Chapter 1: Eight Years Later
Eight Years Later…
Spike sat in one of the chairs on the train heading back to Canterlot. Not only had he grown quite a bit since he’d last left Equestria for the Dragon Badlands in order to become strong enough and powerful enough to face the entire Traditionalist faction in order to avenge his mother, but he had become far more muscular and even had large, leathery purple wings. He wore a black and green overcoat, black pants, brown leather boots, black leather fingerless gloves, and a green shirt. In other words, he looked far more badass than ever before.
As the train began to clear the dark tunnel within the one of the mountains, Spike looked out the window to see Canterlot for the first time in years. It looked as though it had hardly changed at all since the last time he’d been here...
…
Eight Years Earlier…
Spike and the remaining members of the Mane 6, save for Rainbow Dash, were among the jeering masses who had come to see the execution of those responsible for Princess Twilight Sparkle’s murder, all of whom had been condemned to be burned at the stake, although it was no secret that Celestia would’ve liked to have something far more painful done to them had the law permitted it. Chief among those to be executed was Gallant Heart, whose fingerprints had been found on the murder weapon, and most importantly, Prince Amadeus Blueblood Jr, the one who had orchestrated the entire plot, and who currently looked to be on the verge of shitting his pants. Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy had tried to talk Spike out of attending what one could hardly consider a trial and sentencing, but obviously to no success.
Princess Celestia appeared on a balcony overlooking the site of the execution. There was no benevolent twinkle in her eyes. No calming, reassuring presence emanating from her. There was only cold fury in her eyes, and a sense of burning power that was so great it could easily have made the sun itself sweat up a storm.
“AMADEUS BLUEBLOOD JUNIOR, YOU AND YOUR CONSPIRATORS HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF THE MURDER OF PRINCESS TWILIGHT JEAN SPARKLE, AND HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO DEATH!!!!” roared Celestia in a Royal Canterlot Voice that made Luna’s sound like a mouse’s squeak. “DOTH THOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY BEFORE THINE SENTENCE IS CARRIED OUT?!?!”
“HELP ME!!! SOMEPONY, ANYPONY!” screamed Blueblood.
“THERE IS NO HELP TO BE HAD, COWARDLY WRETCH!” boomed Celestia. “THOU ART THE WORST KIND OF MONSTER! ONE WHO WOULD KILL AN INNOCENT MARE IN HER SLEEP, RATHER THAN HAVING THE GUTS TO DO IT TO HER FACE!”
“No… Auntie, please… it… it wasn’t my-” sniveled Prince Blueblood.
“Light them up. NOW!” snarled Celestia.
The Royal Guards holding the torches nodded and ignited the oil-soaked wooden poles the conspirators were tied to. Within a matter of moments, the murderers were engulfed in flames.
As the fires burned bright, Celestia, tears seeping down her face, spoke once again, her voice cracking as she did so. “Let this be the final word: I am taking Executive Action. Princess Twilight Sparkle’s reforms are hereby made the laws of the land. Her death will not be for nothing.”
And with that, Celestia turned around and walked away, as did most of the crowd. Spike, however, stayed and watched the burning corpses of his mother’s killers be reduced to nothing more than ash, almost as if he were mesmerized by the flames.
“Spike, come on, let’s get goin’,” said Applejack, who was an orange Earth Pony with a blonde mane and tail wearing a brown stetson hat, a green shirt with a white tanktop underneath, blue jeans, and brown cowboy boots. Spike, however, didn’t move a muscle and kept staring at the flames. “Spike, come on. Ya’ll don’t need to see this.”
“Yes, I do,” the young drake whispered, no emotion in his voice. “You girls go on ahead. I’ll catch up with you later.”
The four mares present didn’t really know what to say to Spike. Ever since Twilight’s funeral he’d been acting different. Darker, broodier, more reserved. Applejack, of course, knew Spike’s pain all too well, having lost her own parents to criminal scum. So, the four mares decided to leave Spike be, knowing that he’d meet up with them when he was ready.
Spike stayed and watched the flames for hours on end, until they were no more than embers. Finally, his hunger and exhaustion getting the better of him, he turned and left to go meet up with Applejack and the others.
