The Wrath of a Dragoon
The morning sun began to rise, the sun's light reflecting off the crystal structures of the Crystal Empire to make the kingdom shimmer. It wasn't bothersome as a wakeup call for slumbering ponies tell them to rise and shine. Freya breathed softly, dreaming of a pleasant life with Spike and Estinien both reunited and enjoying their togetherness as a happy family. Her hand reached out to rub her son's head, but she frowned when she felt an empty space beside her. Opening her eyes, she groggily felt around for her child, only patting the mattress she was on. She woke up in a panic, finding no sign of Spike anywhere near her or in the room. Dreading that all she experienced was a dream, she quickly jolted at the guest bedroom's door opening up.
Walking inside, wheeling in a small cart with some breakfast was Spike. "I know she's gonna like-" Looking at the bed, he was surprised to see her up, and hyperventilating in distress. "Everything ok, mom?"
Freya breathed a huge sigh of relief, trying to calm her racing heart. "I thought you disappeared," she said.
"Sorry. I didn't want to wake you up," Spike said with a sheepish grin. "You looked so peaceful."
"W-Well, next time...leave a note," she advised. "I told you I didn't want you out of my sight again."
"Right. I'm sorry," he apologized again. Spike pushed the cart over to the side of the bed while his mother sat up. "I thought I'd surprise you with breakfast in bed."
Freya looked at the spread, surprised to see her son was able to cook. There were some scrambled eggs, a stack of pancakes with crystal berries sprinkled on the fluffy, cooked batter, and a bowl with a mix of different gems that had sapphires, peridots, topaz, and rubies.
"You...made all this?" she asked.
"Yup. I did a bit of cooking for Twilight when she usually forgot to eat lunch or dinner when I was old enough," Spike said. "No worries burning myself with heat-proof scales. And if you liked sapphires, I think you'll like some other gems I like to eat, too."
Freya smiled, letting out a small laugh as she took a small piece of topaz and ate it. "Mmm...How did I never know we could eat these?" she asked. Spike hovered up and sat beside her as they enjoyed their breakfast together. She hoped for a little meat, but she was fine without it, knowing some ponies from her world felt a little perturbed by the smell of cooked meat on a fire or grill. With how sweet the crystal berries are, she wouldn't mind changing her diet to have more. "This is really delicious, Spike."
"You should have tried my special jewel cake," Spike gloated, only to wince and blush bashfully. "Uhh, well...I tried to make one, but I wound up eating all the gems for the cake, so...it turned out to be just a normal cake."
"What!?" Freya laughed, startled by such a concoction. "A jewel cake? You can bake gems into a pastry?"
"Yeah. Back in Ponyville, there's a bakery called Sugarcube Corner, and one of the owners, Mrs. Cake, she backed me a sapphire cupcake for my birthday." At the mention of his birthday, Spike's grin slowly wilted into a frown and his eyes glanced down to his toes. Freya also seemed down, having missed so many years of her child's life pass by, and she didn't know he was alive. "...Wasn't exactly the best birthday from what I had before Twilight and I moved there. I found out the hard way that, if a dragon gets greedy, we have a...monstrous growth spurt, and we take more and more things."
"Huh? A greed-induced growth spurt?" Freya questioned.
"It...wasn't pretty," Spike admitted timidly. "I usually only got one gift for my birthdays or Hearth's Warming...But I acted...really different and demanded gifts to the point I got more...aggressive and...not myself." He looked back at his mother, confused by the puzzled expression on her face. "...You've never heard of that either?"
"No." Freya didn't understand the odd affliction Spike had, and his height did begin to concern her. "...How old are you again?"
"Fourteen," Spike said. "Though...I still get treated like a baby dragon. I even went through the Molt last year and got my wings."
"'Molt'?" she mumbled. "...Oh, right. When you go through metamorphosis for your wings. We just call that puberty."
"Riku kinda said the same thing," Spike shrugged. "Must have been rough surviving by yourself when getting chased by Rocs."
"Mine was embarrassing, but we don't get kicked out when we start getting stone scales," Freya assured, startling Spike. "We had creams that could lessen the burning itching feeling...although the smell, you had to get used to that once sneaks up on you."
"Huh...Wish I had that cream," Spike grumbled. He subconsciously scratched his head, feeling itchy just imagining the agonizing burning sensation. "But...did you expect me to be a bit taller?"
"Sort of. You should have been about the size of that one pegasus among your friends," Freya said. "His name was...Ventus?"
"Really? Huh...Is it because I grew up in this Equestria?" Freya lowered her head, one horrible possibility as to why that had torn at her heart so long ago.
"...Or...when we were separated...in the void..." Spike grimaced at the thought. He was lucky his egg managed to survive such an ordeal, and he wasn't too badly deformed. At least he hoped not. "...Spike?"
"Y-Yeah?" Spike mumbled.
"...Am I...terrifying?" she asked.
"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked, wondering what brought the concern up.
"...When I realized I was alone...When I..." Freya grimaced at the gruesome introduction to her malice toward the Heartless. That primal fury that ravaged a harmless field of flowers as she destroyed the Heartless that tried to end her suffering with raw power and a blood lust that would never be sated. She couldn't see it in her fifteen long years of grief, but her aggression scaring everyone around her, especially Spike, began to hurt her. She didn't even notice how startled he was when she was ready to lash out at the mention of a dragon pretending to be Spike's father and do far worse than she promised even if Sludge wasn't turned into a Heartless. "...I was...so angry...lost...I used to be so careful when slaying Heartless...but anytime I see one...I hold nothing back."
