(Now, before we get started, I'd like to point something out. The hyperlinks strewn throughout the entirety of the story are links to YouTube songs. I personally have a much more gratifying experience reading with music than without, but alas, I'm my own man. After all, you're the reader. Enjoy.)
I, am Night.
The gateway between dusk, and dawn.
I give unto the world a period of grace; a time for rest, recovery, and relaxation.
The cool, crisp evening air of an otherwise dry and desolate Equestria is held within the cusp of my hooves, and is mine alone to control.
Without me, the ponies I care for would become wrapped within an everlasting diurnal monologue, disintegrating as they became one with the very soil that of which their grandfather's first settled.
Now, I digress. I've always been thought of as the second-tier princess. Tartarus, even my own sister knows of the anguish that plagues me. I can see it in those violet eyes. The two of us have always been referred to as "Sun and Moon" or, "Day and Night". Never the other way around.
However, that twitch, that one thing that really gets under my skin, is the reason why I was treated with such downright contempt from my citizens.
The fact that I, Luna, the sole proprietor of the night, am to be banished to the moon for one-thousand years on account of the charges that I "Challenged the rightful rule of day."
The fools, they know not of the disaster that would unfurl if I were to choose not to go!
Throughout my many years on this planet, never had I experienced such a hideous evil other than that of Nocturn. A wicked magic, capable of haunting the hearts and minds of all it touches. It's hunger knows no bounds, and would do anything to --even at the mere thought of-- escape its astral prison.
I suppose that, in the end, the minds of the Equestrians were in the right place.
I have to go.
In the end, I can only hope that when the time comes, the evil I'm to consume can be destroyed.
~The last conscious thoughts of I, Princess Luna, former regent of the night.
Spike whistled a low pitched melody to himself as he finished reading Daydreamers, a chronicling of notes and sketches that had detailed the short weeks leading up to Luna's banishment. Apparently, the entries had been hoof-written by the princess herself. Now, under normal circumstances documents such as these would be the most highly-classified pieces of paper in the kingdom, however, Spike was a rare exception. Other than being the assistant to Celestia's personal protege, Twilight sparkle, Spike was trusted with historical documents for a few solid reasons.
For one, the dragon would ultimately outlive the next several generations, and would prove useful for aiding the princesses with internal affairs involving past-incidents. And two, Spike had been raised to never tell a soul (outside of royalty) the sensitive information that he learned within the confines of the castle --even if it meant sacrificing his life-- to keep Equestria safe.
"My good sir, would you mind returning these articles to the top shelf? If that's not, uhh, too much trouble. Of course. Heh." Spike said in a meager voice to the royal guard across the room.
Putting down a book, the guard nodded once and, with a whirl of magic, returned the terminal issue of Daydreamers to its strongbox. "That was the final copy of the Princess's pre-banishment literary works, Master Spike. I'm sorry to say that there isn't any more on the subject of Nocturn in all the libraries of Equestria," The unicorn convoyer said solemnly. "Or at least the ones we know of. Would you like to mayhaps try another series? I hear Mood Wings is a particular favorite among the teen demographic."
The slumped dragon merely shook his head. "Not today, Greeves. If anything, I should be getting some rest. From the sun, I'd say it's almost..." Spike began to say apprehensively. After a moment of staring out the stained-glass window, Greeves coughed before laying a gentle hoof on Spike's left shoulder.
"It's half-past six, sir." The guard spoke mellowly. "And, might I add, perfectly weathered for an evening stroll."
Spike's chipper attitude seemed to dull at the mention of the time, but quickly returned at the thought of taking a stroll through the Canterlot Gardens. Aside from the occasional convention, the gardens were home to a plethora of wildlife --none of which were harmful-- that a pony could enjoy as they collected their thoughts. "Y'know, Greeves, I couldn't help but agree more. After all this studying about "Nocturn" and "Daydreamers", I think a walk is just what the doctor ordered. Could you, uhh, maybe tell Twilight that I'll be back in about an hour? I'm sure she'd be worried sick if I just, disappeared. Heh."