As he made his way towards Main Street, however, Spike heard what sounded like somepony puking their guts out by some bushes. Curious, Spike made his way towards the bushes and found someone he least expected there, surrounded by empty liquor bottles and puddles of vomit.
“Rainbow? What’s going on? Are you all right?” Spike asked the rainbow-maned pegasus mare, who was wearing a filthy white t-shirt, blue jeans, and black-and-white sneakers.
“H-hey, Spike,” Rainbow said with a drunken slur and a hiccup.
“Rainbow, what’s happened to you? Let me call Applejack, and see if she can help,” said Spike.
“No, Spike. The last thing I need is to see those ponies see me like this,” said Rainbow Dash. “Or see me at all, for that matter. J-just get out of here. G-go home,” Rainbow said.
Spike didn’t really know what to do. He had just lost the closest thing to family he had and he couldn’t bring himself to leave and head home. This was… this was too confusing. He needed time to think.
“Well? What are ya waitin’ for? GO!” Rainbow yelled at him as she accidentally dropped a bottle of cider. “Ya don’t… y-ya don’t wanna see me like this.”
Spike didn’t say a word. Rainbow was right. He really didn’t want to see her like this. In fact, he didn’t want to see any of his friends right now. So, with only a tiny nod to show that he understood, Spike turned and walked away, headed for the train station back to Ponyville.
…
Present-Canterlot Station
His mind immersed within his memories, he entered the Memorial Gardens. The garden would probably be the crown jewel of Canterlot Gardens, with rare flora all over the place had the general public been permitted to enter, but all Spike could focus on was the glass coffin that contained his beloved mother, whose corpse had matted fur and whose gravesite was lit up like a fireworks display with all the flowers surrounding giving it an otherworldly beauty.
"Hi, Mom," Spike said with a somber tone. “I know I haven’t been visiting a lot but I had a ton of things on my plate for a while,” Spike stopped for a moment as he struggled to find the words he needed. Spike looked around and made sure no one was watching before he continued. “I got better. I got stronger and I can hold my own now. Nobody has to save me anymore... nobody has to suffer like you now.” Spike finished by placing a kiss on the lid of the glass coffin.
“Bye, Mom. See you around.”
With that, Spike turned on his heel and began to make his way out of the gardens, only to walk directly into somepony.
“Ow, watch where…” said Princess Celestia, before realizing who she’d bumped into. “S-Spike? Is that you?” the Solar Princess said incredulously.
Spike allowed himself a rare smile. Well, rare these days anyway. “It’s been a long time, Princess,” he said.
“My… my goodness, you’ve grown,” said Celestia in a tone that suggested she could hardly believe that this powerful-looking dragon was once the young drake who’d lost his mother. “Where have you been all his time?”
“Dragon Badlands,” said Spike simply.
“W-well… this is certainly unexpected…” said Celestia. “Come Spike, you must have tea with me. I want to hear everything about your travels.”
Spike shrugged. “Why not? I want to hear how things with the Traditionalists are going,” he said.
Celestia looked a little nervous at this suggestion, before she gave a smile, although one that looked somewhat forced. “S-sure,” she said, before turning around and making her way back towards the castle, with Spike right behind her.
…
A few hours later, Spike and Princess Celestia were in the castle study. A tray bearing a teapot, tea biscuits, and two tea saucers was on the table. Spike sipped his tea, listening intently to what Celestia was saying.
“Things with the Traditionalists have gotten worse than ever,” said Celestia, looking thoroughly downcast. “There’s this new organization called Equestria First, who regularly carries out terrorist attacks against businesses and schools owned and operated by non-ponies. Even my school for gifted unicorns was victim to a bombing recently. The number of death from skirmishes between Traditionalists and Progressives are mounting. If things don’t get better fast, I’m worried that Equestria will face a fully-fledged civil war that no one will walk away from.”
“That won’t happen, Princess. I won’t let that happen,” said Spike, a fierce gleam in his eyes as he spoke. Killing my mother wasn’t enough for those Traditionalist bastards, was it? Now they’ve got to terrorize and torment other creatures? All the more reason to make them burn, I suppose, thought Spike.
