in their sleep and offer guidance. She had done so for countless fillies for thousand of years. She would do so tonight with the fate of Equestria in the balance.

Part 2 The Past: Bonds and Depending

He stood alone in the darkness, watching it seamlessly bubble and shift without purpose. He was there but yet nonexistent. He had a name, but he could no longer recall—.

“Hello, Spike,” a voice called out to him from the darkness.

He turned around and saw Princess Luna approach him. Suddenly, he had a being, a substance, and a name. He existed in the void. The purple dragon fell to his knees and bowed in awe.

“Princess Luna!” he gasped, “Where are we?”

“On your feet. Just Luna is fine,” Luna dismissed his reverence and he rose to his feet, “right now, we are in your dreams.”

Spike looked around, “why is it so,” he paused, searching for the proper word, “empty?”

“Your dreams have yet to take shape,” Luna explained patiently.

“Why are you here?” Spike asked turning back to the alicorn.

Luna stared at him so hard he felt shivers run down his spine, “to prevent you from making a fatal mistake.”

She stood upright and tall, towering over Spike with authority, and spoke in a booming voice, “you cannot leave Ponyville. You must return to your friends immediately.”

Spike could not meet her gaze as he mumbled, “I can’t go back.” He felt heavy as he spoke, “I don’t want to grow up to be an evil dragon who destroys Ponyville,” his hands reached his throbbing head, which ached merely remembering the nightmare, “I don’t want to hurt Twilight.”

Luna considered him a moment. She touched her horn to his head and tapped into his dreams, quickly finding the most troubling nightmare. Walking behind him, she spoke again, “your nightmares do not predict the future. You must return now. Your friends need you.”

Spike turned and looked at her with a helpless gesture, “but you don’t know that they couldn’t be true. Please, I don’t want to take any risk. And anyways, Twilight doesn’t need me anymore.”

Luna snapped around and stared at him disbelieving the little dragon’s words. Although, he flinched at the movement, Spike did not turn away, “I just,” he fumbled, “I just want to do what’s best for everyone.”

Luna considered him a moment then sighed, “Walk with me Spike.” She ordered.

Spike walked behind the princess as together they traveled through the darkness.

“I was hoping to avoid this,” the princess said staring straight ahead, “but if I must take drastic measures I certainly will.”

Spike shivered at Luna’s words. Suddenly, a bright light flashed in front of them and engulfed the pair. Spike raised his hands over his already closed eyes as the brightness shown through his little hands.

Spike opened his eyes again and blinked unbelievingly. He was back at Canterlot. He looked around and saw a young, little Twilight and her parents in a room with several professors watching the little filly. None of the ponies seemed to notice him or the princess. He watched as an instructor rolled in a cart bearing a purple egg with purple spots. He looked at Luna for some explanation but she merely raised a hoof and pointed.

“This is when Twilight hatched you several years ago,” Luna spoke solemnly, “and a miracle occurred.”

As she struggled to hatch the egg, a burst of rainbow light rocked the room causing her magic to not only hatch the egg, but also turn a baby dragon into a towering dragon that broke through the roof. When the dragon was finally shrunk back down to size, he noticed Princess Celestia gaze at the filly with interest and then turn her eyes to the baby dragon.

“Yeah,” everything had happened like Twilight had often told him, “she hatched me.”

“She did so much more than that.” Luna insisted taking a step towards the little filly, who stared at the dragon uncertainly. The little dragon returned her gaze with equal uncertainty. “In an instant, her magical burst formed an unbreakable bond.”

Spike gazed at the scene. The baby dragon smiled at the little filly, and she found herself smiling back. For a moment, Spike saw both of their eyes sparkle like a rainbow and shimmer for an instant. He sensed it, the bond. The light faded and their eyes returned to normal.

“On this day,” Luna said raising a hoof over the scene, “the two of you were tied together forever by a bond forged in magic and rooted in love. On this day, your lives became intertwined; you became a family.”

The filly nuzzled the little dragons chin, causing him to giggle with delight.

“Have you never thought it odd, that she did not simply hand you over to Celestia and left you completely to focus on her studies? How she has come to rely upon you when her worries eclipsed her mind? Or how you struggle to do anything outside of her service?”

Spike thought about when he tried to help Applejack after she saved him only to mess up every little chore. He really didn't understand it at the time. Normally, he excelled at simple tasks such as cooking and cleaning but there he could not accomplish anything. Was it really because he was meant to serve only Twilight? No other pony? Not even himself? Did this mean Twilight was the most important pony in his life? His existence dedicated to her?

“Come,” Luna walked through a nearby door, prompting Spike to chase after her.

He passed through the door and entered a new room, which he soon recognized as Twilight’s from when she was younger.

“Really, be reasonable miss,” Spike turned to the sound and saw a slightly older Twilight standing firmly in front of two of Celestia’s royal guard. She had a scowl on her face as she defiantly puffed out her chest. Spike almost thought the scene was cute until he noticed the guards looked very disapproving.

“No means no,” Twilight stamped her hoof, “I hatched him, I raised him, I’m keeping him.”

The two guards exchanged an impressed glance, and then the guard on the left spoke, “I’m sorry. We’ve received several complaints from the neighbors. They say that thing keeps them up all night with its screams, digs up their flowers, or sets their lawns on fire. It needs to go be with its kind. He’ll like it there, I promise.”

“His name is Spike,” She frowned at the guards who blinked in surprise, “and Princess Celestia herself said he can stay with me. You don’t want to go against the Princess’ orders, do you?”

The guard on the left was beginning to think this was a bad idea. If the princess herself said so, there was nothing they could do.

“You named it?” the guard on the right asked incredulously. “You can’t seriously expect that thing won’t grow up to be a monster. Come fifty or seventy-five years, he’ll be burning down forests or hoarding away jewels in a cave.”

Twilight glared at him murderously, “Spike is a ‘he’ not an ‘it’. And you better believe he’s staying with me. I won’t let him turn into some mean old dragon. He’s mine.”

“Please try to be reasonable,” the guard on the left restrained his fellow guard, “we’re trying to look out for the well-being of all our citizens, even that little dragon. If he doesn’t go to be with other dragons now, how do you expect him to join when he grows too big to live with you?”

“For the last time,” the little unicorn took several feet forward, causing the guards to step back slightly intimidated by the adamant filly, “Spike is staying with me forever and that’s final. Now kindly get out of our house.”

“What’s going on here?” Twilight’s brother, Shining Armor, entered the room and crossly stared at the two guards, “don’t you two have better things to do than bully a little filly?”

The guards knew better than to irritate the captain of the guard. Sheepishly, they exited the room without a further word. Once they were gone, Twilight walked over to her bed and whispered underneath, “It’s okay, Spike. You can come out now.”

Spike saw a slightly older, diapered dragon crawl out from under the bed and leap onto Twilight’s back hugging her neck. The filly giggled at the dragon’s antics and ruffled his little head with her hoof.

“You know they’re right, “ Shining Armor reluctantly said, “there have been complaints from the neighbors and he is going to grow up and become too big to live with us.”

She turned to Shining and glared, “I’ll teach him to be kind and helpful, I’ll show the neighbors that he’s a good dragon. And even if he grows too big,” she glanced back at the little dragon cradling her neck and smiled, “I’ll find a way for him to stay with me, even if I have to buy a castle. And he won’t be a monster, because he’ll know how to be kind. If he forgets, I’ll just remind him.”

Shining smiled at his little sister and she gave a quizzical look, “why are you looking at me like that, Shining?”

“I’ve just,” he stopped to consider the best way to express his thoughts, “never seen you this attached to anything else before.”

“I can’t help it,” Twilight stroked the little dragon’s head as her lips curled into a smile, “he’s just so precious.”

Spike became aware of Luna’s presence beside him and turned to face her, “I never knew ponies were telling her to give me up, or that she stood up for me back then. I can’t believe I don’t remember this,” he raised a hand to his head, wishing he could recall the days from his earliest years, “is this more of that bond you were talking about?”

Luna nodded and gestured to the scene before them, “through this bond, you taught Twilight what it meant to be selfless, to care for some one more than herself. She needed you just as much as you needed her. Truthfully, if she never had you, I doubt she would have made any friends at Ponyville.”

“Truthfully,” Spike turned back to the scene, “I don’t think I would be alive if I never had her. No way would I have made it if she sent me away to be with other dragons. I don’t think I could’ve made it on my own.”

Luna turned sharply to him, “then how do you explain what you’re doing right now?” Spike jumped in surprise as the princess approached him, “you’re leaving her now. Going off on your own. Do you really suppose you could survive without her? Or she without you?”

Spike instinctively extended his hands in self-defense, “this was all in the past! She doesn’t need me anymore! I’m just a burden.”

“Wrong, Spike,” Luna shook her head as the scene melted away, replaced by the Ponyville library destroyed by Tirek not long ago.

Spike turned and saw himself comforting Twilight, doing his best to calm her down. She was worried about not meeting the deadline for sending a letter on friendship to Princess Celestia. Spike was just being the best friend he could be.

“Any pony could have done this,” Spike said, “any pony can do this when I’m gone.”

“But no pony did,” Luna replied as the scene melted away to a picnic. Twilight’s friends were sitting on a picnic blanket when noticed her disheveled appearance. When she told them what was wrong, they all merely laughed, relieved her problem was not so desperate. They weren’t being hurtful. They just didn’t think her conflict was quite as important as Twilight said.

“You were the only one to take her problems seriously,” Luna stared at him, “you’re the only one who worries about her every little problem.”

Luna walked away from the scene and bid Spike to follow, “and you are far from a burden.”

The scene shifted again to the Crystal Empire. Twilight was staring at Sombra’s door, trembling and shaking as her worst fear became realized. Then Spike called her and knocked her out of the trance. The scene quickly faded to when she was captured behind Sombra’s crystal trap, with the crystal heart out of reach. Spike watched as his past self obeyed her instructions and grabbed the crystal heart, running to save the city.

“You constantly rescue Twilight and her friends when they need you most,” Luna watched impassively as the past Spike handed the crystal heart to Cadence. “Not only do you help them whenever you accompany your friends, you save them. I certainly do not see why you consider yourself a burden.”

Spike had forgotten all about this time. He found himself staring with pride as they banished Sombra and saved the Crystal Empire, and all because he insisted on coming with Twilight.

“But,” Spike’s voice made Luna turn once more, “I didn’t do that because I was brave or wanted ponies to love me. I just wanted to protect them.”

Luna looked at Spike with a gentle smile, “is that any less noble?”

“Well, I was afraid the whole time,” Spike replied as he remembered his fear, “so yeah, I think it shows I’m not some brave hero when I was so terrified I almost barfed.”

“Who would not be in such circumstances? Your friends do not mind,” Luna spoke as the scene before them transitioned to his friends embracing him, “they love you because you do not pretend to be something great. They love you because you are you. If they lost you, they would all be so unhappy.”

Spike looked down at the ground, “they’d get by.”

“Have you not been paying any attention?” Luna frowned.

“I have,” Spike walked away from her, “and for every good thing I’ve done for them, there are a dozen bad things they should hold against me. Like when I messed up anything I tried to help Applejack with, or tried to frame Owlicious when I was afraid he would replace me, or became a huge dragon that nearly destroyed Ponyville when I gave into my greed, or embarrassed them at the Equestria Games when I tried to sing the Cloudsdale anthem because I felt concerned with my own image, or when I gave orders in Twilight’s name when she was trying to sleep and nearly caused a catastrophe.”

“And yet,” Luna moved in front of him, “they have never stopped treating you as a valued friend. They have never stopped loving you.”

Spike looked up into the Princess’ eyes as he realized the truth in her words.

“Spike,” she smiled, “love goes beyond little errors we make and our physical differences; love is internal. It lives at the core of our very beings. Your friends love you for who you are, and who you are is not your mistakes or your status as a dragon.”

Spike began to smile back but quickly lost his optimism when he remembered his nightmare and the sad truth, “that doesn’t change the fact that I am physically still a dragon. Or the fact that I could grow up to become a monster.”

Luna frowned and began to pace. The sun will rise soon she realized in annoyance I need more time. Finally she stopped and inhaled deeply as she made a decision.

“Spike,” he straightened up at his name, “if you will not return home after what you have witnessed tonight, then I shall simply return tomorrow night and continue to show you why you must turn around. “But I warn you,” she said with a scowl, “From here on out, many of the things I show you will be painful and may break your heart.”

“I don’t know that anything could be worse than that nightmare,” Spike said apprehensively.

“You will see,” Luna said as the dream began to melt away, “nightmares becoming reality.”

***

Spike woke up with a start, shaking the covers off his body and sitting up. The train had stopped, the first light of day blazed through the window. He glanced out the window and saw Cloudsdale high above the tracks. Some pegasai were exiting the train with luggage while others entered. He felt his stomach growl and decided it was time for breakfast. He pulled out an emerald from his knapsack and began munching the gem as he stared out the window.

This was not the train his friends and he normally took, he realized as he took another bite of his emerald and chewed. It was slower, much more gray. It would take him to the Griffonstone Station across the Celestial Sea within three more days. He finished off the emerald and tried to consider where he would go from there. Perhaps he could travel to the Dragon Lair in the south, the Bug Bear Territory in the north, or perhaps he could simply continue walking east until he came to a place no pony would ever find him and he would find no pony.

His mind dwelled on everything the princess had told him, but he was resolute to continue. He took out the photograph of his friends and stared at it. For the sake of his friends, he had no choice but to push onward.

Still, maybe he could write them a letter if he found a postal service. Let them know he was doing fine and not to worry about him. Once he found a place to live out the rest of his days, he could write them and tell them he found a new home. He knew one thing: he would write to thank them for accepting him even when he bungled a task or let his dragon nature take control. Luna showed him that they deserved that much. Honestly, they deserved even more than that.