The idyllic Greeves smiled. "But of course, master Spike. But before you go, could I perchance offer you some words of wisdom?" The trustful guard said casually.
Spike finished packing his bag before looking up at Greeves quizzically. "By all means Greeves, you know I'd never turn down advice from you! You're practically family!" The drake exclaimed in a wistful tone. "Shoot."
With a sigh, the guard took a few tentative steps towards the young dragon, assisting him with his pack. "I've been around the castle a long time, master Spike. Long enough to know when there's magic in the air, and certainly long enough to know when something...or somepony, isn't right. I don't know what Ms. Sparkle hopes to learn from the princess's journals, but I hope she uncovers it soon," Greeves said quietly, looking over his shoulder twice before leaning into Spike's ear. "No ponies other than the princesses have touched Daydreamers in over thirty years. The fact that the Alicorns have once more taken personal interest in these prehistoric texts is...unsettling." The old guard said anxiously, but not without a hint of optimism. "But here I am, rambling on about some dusty old tomes. I'll inform Ms. Sparkle of your departure immediately. Enjoy your walk, sir."
Spike, who had been shuffling insecurely in his wooden chair, cracked a wry, but generous smile. "Greeves, you never ramble. I'm thankful for the information, but I doubt that anything supernatural is going on," The dragon said in a dignified tone. "And besides, when has a little history ever harmed anypony?"
As Spike spoke, a shadow flew past the window the guardspony had looked out only moments earlier. After a moment of concern, Greeves had figured it was only a bird and opened the door to the courtyard, allowing the contented Spike into the garden. "Heh, if I had a bit for every time a pony's said those words, I certainly wouldn't need to keep this job."
Spike's ears pricked up at Greeves's last remark. "In case guarding the royal library isn't your cup of tea, I hear the Ponyville hoof-ball team is looking for an assistant coach this year," He said joyfully, cracking himself up. "I'll put in a good word for you. 'Ex-royal guard, 6.5, white coat, whiter beard, and a philosophical disposition: looking for employment' sounds good, right?"
Greeves merely face-hooved. "Enjoy your walk, master Spike. and please, try not to get lost." The old guard said tiredly, turning back towards the library. "Hoof-ball...the day it rains chocolate milk." And with a flash of magic, Greeves was away.
The sun was resting over the western horizon as Spike made his way from the cooling marble stairway towards the garden. Inhaling deeply, he cleared his mind and proceeded towards the maze. "Ahh...finally some time to clear my head. All this reading about dreams is driving me insane," Spike said to himself thoughtfully, but stopping a moment later. "I mean look at me! Talking to myself like I've just escaped an insane asylum..."
Without a second thought, the young, dreamy Spike began to traverse the paths towards the Canterlot Garden's famous mazes. After living in the tower for seven eighths of his life, he knew each of the puzzles like the smell of his feet. Navigating the physical mazes was nothing more than a simple chore to Spike by now, but the maze itself is not why so many ponies came to traverse them. The mystical properties housed within the hedges and shrubbery would occasionally cause it to alter its own course, depending on the individual and their mood. Spike had always tried to retain a calming atmosphere about himself, resulting in a nice, calming trek to the center.
At the entrance to the maze sat a small pond, inhabited only by a pair of Yin and Yang fish. Deciding to rest his legs before starting what would likely be a half-hour journey, Spike sat himself on a small wooden bench about four feet in length. "Bubbles, Sandy," He said to the fish in a tranquil tone. "How's work been treatin' ya? Kids still doing good in school?" The fish swam to the surface and looked Spike in the eyes. Even though they couldn't say anything, he knew they were listening. "Heh, get it? School? Like a school of fish? Ahh, I knew you would! I think I'm going to go on a little stroll...would either of you care to join me?" Spike said half-heartedly, knowing full well the fish would probably decline. "Maybe next time then. Anyway, I think I'm going to head off. See you two later?" The fish splashed a little, then dove to the bottom of the pond. "Hey, don't think you can get away from me so easily!"