“In any case, we have other matters to discuss,” said Celestia. “As her son, you inherited everything Twilight Sparkle once had, her castle, the vast fortune that came with it, her books. Everything she once had is now yours,” said Celestia.
Spike couldn’t help but chuckle. He remembered all-too-well the look on Twilight and her friends’ faces when they found out the Twilight’s new castle came equipped with fully-loaded vaults, filled from floor to almost the ceiling with bits, jewels, and other valuable items. The memory brought something else to mind as well.
“How are Rarity and the others?” Spike asked Celestia.
“I don’t know… I haven’t spoken to them in quite some time,” said Celestia.
“I see… well, then I know where my next stop is going to be,” said Spike, standing up as he spoke. “It was nice seeing you again, Celestia.”
And with that, Spike left the castle and headed for Canterlot Station.
…
Ponyville
Spike couldn’t help but smile as he left Ponyville Station and looked around. The town hadn’t changed a bit since he’d left, with the small exception that a statue of Twilight had been erected in memorial to her. As Spike drew closer to the statue, he noticed that the words “FALSE GOD” had been spray painted on Twilight’s forehead, just above her horn. Spike could feel his burning anger begin to surge forth once more, but he extinguished it at once. He had better things to do than go on a rampage over some graffiti.
Spike felt as though he was in a dream as he walked the familiar path to the Carousel Boutique. Spike knocked on the door, which opened at once.
Spike felt his heart flutter and his jaw drop at the sight of the mare who’d been in his dreams ever since he and Twilight first moved to Ponyville. Rarity had somehow grown more beautiful than ever before, but then again, that might just be because Spike had spent the last eight years in the Dragon Badlands.
“Oh, don’t tell me one of those Canterlot toerags sent you to bully me into give them my shop. I still stand firm on my refusal to accept orders from Canterlot,” said Rarity, dignity emanating from her.
“Uh, no… but, I’d like to place an order for myself. Some of my clothes don’t fit me these days,” said Spike. She doesn’t recognize me… he thought, feeling a little hurt.
Rarity’s demeanor instantly changed. “Oh, well, now, that does change a thing or two. I’ve been waiting for a challenge. Do come in,” said Rarity.
Spike followed Rarity into the boutique, the interior of which seemed to suggest the place had seen better days.
“You can put your bag on the chair over there,” said Rarity as she got out some supplies and an order form. “Now, what name should I place on the order?”
“Spike Sparkle,” said Spike.
Rarity froze in place, then slowly looked up at the dragon, a look of blatant shock on her face.
“Spikey-Wikey? Is that really you?”
Prologue: The Death of Twilight Sparkle
In the darkness of an abandoned warehouse, a blue anthro unicorn stallion with a brown mane and tail wearing a tuxedo was tied to a metal pole, and he was stirring. As his eyes flew open and he looked around, he began to remember what had happened. He was on his way back to his manor after a long business meeting when he was knocked unconscious by a demonic creature of some kind.
“Ah, you’re awake. Good, good. We have much to discuss, particularly about your political views on progress and change.”
The stallion felt a shiver run down his spine as he identified the source of the dark and demonic voice: a pair of glowing green eyes that stood out against the darkness. “What happened to me? Why are you doing this? P-please, I’ll give you anything you want! Mares, money, political power! Just let me go!” the stallion begged.
The voice laughed, a cold and mirthless sound. “Sorry, friend, but you can’t buy your way out of the karmic retribution for the sins of you and your ilk. You want the truth about what happened? Why I’m doing this? I’ll tell you. It all started the day Equestria suffered its heaviest loss… when those unwilling to accept change hired a group of ponies to murder somepony in cold blood who just wanted to help improve life in Equestria. While she was sleeping, no less.”
“P-please…”
The voice growled in anger as bolts of emerald green lightning surged from what the stallion, in his pain and agony, could only assume was an outreached hand. “Shut up. You have no room to talk. You’re no better then them, murderer. You and the rest of the Traditionalists. You’re gonna to hear what your arrogance created. You’re going to see just what murdering Twilight Sparkle earned you. And you’re going to learn about the monster you’ve unleashed: Inferno.”