***

Luna returned from the dream world frustrated. She paced around her room, uncertain what she would do. She hoped to reach little Spike but he was still too shaken by the nightmare to go home. Perhaps the only way to persuade him, she didn’t like where this thought was taking her, is to give him a greater nightmare, one that would convince him to go home. She shook her head and dismissed the thought. First, she had to show him the proper course, only pushing him slightly towards the best course of action by showing him the past and the present. If she had to scare him into returning home, she worried such action might drive him further away from Ponyville. For all she knew, he had long since left Ponyville and was journeying to regions unknown.

Surely, he could be shown reason. The princess hoped so. Otherwise, Twilight would not only lose her greatest friend, but Equestria itself, would be in peril. She had to show Spike he mattered. Her kingdom depended on Princess Luna's success. Her friends, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash, depended on her. Luna's own fate depended on her. She would not fail. She could not. If the need arose, she would show Spike the future. The future created by his decision.

Part 3 The Present: Separation and Pain

Spike chewed a ruby as the night began to descend outside the moving train. They had been sidetracked by a necessary journey to Yan Hoover to drop off many passengers, but after a few hours the little train continued chugging along past Galloping Gorge, towards the Crystal Empire. This train moved so slow it was driving him crazy. At least the ticket and meals were fairly cheap. He gobbled down the rest of the ruby but felt no particular satisfaction eating it.

Once again, he found himself staring at the picture of his friends. Spike could only wonder what they were doing right now. Twilight probably read his letter by now. He hoped she would forgive him for being too cowardly to say goodbye to her face. Forget forgiveness, he just hoped he could see her again someday.

The rhythm of the train on the tracks began to lull him to sleep, clutching the picture to his chest as he stared at the night sky through his window. All of Ponyville could be looking at that sky right now, he realized, all of us under the same sky. His eyes droopily closed and fell into deep slumber.

“Hello, Spike,” a familiar voice called out to him in the darkness. Once again, Princess Luna approached him from the shadows and stood before him, “come, you have much to see and so little time.”

She continued walking forward and Spike followed her obediently. Suddenly, they were back in Ponyville on the top of a building near town hall in the middle of the night. Or Spike thought it was night. But he was pretty sure ponies usually went to sleep at night, and it looked like the entire town was awake. At a podium near the entrance, Mayor Mare was standing next to a map of Ponyville and a larger map of Equestria as well as various other cities. She pointed to a group of ponies, including Lyra, BonBon, and even Zecora, and asked a question. When Zecora stepped out from and the group shook her head, the mayor moved disappointedly towards the map of Ponyville and put an X over the Everfree Forest. She gave them an order and the group miserably trudged elsewhere. Another group, including Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle came and gave similar news, and another X was placed on Sweet Apple Acres. Upon closer inspection, Spike noticed there were similar X marks covering other locations of Ponyville.

He turned to Luna and asked, “what’s going on?”

Luna spoke quietly, “this is Ponyville at the present.”

Spike looked on in confusion, “I know that, but what are they all doing?”

Luna gave him a perplexed look, “why, looking for you of course.”

Spike blinked in disbelief. The entire town was up at night looking for him?

“In fact,” Luna continued as she walked through the air towards Twilight's castle, “they’ve been looking for you all day since Twilight discovered the letter.”

“But,” Spike nervously placed his foot in the air and upon feeling something solid to step on, carefully followed Luna’s exact hoof steps, “I told her not to look for me.”

“Did you think she would listen?” Luna asked without turning around, “you saw how she defended you in Canterlot. Did you really think she would allow you to leave her?”

Spike opened his mouth to respond but then considered the answer. It really wouldn’t be like Twilight to just accept something she didn't like.

“But why did all of Ponyville get involved in this?” Spike asked as they walked far above the ground.

“Because they care about you,” Luna replied gesturing to a gray cross-eyed pegasus who searched from the clouds above, “and they want to help you.”

They soon came to Twilight’s castle and descended gently to the ground. As soon as they landed, the princess walked into the opened castle door and beckoned Spike to follow.

At the Cutie Mark Map, he saw all six of his friends, along with Discord, and Shining Armor. Twilight looked across the map frantically. Spike’s heart almost stopped when he saw her. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, her mane unkempt. Spike worried she hadn’t eaten all day. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the rest of his friends in similar condition.

“I just don’t get it,” Twilight sighed, “I’ve teleported all over Equestria, but no pony’s seen a purple little dragon anywhere.”

“Darling, we’ve been at this all day,” Rarity laid a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, “we need to take a break or we won’t be able to keep this up.”

Twilight shrugged off Rarity’s hoof and stomped away, making everyone flinch, “You can quit if you want, but I care about finding my friend. If I have to do it alone, I will.”

Rarity stormed over to Twilight angrily, “I care about finding little Spikey-Wikey too! I just want you to take care of yourself darling.”

“I can’t,” Twilight said as she stared at the map, “not until he’s found. This is all my fault. I should’ve helped, I should’ve known he was upset and done something. Now he’s—.”

She couldn’t bring herself to finish and a hush fell over the room. Rarity lifted Twilight’s face, wiped away her tears, and calmly said, “we will find him. Even if we have to scour the edges of Equestria, we will.”

“Speaking of the edges of Equestria,” Discord rose from his seat and snapped a finger, causing a map of some place Spike had never seen to appear, “I’ve looked everywhere through my dimension, trying to find some clue to where he ran off to. No luck. I’ve been trying to locate him but I’m afraid,” he sighed with regret, “our little friend just doesn’t want to be found.”

The map disappeared and Rainbow Dash spoke up, “Fluttershy and I searched all over Cloudsdale. We asked everyone but no pony has seen a single dragon recently. Sorry.”

Her head turned down in shame and soon the rest of their friends confessed similar failures. They all seemed devastated by his absence; even Discord seemed disheartened. The spirit of disharmony excused himself and explained he would search through the badlands, southeast of Ponyville. In a flash, he was gone.

“Cadence and I have the Crystal Empire on alert,” Shining Armor said, “Right now she’s combing the whole city for him. If anyone sees or hears rumor of Spike, we’ll be the first to know.”

Twilight nodded but was clearly too tired to thank her brother. He put a hoof on her shoulder in brotherly concern, “Don’t worry,” he said trying to smile, “we’re going to find him. We’ll help him work through his fears and remind him where his home is. Like you said before, he belongs with you.”

Twilight embraced her brother and cried into his shoulder. Spike’s heart was breaking at the sight. He was causing Twilight all of this pain. He was to blame for all of his friends’ current states. He felt so ashamed. Why didn’t he tell her face-to-face why he had to leave, or at least talked about his nightmare? Instead, he left without so much as a goodbye, leaving behind nothing but a letter. He really was a lousy friend. He just wanted to say he was sorry, let them know he was fine, or tell them to stop searching for him. That he loved them.

Luna seemed to read Spike’s thought and rested a hoof on his shoulder, “I can connect you to them through your dreams. Would you like me to contact them and tell them to sleep so you may speak with them?”

Spike nodded with guilty tears in his eyes, “Please, and tell them I’m sorry.”

Luna disappeared and left Spike staring at the sorry scene. Suddenly, she reentered the castle door and called out to Twilight. The group looked up to see the princess of the night enter the room and stand beside the table.

“Princess Luna!” Twilight almost instinctively bowed before she remembered she too was a princess.

“Just Luna,” the princess waved away her greeting, “I believe I have news about Spike.”

The group instantly looked alert and hopeful. Twilight ran over to Luna and stared her in the eyes, “Do you know where he is?”

“No,” Luna shook her head and the group became crestfallen, “I have visited his dreams and tried to tell him to turn around, but he is adamant in pursuing his course.”

“Did he say anything about where he was?” Applejack interjected.

“Or what it would take for us to make him come back?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Or stay?” Fluttershy added.

Luna shook her head once more and spoke, “Spike believes he must leave Ponyville, possibly even Equestria to keep his nightmare from coming true. It has taken a deep hold over his mind.”

Spike stared as the group looked on with concern. Why? Why did they care for him so much? He left them without a word and they still cared.

“That’s crazy!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, “he shouldn’t let a silly nightmare keep him away from us!”

Luna looked at her and frowned, “that silly little nightmare,” she moved towards the pink earth pony, “was the most terrifying thing he’s ever seen in his life.”

Pinkie Pie looked down apologetically, “I just meant that we want him to come home.”

Luna turned to look at the group. Gazing at each one carefully, she spoke “I wish he would return as well, but my words cannot sway him,” the friends all looked teary. “Perhaps yours will.”

They looked up as the meaning of her words slowly dawned on them. Twilight approached her again and asked, “Are you saying you have a way for us to talk to Spike?”

Luna nodded and the friends felt a surge of hope. “At the moment,” she spoke, “Spike is sleeping and dreaming.”

And watching everything you guys say, Spike thought as he watched like a ghost.

“I can join you all with him in one dream, where you can speak with him. He has already agreed to such a meeting.”

“So you’re asking us to go to sleep?” Applejack asked. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.”

“Hold on,” Shining Armor spoke up, “I want to talk to Spike as well. He’s my friend too.”

The group walked to their makeshift beds upstairs and tucked themselves under the covers. Princess Luna spoke once more, “Oh, Spike wanted me to tell you all something.”

They all glanced up from their respective beds.

“He’s sorry for making you all worry so much.”

The group fell into deep slumber and the Princess appeared beside Spike. With a flick of her horn, the scenery changed. He and Luna were back at the temple where Twilight used the elements of harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon. He gave her a confused glance.

“I decided this will be our meeting ground,” the princess explained, “they searched here already and know you’re not here.”

Spike looked around nervously, “isn’t it kind of weird for you to come back here?”

She looked at him without expression, “I am no longer Nightmare Moon. This place reminds me I was freed from that curse.”

Her horn glowed and seven white beams trailed from it and hit the ground around her. The edge of these beams began to take form until there were seven ponies in the temple. Spike stared at the forms as they took more shape and began to resemble very familiar ponies. The shapes gave way to his friends, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Shining Armor. They opened their eyes and took in the place around them. Then they all saw him. Spike had no idea what to say. He wanted to apologize for worrying them and hope they could come to forgive him, but he had no idea how he could begin to apologize, much less how they could forgive him.

Before he could blink, all of the ponies ran over and tackled him to the ground in a bear hug. He felt Twilight’s teary face pressed against his right cheek, Rarity’s face on his other cheek, Applejack wrapped her hooves around his waist, Pinkie Pie had his back, and every pony had found some part of him to hold. After everything he put them through, put all of Ponyville through, they still welcomed him with open hooves. It was more than he deserved.

They sat there, embracing for what seemed like hours. All the while, Luna looked on with a smile. Finally, Spike felt breathing was becoming increasingly difficult and grunted to his friends, who reluctantly one-by-one backed off. Rising back to his feet, he stared a teary-eyed, smiling Twilight in the face and smiled back.

“Hey,” he said, unsure what else to say.

Twilight’s smile just widened and her eyes grew even wetter. Rubbing her eyes with a hoof, she spoke, “I’m so happy to see you.”

Now it was Spike’s turn to smile as he replied, “I’m happy to see you too, Twilight.”

“Are you alright?” Twilight approached and inspected him for anything out of the ordinary, “No injuries? No sickness? No hunger?”

“I’m fine, Twilight,” Spike assured her although he instantly realized that was far from the truth, “I mean I’m still me and I’m not hurt.” He doubted both of those statements but said nothing.

“That’s good,” Twilight’s face grew serious as she stared at the purple dragon, “Spike, please come home.”

Spike’s eyes were downcast and ashamed, “How can you even say that after I left you without saying goodbye?”

“Because I love you,” Twilight responded, “and I miss you.”

“As do I,” Rarity walked to Twilight’s side to stand before Spike, “Ponyville isn’t the same without you.”

Applejack trotted up along with Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor, and Fluttershy, “That’s right,” the earth pony said, “nothing we do feels the same if we know you’re not there. I can’t buck an apple tree knowing one of my friends is gone.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, “I can’t fly through the sky feeling free like I used to, knowing you’re not home. It's just not the same without you.”

“Yeah, it’s all too boring,” Pinkie Pie bounced over, “plus, a party’s no fun if your friends aren’t there.”

“I can’t tend my animals without thinking about you,” Fluttershy added with a shy smile, “so won’t you come home?”

Spike looked at all of them. They really meant everything they said. Without him, they felt empty and unhappy. Spike felt guiltier than ever before. He was causing his friends so much grief, it just wasn’t right. How could he have even thought leaving them behind was the right thing to do? He smiled at them, tears in his eyes, ready to return home and never wander again.

Then he remembered his nightmare. He saw Ponyville burned to the ground, along with all of his friends before him. He saw Twilight slowly melting under his flames, releasing a blood-curdling screech. His smile left him. They loved him. If he betrayed their love and obliterated them them, it would be far worse than simply causing them grief.

“I can’t,” he said with pain in his voice, “I just can’t.”

The friends looked at him and exchanged uncertain glances. For a moment, they thought Spike was ready to come home. Why had he suddenly changed his mind?

“I’m sorry,” Spike choked, “but I don’t want to become the monster who destroys everything he loves.”

Twilight walked over to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder, firmly but tenderly. He gazed into her sympathetic eyes, as she spoke, “You won’t become a monster. I promised you along time ago that I would raise you to be a nice kind dragon. And I will.”

She outstretched her other hoof, offering him to take it, “You can come home. We’ll work this out together.”

Spike longed to accept her hoof, promise to return home, and live a happy life with his friends. That nightmare, however, maintained a vicious hold over his heart. He was just too afraid of what might happen. With great difficulty, he shrugged her hoof off his shoulder and stepped backwards. Twilight and her friends looked at him aghast.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t want to take the risk.”