Spike splashed the pond-water a couple times, trying to get the fish to come back...to no avail. After a few moments of messing around with the fish, the dragon lifted his head from the pond in suspicion. The chirping of birds had deadened. After Applejack's lessons on Everfree survival, Spike knew that something was ahoof. Then, like a gust on the wind, a twig snapped in the distance. Nearly falling into the pond, the drake shot up faster than a wall-eyed butterfly. "Who's there? Twilight?" Spike asked the bushes, his heart now racing. "Greeves? This isn't funny, you know. Ever since that prank with the caramel onions last week, I've been a little...edgy."
With a gust of wind, a shadowy figure descended from a nearby tree with the speed of ten pegasi. Unfurling its wings, the beast appeared to have what looked like a stereo-system wrapped in its left fore-leg. From the force of its descent, Spike had been blown to the ground, losing his mental bearings and raising his arms in defense of the air-born assailant. "Stay back! I know Neigh-jujitsu! I'm warning you!"
After a series of coughs and hacks, a voice came from the monster. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, little guy," A embarrassed female voice said sorrily. "I didn't mean to throw you to the ground like that. Heh, I guess I sometimes forget my own strength. Here, let me help you up," Came the voice, extending a hoof to the downed drake.
Spike cleared the dust from his eyes, sizing up the pony who'd just knocked the wind out of him. A slender, orchid-purple coated, midnight-ice maned pegasus mare stood before him, a wry smile stretched across her lips. Putting her hoof in Spike's face, the light reflected off her golden-hued eyes as she tilted her head quizzically. "If you're just gonna stare at me, at least do it standing up, okay?" She said in an empowered, yet concerning tone.
"Staring! I'm n-not staring! Just amazed that somepony could knock a fella to the ground with such ease!" Spike exclaimed, now not only being on the physical defense, but the verbal as well. "I'm not going to brag, but a dragon like myself isn't easily knocked to his backside." The flustered dragon said, looking down at his knees as he brushed the last of the dirt off his scaly body.
"Easy, little man. I was just busting your scales. I think the only real crime committed here is how my ever-so-graceful landing knocked the tape out of my stereo system," And with those words, the mare lifted a dirty tape from the ground, blew on the backside of it twice, then popped it back into the music-player. A calming, yet energetic instrumental song began to stream through the air, pricking Spike's ears.
"Wow. I don't think I've ever heard a song as strange as this one, even at Fluttershy's Woodland Critters band practices." Spike said, scratching his forehead. "Who's it by, anyway?"
"The name of the song is 'A Hazy Shade of Random' by William Orbit, and it's defiantly one of my top five tracks. You're telling me you've never heard of him?"
Spike yielded no answer. "Sorry, I haven't. Honestly, I'm more of a classical type of guy, Frank Sinat-- hey, hey, hey wait just a second! How're we talking about our favorite types of music when I don't even know who you are? I don't even know your name! You'd think that after almost turning me into fish-food, you would at least spare me the dignity and tell me who you were, right?" The confused and slightly agitated dragon questioned, pointing an accusing claw at the mystery mare. "So...who are you?"
The mare donned a sly smile. Grabbing her stereo with a foreleg, she took to the air and hovered just a few feet from Spike's face. "I'll tell you what, sunshine, I'd like to play a game." She smirked, watching Spike visibly gulp. "I'm going to go into the maze, and you're going to find me,"
"That's going to be impossible! The maze is huge! You can't just, expect me to find you!" Spike blurted, stomping a foot in the mud. "At least give me something to go on."
"Hmm...I suppose you have a point. Very well," The stranger said, rolling her eyes. "To make it easy on you, I'll keep my music on the whole time," She said drearily, presenting the stereo again. "Sound square?"