…
A purple anthro Alicorn with a dark blue mane and tail, both of which had a magenta stripe in them, entered one of the vast guest bedrooms within Canterlot Castle, a thoroughly depressed look on her face. She wore an elegant lavender dress, a pink diamond necklace, and brown sandals with heels. Upon her head was a golden tiara. This was Twilight Sparkle, recently-crowned Princess of Equestria… although, at the moment, she was wishing she was still an ordinary Unicorn, getting ready for bed in her old treehouse/library home, back before Tirek had smashed it to splinters… back before she had to put up with all of this hatred and anger towards her and her politics.
I just don’t understand it… why do they hate me so much? thought Twilight as she striped down to her black bra and panties.It’s not like I’ve done anything horrible to them… I’m just trying to make sure that Equestria isn’t left behind in this ever-evolving world we live in now. I mean, right now Equestria is laughably out gunned, lovers of two different species can’t get married, no matter how much they want to, and the Council is made up of royals and nobles who only have interest in themselves rather than the common good.
As Twilight snuggled into the blankets and bedsheets, she felt a wave of hopelessness wash over her. Maybe I’m not meant to be a Princess of Equestria is this is how ponies are going to treat me… maybe I should just step down…
No, Twilight. You can’t step down now. Do you really think all of this hatred will just go away because you’re not a Princess anymore? a stronger voice told Twilight deep in her subconscious
Immediately, Twilight reached into a bedside dresser drawer and pulled out three pictures. One of them was of her and her friends, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. The second was of her and the other three Princesses, Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, all of them looking very formal and elegant in their dresses. The third was a picture of a pegasus stallion with orange fur and a blue mane and tail wearing a Royal Guard dress uniform. This was Flash Sentry, Twilight’s secret coltfriend… although, she was starting to suspect that he was getting ready to propose to her.
Twilight thought for a moment about what this might mean for them, given all the hate she’d received. Flash must truly and deeply love her if he was willing to risk going through all of the same minotaur shit she’d been through… and if he wanted to start a family with her.
Twilight smiled. As long as she had this group of ponies by her side, she could take anything those nay-sayers and Traditionalists threw at her.
And with that, Twilight returned the pictures to the drawer, and closed her eyes… completely unaware of what was going on right under her muzzle.
…
“Well? Are we going to do this thing or what?” grumbled a voice in the shadows to one of its four fellows.
“Are you really sure about this? I mean, we’re about to MURDER A PRINCESS-”
“Shut up! Do you want to get us arrested? Besides, we’ve got the one thing that can make our troubles that much easier.”
As the voice said this, a faint gleam of light from a shining blade appeared. A gasp was heard.
“Is that… is that really-”
“Orichalum. The boss stallion had this thing forged just for this sole purpose… something about getting some mare drunk enough not to stand on her own two hooves or something like that. Anyways, this is our room.”
As the five shadowy figures reached the bedroom, they silently opened the door. There, sleeping soundly on the bed, was Princess Twilight Sparkle.
“Well? Who wants the honors?” asked one of the voices.
“I’ll do it.”
“She’s all yours, Galeant.”
As the single figure crept silently into the room, the orichalum blade in his hand, they felt as though a huge weight was resting upon their shoulders. Finally, the figure clamped his hand down over Twilight’s nose and mouth, causing her to awaken.
“Get on her! Keep her down!”
As the other four figures held Twilight down, the princess tried to muster up some magic. However, before the princess could muster the magic to fend off her assassin, the orichalam blade slashed across her throat, cutting deep into her flesh. As blood gushed out of the wound in her throat, Twilight stared in horror at her attacker, unable to scream or even breathe as they continued to stab her. Finally, after a moment of fruitless struggling, Twilight went limp and cold, and her eyes turned glassy. She was dead.
“Good job, now let’s get the buck out of here!”
And with that, the five killers ran for it, leaving their handy work behind.
…
The following afternoon, at Twilight’s Castle near the small village of Ponyville, we find a fifteen year-old purple and green dragon wearing a purple and green t-shirt, blue jeans, and white socks laying on his bed, reading a comic book, titled Power Ponies: A Death In The Family. Spike Sparkle had been hearing rumors that the writers at BC Comics were planning to kill off Humdrum, but it was another thing entirely to actually be reading the comic for himself.