"...Oh." Spike didn't want to admit his mother was intimidating. She was so much different back then. He knew she wasn't like the dragons in this world before they reluctantly began to accept friendship, and he was willing to look past the anger that was fueled by her mourning and bring that nice, sweeter side of her. Sidling closer to her, Spike hugged her waist. "Well, I don't think you're scary. I know you wouldn't hurt anyone in the middle of a Heartless invasion."
Despite her son's reassurance, she was afraid to show him the carnage she left in the last world before finding this one. She didn't let it show, rubbing his head as she felt more tears welling in her eyes.
"Goodness. I feel like such an emotional wreck these past few days," Freya uttered. She brought her other hand to her face, trying to compose herself while wiping away the growing tears. "I'm going to cry myself to exhaustion again."
"I think you deserve the rest," Spike said.
The rest of their breakfast was spent talking about other things between the two, most of them around Spike and his life growing up in this Equestria. Freya was impressed with him when he talked about the kingdom they were currently honored guests at, and Spike was called a hero among the ponies here. Even though Spike mentioned Sora was the one who did all the fighting, she was already proud of him for making a name for himself as a dragoon. Though his title, "Spike the Brave and Glorious", sounded like too much of a mouthful. Being her child, she thought that he would have grown up to be a warrior, but she seemed disappointed that she couldn't sense the potential within his heart to be a Key Bearer like herself. While Spike continued talking about what else he accomplished, she frowned when she had a sinking feeling that potential might have been stripped from him as his egg faded into the void they were sucked into.
A knock rang from the door as both dragons turned their attention to it. "Spike?" Twilight called out as she opened the door. "Oh...Good morning, Freya."
"Hello, Twilight," Freya greeted.
"...Uhh...A-Am I interrupting?" the alicorn nervously asked.
"No. I was just hearing all about 'Spike the Brave and Glorious' and all the things you guys have done," Freya said, giving Spike's head another few gentle rubs while he giggled sheepishly. Twilight grinned, glad to see Spike bonding with his long-lost mother, even though she was certain Spike would want to permanently stay with her. Freya stood up and approached Twilight. "I didn't get the chance to say this yesterday. Not with how...overwhelmed I was." To Twilight's surprise, Freya bent down on one knee and bowed her head to the princess. "I truly am sorry for my outbursts and accusations. I'm...still not in my right mind. But know that I am grateful that you and your family took Spike into your hearts."
"Y-You don't...have to bow to me," Twilight assured. "I was happy to take responsibility for Spike. He's the baby brother I never had."
Freya then moved closer and hugged the alicorn, startling her more. "...Were it not for you, or Princess Celestia for finding his egg...I would have never imagined seeing my baby ever again...You have no idea just how much this means to me."
Taken aback, Twilight wrapped her hooves around the dragoon and hugged her back. "I'm just...really glad you two are finally reunited." Feeling Freya release her, Twilight tried not to imagine saying goodbye to Spike forever and break down in tears. "Uhh, I was...kind of looking for Spike."
"Something happen, Twilight?" Spike asked.
"No no. It's...nothing too serious...maybe..." Spike titled his head, knowing that nervous look on his older sister's face. "Just...come with me, Spike."
"Ok." Spike hopped off the bed and followed Twilight, stopping next to Freya and gave her another hug. "I'll be right back and we can talk some more."
"Don't be gone too long," Freya begged.
"I'm not leaving your side, remember?" Spike said with a grin. Freya chuckled, waving to the alicorn and her son as they left the room. Twilight led Spike through the halls, taking him to the throne room. "Hey, Twilight, you think mom can stay in the castle with us? I think she'll fit in pretty well. And wait until Smolder meets her. She's in for a big surprise."
"Y-Yeah...Aren't we all," Twilight mumbled.
Spike didn't like the dejected tone in Twilight's voice. Before he could ask if something was bothering her, she opened the doors and stepped inside. Waiting for them, Spike saw the rest of Twilight's friends and all eight Keyblade wielders looking at him. Shining Armor and Cadence are nowhere in sight, the doors closing behind him through Twilight's magic.
"Uhh...Why's everypony looking at me?" Spike asked timidly.
"I think you know what it is we want to talk about," Aqua said. "Because of your mother's surprising entrance, it didn't seem like a good time to bring it up."
"Bring...what up?" Spike asked.
"About the stunt you pulled with a bit of the Crystal Heart's light, bud," Lea said.
Spike still wore the crystal around his neck as his claws moved up to grab it. "Twilight told us you felt like you were being left out. Again," Riku said.
"We've told you this before when we fought a psycho pony clown and his even more psychotic girlfriend with tentacle hair," Sora added.
Spike grunted, knowing he was going to get an earful from everyone. "I'm old enough to make my own choices," he stated. "If I still wasn't always treated like a baby, or felt like I wasn't as important as the rest of you, maybe you guys would take me seriously."
"Spikey-Wikey, you are important," Rarity reassured the huffy dragon.
"Am I? If I'm so important, then why can't I join you guys and help save worlds like you?" Spike questioned.
"You've been to a few worlds with us," Rainbow said.
"No. I've only been to one: Twilight Town," Spike corrected.
"Really? What about when we spent Christmas at Sora's place a couple years ago?" Rainbow asked.
"Umm, Rainbow Dash, Spike didn't come with us that week," Fluttershy reminded her friend.
"I got really sick that year and could barely get out of bed," Spike added.
Wincing, Rainbow let out a weak laugh, but sighed and wilted pathetically. "Well, there's a lot of things you did with us that you were super duper important!" Pinkie said. "Like that one time...Umm, no. No, you weren't there for that...Ooh! How about when we all...N-No. You weren't in that episode, or that chapter either..." Pinkie grimaced, shifting her eyes nervously as she was drawing a blank. "...You made snacks for...that picnic we had?"
"See!? You guys can't even come up with one thing I did to show I'm just as important as the rest of you!" Spike exclaimed. "All I was was just the sidekick, support, the cheer squad sitting on the bench!"