Spike scratched his chin for a moment. "I suppose..." He said in a strained tone. "But you can't do anything shady! Like dropping the radio on the ground, okay? And no flying!"
"Well, shoot. There goes that plan," The mare said, pushing part of her mane out from her left eye. "I guess you're just too smart for me!"
"You know it, sister." Spike said energetically, cocking an eyebrow. "Being the assistant to Equestria's most dignified student has its perks!"
The stranger laughed a long, drawn out laugh. "Psssh, we'll put that to the test then, ehh?" And with a flap, the pegasus zoomed into the greenery.
Spike stood at the entryway to the maze for a few moments, looking into the narrow passage with a sigh. "Well, this can't be any worse than a regular walk..." And with a tentative step, began his quest for the pegasus. Shooting a few glances at the hedges and bushes at his sides, Spike noticed a stark difference in the maze. For one, the bushes were beginning to turn a shade of honey yellow. This type of foliage change had never occurred on Spike's previous visits, but as long as a change in color scheme was the only difference in atmosphere, he cared little.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Spike shouted to the skies, plodding along the bends and curves of the Canterlot Gardens at a slightly less than break-neck speed. "I know you're here somewhere..." He whispered. The stereo of Mystery had been chiming similar, yet different tunes at a medium volume teasing him with the promises of a short pursuit. Unfortunately, this was not the case. After ten minutes of senseless tracking, Spike figured he'd try a different approach. "Hey! Mystery!" He yelled. "What's the name of this song again!?"
A few moments of silence passed before an unmistakable shout came from across the maze. "It's not the same song, half-pint! This one's called 'The Story of Light'!" And was followed suit by a moment of silence.
In a moment of realization, Mystery shouted again. "Dammit!"
Spike laughed to himself for a moment before regaining his balance. "Wow, either she has the cockiness of Rainbow Dash, or I'm dreaming," He said in a satisfied tone, letting the air of the garden fill his nostrils. After a deep breath, he began again on his hunt for the mystery mare. Walking up and down inclines in the path, Spike took this as a moment to recall. For the past twenty five minutes, he'd been pursuing a total stranger. That much he knew. What he didn't know (And the bit that bothered him most) was why. He knew nothing about the stranger other than her ludicrous tastes in music, but he still felt...something. A pang of remembrance, almost as if she'd been a long-lost friend. Or maybe an aunt you'd see around the holidays. Whatever the case, Spike found himself compelled to uncover the concealed identity of his quarry...
Step by step, he got closer to the origin of the strange music and, ultimately, the mystery mare. He'd done a little more thinking as he neared the epicenter of Mystery's music, trying to match her face with a friend. From what he could see, she had the cockiness of Rainbow Dash, the bombastic-ness of Pinkie, the cultured nature of Fluttershy, the sarcasm of Applejack, and the looks of Rarity (Which he more than adored). The only pony she didn't have a piece of was Twilight. "Hmm...is that why I'm doing this to myself? Ruining a perfect afternoon with this wild goose-chase, simply because this...this, enigma reminds me of my friends? Wow, I sound like a class-A sap..." Spike said, chuckling to himself. "At least there's nopony around to hear..."
Not more than a moment later, the formally medium-volumed stereo that'd been playing songs by William Orbit jumped to max volume. "GAHH! Sweet Celestia, that's louder than Pinkie Pie's show-tunes!" Spike shrieked, covering both ears with his palms. "Please, make it stop! I beg you!" He shouted, teeth clenched and knuckles white. "Mystery!"
