When all else Fails

Spike couldn’t believe what just happened; was he really just talking to a ghost. Well i guess that did explain the condition he was in. Sweetie Belle was still sitting next to him concerned about his wellbeing. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Spike gave a little chuckle “yes, I’m fine.” She had been asking the same question for about fifteen minutes now. Sweetie Belle gave him a very serious face “you absolutely sure?” Spike rolled his eyes and sighed “positive” he said kissing her on her forehead. She gave a quick giggle and blushed a deep shade of crimson red. They may have been in a shit environment, but his spirit perked up a little hearing Sweetie Belle laugh.

“Hey, guys take a look at this” they heard Rainbow Dash call from the cell bars. “What is it” Spike joined her and looked out through the bars wrapping his hands around the bars. He felt a light shock and retracted his hands quickly remembering what happened last time. They all gathered around the bars and looked at what she was talking about. In front of them was possibly the most horrific sight they had all ever seen; even more horrific than watching a pony lose his life to a gunshot. They continued to stare in sadness as a small foal was getting ripped away from his mother both crying uncontrollably. “No, mommy I don’t wanna go!” Spike felt tears welling up in his eyes; he looked at the others and noticed they were all crying at the site…even Rainbow Dash. No matter how much he wanted to cry he knew he couldn’t; he had to be the strong one. He returned his attention back to the mother and child. “No, please, let him go!”

The guard had enough of the mothers struggling and started beating her over the head with the hilt of his gun. The small child started to cry even harder than before, if that was even possible. Spike could feel himself shaking with anger and sadness; he couldn’t stand to watch the little boy get separated from his mother. He was about to start yelling at the guard when he heard another crack pierce the sky. He again turned his attention to the mother of the child and saw her body fall to the ground, suffering the same fate as the pony in the streets. Fluttershy gasped and put her hooves over her mouth, everyone else just stood there tears flowing down their faces and mouths open ajar. Now was the time Spike started to let tears fall from his eyes. Spike lowered his head, not in sadness, but in respect that the mother kept fighting till the very end. Spike couldn’t help but feel bad for the young foal, after all; his mother was murdered in cold blood right in front of him.

Spike pounded his fist against the wall leaving a dent in its wake. He was still very upset about the incident with the mother and child. “Spike calm down” everyone was trying to calm him down so he wouldn’t get punished, but to no avail. “Calm down?! How can you ask me to calm down, did you not see what they did to her?” Everyone had tear stains leading down their faces due to the fact that they did see what happened. He pounded the wall again and let his head rest on his arm “they need to pay, they all need to pay.” Twilight put her hoof on his shoulder “we understand Spike, but there’s nothing we can do from inside here.” 'How can you understand, you all had your parents with you from day one.' Spike knew he couldn’t bring his own personal feelings into the matter so he decided to keep his mouth shut. “Get used to it kid, this is war.” Spike looked up to see the guard that was guarding their cell speaking to him. Spike walked to the front of the cell so he could convers with the Stallion more formally.

“Now don’t get me wrong I hate this as much as you do, but there’s nothing you can do about it.” “If you hate it so much then why are you part of the army?” The stallion just looked down and sighed with disappointment “it’s better than being a bullet dummy.” In some way Spike understood what he was trying to say, but he couldn’t help but be mad at the man for being a coward. “So you just stand idle and let them do whatever they want?” Spike could have sworn he saw a single tear drop from the Stallions eye. “It’s a screwed up system I know, but what can one stallion do against a whole army of them?” Spike felt that he was given the roll of the old, wise man. “One Stallion can do a world of good, even if you rebel that will give people hope.” The stallion looked at Spike with curiosity in his eye “how?” “It shows that not everyone has given in and that there are still people out there who care.” The stallion smiled at Spike, but then he froze and turned till he was doing nothing but look forward.

Two stallions in more fancy armor came and pushed the guard, which Spike was talking to, out of the way. These two were obviously the stallion’s superior officers. They unlocked the cell door and entered the cell with them. They put cuffs around Spike’s wrists, but it was just Spike who they put them on. He looked at the others who all had pure fear in their eyes; he gave them a reassuring smile trying to tell them that everything was going to be okay, but he knew that everything wasn’t going to be okay. Spike looked at the officers and asked “what’s going on?” The stronger looking one said in a deep baritone voice “you’ve been sentenced to execution.” For Spike time seemed to stand still; he heard everyone gasp when the officer said execution. Spike came back to reality when they stood up straight and backed away from him. He looked down the hall and saw Lord Freerunner walk towards him with an evil smirk along his face. “So this is the dragon, uh?” Lord Freerunner walked around Spike examining him very closely. As soon as Lord Freerunner looked satisfied for god knows what reason he said “okay let’s go to the execution room.”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but gasp again at that word. Lord Freerunner looked over at the cell that contained all of Spikes friends. He saw how everyone had a look of fear and concern and got another devilish look on his face. Before the guards could take Spike away he said “wait…I have another idea…why not do the execution right here?” You sick bastard, you’re going to kill me here, so all my friends can watch? Lord Freerunner turned to Spike and smiled “that’s kinda the point.” Spike’s eyes went wide and his mouth was wide open “y-you heard me?” “I did, anyway time for an execution!” he yelled and all the guards were cheering except for the guard Spike had talked to before. “In fact I’ll do it myself!” Freerunner grabbed a hand gun that was in the pouch of a guardsman and got comfortable with the weapon. While this was happening everyone watched in horror as they were about to witness the death of a very close friend; Sweetie Belle on the other hand was trying to get past the guards that blocked the entrance.

Spike felt his legs get kicked out from under him and he collapsed to the floor. He looked up to be face to face with the barrel of a gun. “Freerunner stop this madness!” Spike looked to his right where Sparkplug was being held. He looked back at Freerunner who was now looking at Sparkplug “but why, this is fun.” “How many must die for you to understand what you’re doing is wrong.” “Oh, I don’t know…a couple hundred” he said in a very sarcastic tone. “Think about it…would Firefly want you to do this?” Freerunner’s facial expression went from a very smug look to a furious look. “How would you know what she wanted?! Let’s not forget what I did to your son, unless you would like to lose your life the same way.” Sparkplug was now even angrier than Freerunner “have you no remorse?!” Freerunner had the smirk on his face for making Sparkplug seething with rage “and why should I care?” “Because he was your nephew!”

At this time a million questions where zipping through Spike’s mind. Who was Firefly, are they really brothers, am I really about to die? Freerunner turned his attention back to Spike making sure his cape caught some wind with a *flap*. “I don’t have time for this; I have an execution to get on with.” Time slowed down as Freerunner walked towards him. Spike soon found himself face to face with the same gun barrel as before. He looked over to his friends to see their eyes red and puffy from tears. He heard the cock of the gun. He looked at Sweetie Belle who had stopped struggling so she could see what Spike was about to say. Spike felt a single tear fall down his face while he lipped the words “I love you”. He heard Sparkplug yelling at Freerunner to stop and finally…

*Bang*