"Spike, come on. You're blowing this all out of proportion," Xion scolded.
"You're one of the Crystal Empire's biggest heroes," Terra reminded the baby dragon.
"All I did was bring the Crystal Heart back to the alter underneath the castle, but even then, Cadence came to rescue me when I fell off halfway down! Sora fought off Sombra by himself with the Keyblades of Harmony in his Harmony Form! I was practically the errand boy when we all thought that bringing the Crystal Heart was supposed to be part of Twilight's test!" Spike yelled, holding up his crystal and shook it for them all to see. "I want to help fight Heartless, too! If neither of you wanted to give me a Keyblade, then I was going to find a way to do it myself! And I managed to make it work!"
"Spike, even if you thought that was a good idea, ya don't know what you're messin' with," Applejack said.
"I knew you were going to shoot down my idea," Spike grumbled. "Who took care of all those Heartless that appeared? I did! With a small bit of light from the Crystal Heart! I could only use its power inside the empire, but if I could use it outside like the hippogriffs do with their pearl, I can kill them no problem! I just need to figure out how I can trigger it whenever I want, and-!"
"Spike, that is enough!" Aqua shouted. Spike went quiet, but he still stared defiantly at his friends. She approached the dragon, letting out a sigh. "We understand you want to help. Having the Young Six as our apprentices, we didn't want to have any other new wielders to train until we finally put an end to Xehanort's plot to commit a mass genocide of the universe with Kingdom Hearts and the X-blade's power."
"So you can let me have a Keyblade and help?" Spike questioned, skeptical of Aqua's promise.
"The Keyblade chooses its wielder, whether you get one out of the blue just like Sora, through the Keyblade Inheritence Ceremony, or even just by contact with a master or a wielder you've grown close to," Aqua tried to explain. "And it could appear after days, months, or, hell, even years. When I was brought in by Master Eraqus, my Keyblade didn't appear for about a year since my training started."
"But the Young Six, who are older than me, mind you, got theirs in minutes," Spike reminded the unicorn.
"Yes, I know. I may be a master, Spike, but that doesn't mean I know everything about the Keyblade just like that," Aqua said. "The problem is...there is a light in every heart that shows promise for someone to wield the Keyblade." The others seemed to divert their gaze, which made Spike feel uneasy. Aqua sighed again, hanging her head as she contemplated what would be the most disheartening news she would have to give. "...None of us can sense that light in yours."
At a loss for words, Spike glanced at the others. Neither of them made eye contact with him. He was so confused. They would have allowed him to be a Keyblade wielder if he proved himself? His hand subconsciously moved over his heart, begging for an answer.
"...W-What does that mean?" he asked. "I'm...I'm not a Heartless...am I?"
"You're not, thank goodness," Aqua said. "But...I think when you and your mother were sucked into that void...your egg might not have made it unscathed after all."
"B-But I'm fine," Spike assured nervously. "I...Nothing's...wrong with me."
"There isn't," Sora said. "I've known you and the girls far longer than the others. I think you really would make a tough wielder like me...but I guess I never really noticed that...lack of a spark in your heart's light until Aqua brought it up last night."
Dumbfounded, Spike slowly turned his gaze to Kairi. As a Princess of Heart, she could sense the light and darkness coming from someone much more than the others. The solemn gaze, however, proved Aqua's guess was accurate. His head spun, trying to reel in this unfortunate news. He would never wield the Keyblade like his friends. As his claw brushed over the crystal holding some of the Crystal Heart's light, a small glimmer of hope lit up his dreary distress.
"But...I can wield light. With this," Spike said, reminding the others of his crystal around his neck. "The Crystal Heart gifted me its power. If we can just understand how I can activate it without any problems-"
"Spike, that's not a good idea." Though Aqua interrupted him, she didn't scold him. She understood how desperately he wanted to help, but he overlooked something vaguely important as he searched for a selfish way to do so. "Do you know what the Heartless are attracted to?"
"...Hearts?" Spike answered, growing more confused.
"Yes. But, more specifically, they're after the darkness within all hearts," Aqua explained. "And, where there's a strong light...?" Spike's eyes grew wide, slowly piecing the puzzle together. He looked down at his crystal, realizing his mistake. "The Crystal Empire is a kingdom that's filled with light. Multiple times in the last few years, Heartless were driven to this kingdom to take that light and create a darkness that could possibly destroy Equestria and many other worlds in close proximity to it. Even Sombra's Heartless was lured to it to use and corrupt its power to destroy everything. The crystal ponies here are practically vessels filled with light as their hearts help power the Crystal Heart, keeping its barrier strong, and protecting it from the cold climate and the Heartless that are driven to snuff it out.
"We know you have good intentions at heart, Spike, but even having just a fragment of that light will turn you into a beacon to them...You also endangered the entire kingdom by 'testing' it, just so you didn't have to feel left out of a fight that you shouldn't be involved in." Spike silently stared at the crystal, his hands trembling in horror.
The Heartless appeared because of him, and because he excited the crystal ponies with his big announcement, he almost got them killed. He almost got Shining Armor killed. He let the crystal hang from his neck, lowering his head in shame. Again, he's let his own selfish desires cause more trouble. He's no better off than Garble or any of his friends before they were a bit nicer. And he was raised right by Twilight's family. He should have known better, but his one-track mind failed to make him see the many crossroads that winded down to far worse than he expected.
He winced, feeling a familiar hoof rub his head. "I'm sorry, Spike," Twilight said. "We all know you mean well, but...you don't always have to think you need to be a big hero to be a part of us." He slowly lifted his head up, seeing the tearful gaze in his sister's eyes. "You'll always be important to us. To me, and Shining Armor, and mom and dad...You're my little brother." Tears started to flow from both hers and Spike's eyes. "I was so scared seeing you out there the other day. I thought you were going to get hurt...that I was going to lose you...You mean so much to me, Spike, even when you think you don't."