Shining Armor stepped forward with a hint of anger, “For the love of Celestia, Spike!” He turned to Princess Luna and smiled, and shrugged apologetically at invoking her sister before turning back to Spike, “Twilight and every pony in Ponyville, in the Crystal Empire, in Canterlot, is worried about you! Most of them haven’t slept in days because they were so busy searching for you! Do you know why?”

He stepped closer to a slightly quivering Spike, despite Twilight trying to restrain him, “Because we all want to help you! We know about your nightmare and we want to help you overcome it! Stop shutting us out!”

Shining Armor softened his voice but retained his passion, “Please, let us in.”

Spike stared at his surrogate uncle in awe. Sometimes he forgot how much authority Shining could carry, despite being a big, loveable sweetheart. He felt his resolve to stay away melt before this passionate speech. Once again, however, the nightmare overtook his mind and hardened his resolve, if not his heart.

“You think I don’t want you to help? Believe me,” Spike cried, “there’s nothing I want more! I want to come home and live without thinking about the future. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. I love all of you! But,” he felt red-hot tears rolling down his face, “Not when I know that I could become the dragon who ends it all.”

“You don’t know that will happen,” Rarity stepped forward. “You have no way to know what will happen in the future.”

“Exactly,” Spike sighed wiping his tears. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. I don’t know if I could become that monster or not, but the mere possibility of it,” his heart broke as he spoke, “is the reason I can never come back!”

His friends all stared at him in shock. Through his tears, Spike saw similar tears emerge from his gathered friends. Now he felt even worse. He troubled them with his problems, and made them weep over his own fear. He made them suffer by leaving without saying goodbye and then again by refusing to come home, no matter how hard they pleaded. He felt like a truly terrible friend.

He sobbed in self-loathing and self-pity, before turning to his friends and speak with a trembling voice, “I never said goodbye to your faces and I never considered how leaving would hurt you. I’m sorry for being such a lousy friend.”

“You were just looking out for us when you left,” Rainbow Dash offered, trying to console her broken friend. “No pony blames you for being afraid. We all are.”

Twilight stepped forward and stood in front of Spike, “Wouldn’t it be better to face that fear as we’ve faced everything else?” She extended a hoof once more, “Together?”

“I don’t,” Spike wiped his eyes and sobbed, “I don’t deserve friends as good as you.”

Twilight moved to embrace him. Spike longed to feel her comforting presence wash over him. Her embraces often soothed him as a hatchling, reminding him he would always be loved. He wanted that reminder once more. He needed that love, now more than ever. But once more, the nightmare returned like a thorn in his side, and he backed away from the purple alicorn. She looked devastated at his rejection and Spike felt even worse.

“I’m sorry,” he cried, regretfully but with conviction. “Please, don’t tire yourselves out searching for me. It’s just too painful to see you burn yourselves out like this. I’ve made my decision and I can’t turn back.” He looked at each one of his sobbing friends, “Just go about your lives. Read your books, make your dresses, fly through the sky, buck your trees, have your parties, tend to your animals. You’ll forget all about me. This is goodbye.” He felt his body stirring as he began to wake up and fade from the temple, “Goodbye.”

“Spike, wait!” Twilight’s shrill voice rang in his ears long after he faded from the temple, “I need you!”

***

Spike awoke in his solitary compartment, as the light flickered through the window. He stared into his palms to find the picture of his friends right where he left it. The pain he felt all night resurged in full force. He had really done it. He severed his bonds with them forever. No way would they take him back after this. He wouldn’t take himself back after this. He clutched the picture to his chest and wept harder than he had before.

He exhausted himself from crying. Yet, he was too mentally fatigued to fall back to sleep. He stared at the picture once more, meticulously tracing his finger over every curve, every line, absorbing his friends’ shapes. His head throbbed violently, his throat constricted, his stomach felt queasy. He raced to the train’s lavatory and miserably regurgitated his dinner into the toilet. He had never felt so disgusted with himself. He was a terrible, rotten dragon for putting his friends through a nightmare of their own.

Slowly, he trudged back to his compartment and closed the door behind him. He cradled on the seat in a fetal position, wishing for Twilight’s loving embrace. Then he remembered that he rejected her, and his body shook with violent spasms. He wept once more.

When he tired himself, he stared out the window to see snow blanketing the ground. They must have passed through the Frozen North. Soon, the train would approach the Crystal Empire, stop an hour or so to restock and allow passengers on board. Then it would pass through the Crystal Mountains and Yaket Range. There was a station on a grassy field next to the Yaket Range. Once he passed that, he would reach the point of no return, crossing the Celestial Sea over to the next continent. He wouldn’t have enough bits, or gems to buy a ride back to Ponyville.

Still, he hoped this would not be the last time he would ever speak to his friends. He made a new resolution. The second he found a place to settle down, not only would he send his friends letters at a regular interval, he would find gems and bits to buy a ticket back home to see them. Maybe he could go visit them every now and then before he grew up. If he ever grew wings, he could always fly over the ocean to greet them. His friends deserved that much, well, they deserved more than that. Hopefully, they could come to forgive him for leaving and they could still be friends. Entertaining the mere thought of visiting Ponyville again relieved his mind immeasurably.

He stared out the window over the snowy mountains, thinking only of his friends and every moment they had shared together. He held on to those memories dearly, and knew deep down, they would hold on to those memories as well. He also knew deep down that no matter where he made his new home, his true home lied with his heart back in Ponyville, back with his family.

***

The friends stared at the spot where Spike had vanished, with some unconscious hope he would reappear. He never did. The realization dawned upon them slowly and painfully as they turned to Princess Luna.

“He woke up,” the princess explained, sharing the group’s woe.

“Can’t you bring him back?” Applejack asked hopefully.

Luna stared past her, as though she had not heard Applejack’s question. She stared past them deep in thought, as though she might not be even aware of them. Applejack almost asked her question again when Luna replied.

“Even if I could,” her voice startled the other ponies, “do you think he would listen?”

“Just give us another chance,” Rarity begged the princess, “we can get through to him. I know it.”

“No,” Luna’s voice offered no compromise. She walked away as the seven ponies began to wake up and fade, “I had hoped to avoid doing this, but I fear I have no other option.”

The other ponies shook uncomfortably at his words. Twilight walked to the princess of the night even as her vision faded, “What are you going to do?”

“Twilight,” she addressed the young alicorn, “I have one last thing to show Spike. But it could drive him insane; change him forever. Or it could convince him to come home, and save us all. As Spike’s guardian, I must ask your permission to show him something even I fear.”

“You’re sure it will bring him back?” Twilight asked uncertainly. Luna nodded. All of her other friends had woken by now, leaving her and the princess. She thought, considering the option.

“What do you intend to show him?” the purple alicorn asked.

“A nightmare,” Luna answered solemnly, “greater than any other before. I cannot disclose its nature to you.”

Twilight wanted to scream. How would another nightmare help? Princess Luna looked certain and she was fading from sight as Twilight woke up.

“Do it,” Twilight whispered, as she finally faded, “just don’t hurt him.”

Luna was alone in the temple. Her eyes turned to the temple ceiling as she prayed her ancestors to forgive what she had to do. She faded from the temple and steeled herself. It was time to face the future.

Part 4 The Future: Beast and Ruins

Spike had not budged one inch all day. He just hung his head in shame as the train pulled into the Crystal Empire. Ponies were leaving and entering with friends and family in tow, painfully reminding Spike of everything he was leaving behind. This is for the best, he told himself once more.

The train stayed there most of the afternoon. Outside, Spike could see ponies searching, perhaps for him. As much as he wanted to be found, he knew better than to be seen so they could take him home, and hid himself carefully in his compartment.

At long last, the train pulled out of the station. Spike stole one last glance as the empire faded into the distance. Sitting back down in the compartment, he tried to fall asleep and forget about the world.

Soon, he was back in the darkness with no shape or form. He expected Luna to appear any moment, but minutes went by and she never appeared. I guess she’s given up, Spike sighed in disappointment and relief, well, at least I won’t have to see my friends in pain tonight.

His thoughts were interrupted as a blinding light seared his entire body. It blinded him and burned his lava-resistant scales. He felt his very being melting away. Whatever this was, it was no dream; he could feel every bit of it. Gradually, the pain dwindled until it was a faint whisper.

When the pain became tolerable, Spike felt dirt beneath him and rubbed his sore eyes, but he could no longer feel his fingers or hands. He heard the lonely screeching of the wind and tried to stand upright, only to fall on his side. Gradually, his vision returned and he saw a barren wasteland before him.

He gazed all around to see dilapidated structures of some sort. All of them were shaking in the lonely wind. Turning to his left he saw faintly familiar mountains in the distance, overshadowing the wasteland. He crawled onto his hands and feet and walked away from the haunting mountains, searching for some clue to where he was and why he felt so … strange.

The instant he found a distinguishing landmark and recognized his location with appall, he looked down at his hands and saw he no longer had hands and a second, equally startling realization dawned on him. In the distance, he could discern a decaying but undeniably recognizable structure: Twilight’s castle! And where his hands should be, there were hooves instead! Spike lost his voice and capacity to think, as he realized the ruins he saw were the remains of Ponyville and he was now a pegasus.

He stared at the sky, black with soot and redder than blood. He found his voice and screamed into the air, “Luna! What’s going on? Why am I a pony? What happened to Ponyville?”

No response. Wherever he had gone, the princess had not followed. The purple pegasus began to panic. He had no idea where he was or if anybody could tell him. He looked over the burned wreckage, and wondered if there was any pony left at all. Twilight! Rarity! My friends! Spike was instantly terrified for his loved ones. What if something came and destroyed them all? He had to find them.

Tripping over his extra feet, he fell to the ground once more. Where there was once lush grass, there was now rubble and ash that caked his face as he hit the ground. Rising once more, he took the time to work out running with four legs and quickly ran towards the castle, unaware of several eyes watching him from the shadows.

***

As the castle came into sight, he noticed a purple barrier surrounding the castle. He touched the barrier to find his hoof repelled, as though the bubble snapped at him. He stared at the castle, wondering if Twilight could be inside with his friends. He called her name and the barrier flickered only for a second, before returning in full force. He called again only to find no response.

He stood there for hours, trying to call his friend with no answer. He supposed she could be elsewhere. Perhaps, she raised the barrier to keep some pony or something inside protected. In any case, he couldn’t stay here without any response. He turned and ran towards Rarity’s Carousel Boutique. Within the castle, eyes peered down at the pony running away, no longer recognizing anything. No longer caring.

***

Spike ran to the Boutique, only to find ashes marking where the shop once stood. He didn’t understand. What happened here? Where was Rarity? What could have done this? Had Discord gone evil again? Had Tirek returned? He had to get to the bottom of this.

He ran to Sugar Cube Corner and found a rickety structure that once was the candy shop. He paced towards it and entered the wooden beams, hoping to find some clue. The place was no longer the same; it barely resembled the place he would meet that pink pony. He left, feeling his desperation rising.

Finally, he found a building that still stood, to some extent: Fluttershy’s cottage. He opened the door and gazed inside, “Fluttershy? Are you there?”

He entered the house and suddenly wished he had not. The place was in no greater shape than the rest of the town; the floor was littered with debris, flies circled the ash looking for a meal, and the building was tainted with an undeniable sense of loss. Spike saw a figure on the couch facing the window, and cautiously approached it.

“Hello? Fluttershy?” he whispered, “it’s me, Spike. Except, I got turned into a pony.”

“Hello, ‘Spike, except I got turned into a pony’,” a distinctly masculine, weary voice replied, “Do come in.”

Spike’s eyes narrowed. He knew that voice, “Discord?”

He trotted to the side of the couch and saw what resembled Discord staring out the window without expression. Whatever he saw before him was not the Discord that Spike remembered. This figure’s fur was grey and ragged, and absent in several places. The sharp tooth that once protruded from his mouth was missing, and his beard was trailing down to his stomach. His wings were gone and his eyes, once rife with mischief, were dull and lifeless, lined with rings of age. What truly unnerved Spike was his face; it was covered with scars and burn marks.

Repulsed, he almost fell back. “You’re not Discord!” he yelled at the imposter.

“And you’re not real,” the imposter retorted without looking away from the window, “but these days, we can’t be too picky about our company, now can we?”

“Where is every pony? Where’s Fluttershy?” Spike was ready to attack the stranger to get some answers.

The figure’s eyes showed a brief glimmer of recognition before returning into the lifeless void, “Fluttershy,” he said wistfully, “my first true friend. Don’t suppose she could be the one haunting my imagination instead of you?”

“You think I’m not real?” Spike scowled, “quit playing around and tell me where my friends are!”

“Right here,” Discord’s right hand pointed into the open air beside the couch at some invisible individual, “and here,” his finger then pointed to the air above him, “that’s Jeffery over there,” he gestured to what was once a sink, “all of your friends are right here with me. They whisper to me all the time. Remembering better days, when this town thrived with happiness and peace. Remembering when I had friends. I mean, I assume they’re your friends as they’re the only company I have these days. The only one I can have.”

Spike stared at the figure before him, uncertain what to make of him. He glanced around the ruined home and spoke once more, “What happened to Ponyville?” he asked, wondering what information he could squeeze from this sad figure. “Why is it so wrecked?”

“Oh, Spike except I got turned into a pony, you remember what happened all those years ago. We’ve all talked about it time and time again. In fact, you rather remind me of a little dragon I used to know,” Discord stared out the window as a faint smile spread across his lips and Spike realized the conversation had turned to him. “When he was here, we were all so happy. Even after he left, he still wrote us letters and came to visit us every now and then.” His smile faded as he continued. “One day he just stopped and we didn’t see him again. I wonder whatever happened to him. I suppose he perished once the war began.”

“War?” Spike said with intrigue, “who did Equestria go to war with?”