He’d just reached the part where the Masked Matter-Horn was carrying Humdrum’s body out of the rubble amongst the tears of the rest of the Power Ponies, there was a gentle knock on the door. “Spike? Are you in there?”
Spike frowned as he recognized the voice of Princess Celestia. What was the Solar Princess doing here, especially when her most prized pupil was in Canterlot already? Spike put down his comic book and opened his bedroom door to find the Solar Princess standing before him wearing her usual attire, a golden yellow dress with matching heels, a golden tiara with a purple gem embedded in the center, and a necklace around her neck with a sun pendant on it.
However, Spike noticed something alarming about her. Her eyes were red and swollen and her the white fur on her face had tear streaks on it. Spike didn’t recall ever having seen Celestia cry. Except for that one time when their world and a mirror world were merging together and the Good King Sombra from that world, whom she’d fallen in love with, had to become evil in order to set things right again. “Princess…. W-what’s wrong?”
“Spike… i-it’s Twilight… she’s been murdered,” sobbed Celestia.
On those last three words, Spike could almost hear the glass in his mind shatter. “No… no, th-that’s not possible!” Spike said, his voice starting to crack as denial raced through him. “Alicorns can’t die! Mom can’t die! The only thing that can kill an Alicorn is-”
“Orichalum. And th-that’s what she was stabbed with while she was sleeping,” said Celestia, pain in her voice.
As Spike stood there, his mind reeling in shock and horror from the news, a new kind of fire ignited inside him. Anger, hatred, pain, suffering.
“Who did this, Celestia? WHO KILLED MY MOTHER?!” Spike roared, smoke coming from the corners of his mouth as Princess Celestia felt a small pang of fear.
“W-we don’t know yet. Best we can do right now is assume that some of her guards went rogue and killed her, but we don’t know who they are yet,” said Celestia. “Spike, please, you need to calm down-”
“DON’T… TELL… ME...TO… CALM… DOWN!!!!” snarled Spike as tears began to run down his face. “YOU KNOW WHO’S BEHIND THIS, RIGHT?! IT’S THE BUCKING BASTARDS WHO CAN’T MOVE ON FROM THE PAST! EVER SINCE MY MOTHER ENACTED HER NEW POLICIES, THEY HATED HER, THEY’VE WANTED HER DEAD, AND NOW THEY’VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN RID OF HER!”
“Spike-”
“Celestia... they killed… my mother. They killed her because they won’t admit her policies would make life better… they are going to pay for what they did. I promise you.” Spike snarled, making Celestia feel just a little bit afraid. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone for awhile. Keep me updated with your progress in the investigation. I want to be there when you catch them and execute them.”
“O-okay,” said Celestia.
And with that, Celestia turned and walked quickly away. Spike watched from his bedroom window as the Solar Princess boarded her chariot and left. Once the chariot was in the air, Spike was free to unleash his anger and fury. Curtains were shredded, bedsheets were burned, and furniture was knocked over. By the time Spike was able to regain control of himself, the room had been completely demolished. Through his teared-blurred vision, Spike saw an intact photo of himself and Twilight. Picking it up as though it were an incredibly delicate flower, Spike fell to his knees and wept.
…
At the request of Princess Celestia, the Pegasi Weather Patrol had made the sky almost completely hidden under a shroud of dark gray clouds that poured rain upon those adorned in black who’d arrived for the state funeral for Princess Twilight Sparkle. Princess Celestia watched on as more and more ponies filed past the glass coffin that contained the purple princess, who looked so at peace, wearing her coronation gown, her hands forever holding a bouquet of enchanted flowers that wouldn’t wilt for a hundred years… and she couldn’t stop herself from weeping. She blamed herself for bringing this fate upon her most faithful student. If she hadn’t made her a Princess, none of this would have happened.
Finally, once everyone was seated before the large podium that had been set up, it was time for the eulogies.