After a long moment of silence between the two, Spike closed his eyes and lowered his head. Twilight immediately hugged the baby dragon tightly, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash joining to give the little dragon a group hug. Even though he was assured time and time again that he was important to them, he always doubted himself when he had royally messed up. He would never forgive himself for endangering the Crystal Empire, the hero they all looked up to. He thinks things would have been better off if Sora was just the empire's big hero, not Spike the Greedy and Selfish.
Outside the throne room, Freya stood beside the wall. She overheard everything when she headed out to search for them after finishing Spike's delicious breakfast he made for her. Her assumptions were correct, and it broke her heart. Her son would have made a great dragoon if she trained him, but hearing the others discover the same thing she had moments ago, where his light is lost, she was overcome with guilt. If she had made it to that vessel Estinien had ready for her sooner, Spike would have been a normal dragon like her. Tears streamed down cheeks, burying her face in her hands as she slid down the wall. She truly did fail her baby, and to see him one day be as strong of a dragoon as her and her husband was a shattered dream.
The comfort of his friends and family did nothing to heal the disappointment Spike felt. He left the castle, needing some air and alone time to think where his life was going. He always had some kind of feeling he was different from the dragons in the Dragon Lands, not just because he was raised by ponies, and not because of Freya being known as an honorable warrior. It was still such a low blow to know that his heart held no light, but he still had some as the nice dragon he is. Whenever he didn't act out of selfishness and fear of being alone or left as an outcast among everyone around him. Not even having Rarity cuddle him and assuring him she appreciated him didn't snap him out of his funk. His crush couldn't even lift his spirits, and he would have fallen head over hooves making any form of contact with the unicorn fashionista.
On his solemn walk, he ignored the crystal ponies all excited to see him as he traveled down their streets. Some weren't aware of the situation, trying to get the dragon's attention, or even running up to get another autograph to add to their collection. Spike brushed them off, confusing them after being denied their praise. He felt he truly didn't deserve it; all he really did was bring the Crystal Heart to safety, and even then, he fumbled and was rescued by Cadence.
He soon came across the two statues of the Crystal Empire's warriors of light. Sora's stood magnificently, wielding seven Keyblades with light strong enough to pierce the darkness that threatened the kingdom. Selfless and courageous despite all odds, he was willing to risk his life for the crystal ponies. Spike's stood there holding the Crystal Heart in his hoof, the young dragon who delivered their precious artifact to them so their love and light can strengthen it and the barrier that kept their home safe for who knows how long. He didn't fight Sombra. He didn't fight any Heartless. He was just a delivery boy, the only one capable of doing it when Sora was the one who took on Sombra while Twilight was trapped in one of the dark unicorn's traps.
Spike sighed, continuing his miserable stroll. He wound up reaching the edge of the barrier near a garden filled with crystal flowers. Sitting down on the bench looking outside the snowy fields beyond the warm barrier, Spike leaned against the backrest, his claws fiddling with the crystal filled with a light he wished he had. But it wasn't his; he took it from the Crystal Heart, begging Shining, Cadence, and Sunburst to do this so he'd be satisfied with being an actual hero.
As he drifted to his thoughts, Spike wasn't aware that he was being followed. Freya watched him from a distance, overcome with guilt for what happened to him. She reached into the hidden pocket of her coat, pulling out her locket with the picture of her and Estinien. If only she hadn't been so weak after laying his egg. Sighing, she put the locket away and approached the bench, standing in front of Spike.
"...Mom," Spike mumbled, slightly startled, but frowned and sighed heavily. "...Sorry. I...forgot you were still in your room." Freya said nothing, making Spike groan miserable. "...There was...a lot they wanted to talk about..."
She knelt down in front of him, removing her hat and set it on the bench beside her son. "...I heard," she said. Spike glanced at his mother, then stared at his crystal in sorrow. Wracked with her guilt and her failures, Freya sobbed, leaning closer as she cupped his cheeks in her hands, bringing their foreheads together. "...I'm so sorry, Spike...I'm so, so sorry..."
"...Did you know?" Spike asked.
"...I thought something was off, but I...I didn't want to believe it to be true." Freya didn't know what to do. Her happiness was being snatched away from her as terrible news continued to cause misery toward her or her child. His energy is gone, something she was looking forward to and catch up on many years of lost time with him. She hugged Spike tightly, weeping for him. "This truly is all my fault..."
"It's not your fault," Spike mumbled. "...Maybe things would have been better if my egg died."
Mortified, Freya dropped Spike back on the bench. "Don't you dare say such a thing! I thought the worst, but a small part of me clung to a weak-hearted hope that you lived! I kept surviving because of my anger and not let yours or your father's hearts have faded in the darkness in vain!"
"What would be the point!?" Spike shouted, startling Freya. "You're blaming yourself for what happened to me! You didn't do anything wrong! The Heartless are the problem! They separated us, AND got dad killed!" He breathed heavily as fresh tears streamed down his face. "To find out that my heart doesn't have any light, I may as well have turned into a Heartless! I...I was lucky to even be born..." He stared at his crystal again, furrowing his brow angrily. Grasping it tightly, he yanked it, unclasping the chain. "For so long, I've always wondered just who I am. I'm not a pony. I'm not like the dragons in this world...But anytime I think I found the answer, something has to...make me question who I am all over again."
"...Oh, Spike," Freya mumbled.
