Set to Burn

Pinkie knocked Spike down the stairs of the basement. The fall shattered his snout.

"What happened to all that bluster a minute ago?"

"She's stronger than I thought. This is Pinkie Pie we're talking about here. Maybe I did get carried away..."

"Starting to realize you made a mistake? Oh well. Too late for regrets now."

Spike rose to his feet. He was down, but far from out.

"Do your worst."

"If you insist. No takesies backsies."

"You may look like Pinkie, but you're nothing more than a defective clone."

"You'll tell me what I want to know, one way or the other."

Twilight paced around the room. Her anxiety was beyond measure. She kept thinking the same thing over and over.

"Will I ever see him again...?"

"I'm sure he's safe, Twilight," Celestia reassured, "Dragon scales are all but impenetrable. It'll take far more than brute force to fell him."

"That's what I'm concerned about. If this evil is as dangerous as you say, who knows what tricks it has up its sleeve."

"It is an unnerving possibility. Even still, it will take time for them to analyze his weaknesses. You have my word: should anything happen to Spike, I will personally see to it the source is hunted down and destroyed once and for all."

"Don't forget, we're behind ya too, Twi." Applejack reminded her.

"Anyone who harms my little Spikey Wikey shall receive no mercy." Rarity concurred.

"Don't forget, you have my Pinkie sense on your side," the true Pinkie voiced, "If anything happens, you'll be the first to know!"

"Yeah, and I'll buck this thing's face in for good measure!" Rainbow added.

Twilight gave a soft smile.

"Thanks, guys..."

The evil Pinkie strapped spike to a surgical table. His body was too fatigued to resist.

"Did I ever tell you I studied to be a doctor? The salary was exceptional, but after a while, the stress took its toll. After I resigned, I moved here for a simpler life."

"Doctors are supposed to save people." the dragon argued.

"I thought that was the only use for medicinal skills too for a long time. Shortly after I was employed here though, the store began to go under. I was trying to find a way to keep it afloat when an idea crossed my mind: what do ponies taste like? I started adding my own blood to the batter, but it was still too bland. From there, I surmised the only way to concoct more unique flavors was to experiment."

"You drugged unsuspecting victims and harvested their organs for food. You're nothing more than a serial killer with a cannibalism fetish."

"Let's not pass judgement before I hear your side of the story. Don't forget, you're the one who barged in accusing me of being a fake. Given that you're dead either way, you may as well start talking."

"If I die, you'll join me soon enough."

"Why's that?"

Spike gave a confident grin.

"I have friends in high places."

"Oh? You mean those dainty little flowers Celestia and Luna? They wouldn't harm a fly, let alone another pony."

"Maybe they're not the ones you're familiar with."

"Now you're just spouting nonsense."

"Am I?"

Pinkamena paused.

"You thought I was the one who should've been afraid. I came here knowing full well death was a possibility."

"I'm intrigued. You mean to tell me there are other dimensions beyond what we can see?"

"If you're thinking about killing my friends, you can forget it. "

"You had this planned all along."

"Sorry to rain on your parade."

"I guess I was going to be found out sooner or later. Oh, well. I guess I'll just have to savor this while you're here."

She began sawing through his wings. Spike growled in pain. He felt the blood begin to drip away from him.

"It's up to you now, Twilight..."

Pinkie's body tensed. She began to shake viciously.

"He's in danger!" she warned.

"I'll inform the troops immediately!" Celestia exclaimed. The sun princess galloped out of the room toward the balcony.

"We're coming, Spike," Twilight thought to herself, "Just hang on."

Any effort Spike could have made to resist was quickly snuffed out by the brutal torture. His limbs were stretched to their limits. His mouth was mangled beyond comprehension.

"You've given me a lot of lip through this whole ordeal," Pinkamena rebuked, "Maybe this will shut you up: your home isn't any safer now than when you arrived."

"Mm...Ugh..."

"What makes you think I'm the only one like this? Maybe murder doesn't exist in your world now, but sooner or later, someone will find your friends. What will you do then? Nothing, because you'll be long gone.

"N...N..."

"This is just depressing now. Let's put an end to this, shall we?"

Spike descended into an endless void of shadows...

"...Spike..."

"Huh!?"

"Good. You can hear me."

"Who's there!?"

"Calm your mind. I am not your enemy."

"Am I dead!?"

"Not yet, but you're teetering. Your soul has separated from your physical body. You're in the spirit realm."

"The spirit realm? You mean it's real?"

"Yes. My name is Orion. I am a servant of the divine order."

"The divine order?"

"An alliance made up of gods and goddesses. I am an archangel, an elite soldier under their command."

"An archangel?"

"More specifically, I am the archangel of manifestation. Everything you've ever dreamed and desired has been guided by my hands."

"So...Rarity...The gemstones...All of It was your doing...?"

"Yes."

"Why...?"

"Without sorrow, regret, or anger, true strength cannot be attained. We needed you to understand sacrifice so you could put an end to evil once and for all."

"So this was all a plot to force me to fight..."

"The choice is yours alone to make."

"And if I don't, I'll die, right?"

"Yes."

"What's the point of living if I have nothing to look forward too?"

"That assumption is also of your own making. You believe you've lost everything, but even if that were true, what about what you have to gain?"

"Gain...?"

"You can't control destiny, but it can guide you in the right direction. From the day you were born, you were fated to wage war against the demons hiding among you. You yourself are a warrior of the divine order, and one day, you may even be more."

"I can be a god?"

"Given proper time and training."

"Woah..."

"Now I'll ask you again, will you fight for peace and justice?"

"What the heck. Beats being food for a deranged psycho killer."

'"Use my power, and end this madness."

Just as Pinkamena prepared to drive a stake into the dragon's throat, a burst of smoke materialized around his body. The murderer coughed and wheezed. Her face was then struck by a black bolt of lightning. She screamed in agony.

The straps on the table were split in two. The smoke conformed to Spike's body, transforming into dark clothing. In his right hand, he held a sword with a golden handle crafted in the shape of an angel's wings. A teal stone was welded in its center. The dragon levitated off the table. His severed wings sliced through the air like boomerangs, reattaching themselves to his body. He opened his eyes, pointing the blade at the maniacal figure before him.

"My turn."