Discord scowled as he stared out the window and the room seemed to darken. For the first time since he found this figure, Spike worried what this being might do to him and wanted to run. Then the moment passed, and he looked defeated once more.

He sighed and motionlessly continued his staring, “all of Equestria banded together to face the greatest foe it had ever known.”

“Who?” Spike could not restrain his curiosity any longer, “Tirek? King Sombra? Chrysalis and the changelings?”

Discord shook his head, “No. All of them joined our efforts to repel the beast, and all of them fell. They recognized how dangerous that monster would be to their own plans, but I’m afraid not even united they could stop it.”

Spike widened his eyes. In the little time he had been gone, had all of their greatest foes been destroyed by some new foe? How had Ponyville been destroyed in the mere days he had left?

“What about Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, or Princess Twilight?” Spike asked, “They wouldn’t have let something like this happen.”

“My dear little figment,” Discord continued with numb sorrow, “none of them stood a chance against the beast. Princess Celestia fell in combat with the beast.” Spike noticed a tear trail down the creature’s face as he spoke, “They never recovered a body, or even ashes. But there was no denying her passing when the sun no longer shone.”

Spike stared out the window and realized he could no longer see the sun or the moon. It all seemed so surreal. Princess Celestia had been there from the very beginning. She mentored Twilight, instructing her every step of the way. How could she suddenly be gone? Spike felt a personal loss just at the words.

Discord’s hands clasped each other in defeat, as he stared unblinkingly at the sky. After some time, he spoke once more, “as for the other two princess, well. Princess Luna has given up much to combat the beast. All other creatures have fallen in years of struggle with that monster, but Princess Luna continues to fight it to this day. Even if she wins,” Discord’s shoulders fell even further, “she will not be the same pony. I’m afraid to fight a monster, she had to become a monster.”

“What about Twilight?” Spike asked, afraid of the answer. Discord did not reply and continued his lonely watch. Spike grew desperate and irritated, and he yelled, “What happened to Twilight Sparkle? Answer me!”

Discord did not respond, or even seem to notice his presence. He just stared out the window, fixating his eyes on the horizon. In a voice that Spike never thought Discord capable of, Discord woefully answered with bitterness, despondency, and emptiness, “the same thing that happened to me. We were broken. Left alive to live out the remainder of our days in regret as the world burns away. No more will to fight, no more will to survive.”

Spike shook his head in disbelief. Twilight would never give up. She could face any challenge and persevere. In his eyes, she was a hero capable of anything. Yes, she might falter, but she would never surrender. Nothing could break her. Spike found himself increasingly terrified of this beast that ruined the world, as he knew it. Yet, he swore that he would do whatever was necessary to rectify everything.

“We have nothing left to fight for,” Discord reached for a picture beside him on the couch and he broke his gaze from the window to shed a brief glance at a photograph of Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, his baby dragon self, and Discord smiling against a light blue sky. “Every pony we ever called a friend is gone thanks to that creature.” Discord traced a finger around Fluttershy’s face in the picture, and returned his gaze outward through the window towards the sky where the sun should have shone, “and Celestia is long gone.”

The full weight of his words fell on Spike, and he felt like retching. His head was throbbing, quickly shifting rapidly between too heavy and too light. His feet trembled beneath him as he staggered, struggling for air against his mounting panic. He’d been left for a few days and all of his friends were gone forever. Not just all of his friends, but all of Ponyville, all of Equestria, maybe even the entire world. It was all doomed. He should have been here. He should have tried to help stop the beast but instead he left and this creature arose. Now, Celestia was gone, Twilight was broken and the fate of the world hung in the balance. He fell to the floor and collapsed.

***

He opened his eyes and found himself back in Fluttershy’s ruined cottage. He blinked and trembled to stand on his hooves. He glanced around and saw Discord still sitting on the couch staring out the window right where he last saw him. Spike regarded figure with new reverence. Together they sat, staring out the window, remembering better times. Finally, Spike decided to solve this whole mess some how. Maybe he could talk to Twilight, make her see reason, and they could save the world.

“Discord,” Spike addressed the vacant-faced being at last, “where can I find Twilight?”

Discord seemed to wince at her name. “I already told you, you terrible thing plaguing my mind. She is gone,” Discord huffed with anger. “The Twilight we all once knew is no more. These days, she spends her time locked in her old castle, never letting any pony in.”

“Thanks,” Spike turned to leave when something he remembered Discord saying earlier caught his attention. Hadn’t Discord said that Spike wrote them letters and visited them every now and then? How was that possible? To his knowledge, he was still on a train bound for the Griffonstone Station. He never had time to do either. Perhaps, Discord was mistaken due to his apparent insanity? Spike was not convinced that was the answer. Suddenly, he had to ask more questions.

“Um, Discord,” Spike walked over to the creature and sat next to him on the couch. “You said I—er, Spike would write letters and come visit every now and then. How is that possible? He left two days ago and hasn’t written or seen any of his friends since yesterday.”

Discord frowned in confusion, “Was it really two days ago? It seems only yesterday. What’s that, Jeffery?” he turned to the sink, nodded as though he heard something, then turned his gaze to the window. “Jeffery’s right. We’ve all lost track of time ever since the beast emerged one hundred thousand years ago. Or was it 937,673 years ago? For all we know it could have been 3,481 years ago. Time no longer has meaning”

“Wait, are you saying that right now I am in the future?” Spike’s eyes grew larger as everything began to fell into place.

“We’re all in the future, Spike except I got turned into a pony, isn’t it wonderful?” Discord bitterly spoke as Spike stood back trying to comprehend everything. “We’re all in the future because this is the only reality left for any pony. Red skies full of smoke. The world slowly dying, strangled to death. There is no foreseeable change coming, so we might as well be in the future. After all, time has no meaning when the word’s a nightmare.”

Spike stared out the window in the middle of Discord’s tirade. This explained the state of Ponyville. It wasn’t his Ponyville but the Ponyville of a distant nightmarish future. One where some foe had risen and destroyed everything he knew and loved. One where he had gone missing soon after the beast appeared. His epiphany was interrupted when Discord’s voice became noticeable loud.

“And the worst part is, he would never come home! Even though he knew he was struggling to make it on his own! If that fool had just accepted our help, maybe we could have saved that ungrateful lizard.”

“You mean Spike?” he was guessing that he was the “lizard” Discord spoke of. His curiosity was piqued and he wanted to know what happened to him. “So,” he began slowly, “What happened to Spike? Before he perished in the war, I mean.”

“Spike didn’t perish,” Discord responded coldly, “though I suppose in some ways he has.”

“But you said I died when the war started!” Spike yelled, baffled by Discord’s words. Discord didn’t seem to notice Spike had said ‘I’, and just continued to stare straight ahead.

“He died the second he gave into his dragon nature,” Discord growled.

“What are you talking about?” Spike asked nervously, wondering what possible fate he had, “what happened to … Spike?”

Once again, Discord was silent for what seemed to be a lifetime. His hands twitched, his nostrils flared slightly, his eyes closed furiously, and he was stiller than a statue. Spike was worried Discord had fallen asleep, but could not see any breathing. They sat there for minutes. Spike was beginning to wonder if he should leave and go find Twilight, when Discord’s lips trembled. Slowly, the ancient being spoke.

“We all loved Spike. He was our friend, dear and true. When he had that horrible nightmare, we did everything we could to bring him home, but to no avail. He tried to make it on his own, but he was struggling. He had no food, no shelter, no friends; he only had his fear, and soon that was replaced with bestial sense of self-preservation. From what I know, he fought back against the world. Stole gems and anything he could get his grubby little claws on. Hoarded it all to himself in a cave and grew big. It wasn’t enough. He just gathered more and more gems from other dragons. He did come to visit us one last time,” Discord’s face to a brief expression of fondness but was quickly overtaken with despair. “He was no longer the little dragon we all knew and loved. He had grown up, unnaturally. He was larger than all of Ponyville, and could no longer speak. He could no longer recognize his own friends and family. It shook us all to the core. We did not see him again for twenty-five years. We heard reports of a massive purple dragon burning down Manehatten, Filly Delphia, and Baltimare, and looting all of its riches. But we refused to believe the rumors.”

Discord’s face slowly broke into a shattered expression, “until he razed Canterlot to the ground as well as Ponyville.”

Spike stared Discord incredulously. He wanted to interrupt and ask how this was possible, but quickly shut his mouth when Discord continued to speak.

“We lost many good ponies that day. The cakes, Pinkie Pie, the Apple family, and,” Discord whimpered, “sweet Fluttershy.”

Spike’s eyes widened. He could not stifle his tears as the blame for everything fell on his shoulders. Water dripped freely from his eyes more than it ever had before.

“Rarity and Twilight believed they could still bring him back. They had me believing too. Until he destroyed the Crystal Empire along with Cadence and Shining Armor.”

It was all too much. Spike’s legs trembled and his body grew sweaty as he struggled against hyperventilating and passing out. He could no longer hold his tears as he became responsible for countless deaths. How could this have happened?

“After Rarity passed on, Princess Celestia became desperate for a solution. She hoped removing Spike’s hoard would release him from his greed and sought to destroy his size. She sent Rainbow Dash, who became captain of the Wonder Bolts in Spitfire’s passing, to destroy everything Spike had collected. She succeeded but it did nothing. Spike was already so lost in his greed and cruelty that nothing could free him. All this did was make him angry. The princess summoned all available forces to stop this beast, including all of the foes they had banished, determined to stop him once and for all. They waged a war that lasted hundreds of years. They all fought valiantly but to no avail. One by one, her allies fell and soon only the three princesses and I remained. After he destroyed Celestia, Twilight and I were broken. Somehow this evil world of ours decided the little dragon we had called a friend and family would betray us and destroy our beloved Celestia. Twilight gave up. She blamed herself for Spike’s state, the fate of the world, and the passing of her teacher. Neither of us had anything left to fight for. Our friends were gone and the little dragon we had known and loved all those years perished and became a beast.”

Spike could not do anything. He could not think, feel, talk, walk, or breathe. He was the beast. By leaving Ponyville, he fulfilled his own nightmare. He had to go back. He had to do whatever it took to stop the nightmare. But now, he wasn’t sure he could. Luna had not spoken one word since he arrived here. This was not a dream. He could physically touch everything around him and smell the ashes. For all he knew, he was no longer on that train sound asleep. For all he knew, there was nothing he could do. He shook his head and tears flew from his eyes. He would not lie down and let this future come to pass. He had to find the Twilight of this world, perhaps she could send him home and he could set things right.

For the first time since he arrived, Discord turned to look at him and eyed him scrupulously, “Do I know you?”

Before Spike could respond, something grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground. He tried to struggle but his assailants were far stronger than he, and he no longer had his fire breath. They effortlessly subdued him, blindfolding his face and bonding his hooves together. He could only listen as he hear bodiless voices.

“Thanks for distracting him, Discord,” a gruff female voice spoke, “we’ll take this ‘figment’ away so he won’t bother you anymore.”

“My pleasure, Scootaloo.” Discord’s voice replied. Spike gasped at the name. Scootaloo couldn’t still be alive, not after one thousand years. And that certainly wasn’t her voice. Even if she were an adult, no way would Scootaloo sound so terrifying.

“Of course,” the gruff voice responded, as though its owner were Scootaloo, “that’s what I’m here for.”

“Say, did Rainbow Dash ever teach you to fly? I bet she’d love to see you today,” Discord was back in his delusions.

“I’m sure I’ll see her. She’s always got some way to help me improve,” the voice responded, indulging Discord’s fantasies, “now why don’t you rest here? You’ve earned it.”

“Why thank you,” their voices grew distant as Spike’s body was hoisted onto a stick of some kind and two other attackers carried him away, “I’m meeting Fluttershy today. We were going to have a little tea party.”

“Well, I won’t get in your way.” The voice began to walk away, “I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you when she comes home.”

Spike’s nose scrunched up as the smoggy air filled his nostrils. He was outside again. He couldn’t cry for help because he was out breath and none of his friends would come. He heard footsteps as the owner of the gruff voice approached him.

“I don’t know who you are, but you’ve got a lot of nerve kid,” Spike was terrified, as the voice grew closer. “Bothering Discord like that and making him relive the war is bad enough, but calling to Twilight? Telling her your name is Spike and asking her to let you in. That’s unforgiveable.”

Spike was sweating profusely as the invisible speaker towered over him. He tried to get some vague idea of who he was seeing through the blindfold, but felt a sharp whack on his head. Everything flashed to red and began to sink into darkness.

Part 5 The Future: Truth and Belief

When Spike opened his eyes, he realized several things. First, his head hurt where he had been struck. Second, his limbs were no longer bound together. Third, he was in a jail cell. Fourth, torches provided some light as the hung from the walls. Fifth, every other cell he could see was empty. Sixth, judging by the stones surrounding him and the stuffy air, he had to assume he was underground.

He saw an exit at the far end of the tunnel and heard hoof steps, well, more like sounds marking approach. Three figures came into view and Spike felt unnerved by each one of them. In the front was an orange pegasus with a purple mane. She may have looked like Scootaloo if her eyes didn’t look so tired and worn, her body muscular and imposing, her mane covering her right eye, or wear a black combat suit lined with knives. Essentially, she would never have passed off as Scootaloo. Spike wasn’t completely sure this was a mare. On her left, Spike saw a griffon with smudgy feathers that might have been white once, a red headband covering his forehead, a dark orange beak, and iron tipped claws. The last figure was an oddity. She looked like a pony with her purple mane, but Spike had never seen a pony like her. This pink creature had two white horns behind both of its ears, a long lizard-like tail that lashed furiously, tiny toes at the end of her hooves, fangs, and scales and fur over her body. Spike quickly looked away so she wouldn’t see his stare.