"I just...feel like an outcast. I'm not a pony. I'm not a dragon. I don't have any light in my heart." Spike choked back a sob as he grit his teeth. "I'm not even a hero to this kingdom...What kind of hero goes and puts everypony's lives in danger for something so selfish!?" Spike threw the crystal with a grunt, sending it clattering across the ground, rolling very closely toward the edge of the barrier as it came to a stop. He shook with anger, but he whimpered and buried his face in his hands. "...Even when I try to help...most of the time, I just...only want what I want...I'm not Spike the Brave and Glorious; I'm Spike the Selfish and Greedy..."
Freya wanted to reach her hand out to Spike and rub his head to comfort him. But, she hesitated, blaming herself for letting Spike think this way. She only had a few more yards to go, but she fumbled and dropped his egg and refused to let go of him. She wanted to help lift his spirits, but she didn't know how. She looked back at the crystal Spike threw. Standing on her feet, she walked over to it, then knelt down and picked it up. As she touched it, she could feel the holy light of the Crystal Heart inside it. It was a power that outmatched her own, or whatever light still lingered in her heart after years of destruction toward the Heartless. Spike mentioned to her earlier that he was able to use its powers and saved everyone.
She had to light that fire back in him, grasping the crystal tightly. Her expression grew serious, wiping away her tears, then walked back over to Spike. She grabbed her hat and set it back on her head, dragging her nail against the brim as it settled into place.
"You are not selfish, nor greedy, Spike," Freya said. Spike looked up through his hands as his mother kneeled back down in front of him. "Even if you cannot wield the Keyblade like I can, you still have that passion to be a dragoon. And your light will be within this crystal."
She held up his crystal, her behavior shift confusing him. "W-What?"
Without anymore elaboration, Freya tied the chain back around Spike's neck. "You were able to activate this Crystal Heart's power a few times. We are going to figure out what triggers it so you can prove your worth. Not just to your friends or me, but also for yourself." Baffled, Spike looked back down at his accessory, but Freya gently held his head, forcing him to look in her eyes. "I was not lying when I see Estinien's eyes in yours. I believe you do have what it takes to prove to them that you can be the hero these ponies look up to. You need to stop doubting yourself and your mistakes. As a dragoon, we keep fighting and protect those who cannot protect themselves. And I am going to help you, no matter what the cost."
"B-But...But Aqua said Heartless would attack me if I take this with me," Spike said. "I-I shouldn't even be wearing this anymore."
"If they come, I will protect you," Freya promised. She gave him a kiss on the forehead, giving him an encouraging smile. "I've failed you once. I refuse to let them take you away from me again."
Spike wasn't sure about this. As much as he wanted to learn how to use the Crystal Heart's power and properly control it, he didn't want to put his own mother in harm's way. He didn't want to get in more trouble with the others for alerting more Heartless to attack them or the Crystal Empire again. He didn't even know what he wanted to do anymore in this slump he's in. What conflicted him the most was that his mother fully believed in him, even if she did overhear how dangerous his initial plan was and the worst-case scenario that could have happened. He didn't want to disappoint her after he just found her and wanted to form a bond that was almost lost between them.
Knowing this was going to bite him in the tail, he let out a small sigh. "...Ok...We'll give it a shot."
Freya smiled and gave her son a loving hug. "We'll make a valiant dragoon out of you yet."
Carrying Spike in her arms, she leapt high into the sky, startling Spike from the incredible bound she made without even flapping her wings. At the peak of her jump, she extended her wings and flew off, leaving the barrier and out into the snowy wasteland for them to practice. Spike gulped nervously, hoping no more Heartless were lying in wait.
Once they were far enough away, Freya floated down, crunching the snow as she landed and lowered Spike to the ground. "That...was weird," Spike said. "How were you able to do that?"
"A lot of training in dexterity and strength," Freya said with a small laugh. "Dragoons are quite dangerous when they're in the air, especially with our leaps and divebombing down on our foes."
"I could tell when you...came down with that cool spell you did a few days ago," Spike said.
"It's called 'Heaven's Wrath'," she said, though her smile waned as she gazed down sadly. "...Your father was the one who invented such a technique...and I learned it from him."
"Oh..." Freya shook her head, focusing back on getting Spike to fight like a dragoon.
"So, what can you recall that may spark using the Crystal Heart's power?" she asked.
"Uhh...Well, when all those Heartless appeared a few days ago, I thought it would work when I was in trouble," Spike pondered. "But when I tried to breathe my fire breath at them, it didn't work."
"So danger doesn't activate like a self-defense mechanism," Freya muttered as she brought a finger to her chin.
"I thought it did when it first happened," Spike mentioned. "When I was carrying the Crystal Heart down the side of the castle, Sombra's dark crystals almost struck me and knocked me off. I panicked and blew fire at it, which started turning from green to white, and they broke apart. I don't know how it reacted that day."
"Hmmm...It still sounds like it only works when you're in peril," Freya grumbled. "You also mentioned the...Equestria Games, where it happened the second time?"
"Ugh. I don't want to be reminded of that," Spike huffed. "Made myself look like a big idiot trying to be cool. I choked when I lit the torch and Twilight saved my scales when I was having a panic attack."
"Aww, I'm sure it wasn't that bad," Freya assured.
"I thought I lit it with my mind before Twilight told me what she did, and I tried to light a piece of paper on fire with some pyrokinesis I didn't really have," he explained.
Freya's face drooped, flabbergasted by the weird details. "...Oh...That, err...That's a...wild imagination you had?"
"So to make up for fumbling the lighting of the torch, I planned to sing the Crystal Empire's anthem when the flight relay race was done," Spike said. "I didn't know that it was supposed to be the winning team's anthem that was meant to be played, and I just made up a bunch of words while wishing I hid myself under a rock throughout the whole tune."