Then, like a wish upon a star, the music stopped. Spike slowly removed his hands from his ears and, with a dart of his eyes, realized he was standing his ground in the center of the maze. "What the...How did I?" The suddenly-tired dragon asked nopony in particular, looking from his claws to the large statue of Princess Luna that stood before him. "A statue of princess Luna? I don't think I remember there being anything other than some sunflowers and a bench here..." Spike uttered, continuing to stare questioningly at the marble carving of the Night Regent. The statue itself was of the princess, fully adorned in her custom, self-made Synergy robes. Spike had read that back in the early days, Luna was the head of the College of Synergetics, the only magical academy of the time period. From the details of the statue, Spike could guess that its carving must've taken place somewhere in the Starswirl era.
"Wow...I never knew how graceful the princess looked in robes. Well, better looking than Twilight anyway." The confused dragon said sarcastically to himself. Taking a quick look around, he noticed that the leaves along the shrubbery had all turned a crimson red. And another thing, the sun was quickly fading from existence. "Mother of Luna! How long have I been out here?!"
Following a brief chuckle, a familiar voice rang through the air. "Long enough to find me, if it means anything to you." Mystery said in a placid tone. Spike turned on his heel and raised a questioning talon, but was immediately shushed. "I honestly didn't expect you to go all the way to the center. That takes motivation."
After Mystery's hoof had been lowered, Spike's face, turned a bright shade of red. "Motivation!?" He shouted. "I think I blacked out after you turned your music up to eleven like that!" He ranted, taking steps towards the pegasus. "And all for what? To learn your name? I don't even care anymore!" He clamored, now looking up into the drunken smile of the face Mystery had been wearing. "What could you possibly be smiling about!"
Unable to contain herself any longer, Mystery fell to the ground in a fit of laughter. "It's j-just you're so cute when you get mad!" She spilled, rolling maniacally about the evening grass.
"Glad to hear it." Spike said indifferently. Turning his back to Mystery, he started taking steps towards the exit of the maze. "If that's all you have to say, I'm going back to the castle. It's been real!" Spike shouted, now walking slowly away. "Real weird..."
The laughing stopped as the mare made the sudden realization that the subject of her toying has turned his tail. "Hey!" She shouted, scrambling to her hooves. "Wait a second! Don't you know how this works? You're supposed to plead with me to learn my name!" Mystery accused, now hovering over Spike's head. "Hey! Short-Stop! I'm talking to you still!"
Spike raised a dismissive hand (Sue me) and waved the pursuer away. "This isn't scripted, you know." Mystery visibly scoffed. "And I'm getting pretty tired. Can we just wrap this up?"
"Wrap...This...Up?" The mare asked herself, looking down at the unamused Spike. "Fine. We'll have it your way, drake." She stated, a smile creeping up her lips. "But you'll have to live with the thought of never knowing who...or what I am."
Spike slowed his pace, but didn't completely stop. His mind raced as the mystery mare landed at his side, now in stride. She was right, Spike needed to learn her name. Whether it was magic or his own personal stubbornness, Spike sighed a deep sigh before coming to a halt. "Alright. Let's hear it."
Mystery nearly stumbled. "I beg your pardon?"
"Your name." The cynical Spike chimed. "You clearly seem so eager to spill the beans, so say it. I'm all ears."
"Thou art either brave, stupid or innocent," The mare quipped, batting her golden eyes. "Perchance...a mix of all three?" She said, now walking back to the statue of Luna. "Oh, and on the off chance you were wondering, the name of this song is 'Aquarium'."
Spike sighed deeply at the fact that music was still at the forefront of the mare's worries. "I...see." He said, now following in the footsteps of the midnight-shaded stranger. "So...Now that I've come all this way, will you finally tell me your name?" He asked perplexedly, trying to scratch an itch on his back.
Mystery flew towards the statue of the be-robed Luna, staring longingly into its marble eyes. With a sigh, she looked down towards Spike. Even from a distance, she knew he was feeling both a sense of loathing and curiosity. "I suppose the time's come then...has it not?" She questioned, noting the nod that Spike gave absentmindedly. "But, before I reveal to you my name, might I ask of you a simple question?"
The dragon bore his fangs. "By all means, please do." He said in a brooding tone of voice. "It's not like I've been asking you one simple question all night."