The group approached him and looked at his with curiosity and distain. Spike did his best to look brave but these three were terrifying.

“So,” the pegasus’ rough voice broke the silence, and Spike recognized her as the one who spoke to Discord, “none of the families in the bunker lost a little pegasus like you.”

She cocked her head as if she expected Spike to say something. She growled through the bars, “listen kid, I don’t know who you are but pretty soon you’re going to be a little nobody rotting away in this cell for all eternity if you don’t start talking. Who are you? Why were you bothering Discord? Where did you come from?”

Spike flinched at her ferocity but steadily met her gaze. She seemed slightly taken aback by his boldness, “Even if I told you,” Spike said, “I doubt you would believe me.”

Suddenly, a shrill sound shrieked and Spike put his hooves over his ears. He turned to his right to see the griffon dragging his metal tipped claws against the bars of the jail cell, “answer the lady’s questions, freak. If we like your answer, we’ll let you off with a warning.”

Spike scowled and met their eyes. He didn’t care if his actions here some how messed up the past. He had to get out of here and find Twilight now. He approached the cage bars and spoke, “okay. My name is Spike and I’m a dragon from the past. I was on a train bound for Griffonstone Station when suddenly I was dumped here in the future and changed into a pony. I don’t know who did this to me, but I have to find Twilight Sparkle so she can send me back.”

The pegasus angrily slammed a hoof against the bars, knocking back Spike. The griffon hissed and scrapped his claws against the cell once more producing a terrible noise, while the oddity’s eyes narrowed.

“You’ve just made a big mistake,” the pegasus growled, “we gave you a chance to tell the truth and instead you mock a once noble dragon! You are going to rot in here for eternity.”

“I’m not lying,” Spike rose to his hooves and approached the cell bars refusing to be intimidated, “I am Spike from all those years ago before the beast emerged. Ask me any question about myself from before I went to Griffonstone Station, and I promise you I can answer it.”

The pegasus smirked. The griffon seemed dangerously close to tearing Spike apart. The oddity looked on with new interest in her eyes.

“Alright,” the pegasus gave a smirk that had no good nature whatsoever, “where were you born, ‘Spike’?”

“Twilight hatched me from a purple egg in Canterlot as part of a Magic School Entrance Exam,” Spike responded without missing a beat.

“Why did you come with Twilight to Ponyville?” the pegasus looked irritated, “And who did you meet?”

“Princess Celestia sent Twilight to Ponyville to make new friends, but Twilight only wanted to overlook the Summer Sun Festival. In the end, Twilight met six new friends who became the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony and defeated Nightmare Moon,” Spike replied determined to answer anything in order to see Twilight. “We met Pinkie Pie, who became the element of laughter, Applejack, the element of honesty, Rainbow Dash, the element of loyalty, Rarity, the element of generosity, and Fluttershy, the element of kindness.”

The trio before him looked slightly impressed, but the pegasus snarled in frustration, “what was your role to Twilight? What did she have to do in Ponyville?”

“I was her number one assistant,” Spike felt slight satisfaction as the group before him seemed to change their attitudes, “When she was in Canterlot, I helped her organize her works, delivered her messages to Celestia with my fire breath, made sure she didn’t stay up all night studying and that she remembered to break for food, and offered her my advice though she rarely listened. Whenever she learned a lesson on friendship in Ponyville, I would write down her findings and send it to Princess Celestia. Soon, I did that for her six other friends and wrote a few letters myself.”

The griffon was beginning to look convinced and turned to the pegasus, “Do you think he could be telling the truth?”

“Shut up!” She snapped at the griffon, making him cower, “so the little kid knows the history of Spike, big whoop. That doesn’t prove anything.”

“Maybe not,” the oddity finally spoke with a hypnotizing, silky voice. “But it makes his case all the more credible.”

“Not you too?” The pegasus groaned, “he’s just some nutcase trying to get attention.”

“I don’t care what you think about me,” Spike didn’t want to stand around and let these simpletons debate this forever. “I’ve answered your questions, now let me see Twilight!”

The pegasus slammed her hoof against the bars once more, but Spike did not flinch or back down this time. “Don’t insult Princess Twilight!” her putrid breath made Spike wince but his heart was steeled, “she’s been through enough already. She doesn’t need some freak who wants attention reminding her that the creature destroying the world used to be her friend!”

She turned and walked away. Soon, the other two followed her. They were almost at the exit, but Spike refused to let them leave him here. He had to see Twilight. Desperately, he frantically shouted his biography at the trio.

“When Twilight was worried about a letter deadline, I told Princess Celestia about her problem! Twilight gave me the Crystal Heart when she was trapped and told me to save the Crystal Empire! During the Running of the Leaves, I commented on the race with Pinkie Pie in a hot air balloon! I left Ponyville because I had a nightmare that I would destroy it!”

The trio ignored him and proceeded through the exit. Panicking, Spike screamed one last statement, one of his greatest secrets.

“Ever since we met, I’ve always had a crush on Rarity!”

The oddity grew rigid and stopped in her tracks. The other two turned and looked at their comrade curious why she had stopped. Slowly, she turned around and stared with eyes agape at Spike in a new light. As though he was suddenly different.

“What did you just say?” Spike blushed at her question, not wanting to repeat such a personal secret. She stepped towards Spike and looked at him straight in the eyes, “I said, what did you just say?”

If Spike had fingers, he would be twiddling them right now in embarrassment. Instead, he pawed the ground with his right hoof and stared down.

“Ever since we met,” he mumbled nervously, “I’ve always had a crush on Rarity.”

The oddity before him stared at him intently. Her mouth was slightly ajar but her face carefully masked her inner thoughts. She gently placed a hoof to a cell bar, prompting Spike to look into her eyes. She was looking at him with something akin to recognition. Spike could not explain it but he felt it as well. Slowly, he moved his hoof to the other side of the bar. Only the cell bar separated them, but their hooves were inches apart.

“P!” the pegasus’ voice snapped both of them out of their trance and began stomping towards her, “stop listening to this nonsense! This filly is insane and a menace!”

“But how did he know about Spike and Rarity?” the oddity who Spike assumed was named P turned to face the pegasus, looming over her, or trying to; P was much taller than her. “Only a few ponies ever knew about them and—.”

“Enough!” The pegasus snapped at P and reached for a knife on her belt, her hoof resting on the hilt, “if you don’t get back in line and face reality, you’ll be dealing with me. Do I make myself clear?”

P regarded her for a moment. Spike saw that P was much bigger than the pegasus but had no visible weapons. Then again, perhaps she had no need for weapons. He felt thick tension in the room as the two stared each other down. Gradually, P bowed her head and let out a small smile.

“Yes,” she obediently said, “I’m sorry, S. I let my emotions cloud my judgment and almost let this imposter deceive me. Please forgive me.”

The pegasus, apparently named S, looked doubtful, “why the sudden change of heart?”

“I recognize that I wasn’t thinking clearly,” she walked away from Spike’s prison towards the exit, “he could have found about Spike in many different ways. There is no reason to assume he could be Spike based on his knowledge, which clearly has gaps if he cannot recall events after the real Spike left Ponyville.”

S scowled but eased her hoof off the knife hilt and followed P. She seemed satisfied with P’s answer but kept a steady eye on her. Spike fell to his side miserably. Nothing he said would convince them that he was truly Spike. How was he going to see Twilight now?

“Oh,” P stopped near the exit and S looked at her suspiciously, “I should warn you imposter,” she turned her head to look at Spike, “if Princess Luna ever heard you were Spike from the past, she would certainly obliterate you in a second. Even if it meant rewriting history and eliminating all of us from existence, she’d do anything to get rid of her greatest foe. So I’d shut up about this ‘I’m a dragon’ nonsense and settle for being a pony.”

P was the first to leave, followed by the griffon. Spike stared at the spot, where she left. Was she giving him advice to stay alive? He thought about her advice and wondered if it had some bearing on his status as a pony. Before he could further contemplate her words, S turned around and scowled at him with her visible left eye.

“Princess Luna is long gone,” S huffed as she exited the room. She grimly whispered in a voice that echoed through the stones, “now there is only our Queen.”

***

Hours passed by, as Spike stared at his jail cell lock. He wracked his brain trying to think of a way to open the door but found no solution. He tried picking the lock with one of the feathers on his wings, but it broke in lock. He tried another feather with no luck. Spike let out a long exhale of air as he sighed with disappointment. If only he had his fire breath, then he could just melt the lock and escape. Of course, he had no idea how he would reach Twilight afterwards, but he decided to cross that bridge when he got there. He yanked another feather from his wings, wincing at the sharp pain, and reached his hooves through the cell to pick the lock once more. At this rate, he’d run out of feathers.

The feather snapped and Spike groaned in frustration as he retrieved the feather and threw it into his cell. He scooped the broken feather into a similar pile of broken feathers he had buried under the ground. He didn’t want his captors to get wind of his plans. Although, Spike thought glanced at his wings, my increasingly featherless wings might tip them off.

Suddenly the cave shook violently, rocks fell from the ceiling and dirt fell. Was it an earthquake? Spike saw several torches go out and a cell adjacent to his collapse. He gulped, praying he could escape before that happened. Then he heard something. It was faint from under the earth, but it was still the most chilling noise Spike had ever heard. He almost went deaf from the sound at this distance as it rocked the ground. It sounded like some animal, roaring a violent challenge, but no animal could sound this feral. The roar ended and the grounds shook again.

“Spike!” P appeared in front of him from thin air and Spike stifled his startled scream, “The beast has appeared in the ruins of what once was Manehatten. We don’t have much time.”

She opened her mouth and a jet of purple flames emerged melting the lock, which fell to the ground. She opened the door, and Spike quickly exited and stared at P in confusion. He had so many questions. Where had she just come from? Did she teleport to his cell? And if she did, how did she suddenly breathe fire like a dragon? But most importantly, what was she doing?

“I’m sure you have questions, but there’s no time,” she raced away and beckoned Spike to follow, “the others will be distracted by the beast for so long. We need to get you to Twilight.”

For the first time since he arrived, Spike’s heart soared with hope. He didn’t know if he could trust P, but he couldn’t even stop to think when faced with the prospect of seeing Twilight. They raced side-by-side through the trembling tunnels, stopping only when they heard distant screams of panic approaching them. P’s horns lighted up and she and Spike disappeared from sight. An earth pony and the griffon from earlier ran past them without even noticing them. They continued through the tunnels, winding about in what seemed aimless directions.

“These tunnels run through out Equestria,” P explained as they raced through a shaky tunnel that curved left, “it’s our only way to get around the world safely.”

“How are you going to get me to Twilight?” Spike asked as the tunnel took a sharp plunge and diverged into three paths.

P sprinted through the center tunnel and Spike matched her pace as quickly as possible, “when Twilight retreated to her castle, we created a tunnel leading directly to her home. We had always hoped she would rejoin the fight. No pony uses the tunnel since she put up that barrier but with the beast nearby, her magic might waver enough for you to pass through.”

“Why are you doing this?” Spike tripped but jumped to his feet and doubled his pace to catch up.

“Because I believe you,” she responded turning right at another intersection.

“Why believe me?” Spike panted breathlessly as they stopped before a door, with a flickering purple field before it, “And why do this, P?”

P shoved him through the barrier in a brief second that it flickered, and stared at him from the other end. The ground had stopped trembling and the barrier was now up in full force. As they were in the jail cell, they were separated once more.

“No other soul knew about Rarity and Spike except those who are long gone,” she replied. “And my name’s not P. We all use codenames.”

“What’s your real name? How can I ever thank you?” The ground began to shake once more as dirt and rubble fell between the two.

“Just set things right,” she replied with a wistful smile, “When the time comes, you’ll know my name, father.”

Spike’s eyes widened at the word. He stared at P in a new light. Her long whipping tail, her scales and purple flames, her reptilian eyes and sharp fangs; they were all familiar. He was looking at his own future daughter. She had magic like a unicorn, a purple mane, and fur covering her body where scales did not. Where did all of this come from? Her mother? Then, he his heart fluttered as he remembered what convinced her that he was Spike; his crush on Rarity. Could this mean that at some point—?

Before he could pursue the thought, rocks fell between the two blocking the tunnel. Spike was alone on the other side of the barrier and the rocks with his thoughts. He shook his head in frustration. There was no time to procrastinate. The fate of Equestria depended on him. He turned around and ran through the tunnel, which slowly curved upward and stopped at a circular, wooden door marked with Twilight’s cutie mark.

Spike found the door locked. Undeterred, he took several steps back and raced at the door, tackling it with all his might. It shook only slightly. Ignoring his groaning muscles and sore body, he threw himself at the door even harder. It trembled once again and Spike felt renewed confidence. Finally, he charged at the door with all his might. This time, his strength triumphed and the door collapsed.

Part 6 The Future: Silence and Bonds

Limping past the fallen door, Spike stared at his surroundings in horror. He had escaped that underground prison, but this place was immeasurably worse. He was in Twilight’s castle, no longer recognizable after centuries of neglect. The once vibrant crystal walls were gray and lifeless. He stepped further into the room and recognized the Cutie Mark map covered by the collapsed chandelier of memories their friends had made them. Inspecting the crystals that once hung from the tree’s roots, he could no longer see the memories of a better time long ago. The crystals were dark with silence. He found only a handful of crystals with life, but even those memories were quickly fading as darkness seeped around them. Seeing those fond memories wasting away burned him. Turning his gaze upwards, he listened for a sound, any sound. He wanted something to break this oppressing silence and recall happier days. Nothing. The halls once filled with the sound of friends laughing echoed now with only silence.

Spike trudged through the dull, ramshackle hallways, finding the rest of the castle in similar disrepair. He quickened his pace anxious to find Twilight. He longed to call her name in some hope that she might respond, but the silence that surrounded him felt paralyzing. He came across a stairway, and carefully treaded across it as it creaked with each step. This small sound felt boisterously massive amidst the crippling silence that permeated the castle.