Freya's jaw hung open, slowly closing it as she grimaced slightly, subconsciously tipping the brim of her hat down over her face. "...Ok, worse than I thought," she mumbled. "But...I'm sure you have a...wonderful singing voice?"
"Mom, just...stop," Spike begged.
"I was...trying to find a positive in that embarrassing situation," she reasoned. Spike groaned, his eyes pleading with her to not try to find a light to that humiliating show he put on. "Ok, ok. Sorry. So, the second time?"
"It was during the ice archery event," Spike said. "Nobodies appeared and began attacking. One of the archers accidentally launched an arrow into a cloud, turning the water inside it into sharp icicles, and the weight dragged it down and threatened to hurt everyone inside. Sora, Riku, Kairi, Aqua, and Ven were busy fighting the Nobodies, and no one but me noticed the cloud coming down. So I pushed back what embarrassed the hay out of me and used my dragon breath. The light fueled it and burned white, which not only melted and evaporated the cloud, but it caused the icicles to rain shards of light down and took out the rest of the Nobodies."
Freya grunted, still finding that the only way Spike could use the Crystal Heart's light was by something perilous happening to Spike. She didn't know the details of what happened a few days ago. She didn't know how many Heartless there were before arriving in Equestria's atmosphere, spotting the Darkside and went for the kill before it could spawn more Heartless.
"This may be more troublesome than I thought..." She didn't want to resort to doing something drastic with her son just to trigger the Crystal Heart's light. Spike wasn't physically capable of actual combat, which concerned her of his height for his age earlier. He still looked young enough to be an adolescent, let alone a baby. "...Maybe getting into a confrontation might do something."
"Huh? You mean...get into a fight?" Spike asked.
"Only one way to find out," Freya said. "Plus, this is a good way to learn a little hand-to-hand combat. Even without a weapon, your fists and feet are your next best weapons." Spike glanced down at his limbs, then nervously back up at his mother. Freya winced, partially forgetting how small he was, including his arms and legs. "...W-Well, smaller size equals a smaller target to strike. And you might have a speed advantage."
"I guess that makes sense." Spike flapped his wings and hovered to his mother's height, putting his fists up. "So, I just...try to hit you?"
"Yup. Don't be afraid to hurt me. Dragoons are tough," Freya assured.
"Ok." Spike wasn't sure if he was able to hurt his mom with her experience as a warrior, but he was going to try his best. He flew at her and tried to punch her, but Freya blocked it with her palm, lightly flicking him back and caused him to spin out. Spike quickly righted himself, slightly dizzy. "H-Hey!"
"And don't expect me to not retaliate," she added with a smirk. "I may be going easy on you, but if this was a real fight, you don't hesitate."
Spike grunted, bringing his fists back up and went back in to continue punching. Freya blocked his fists, but Spike kept his guard up, learning his lesson right away. Though Spike's jabs were weak, Freya was glad to find an outlet for him and distract him from putting himself down. And taking her advice, he used his smaller, more agile size to try to fly around to hit her, but her reflexes were much quicker as she added some weaves to her blocks.
"So, uhh, I have a weird question," Spike said.
"Try not to strike a conversation with your opponent," Freya warned as Spike swooped in to divebomb her. She leaned back far, dodging him and vaulted off of her hands, flipping over Spike, then snagged him in her arms in midair, cuddling him with a cheeky grin. "They'll take advantage of the distraction."
"I thought it was just harmless sparring." Freya laughed at his response. She let him go and they continued their little sparring training. "I was actually curious about the dragons from your world. Dad and the other dragoons wore heavy armor, but you don't. Why is that?"
"I never did like clunky armor weighing me down while I trained," Freya said. "Granted, I do have my Keyblade armor whenever I fly to other worlds, but that's the only exception because of the vacuum of space." Leaping away from another of Spike's jabs, she showed off her insane speed. Spike gasped, watching her hop slightly, then suddenly appear to his left, then his right, and finally behind him, giving him a playful tap on the head. "I prefer being light on my feet than other dragoons."
Spike turned around, amazed. "Whoa. I didn't even see you move!" he said. "You think I could do that?"
"We'll see when you get older and finally get that growth spurt," she said. After several more minutes, Spike started to get tired as he flopped onto the snow, panting heavily. "So, anything yet?"
Sitting up, Spike looked down at his crystal. "...No. Nothing," he mumbled.
Freya sighed, growing more frustrated and disappointed. "...Maybe it really does work when you're in a dire situation," she uttered. "...Or...when it decides to give you its strength."
"I don't know anymore." Freya wilted. She knelt down beside Spike and gently rubbed his head. "It was a good try, but...I think the Crystal Heart finally realizes I'm not worthy anymore."
"Spike, stop that," Freya scolded. "There has to be some way to make this work."
Spike weakly shrugged. He just wanted to go back home and do what he was best at; being his sister's assistant and take care of the castle. Freya dug out her locket again, silently wondering what Estinien would have done if he were here. Her heart ached to hear his voice again, to feel his arms around her as he reassured her with her fears or concerns. She knew he would have been an amazing father if he knew how wonderful their son was.
"M-Mom!?" Hearing Spike in distress, she looked down at him, seeing him pointing at something behind them with a terrified look.
Quickly turning her head, she let out a horrified gasp as her eyes grew wide. Standing a few yards away from them was an all too familiar Heartless the two have met, the very same one who turned Sludge into a Heartless and who discovered and wiped out Freya's home world from another galaxy. The Darkling stood ominously with its creepy grin, eyeing the two dragons with a curious tilt of its head.
"This thing still exists?" Freya snarled, standing up and summoned her Keyblade. "You're the same Heartless who destroyed my world, aren't you!?" The Darkling slowly nodded its head, mocking her by showing its intelligence. "Urgh! You took away my home, my husband, and you separated me from my son...You're gonna regret running away like a coward that day. You should have killed me years ago." The Heartless leaned its head, staring directly at Spike. While Spike hid behind Freya, she growled and snorted smoke in anger. "Eyes up here! If you so much as think about going after my baby, I'll tear that stupid grin off your face along with your head!"