Mystery laughed. "True, true. But riddle me this," She queried, gliding to his side. "How exactly...did you get here?"
Spike shared a laugh himself, coughing briefly before pointing a claw at the pegasus. "You've got to be kidding me, right?" And was met with a simple nod no. "Alrighty then. Uhh...Well, I wanted to take a walk through the mazes, and then I met you." He said, pointing. "Simple. So..." He stated, staring into the emerald green eyes of Mystery. "And that's it. Case closed."
She simply shook her head. "No, no, no, Spike. Think earlier. What were you doing before you decided on going into the maze?" She asked, now standing directly in front of the belittled Spike. "Think."
The drake only now realized that the mare was considerably taller than himself, but figured it was simply due to bad lighting. "I was in the royal library. Me and a friend, Greeves, were looking through some chronicles when I decided to take a break. Happy now?"
Mystery smirked. "Is that the earliest you can think? How did you get to the library?"
"I, I...I was...hmm..." Spike said questioningly, scratching the scales atop his head. "I could swear me and...was it Twilight?" He sputtered, doubting the very sentences that flew from his voice-box. Thinking long and hard, he could come to no logical conclusion to the most reasonable of questions; 'Where had he been?' And, with the wheels all turning, burning up his mind, he finally decided on an answer. "I honestly couldn't tell you."
Mystery kicked the stereo, fast forwarding to its next song. "Ahh, Hooverphonic...'This Strange Effect'. A fitting song, if I do say so myself." She said slyly. "Especially with you in your current...situation.
The mare circled Spike like a hawk to her prey, enjoying every last bit of his confusion. "So, Spike, as long as we're on the subject of the unknown, have those history books proved useful in your quest for answers about Daydream?" She asked, her coat beginning to change hues from a navy blue to a cosmic black. "It must be a pain, trying to get answers about Nocturn from second-hoof sources."
"Yeah, but the research is necessary if I want to uncover the truth. It's not like you can...just..." A brief moment of thought passes. "WAIT!" Spike snapped, his eyes going wide as he stared pensively at the stranger. "How in Equestria do you know my name?!"
The enigma Spike had been following for hours let out a hysterical laugh, reeling on her back legs. "And the last horse crosses the finish-line!" It said, overwhelmed with the long-awaited discovery. Wiping away a tear from laughter, she hovered over to the desolate dragon. "So to speak, anyway."
Spike's eyes twitched at the sight before him. The mystery mare's body had been changing throughout the course of the hunt, and now it was all coming together. The green eyes. The ever-eluding personality. The fact that nothing other than the night could share her sense of unknown. This was no mere stranger..."N-n-nightmare M-moon?" He accused, taking his first steps in the opposite direction of the shadowy form. Even though he was a few feet away, Spike could see a horn begin to manifest on the Night Empress's head. Her wingspan grew drastically, but wasn't as wide as his friends had depicted. The only other difference --However stark-- was the fact that her mane had remained tangent. A soft shade of ebony, its curls sat fiercely on her shoulders.
A dull fire blazed within the eyes of the specter, revealing her dark, yet incomplete form to the now shrunken dragon. "Please, dearie. Nightmare is such a harsh term. Call me... Nocturn."
To Be Continued...
...Right Now!
Spike's mind was burning out at the revelation. The evil that Luna feared most was upon him, and more-so, it was speaking to him in sarcasm. "N-n-n-nocturn!? B-but how! You-you-you--"
"Were defeated? Destroyed? Humiliated? Galloped my last race?" Nocturn shouted coldly. "Yes. I suppose I was considered all of the above for a time, but as you can see, I'm here. Alive. In-the-flesh." She said calmly, going off on a tangent. Noting how Spike appeared to be having a mini heart-attack, she closed the distance between he and herself.
"Gahh! Nightma--" Spike began, but was hushed by her left wing.