Making his way across another hallway at the top of the stairs, Spike quickened his pace to a trot as he felt the silence creep behind him like a silent assassin. It would behave like blood cells attacking a bacterial invader if it caught him. He dare not run though, subconsciously fearing his hooves slamming against the lifeless floor would alert the nameless quiet and it would pursue him. He had to find Twilight now.

At last, he came to Twilight’s old room. Gingerly opening the rusty doors, he delicately stepped inside. His eyes flitted about the dead room until they came to rest on a familiar tall figure resting on a bed completely motionless, gazing out a window. Everything he had seen and felt in his entire life, no matter how pleasant or painful, could not compare to the heartache and tears he felt looking at what was once his friend and protector.

Her once purple fur was now dull and ragged, her body covered in visible scars and patches of dead skin and thick layers of dust. An overgrown, unkempt white mane that trailed down across the floor masked her face. A long horn pierced through this mane where her head was, but it was chipped and laced with cobwebs. Spike could see this figure’s spine, protruding rib cage, and every bony limb, as though she had not eaten in centuries. Her unruly tail covered the floor, infested with parasites and gray with age. Spike moved before her and inspected her closer through her mane. Her face was abysmal. Her bony cheeks shriveled and skin was drawn across it like paper stretched close to breaking. Her gray, weathered eyes glazed listlessly across the window, unblinking and uncaring. Her lips moved nonstop and she groaned faint primal sounds, as though she was trying to formulate words but could no longer grasp speech.

“Twilight?” Spike spoke with difficult pain, “it’s me, Spike from the past. I was sent to the future and turned into a pony. I need your help to get back so I can set things right.”

She did not even notice him and continued her silent vigil. Spike’s heart plummeted even farther seeing his hero in such a state. His body trembling, he tried to grab her attention.

“Once I’m back in my time, I can go back to Ponyville forever. None of this has to happen,” Spike said extending a hoof to touch her withered hoof, resting on the bed. “We can stay together forever. I don’t become a monster and all of our friends survive.”

Twilight continued gazing vacantly out the window. Spike became desperate.

“Please, I want another chance! Let me do the right thing!”

Twilight’s lips continued their soundless, wordless movements and the rest of her body remained motionless. Tears rolled from his eyes uncontrollably as he took her hoof in both of his and whimpered through his sobs, “I didn’t know this would happen! I should have just told you about my nightmare and we could’ve have worked it out. I should never have let my fears keep me away from my family. I should never have rejected your love!”

Spike’s head fell to Twilight’s hoof and he wept into it, shouting with complete conviction, “Please, Twilight! I swear I’ll never leave your side again. I’ll stay with you the rest of my life, being the best assistant, friend, and son you could ever know! Even when I grow too big to stay in the castle, I’ll find a way to stay with you as your best friend even if I have to build myself another castle! I’ll prove to every pony, who said otherwise, that I am not some beast! I’ll be a noble, kind, generous dragon, like you always wanted, and when ponies ask who I am, I’ll tell them all ‘I am Spike, the dragon! Twilight’s eternal friend!’ Please Twilight,” he lifted his face to stare into her unmoving eyes, “Say something!”

Silence dominated the room, and Twilight sat unmoving. Spike cried harder than he ever had before, ragged sobs tore through his entire being. Twilight was gone. She wouldn’t give him another chance. The future was ruined, his friends were dead, and Twilight, his hero and surrogate mother, was broken. It was all his fault. He became a monster the moment he left his friends’ love and now, he would stay here in the future and watch the world burn. It was a truly fitting punishment.

After hours, he stopped crying and sat before his stone still, stone-quiet friend, who might as well be dead. They sat there together for hours, as the silence overtook them. Spike broke his gaze and stared across the room. On a crumbling desk, he found a pair of sheers for cutting hair, a washcloth, a duster, and a comb. He paced over to the tools and inspected them. They were old, rusty, but functional. He grabbed them and did what he knew best; care for Twilight.

Although he struggled without his fingers, Spike used the sheers to trim Twilight’s mane. When it was finally a respectable length, he gathered up the excess hair and tossed it out the window. He painstakingly groomed her mane with his comb, straightening and styling her mane to what he had always known while meticulously pulling out every parasite and dumping them in a basket. Using the duster, he gently removed several layers of dirt and dust from her coat, revealing her weathered but persistent purple fur. Using the washcloth, he rubbed her hooves and horn, removing cobwebs and renewing long absent luster.

He stepped back to look at his work. Twilight was still bony and gaunt, her coat marred by scars, bald or gray spots, her eyes still glistened listlessly out the window, and her lips continued their meaningless dance. Now, her mane looked presentable, and her familiar pink streaks shone through, her body was clean and no longer infested by parasites, her wings, though drooping and losing feathers, had recaptured some of their lost glory, and her horn shone once again, proud and strong. She was still broken, but at least she looked better.

Spike climbed onto the bed and sat next to Twilight, resigning himself to join her lonely vigil, as they helplessly watched the world crumble away. They would face the end of Equestria as they faced everything: together. Ironic, but certainly fitting.

“I’m sorry if all that grooming bothered you,” Spike said, more to himself than the alicorn as he accustomed himself to his own company for the rest of his lonely life, “I just can’t help it. You’re so precious. To me, I mean.”

Spike rested his gaze at the red and black sky beyond the castle. The silence conquered the room and the castle. It pervaded Spike’s thoughts and Twilight’s mind. It was all they knew now.

***

She saw something enter, but she had no idea what it was. She could barely recognize anything these days. It was purple and green, and for a moment she dimly thought she was being haunted by ghosts of the past. Then the ghost spoke, she could not discern its words; she did not try. She no longer cared. The only words that caught her interest were ‘Twilight’ and ‘Spike’, but even they faded as her consciousness slipped into an ocean of nothingness.

The unclear vision spoke more, but she paid it no heed. She had experienced similar tormenting delusions so frequently that she had all but lost her perception of reality. Still, this vision had a familiar voice, one she had long forgotten. Perhaps this was to exacerbate her torment. Even if she cared, she had long gone blind and had not used her eyes in centuries.

The ghost’s pleads grew more urgent, it’s words more distinct. Suddenly, it grabbed her ancient hoof and cried into it. No ghost had been so bold as to touch her before. None had moistened her with their tears. What kind of ghost could possibly touch her?

“I didn’t know this would happen! I should have just told you about my nightmare and we could’ve have worked it out. I should never have let my fears keep me away from my family. I should never have rejected your love!”

A dim spark in her mind awakened. She knew this voice. She knew this ghost. The ocean struggled to douse this spark, but it shone with stubborn brilliance. This brilliance only grew as the ghost’s pleas grew louder, it grabbed her hoof with another hoof, and threw his face soaked with tears on her hoof.

“Please, Twilight! I swear I’ll never leave your side again. I’ll stay with you the rest of my life, being the best assistant, friend, and son you could ever know! Even when I grow too big to stay in the castle, I’ll find a way to stay with you as your best friend even if I have to build myself another castle! I’ll prove to every pony, who said otherwise, that I am not some beast! I’ll be a noble, kind, generous dragon, like you always wanted, and when people ask who I am, I’ll tell them all ‘I am Spike, the dragon! Twilight’s eternal friend!’ Please Twilight. Say something!”

Even if she wanted to, she had all but lost her ability to speak. Her throat was stained with age and wear. She could not do anything to help this specter. Soon, he would fade into the ocean of nothingness just as everything else she loved had centuries ago. As her conscious faded away once again, she sensed great despair within the ghost as he exhausted himself from weeping. At least, she thought it was a he. The emptiness she had known for so long clouded her thoughts.

The ghost stopped crying. After some time, the ghost left her sight. She had hoped he might stay as she felt some faint sympathy for the creature. Then again, it was better to lose before one grew attached. How had she come to believe that? She could not recall. Her memories had been replaced with a vacuous void.

She felt something tugging at her body that she remembered she had. It seemed the ghost had not left her and instead worked on grooming her, clipping her long neglected mane, dusting her decrepit body, and shining her hooves and horn. After more time, the ghost stood before her, staring at her intently. She wanted to stare back but found her eyes unyielding. She wished she could thank the ghost, but she barely remembered her existence. What had the ghost called her? Twilight? It sounded so familiar, and yet something was missing.

“I’m sorry if all that grooming bothered you. I just can’t help it. You’re so precious. To me, I mean.”

Precious, the word echoed in her mind, rekindling the spark that almost died. At long last, a memory returned. She was standing in a place from her past, with a white stallion staring at her, as she, a tiny filly, nuzzled the baby dragon on her back.

“I can’t help it,” Twilight stroked the little dragon’s head as her lips curled into a smile, “he’s just so precious.”

The dam that had halted all her higher functions for centuries violently burst and her memories flew forth like a raging flood. She remembered Canterlot, magic, Ponyville, her friends, their adventures, and the little dragon. She was Twilight Sparkle and she was an alicorn and a princess of Equestria. As her memories of the past resurged, her consciousness and self-awareness grew, as she finally comprehended her surroundings.

She blinked. Her world became less blurry. She blinked again. The ghost beside her was no longer a ghost but a young pegasus with her little dragon Spike’s voice. Her lips stopped the dancing they had unconsciously performed for centuries and everything became clear. Twilight knew who she was, who was beside her, and what she had to do.

With difficulty, the once dormant statue moved her lips of her own accord. There was no sound. She tried again desperately praying she would not remember everything only to forget. She inhaled, filled her lungs, and tried to make not sounds, but words. For the first time in centuries, Twilight, the alicorn, spoke.

“You’re precious to me too, Spike.”

The pegasus turned to her, praying his ears had not deceived him. With great effort, Twilight turned her neck, each joint aching from the strenuous, demanding action. She blinked and looked into the eyes of her visitor, not the eyes of a ghost or distant memory, but the eyes of Spike, her number one assistant and friend.

“You’re precious to me too, Spike,” she repeated breathlessly.

Tears of joy swelled in his eyes as Spike embraced Twilight, feeling her comforting, tranquil presence that he had missed since he left. She embraced her friend, releasing similar tears, as Spike’s sweet, easing presence washed over her, a presence she had missed for centuries. As the two friends embraced, sobbing, and talking, the silence was broken and driven away from their home.

***

P stood before an assembly of ponies, griffons, and various creatures. She was shackled to a post and drained of her magic. They had muzzled her to halt her fire breath but maintained openings so she could confess. The assembly had been torturing her for hours, demanding she reveal where the prisoner went. She had tried playing innocent, claiming she had no idea, but the lock on his prison was burnt and she was the prime suspect. Since then, she silently took their beatings and humiliating torments, not giving them the satisfaction of seeing her pain.

“For the last time,” a pompous snowy-white griffon raked his metal tipped claws against her side drawing crimson blood, “where did you bring him? Tell us now and your pain will stop.”

She fearlessly stared at the griffon. He was probably some bootlicking worm who had stayed underground his whole life, letting others do the fighting while he weaseled for power. He was far from intimidating; he was rather pathetic.

“Children like you don’t deserve those claws,” she snorted, “you’re just a little boy pretending he’s a warrior by bullying a girl. Guess what? You neither demand nor deserve my respect.”

His face grew red and the veins on his temples pulsed. He screamed in anger and slashed her once more. Another griffon stopped him from striking again and spoke.

“This is getting us nowhere,” this female griffon snarled tossing the other one aside, “she won’t say anything to us.”

“Then perhaps she will speak to me,” a voice sounded from everywhere at once and shook the room, which seemed to darken. Instantly, every creature was on its knees in terrified submission.

“My Queen!” The pompous griffon spoke, “we will have the answers you seek, just give us time—!”

The griffon was hoisted into the air by magic and flung against a wall where he was held tight, writhing in agony.

“You had time.” The pitiless voice shook the room, “you have given me no answers.”

“Please,” he whimpered, “we have put her through every manner of torture—“

The griffon’s body burst into black flames. He shrieked as the excruciating pain filled his entire body and overwhelmed his senses. Soon, it overwhelmed his mind. Sooner, he had no mind, no body. He was naught but a stain on the stones.

“You worthless simpletons have no grasp of the true meaning of suffering,” the voice took form in the darkness as a tall mare approached P, who quivered in greater fear than she had never known. Her bravado had abandoned her, replaced with awe-struck eyes and legs that could no longer support her weight.

“The delicate ways to break a mare, drive her to the point of insanity, give her hope only to crush it and leave her a shell of her former self. I am all to familiar with all of them,” dark blue eyes peered down at P, piercing her very soul. “I will show you a true nightmare.”

P’s physical pain melted away, everything about this fear-instilling creature felt so palpable and painful as her voice whipped P’s ears. She gazed up. What S had said was true. Princess Luna was long gone. Now, there was only Nightmare Moon.

Part 7 The Future: Two Monsters

Spike searched the kitchen for anything for Twilight to eat so she could regain her strength, but did not particularly care to feed Twilight spiders or maggots. Rummaging through the shelves he finally found a box of rations that seemed relatively safe for consumption. He assumed the ponies below ground must have brought it to her at some point. Of course, he tasted it to make sure it was safe.

He raced back to Twilight with the box, as well as a fork and spoon. She was too feeble to lift a utensil without her magic, which was already weak enough, and too depleted to chew. Nevertheless, Spike mashed up the food into miniscule bites and carefully fed Twilight. With each bite, the alicorn’s eyes regained their purple luster and strength flowed into her body. After finishing the entire box, Twilight rose to her trembling feet and together they went to the library.