Freya hopped and reappeared in front of the Darkling with a powerful, landing shockwave. The Darkling took off in the air, avoiding Freya and flew backwards, taunting her with its claws. She continued chasing it, slashing wildly to kill and and get revenge for everything she once held dear. Spike was unnerved seeing this Heartless again, but instead of attacking, it was constantly eluding Freya, separating her from him. Without warning, appearing in a dark void behind Spike, two Soldiers snuck up on him and grabbed his arms.
"Ah! H-Hey!" Spike struggled, unable to escape as the Heartless held him back. He couldn't even fly off the ground as they were strong enough to keep him grounded. "Let go of me!"
Hearing him in distress, Freya turned and growled at the Heartless holding her son hostage. "GET OFF OF HIM, YOU BRAINLESS DEMONS!"
She made a horrible mistake as the Darkling's smirk widened. With her back turned, it raised its claw, calling forth a dark aura, then dashed into the dragoon. Just as Freya was about to jump to break their distance and slay the Soldiers, the Darkling latched onto her back, and as she reappeared next to Spike, thrust its claws right where her heart lies. Freya gagged, her face twisted in searing agony as she struggled to breathe. When Spike stopped struggling, his heart sank. Clutching his mother's back, looking down at him over her shoulder, he thrust his claws into her back and in her chest. His claws didn't impale her, but there was a dark aura that began to grow around her heart.
Become...Wrath...
It pulled its claws out, leaping away as Freya gasped and staggered backward. The Soldiers holding Spike disappeared, making him drop to the snow. Freya grasped her chest, shakily glancing back at the Darkling, giving her the same cheeky wave before disappearing in a dark void. She felt a sharp pain pierce her heart, yelling as she felt the darkness it injected into her begin to fester. Falling to her knees, she keeled over, trying to hold herself up with one hand while the other clutched painfully at her chest.
"...No...No! Mom!" Spike cried. Scrambling to his feet, he ran over to her, hearing her breathing raggedly and heavily. The Darkling wasn't as ruthless as it was to Sludge, but to see his mother's heart being corrupted by its darkness terrified him, fearing he was going to watch her die after he just got to know her. "No. Mom, please. Y-You can't..."
"...S-Sp-ike..." Freya couldn't fight it back. She was losing as the darkness forced her memories to recall her past fifteen years of rage when making contact with Heartless through all the worlds she's wandered in. Her fury, her hatred, her grief, all of it culminated and began to change her as her sense of thought began to lose all rational thought. She looked at Spike, watching him look heartbroken as tears ran down his face. Her pupils had shrunk, slowly reverting into a bloodlust she isn't able to control as the darkness continued to spread. "...R-Run...away..."
"N-No! No, I don't want to lose you!" Spike pleaded.
"...I-I...l-lo-ove...you...P-Please..." Freya shed tears, begging her child to get away from her before it's too late. "...Flee..."
Another sharp pain made her gasp, the aura suddenly billowing around her as she screamed. Spike didn't want to leave her or watch her die. He tried to help her, but she quickly lifted herself up, unleashing a terrifying roar as the darkness erupted. Spike was sent flying back several yards from the shockwave, tumbling across the snow. Shaking the snow off himself, Spike watched helplessly as the dark aura around Freya started to shift into a dark blood red. She fell forward, catching herself with her hands, breathing heavily. Worried, he got up, cautiously approaching her, praying she fought it back.
"...M-Mom?" he called out. He froze when he heard he let out a low growl, only it sounded more feral; demonic. Freya slowly climbed back to her feet, one hand held against her face as she staggered slightly. Spike could still see the dark aura mixed with the dark red. Her hand fell from her face at a snail's pace, but when she looked at Spike, his face went pale at what he saw. Her scales were now a melded mess of black and red that made her look like a monster born from Tartarus itself. But what scared him the most was her eyes; not a hint of green and was replaced by a bright yellow, her pupils a dark red. "...No..."
Freya's pupils shrank as she stared at the baby dragon, her throat rumbling with a deadly growl. Spike trembled, slowly backing away, but his slightest movement made the corrupted dragoon release a loud, menacing shriek of a roar, then she dashed toward him like a wild animal. Spike screamed and flew away, barely avoiding her pounce and tried to make it back to the barrier. Freya snarled, shaking off the snow as she turned back and sprinted after Spike on foot.
Shining Armor and Cadence were horrified after learning what the others said to Spike. As lucky as Spike was to have survived, to know that he had no light in his heart was upsetting news to hear. And after all the effort he went through to try to play his part and help fight, the thought of being a huge target with the Crystal Heart's light and endangering the lives of everyone around him shot down his self-confidence immensely. They didn't even think about that despite the close calls the Crystal Empire's had with the Heartless for the last few years since its return.
Twilight lingered on the balcony overlooking the city. She was leaning against the rail, hoping Spike would recover from the bout of depression that weighed heavily in his heart. She hadn't even seen Freya after their talk with Spike. His mother would probably know how to cheer him up better than she could.
"Twi?" Twilight's ear twitched, but she remained moping as Riku came over to sit beside her. "Hey, I'm sure Spike will make it through this."
"I only wish I could have done more," she mumbled. "How did I not realize it when I could sense the light in others?"
"All we can do is constantly remind him he's special, even if he can't do everything we can," he assured his girlfriend. Riku draped his wing around her, bringing her in for a hug. As the two sat there, they flinched when they heard a menacing screech of a roar rang out all throughout the tundra. It was so startling, the entire city went dead silent as the crystal ponies stopped what they were doing and looked out to where the sound came from. Not a moment later, the rest of their friends, even Shining Armor, Cadence, and Flurry Heart joined the couple on the balcony in shock. "What the heck was that?"