"Fillies and gentlecolts... today, we are here to celebrate the life of one very special unicorn, who ascended to become an alicorn princess... only to be taken from us in such a cruel fashion," said Celestia, a glistening tear on her cheek as she began her speech, pausing a moment before she could find her voice. "Twilight Sparkle was... like a daughter to me. I remember the day I met her, the day of her entrance examination... she seemed so happy, so full of life, so eager to learn new things… I could use so many words but they would never be able to truly convey how wonderful she is…. except maybe stubborn. Once she was sure of something she set to it…. and perhaps loyal as well….. I-I’m sorry… forgive me.” Celestia said as she ran off the stage, tears falling behind her, along with Pinkie Pie and Luna.
Fluttershy, swallowing her pride and with as much courage as she could muster, took the stage.
"H-Hi... I'm Fluttershy," murmured Fluttershy, her knees shaking from both fear and sadness. "T-Twilight... was... one of my... best... friends... and... I MISS HER SO MUCH!!!" she wailed at the top of her lungs, causing several ponies attending the funeral to jump. Mere moments later, Fluttershy passed out from both her stage fright and sadness. The rest of the funeral, compared to the beginning, however, was really quite uneventful.
Finally, it was time for Shining Armor to do his part… something that, no matter how many times he had to it, never got any easier: honor guard. Today, however, he wasn’t just saying good-bye to one of his comrades… he was saying good-bye to the baby sister he’d watched grow up from the day she was born.
“H-honor guard!” he barked, his voice choked up. As one, the guard ponies who stood in their black dress uniforms snapped to attention, their horns glowing. “Ready… aim… FIRE!” barked Shining Armor.
As one, the soldiers fired off colorful blasts of magic, which exploded into fireworks with a loud Boom!
“Ready… aim… FIRE!”
Boom!
“Ready… aim… FIRE!”
Boom!
“Ready… aim… FIRE!”
With the last Boom! Everypony began to depart the funeral and return home. Not among them was Spike Sparkle, who was clad in a black suit and tie as he approached his mother’s glass coffin and sank to his knees beside it.
“I should’ve been here, Mom… I could’ve done something to stop this from happening to you,” whispered Spike. “I know what’d you say. That I couldn’t have saved you if I tried, and odds are if I’d had, I’d be in the coffin right next to yours.”
“And she’d be right.”
Spike looked over his shoulder to find Shining Armor, sans helmet, walking towards him before he sat down next to Spike.
“I don’t care. I don’t care if she was right or not…. I would have rather died by her side then….. then live like this….. alone.” Spike told Shining Armor.
“Spike that’s no way to talk. Twilight… Twilight wouldn’t want you thinking like that.” Shining told him as he hugged his nephew.
“I miss her, Shining Armor…” sniffled Spike.
“I know,” replied Shining Armor. “But, remember this: she’s not truly gone as long as we remember her.”
“I’m going to make them all pay,” Spike told Shining Armor. “I’m going to hunt down every last Traditionalist and make them pay for what they did to my mother. I swear on my mother’s grave, I will not stop until I have justice for Twilight.”
Shining Armor broke the hug and stared at Spike for a moment. “Spike, that’s not justice you’re talking about, that’s revenge,” he sternly told his nephew.
“Well, aren’t they the same sometimes?” asked Spike.
“No, Spike, they’re never the same. Ever. Justice is about harmony, revenge is you making yourself feel better at somepony else’s expense,” said Shining Armor.
“Shining, you coming?” asked Princess Cadence, who was a pink anthro alicorn wearing a black dress. “We’re suppose to meet up with your parents and the other Princesses in the banquet hall, remember?”
“I’ll be there in a second, honey,” said Shining Armor. “Look, Spike, just think about what I’ve said, okay?”
And with that, Shining Armor stood and walked back towards Cadence and started talking to her while Spike watched on.
Yeah, sorry, Unc, but those Traditionalist bastards killed my mother in cold blood. I cannot let that pass so easily… Spike thought to himself before he got up and began to make his way towards the graveyard exit. He didn’t stand a chance against the entire Traditionalist faction as he was now. Fortunately, during his time with the dragons a while ago, he’d made friends with some of the elders who were masters of the dragon magical arts, as well as gunplay and hand to hand combat. All he needed to do was track them down and take up the offers they’d made him back then. It may take some time, but Spike was sure he could find those elders.
A grin crossed Spike’s face. The traditionalists had just started a fire… and, in time, that fire would grow into a raging Inferno that would consume them all.