Spike and Twilight quickly went to work, pulling out her old spell books, which were tattered and withered but miraculously legible. Twilight explained that she had to regain her strength to properly cast a transformation and time travel spell, so she set about regaining her neglected magical skills. Within the hour, Twilight had at least passed her magical powers as a mere unicorn. Hopefully within the next hour, she could recover her power to an alicorn level

Suddenly, the room went dark. Spike felt palpable fear tingle down his spine.

“Hide now,” Twilight whispered to him. Without a word, Spike threw himself into an open dresser and closed the doors.

“Well, well, this is certainly an unexpected sight,” a voice resounded throughout the room, one that Spike had not heard in years, “after centuries of staring vacantly through the window, Twilight Sparkle finally awakes to practice her magic.”

Spike peaked the drawer open slightly and stared at Twilight. From the darkness, a black helmet and horn emerged, followed by a mane trickling with the night sky. Spike raised a hoof to his mouth as he recognized Nightmare Moon spread her wings and open her piercing eyes.

“Hello, Princess Luna,” Twilight smiled, feigning kindness.

“You’ve been dormant a long time,” the mare hissed at the name, “I go by Nightmare Moon, now. Or Queen Luna.”

Twilight bowed her head as the night pony crossed to her desk and examined her books, “so what finally woke you from that pathetic state, I wonder?”

“I was just tired of doing nothing,” Twilight lied, resisting her temptation to glance at Spike’s hiding place, “my mind finally awoke and I returned.”

“How convenient,” Nightmare Moon mocked her, sounding neither pleased nor convinced. “What shall you do now?”

“I have no desire to take the throne,” Twilight mustered as much self-loathing in her voice as she could, “after I failed Equestria, I am unworthy to rule it.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” the dark alicorn turned to stare directly into Twilight’s eyes with a sly chuckle. “If not for you, that beast might not exist. Besides, who’d want to rule Equestria anymore?”

“What brings you here Luna?” Twilight asked as beads of sweat rolled down her head.

“Two things, actually,” Nightmare Moon paced around Twilight like a wolf eying its prey, “now that you’re back, you shall join me in our quest to vanquish the beast once and for all.”

“I’m sorry,” Twilight quickly spoke, “I have spent so much time dormant that much of my magical power has faded. I’m afraid I would be nothing but a hindrance to you.”

“Of course,” Nightmare Moon’s agreement unnerved Twilight and Spike as the deranged alicorn continued circling her, “you need time to recover your strength. Read your musky books. Learn your spells. But when I return, you will obey your queen or suffer the consequences. Do I make myself clear?”

Twilight nodded as the queen’s words slithered across her ears like a serpent, “Yes, Queen Luna.”

“Secondly, I thought I’d share a little story with you.” Nightmare Moon faded into the darkness but her voice remained, circling Twilight. “Recently my scouts found a pegasus filly wandering the ruins of Ponyville. He was seen outside your castle, calling your name.”

“I had yet to recover my mind,” Twilight responded with the truth, “I heard nothing.”

“Hmm,” Spike could see Twilight shiver at the bodiless voice. “All too convenient.”

“It’s the truth,” Twilight firmly spoke, “he was probably some filly taking a dare.” There was no response for a full minute and Twilight was wondering if the Queen had vanished. Unlikely, she could still sense the Queen’s presence.

“Then this filly proceeded to your deceased friend’s clothing shop, another one of your deceased friend’s sweet shop, and finally your deceased friend’s animal shelter,” the voice spit the words “deceased” and “friend” in disgust, probing Twilight for a reaction.

“I believe their names were Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy,” Twilight kept her voice calm and her body motionless.

“I didn’t ask you,” the voice snarled with savage delight as Queen Luna briefly appeared and whispered inches from Twilight’s ear, “to burden me with their insignificant names. They are but a mere speck amidst the billions of ponies lost.”

The queen faded into the darkness with a sadistic laugh, enjoying her ability to lord her power over Twilight, who trembled with suppressed rage, “Please get to the point Queen Luna.”

“Ah yes, silly me. The little filly met that pathetic mess who once called himself Discord and he told the filly everything that had happened since your little beast left you centuries ago. My incompetent scouts could not make out much of their conversation, but they saw the little filly faint as though he was hearing this history for the first time. Curious, no?”

“Who wouldn’t be frightened by a first-person account of the war?” Twilight stood her ground, determined to remain impassive.

“Good question,” Nightmare Moon sounded like Twilight had finally said something she had been driving towards, “and the only answer I can conceive is an individual who has not heard this history.”

“How could that be possible?” Twilight asked praying the queen could not see into her heart. “The only ponies who would not know would be young fillies still learning how to walk.”

“Perhaps so,” the voice continued circling around Twilight, relishing every second. “They took him prisoner and left him to rot in a cell.”

Spike was sweating as his panic rose. One of the trio from before could have squealed on him, and revealed everything he had said. He could only pray they had not told her too much. They seemed somewhat sympathetic to Twilight, so perhaps they did not reveal who he claimed to be. Considering his bad luck, he really didn’t think that was likely. The ground trembled once more and a distant roar from before sounded in the distance, nearly shattering Spike’s eardrums.

“Your foe approaches, Queen Luna,” Twilight spoke as the roar faded. “Perhaps you’d like to postpone this discussion and protect your citizens.”

“My slaves can burn for all I care,” the voice chuckled, “they are merely tools, little alicorn. And what makes you think I would postpone this interrogation for anything?”

“Interrogation?” Twilight repeated with a condemning scowl, “Slaves? Tools? I can only wonder what Celestia would think of you if she saw you.”

Suddenly, Twilight was levitated into the air by black magic and flown across the room, through shelves, until she was pinned against the wall. Spike wanted to scream her name and rush to her side but he knew better than to give himself away.

“Don’t you dare speak of my sister!” Nightmare Moon appeared inches from Twilight’s face with a magical scythe construct poised against her throat. “She is of a time long gone. To survive now, we must abandon the old ways. Forget mercy. That’s what kept her from slaying the beast when she had the chance!”

The Queen and scythe vanished and Twilight was violently thrown to the ground, creating a crater in the floor. She rose to her feet and bowed her head once more in submission and apology. Spike watched all of this, burning with hate. How dare she treat Twilight this way? How dare she threaten his friend in her own home? But once again, he knew better than to give himself away.

“Now where was I?” her voice spoke casually as though her emotional outburst had never occurred, “Oh yes. One of my scouts betrayed me and freed the prisoner. She would not reveal his location no matter what tortures I put her through.”

Spike eyes widened. He could only assume Nightmare Moon was referring to P, the friendly half-pony, half-dragon hybrid that helped him escape prison. Before he lost sight of her forever, she called him father. If Nightmare Moon hurt her, so help him. Spike would go to the ends of Equestria to avenge her.

“In the end, I’m afraid her fragile mind simply broke under my nightmares and she went insane. Terrible tragedy, really, but that’s the only fate for a traitor, particularly the offspring of the great traitor.”

Spike clenched his teeth in rage, wishing he had hands to strangle this queen. Of course, he recognized there was nothing he could do to save her but rewrite the past, and he stood little chance against Nightmare Moon. So he quietly seethed in anger behind the dresser doors.

“What do you mean ‘offspring of the great traitor’?” Twilight narrowed her eye hoping the queen was not referring to—who she thought she was referring to.

“You recall when your disgusting dragon visited Ponyville before he betrayed us all? In that time, he mated with that idiotic dead friend of yours and spawned a half-breed. I’m afraid that half-breed revealed her true colors and betrayed me.”

“You didn’t have to hurt her,” Twilight impulsively answered, barely suppressing her anger and despair.

“I know,” Spike saw pointed teeth flash a grin in the darkness before fading as the voice spoke, “But I took particular satisfaction in doing so. If only it would have hurt her father to see his daughter’s mind crumble to dust.”

Twilight bit her lip in raging fury. This did not go amiss to Nightmare Moon who materialized in front of Twilight. She towered over the sickly alicorn.

“I tell you this story for a reason. The time will come when your loyalty to me will be tested, and if you fail, well” her eyes glittered with sinister menace, “your fate will be worse than that worthless abomination.”

“Yes, Queen Luna,” Twilight bowed her head submissively once more, “I understand.”

“Really?” Nightmare Moon turned away from Twilight paced into the darkness, where she once again faded. “Did I mention there were two other scouts accompanying that traitor? She may have taken her secrets with her mind, but they,” the queen chuckled, “they told me so much more. Naturally, I tortured them as well. Perhaps it was unnecessary but I dislike them being associated with a traitor.”

Spike and Twilight grew increasingly nervous. Their eyes shifted through the darkness for the queen.

“When my scouts captured the filly and interrogated him, they reported he made some remarkable claims and cited particularly convincing evidence. I myself would not have believed him were his responses to their questions not so thorough and accurate. So allow me to clarify my statement regarding the repercussions of betraying me.” Nightmare Moon appeared inches from Twilight’s face, causing the alicorn to leap back in self-defense, “If you’re aiding my greatest enemy and hiding him from me, I will slowly and painfully torture you with nightmares of everything you’ve ever loved dying at the claws of the beast until you are too broken to ever reclaim your mind again.”

Twilight stared at the queen in panicked fury. Nightmare Moon was onto her. She knew. Spike looked on, trembling with fear. He had worked so hard to get here, to make Twilight wake up from her trance. If Nightmare Moon broke her once more, Spike had no idea what he would do.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Queen Luna,” Twilight answered innocently, “the protective barrier has been up this whole time, no pony could have gotten through.”

“Ah yes, that is true,” Nightmare Moon nodded, knowing she had complete control of the situation, “and even if it wasn’t, the rubble in the tunnel blocks the entrance to this castle, and a little pegasus could not remove so many boulders.”

Twilight nodded and felt optimism. Maybe she could convince the queen she was on her side and buy enough time to strengthen her magic.

“But perhaps a little pegasus could knock down that flimsy door in the tunnel.” Twilight’s optimism died in this one phrase, as Nightmare Moon spoke, “and I noticed that door was knocked inward into the room, and its wood was splintered where something had rammed into it.”

“I suppose the previous tremors shook it lose,” Twilight quickly answered, “some boulders could have collided with it.”

In a heartbeat, she had Twilight pressed against the wall once more with a scythe pressed against her neck. This time she lightly touched the blade against Twilight’s neck and a bead of blood trickled down. The savage queen drew close to Twilight’s ear and whispered loud enough for any in the castle to hear, “I know he’s here, you traitorous brat. If you won’t tell me where, I certain he will.”

She addressed the entire castle, “Hello, Spike. I don’t know why you came from the past or why you’re a pony, but soon neither will matter. You will deliver yourself to me in five seconds, or I cut your friend’s throat.” She turned around with the scythe still poised for the fatal blow, “Fate has presented us with a perfect opportunity to end this madness. If your past self dies, you will never become the beast. Equestria will not be in this sorry state. Your friends will go about their lives happily unaware what would have been. Isn’t that what you came here for? To set things right?”

Spike stopped and considered her offer. It was insane; even if he could trust the queen, which was a big if in itself, and her theory was correct, he would no longer exist. He would no longer exist. Wouldn’t that be for the best? Maybe, he was sent here simply to perish. Was that the best way to save Equestria?

“Five.”

Then he thought about Twilight and his friends. They were so miserable without him. Ponies might go on with their lives without him, but if his most important friends missed him so desperately after a mere day, they might never forget him. If he caused them grief for the rest of their lives, he would never forgive himself.

“Four.”

Equestria would be the better for it, wouldn’t it? If he left the world now by death, he could never become the beast. Equestria would not end up in this mess. His friends would still be alive along with billions of countless lives.

“Three.”

But another threat could always rise. What if his friends went on another quest and failed because he wasn’t there to help? What if his absence simply broke them? He was running out of time.

“Two.”

He had to decide now. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Spike had to save Twilight.

“One—“

“Stop!” Spike emerged from the dresser, “I surrender. Let Twilight go.”

Instantly, he flew through air and slammed into the wall beside Twilight, knocking the air from his longs. He was pinned down by Nightmare Moon’s powerful magic.

“Loyalty,” Queen Luna raised a new scythe towards Spike. “It truly is the death of us all. Twilight and my sister were loyal to you even after you became the beast, and when the time to vanquish you came, they both hesitated and failed Equestria. When I threatened her life, you foolishly reveal yourself.”

“Just let her go,” Spike coughed, “she’s suffered enough.”

“NO!” she shrieked with fury. “She has not begun to suffer enough for bringing a monster like you into the world!”

“You promised,” Spike choked on his own words as he gasped for air.

“I lied.” Nightmare Moon raised both scythes for the fatal blows. Twilight and Spike looked into each other’s eyes. They had done so much together. Now, it would all end here. “Besides, if this fails and the beast lives, eliminating a competitor for the throne will be essential.”

“Is that all this is to you?” Twilight screamed, “obtaining power for yourself?”

“This is about doing the right thing.” The scythes descended, “This is justice.”

***

The second Twilight sensed Nightmare Moon she told Spike to hide. Once he had, she secretively continued practicing her magic by tampering with the barrier surrounding her home. It was difficult and took time but fortunately the queen took her time to accuse her, gleefully lording her dominance over her. It certainly was humbling, but it gave Twilight more than enough time to lower the barrier. She then rose it once more and lowered it, feeling her magic strength return with each successive effort. The second time Nightmare Moon shoved her into the wall with a scythe under her neck, Twilight had begun to surpass her magical powers as an alicorn. She was strong enough to send Spike home. When the queen pushed her against the wall, she had quickly lowered the barrier before Queen Luna’s magic sealed off her own magic. She could only hope her crazy plan would work.

The scythes were a mere inch from splitting their heads when the castle shook violently, disrupting Queen Luna’s constructs and her hold on the two. The ceiling blew away in a vicious hurricane, more powerful than any hurricane Spike had ever seen, and every structure besides the room they stood in crumbled into dust. Twilight instantly grabbed him and flew away.

