The Destroyer of Worlds

The world was burning, that much she was sure of. She looked around, giving a simple smile at her work. This species was highly advanced, space fairing, enjoying peace on their colonies. She started with their furthest colonies first. One by one, they were being destroyed. Immediately, they sent ships to investigate. Her body ached, her belly filled, she had not felt this way in a long time.

She looked up, one of the moons was in pieces in orbit. That was her work, and she was proud. She was getting off traco. They had sent ships to investigate, and of course, she destroyed them. She was a Goddess, and they needed to learn their place. Their weapons barely left marks on her armor, and they tried to talk peace.

They had no idea that they were tipping the cosmic balance. She had come to their home planet, and they tried to attack her with their "advanced" weapons. They were like small beetles, literally insects, and made large robots to try and stop her. It took her a year to destroy most of the planet, cities left in ruins. She had left the forests and strange biomes alone, their animals were nothing more than specks compared to the creatures.

She looked down, seeing the remains of a large ship. It was almost her size, and she destroyed it in hours. She had left some of the colonies alone. They were almost as bad as those filthy mammals. What were they called again?

Ah, yes, Humans.

Too bad that Saurian was protecting them. He would have made a good ally. Her brother was foolish enough to go there and destroy him, but that flying lizard and Goddess stopped him with that creature. She gave a wistful sigh, her arms cracking slightly as she went into her armored form.

She felt a shiver run down her back, and she looked up, giving a hiss of happiness. She could feel the balance shifting towards another. She had to reset it so it balanced back in her favor. She looked up, her red eyes staring at a distant star.

She gave a frown, she could feel the Saurians presence on the world. It felt...weaker? Perhaps another of his species? It felt a lot younger than his. Perhaps she could use it to her advantage.

She gave a crackling roar into the air, as if giving off a signal. She jumped onto the air, her twin tails trailing behind her as she exited the atmosphere of the ruined world, giving a smile as she started to fly to the distant star.

She would get that creature and tip the balance back into her master's favor, if it was the last thing she would do.

Spike sneezed, giving a confused look around. He returned to his musing, silently cursing himself for not telling Applejack about his nightmares. Perhaps he should write a letter to his mom, she would know what to do. She would likely send aunt Luna into his dreams to help him.

He smiled at the thought of the Goddesses, the princesses, Celestia and Luna. Celestia, who he called mom, his aunt who he called Luna. They seemed to have all the answers, and it certainly helped that they could keep it a secret.

He looked up, seeing a few stormclouds coming from the Everfree. That reminded him, the weather team had scheduled a storm. He would not admit it out loud, but he absolutely loved the rain. People would think dragons hated water, but it was quite the opposite for Spike.

He loved swimming, hearing the ocean, standing in the rain, feeling the water on his scales. He was snapped out of his musings when he ran into something big and red. He shook his head and looked up, smiling at the big red object, apologizing quickly.

"Hey Big Mac!" Spike said, the big red stallion giving a nod of his head. Big Macintosh was one of the few people Spike considered to be trustworthy. Even without knowing him, even when they first met, Spike knew he was trustworthy. It was one of the few things that made Big Mac...well, Big Mac.

"Mornin' Spike." Big Macintosh replied, looking back at the town. He was sitting down on the grassy hill, and that was when Spike noticed he had traveled outside of town, unconsciously. Big Macintosh looked at him for a moment, then spoke, "Somethin's botherin' ya."

Spike sighed, sitting down, his tail curling in the grass behind him. Big Macintosh was a quiet pony, never gossiped, but had plenty of friends. Spike also knew that, since he was quiet, he seemed to study and spot thing most would not. Spike might as well have been a diary that said "READ ME" in big, bold letters.

"Just been thinking, Mac." Spike responded, watching over the quiet town. Big Mac gave him a glance, waiting for him to continue. "I've been having these...dreams."

"Nightmares." Big Macintosh said, not skipping a beat. If Spike was surprised, he didn't show it.

"I dunno. They seem more like...visions, really." Spike clarified, causing Big Mac to nod, following along. "They get more detailed as time goes on, and I feel like they are trying to tell me something."

Big Macintosh said nothing for a moment, as if he was thinking about something. He suddenly asked, "These nightmares are telling you something? Mind if I ask what happens in the nightmares?"

Spike sighed, afraid Big Mac was going to ask him that. A small voice in the back of his head told him to keep it to himself and tell a lie, but Big Macintosh would be able to tell instantly. He was Applejack's brother.

"The end of the world." Spike spoke, his emerald eyes staring off in the distance. Big Macintosh looked at Spike, as if trying to read his mind. "In my dream, the world is burning. Ponyville is in ruins, buildings crushed and on fire. Everypony...everyone is gone. I go into the castle, and...you are dead. All of them are dead, but that's not the worst of it. I feel like I killed them, even when it isn't my fault."

Big Macintosh said nothing, but stared at the young drake. Spike looked up, a small tear trailing down his face as he watched the grey clouds roll over Ponyville, feeling Big Mac's stare at him, almost as if he was reading his soul.

"But that's not the worst of it. You, them, all dead. It leaves me haunted, seeing all of their bodies...their voices calling to me, saying I could have saved them. But when they lay there, the worst part is that...the worst part is..." Spiked choked back a sob, before feeling Big Macintoshes hoof on his shoulder, making him look at the stallion.

"The worst part is that ya didn't." Big Macintosh said, causing Spike to nod, his eyes red, as he choked back another sob. "Ya are worried that if ya aren't there, they'd lose. That they would fail, and you'd be tha only one left."

Big Macintosh quietly pulled Spike into a side hug, his eyes kind and understanding, a small smile on his face. Spike wiped his eyes, hugging the quiet stallion back. They sat there for a few minutes, an air of understanding around them.

"Spike, Ah ain't some hero. Ah don't have tha answers to all ya problems. But Ah know that you should not worry about tha future. Ya may not believe this, but some kids look up to ya. Applebloom constantly talks about how you go around town, helpin' other creatures. Ah see ya helpin Granny cook, keep an eye on tha Crusaders, and even help Applejack with apple buckin'. Ah don't magic, don't read minds, Ahem not some all powerful God. But I know that ya aren't a bad dragon." Big Macintosh spoke, looking over the quiet town, giving a soft snort. "Ya worry, that's normal. Tartarus, I get those dreams sometimes. But Ah know they'll never happen. Ah trust them. Ah trust ya."

Spike nodded, wiping his eyes free of tears. "Thanks Big Mac. I needed that."

"Anytime Spike. Ah always have time to listen to a friend."

Spike got up, free from the stallions hug, and smiled at him, scratching the back of his head. "Mind keeping this between us?"

Big Macintosh smiled, then said, "Ah won't tell a soul." Spike chuckled, then started to walk away, only to stop and look back at Big Macintosh, a question pestering him.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know why Applejack is acting so weird around me, do you?"

Big Macintosh gave a straight face, sweat running down the back of his neck at the question. Big Macintosh knew that Applejack had feelings for the drake, but had not said anything about it. Spike was a good drake, hard working, funny, honest, wise and intelligent for his age, but had hoped Applejack would tell him of her feelings.

"Nope." Big Macintosh said, an uneasy look in his eye. He was a bad liar, his family was known for being honest.

Spike gave him a look over, then shrugged, giving the stallion a smile. "See ya."

Big Macintosh gave a sigh, nodding to himself at the lie. He felt bad for lying to Spike, but it was Applejack's job to tell him, not his. He shook his head, then looked up at the clouds. The calm before the storm.