"Shhhh, shhh, shh. Rest yourself, Spike. Why don't you take a seat over by the statue," She said reassuringly, beckoning him to a wooden bench similar to the one at the entrance of the maze. "You need anything? Sapphires? Emeralds? Maybe some chocolate milk?"
"H-h-how is this possible? There's no way this could happen...never in a million years! The princesses would be on you in a matter of seconds!" Spike clamored, now being pushed into the park bench below the statue.
Nocturn winked. "I don't see hide nor hair of either princess," She chimed, fluttering to the side of Spike's bench. "So...what do you think this means? Feel free to use vulgarity if the need arises."
As Nocturn winked, Spike winced. How could the spirit of Nightmare Moon be here? At his side, offering him food and drink? Getting up slowly, he proceeded to turn and look Nocturn dead in the eyes, and with a burst of bravery/stupidity, spoke his mind. "I'm asleep, aren't I? I'm having a nightmare, that's all. This whole thing was brought on from lack of sleep, and now I'm punishing myself," He uttered in a thoughtful tone. Raising his right arm, he then proceeded to pinch himself. "And with that logic, this should wake me up in Twilight's house! Safe!"
The nightmare incarnate watched Spike's little lecture with a bemused smirk. Folding a hind leg over the other, she then proceeded to clap at his efforts. "And you thought of that all on the spot? I'm not going to lie, dear subject, I'm thoroughly impressed." She said with an amused sense of confidence. "Let's see just how far you'll go to wake yourself up."
Summoning all his strength, Spike pinched his left forearm with the hopes of escaping the nocturnal prison. Nothing.
Deciding that a mere pinch was insufficient, he collected his wits and blindly fell backwards. Again, nothing. Attempt after failed attempt, it became apparent that the self-harm was getting him nowhere fast. "No..."
"Yes." Nocturn chirped. "And from the way you're reacting, I can clearly see that you're not handling this as well as I'd imagined. I guess I hadn't added the fact that you're still a child into the equation," She mocked, raising a hoof to her chin. After a moment of ferocious pondering, Nocturn came to a conclusion. "Okay then, Spike. It seems that you need an ultimatum, of sorts. Here," She began, her horn flaring as two gems were summoned into existence. "Let's let you decide."
A pair of flawless diamonds glided into Spike's claws, one blood-red, the other cyan-blue. He clenched both gems tightly as he looked from them to Nocturn. "D-diamonds? But why?" He stuttered.
Nocturn sized the purple dragon up before proceeding. "Spike. In your right hand, you hold a red diamond. In your left, you hold a blue diamond," The satanic Alicorn said desolately. Spike, now realizing that a way out might finally be presented, looked intently at the gems. "If you choose to eat the red gem, you will prove to me that you are willing to hear me out, and stay. Here. With me." She said, speaking intensely. Noting how Spike hadn't immediately eaten the blue diamond, she continued. "On the other hoof, if you eat the blue diamond, I'll send you home to your tree-house. To Twilight Sparkle. To your beloved princesses. But, know this," Nocturn etched, bringing her muzzle to Spike's face. "You will never be treated with any more respect than you have now. You will live a placid life, evolving from Twilight's shelf-stacker to Celestia's encyclopedia. You will live out the rest of your days cold, alone, and unsatisfied. You'll never again be presented the chance to become something...more." She concluded, brushing her short mane from her eyes as she backed away. "So...what do you choose?"
After weighing both gems in his hands, Spike came to the ultimate conclusion.
Eat the BLUE gem, and be sent back to normality?
Or...Eat the RED gem, risking both mind and body in the hopes of overcoming the existence you've always occupied?
(Heads Up; This is where you start taking the story into your own hands. Now go on...shape the world.)
(P.S. They're hyperlinks to the chapter of your choosing. Installed by me personally for your convenience.)
(Last note; Once you've made a decision, try to stick with it. Don't want to ruin any surprises, now do we?)
Red?
Or...
Blue?