Spike heard the deafening roar and looked up. It was the creature from his nightmare, only larger, more terrifying, fully realized. It was no longer a pathetic dragon. This creature had grown large enough to eclipse the entire sky. Its broad wings alone cast a shadow over the entirety of Ponyville. Spike could not see where it ended or began. Its scales were larger than a house. The creature lowered its head to snarl at Nightmare Moon. Its teeth were stained crimson and its eyes had no pupils. Boney spikes protruded unnaturally from its spine, and Spike knew this was it. This was the beast that destroyed everything he had known and loved. This would be him.

“No, not now,” Nightmare Moon howled in fury as the beast released a torrent of flames. Twilight cast a protective bubble around them both, but they still felt the creature’s flames singe their bodies as it reduced the already barren Ponyville to ash. Dark magic surged from Nightmare Moon’s horn towards the creature, staggering it only for an instant. The two titans exchanged violent blows, cracking the earth and splitting the wind. Both monsters were more than capable of destroying everything. Except each other, Spike realized with sickening despair, that’s why this fight can never end. That’s why this world means nothing to them. Even if it fell, they would survive and continue their fight across the cosmos for eternity.

The impact of an attack knocked Twilight out of the air and she and Spike tumbled into the ground, lightening their impact only with a last minute barrier. She gazed at Spike and wrapped her hooves protectively around him, using her body as a shield, while her horn glowed with magic. Behind them, Spike could see Nightmare Moon launching a single concentrated beam of magic that the beast met with a torrent of white flames that burned Spike’s retina even though he did not face it. The shockwaves generated by these colliding energies threw waves of violent energy through the air and the ground. The shockwaves soured towards them but Twilight set herself between Spike anything that came their way. The result was a brutally scarred back and vicious pain. She didn’t cry or scream even though Spike did just to see her suffer. She merely focused on her magic.

“Spike,” she spoke physically weak but completely determined, “what Luna said before, it’s not true. If I went the rest of my life never seeing you again, I would die. I know because I already had.”

Her horn’s white magic enveloped Spike, and he stared into the eyes of his greatest friend, even as they lost life.

“Spike,” she said as they faded from each other’s view, “set things right. The way we know it should be.”

Spike was hurtled through the air and felt sharp a familiar pain wash over his body. Even with his eyes clenched shut, the light pierced through his eyelids and blinded his sight. But he knew what he had to do. If this pain was a side effect of getting home, so be it.

Part 8 The Final Lesson

Spike awoke in the shapeless darkness once again. Before he could consider his actions, he felt a familiar presence approach. Princess Luna, not Nightmare Moon, came into sight, stricken with anxiety.

“Spike! I’m so sorry!” she cried, guilty tears staining her face, “I had planned to bring you home as soon as possible. I had no idea Nightmare Moon’s powers would interfere with my magic and leave you trapped in the future.”

Spike looked at her with a mixture of fear, pity and anger. He had just seen her at her most powerful, filled with grief. He was still trying to forget the sight. On the other hand, she had meant well. She had no intention to abandon him in that nightmarish future. On the final hand, she had left him there and he was sick even remembering that world. Eventually, pity won out.

“I’m just glad to be home,” Spike said, putting on his best smile. His body no longer ached and his spirit was at ease. He was dreaming once again. He looked down at his body and saw he was a dragon once again, “and what you showed me was necessary. I don’t think anything else would have convinced me.”

“I sent you into the future and changed you into a pony,” Luna continued with regret, “and you can forgive me this easily?”

Spike moved forward and took the alicorn’s hoof into his clawed hand, he slowly spoke, “After my friends forgave me for leaving them and breaking their hearts, after Twilight of the future welcomed me as her friend even after I destroyed all of her friends, I think I can forgive you.”

Luna smiled weakly and embraced the little dragon.

“Luna?” Spike broke from the hug and stared at the dark blue alicorn, “Why were you so determined to help me?”

Luna’s face changed to one of regret. “Do you know why I originally became Nightmare Moon?”

“Because you were jealous of Celestia.” Spike responded, “every pony loved her day but paid no attention to your night.”

“There is another reason,” Luna walked away and Spike instinctively followed. “Indeed, I was stricken with jealousy. I began to despise my sister and her day. In my jealousy, I assumed I had no pony to confide with, no pony to love me. I believed I had no one. Spike.” She stopped and turned to the little dragon. “Don’t make my mistake. Don’t think you have to suffer alone. Perhaps the burden is yours, but friends will always lighten your load if you only ask.”

She turned forward and glanced into the distance, “I suppose to answer your question, I didn’t want to see you become a Nightmare Moon. I didn’t want to see you suffer.”

Spike turned his gaze into the distance, trying to see what Luna gazed at, when she spoke once again, “before you wake up, there’s a certain pony who would like to tell you something.”

Spike saw a figure approach through the darkness. He instantly recognized the rainbow mane and tall white figure.

“Princess Celestia,” he fell to his knee and bowed.

The princess chuckled at Spike’s humility, “Come now, Spike. I have something to tell you.”

Spike rose to his feet and followed the princess as she walked away. They passed through a bluish hallway with memories of his friends flashing across the room. Spike was feeling a sense of déjà vu.

“Are you about to turn me into an alicorn?” Spike half joked. He honestly wouldn't have minded becoming an alicorn if it meant he could have wings.

“Oh nothing of the sort,” she laughed. “But I do have to talk about your future.”

Spike’s gaze fell down, “you mean how I could become a monster?”

“No,” she said resolutely, “I meant your destiny.”

Spike’s eyes rose to the princess’ face. She smiled and continued walking. Spike followed.

“Do you know the hardest part about being an alicorn?” Celestia asked as she came to a stop before several memories surrounded them in a circle, “Watching countless ponies come into my life and my heart, only to see them pass when their time comes.”

The memories changed to several ponies Spike had never seen. Each one flickered a few moments before a new pony took their place.

“The only two things that kept me from mourning the rest of my life over them, was knowing that for every pony I lost, a new one would take their place, and my one constant companion, my sister, Luna.”

The images flashed to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia as fillies. They were playing together, learning together, and loving each other’s company.

"The hardest time of my life," Celestia's eyes grew moist, "was when I had to banish her to the moon for a thousand years."

“What does this have to do with me?” Spike asked curiously.

“Everything,” Celestia insisted, “dragons are the only creatures who can live nearly as long as an alicorn.”

Spike nodded although he was still uncertain what this all meant about his destiny.

“I didn’t make Twilight’s entrance exam to magic school hatching a dragon without a reason.” Celestia continued, “I had hoped that if she succeeded, she might form a magical bond with that dragon, one that would endure when all other friends have faded.”

The memories changed once more to Twilight and Spike, flashing all their adventures and time together. Spike smiled at the sight as he fondly recalled every memory. He could only ask one question, “Did you know she would become an alicorn?”

Celestia smiled, “I had suspected she would be the perfect candidate. That’s why I let her keep you.” She turned before him and spoke with authority, “Spike the dragon.”

He stood at attention, keenly listening to the princess.

“I, Princess Celestia, entrust you with this task. You shall remain at Twilight Sparkle’s side as her friend, assistant, brother, and son for all eternity. When all the friends she has known pass on, you shall stay with her and be her constant companion until the end of time. This is your destiny. Will you accept this duty?”

“Nothing would make me happier,” Spike answered without hesitation.

“Good,” Celestia smiled with content, “now I suggest you wake up before the train leaves.”

***

Spike jolted out of the seat as the train whistled and began leaving the station. He grabbed his bag and opened the window. Before he could think twice, he jumped out the window onto the grassy plateau beside Yaket Range. The train chugged along to Griffonstone Station without him.

Without pausing, Spike ran to the train station. Ponies stared at his frantic nature. It wasn’t everyday they saw a baby dragon jump from a departing train. He raced to the ticket booth and panted, “I need a ticket on the next train back to Ponyville, stat!”

The ticket vendor regarded him for a moment, unsure what to make of the dragon. Spike dug around his knapsack for bits, gems, anything he could use to pay. He placed three bits on the counter and a small, yellow gem as an afterthought.

“Sorry,” the vendor said, “we don’t accept gems and this isn’t nearly enough for a trip all the way back to Ponyville.”

“Please!” Spike begged. “My friends are back in Ponyville worrying about where I am! I need to go home and set things right!”

The vendor blinked at the little dragon’s passionate outburst. He looked at the other ponies staring at the scene with interest and was very concerned about how they might judge him should he refuse the little dragon. Slowly, he took the gem and the bits and looked up an itinerary. “Even with the gem, I’m afraid you simply don’t have enough for a one way trip to Ponyville.”

Spike frowned in thought. Then he remembered that he was not alone.

“What about to the Crystal Empire?”

***

Cadence sat on her throne, running the empire as best she could without her husband. She could not focus on her efforts when she knew Twilight was unhappy. She had babysat the princess when she was a filly, and she remembered how Twilight was always so fond of little Spike. Without him, Twilight looked incomplete. She sighed as a crystal guard entered the chambers and bowed.

“Princess Cadence,” he said raising his head, “you remember how you put the city on alert for any signs of Spike the dragon?”

She rose from her throne intrigued and hopeful, “did you hear any rumors about his location?”

“Well, not exactly,” the guard responded, and Cadence sank back into her throne. “It’s just that, well, there’s a purple and green dragon, matching his description, outside your palace right now. He was trying to get into the castle when we stopped him. He’s been asking if you could bring him home as soon as possible.”

Cadence rose from her seat with excitement, “send him in right away. Cancel all my meetings for today, and tell the council I’m taking a little trip.”

“Yes, milady,” the guard bowed his head once more, and quickly departed.

***

Twilight arose from another sleepless night. She trudged through the colorless hallways to the Cutie Mark Map, too miserable to work. She stared at the map of Equestria, wondering where Spike would be at this point. She just hoped wherever he was, he would never forget her and all the adventures they shared, and whatever happened, he found a place to call his own. The little dragon deserved that much.

He told all of them to go about their lives without him. They all truly tried to, but nothing was the same. Ponyville had largely stopped searching when they heard that he did not want to be found, but they were particularly unhappy at leaving their dragon friend alone. Her friends were particularly unhappy. Rainbow Dash had not flown since Spike left, Applejack had not bucked a single tree, Pinkie Pie could no longer throw parties with her usual enthusiasm, Fluttershy never left her cottage since they last saw Spike in the dream, and Rarity and Twilight stopped doing anything after the dream. How could they go on without him? He was their lives. He was an undeniably essential part of their lives. Now, they could only live half-lives.

Twilight’s brooding was interrupted when she heard hooves clatter against her floor. Then she heard a familiar pattering of feet accompanied by a voice she had long missed, “Twilight! I’m home!”

She turned around, praying her ears were not deceiving her. Suddenly, she was tackled to the ground in a warm hug from a familiar purple dragon. She embraced him, swearing she would never let him go. The dragon cried into her shoulder.

“Twilight! I’m so sorry I left you,” Spike squeezed her even tighter. “I’m sorry I’ve made every pony miserable! Please take me back! I swear I’ll never leave you again! I love you!”

“Oh Spike,” she cried her own tears of joy, “I love you too. And I swear that I’ll never let your nightmares frighten you again. I’ve missed you so much.”

All the while, Cadence stared at the two wistfully. She was brought back to a time where the two were little children, hugging and playing, sharing a beautiful bond. The two hugged and cried some more, their purple bodies wrapped tightly together, before Shining Armor came down from the stairs to see what all the commotion was about. He saw Cadence and was perplexed. Wasn’t she supposed to be in the Crystal Empire? She made a gesture and his eyes followed the movement to see Twilight holding Spike. In a second, he rushed over to the pair and joined the hug, relieved to know this inseparable duo was together once more. Well, now it was the inseparable trio.

They ran through out Ponyville with Spike to all of their friends. Each of them greeted Spike with similar affection, holding the little dragon tightly as he swore he would never leave again. Soon, all of Ponyville knew Spike had returned and embraced him, welcoming him back as a long lost son. Pinkie Pie threw the biggest party the town had ever seen, Applejack bucked apple trees with a weight off her mind, Rainbow Dash soared through the clouds with glee, and Fluttershy left her cottage for the first time in days to hold Spike and gently kiss his cheek. He found Owlicious looking cross at him but he apologized to the owl and was quickly forgiven. Even Discord gave Spike a hearty welcome home.

Night fell and the party ended. Spike was ready to return home when a certain unicorn stopped him and took him somewhere private. There she embraced Spike with a love that went beyond simply affectionate. He embraced her in turn, smiling just to see her. She stopped speaking her feelings of desperately missing him and just stared into his eyes with an expression that sent pleasant shivers down his spine. Then Rarity bent down and kissed him on the lips. It was beyond heavenly, beyond words. When he finally shook out of his petrifying amazement, he found himself kissing her back with his own fiery passion. Both of them left that night feeling light-headed and happier than they had felt in days.

He entered the castle with his protector and eternal friend and made his way to his room, until he was levitated into the air and brought to a familiar place. Twilight insisted she needed to hold Spike at least for tonight and frankly, he saw no reason to argue. He rested in the hooves of his greatest friend, as she nuzzled her face against his, her deep breaths rocking Spike to sleep.

He returned to the familiar darkness of his dreams, but this time, the darkness was not terrifying, but merely present. He turned and saw the princess of the night approach him with a smile. She turned to walk away, but Spike intercepted her.

“Princess Luna, what you said before,” he stood in front of her, “it’s true for you too. Please don’t forget that you have friends just like me, and we would do anything to help you.”

Princess Luna and Spike shared one final embrace of gratitude and understanding. They understood the nightmares both of them faced and they knew now that neither of them had to face their fears alone. Spike fell asleep in Twilight’s embrace, where he knew he would always belong. He no longer feared the future, nor faced the future uncertainly; now he happily embraced it.