"That...almost sounded like a dragon," Terra said.
"Not many dragons have ever been seen flying anywhere up in this region," Shining Armor said.
"Is it Freya?" Xion asked.
Pinkie dug into her mane and pulled out a pair of binoculars. "Good thing I brought along my emergency binoculars for binocular emergencies."
"You have 'emergency' binoculars?" Lea questioned. "What kind of emergency requires needing this?"
"To see things from a distance that could be coming our way. Duh," Pinkie scoffed, making the red unicorn stallion grumble at her know-it-all attitude. She took a peak through her binoculars, scoping the fields for the mysterious roar. When she found it, her eyes physically popped through the lens as she screamed in shock. "Oh no! Spike's being chased outside the barrier!"
"What!? He's outside the kingdom!?" Twilight exclaimed.
"He's still wearing that crystal," Aqua uttered. "He's attracted more Heartless."
"No, that's not the worst news!" Pinkie screeched. "He's being chased by his mommy! AND SHE'S GONE MAD!"
Shocked, everyone stared at Pinkie. "We gotta get out there and figure out what the heck is going on. Now!"
Without wasting any time, everyone but the royal family of the Crystal Empire leapt off the balcony and rushed down the streets to rescue Spike. Sora, Riku, Kairi, Ventus, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash flew on ahead while the others sprinted as quickly as they could. They could hear Spike screaming in panic, but when they found him, they froze and gawked at the state Freya was in, and she was chasing Spike like a predator chasing after her prey. The amount of darkness that shrouded her possessed form was unnerving, even making Kairi feel like she was going to pass out from how powerful it felt.
"W-What the hay is wrong with her!?" Rainbow questioned.
"This is bad," Sora uttered. "She's been corrupted...and from the color of that aura, it's Wrath."
Twilight's heart plummeted into her stomach, zipping off to save Spike. "Twilight, wait!" Riku shouted.
"Spike!" Twilight cried out, calling forth Harmony and the Keyblade of Magic. Spike was too busy flapping his wings to get away as he was absolutely terrified and distraught. Freya suddenly jumped, disappearing, then slammed down on top of him, pinning him to the ground. Before she could sink her claws into her son, Twilight brought both her Keyblades together and released a powerful Aeroga spell, forcefully blowing the corrupted dragoon off of him. She scooped her little brother up off the ground, thankful to have made it before Freya could have killed him. "Spike, what happened?"
"T-That Heartless that got Sludge; it appeared!" Spike sobbed. "It...It attacked her heart! S-She-She's..."
"The Darkling came back?" Twilight uttered.
"Mom recognized it," Spike added. "It was the same one that destroyed her world! It knew her! And it's...She's going to die..."
Twilight tried to assure Spike that wouldn't happen, only to look up and see Freya flying straight at her with blinding speed. She gasped and brought her Keyblades up to deflect her, but Sora and Riku both flew in and slammed themselves into the dragoon. Both stallions shoved Freya back several yards back, but she began to slow down as the claws on her feet dug into the earth until they came to a stop. Both wielders struggled, but when they heard her inhale deeply, they both grimaced, then flew away before she unleashed a massive blast of fire from her mouth. Her emerald flames were also corrupted, turning completely black.
"Twilight, get Spike inside the barrier!" Riku yelled out. Freya stopped breathing her fire, then swiftly hopped and reappeared in front of the alicorn and baby dragon. Twilight quickly cast a barrier, blocking Freya's claws as they struck with such force that made her legs buckle as she kept her shield held. "Damn it. She's so fast."
Freya snarled like a rabid beast, punching and clawing at the barrier, even headbutting it, causing it to crack and break through the barrier. Before Twilight's barrier shattered, Kairi added her own magic, strengthening it, but her light caused Freya to go insane and wail on it even harder. Rainbow then dove down, Formchanging her Keyblade into its spear form, slamming down into the corrupted dragoon and unleashed powerful thunderbolts down on her. Freya roared as electricity flowed through her, stunning her and leaving her open for Ventus to tackle her back, keeping Spike and Twilight out of harm's way. She shook off the paralysis faster than they expected, her eye glaring with deadly malice at her assailants.
"Ok, that is pretty creepy, but she can't match my-" While Rainbow gloated, ready for some action, Freya leapt and landed behind the pegasus faster than she could blink. She thrust her hand out, grasping the startled Rainbow Dash by the back of her head, then grunted as Freya slammed her down hard into the ground. "C-Crud. H-How is she faster?"
Ventus tried to save her, but Freya's tail whipped him hard in the chest, knocking the wind out of him and sent him tumbling dozens of yards across the snow. Though his attempt failed, he gave Rainbow enough time to retaliate. She shoved her spear into Freya's side, delivering a painful shock that made her stagger back, and as she got back up on her hooves, she smacked Freya back and chased her, repeatedly thrusting at mach speed with each impact releasing a shock that kept the dragoon from using her swift steps to counter her.
The others finally caught up and ran over to Twilight and Spike, gawking in horror seeing Freya in her corrupted state while Rainbow was rapidly keeping her at bay. "Oh, that is definitely not good," Lea uttered.
"What in the hell happened to Freya?" Terra asked.
"A Darkling attacked Freya and Spike while they were outside the barrier," Twilight said for Spike as the baby dragon was overcome with fear and sadness.
"The same thing that turned Sludge into an abomination?" Xion gasped.
"Spike said Freya recognized it as the exact same one that destroyed her world," Twilight added.
Aqua growled, unable to forget the look on that Heartless' face when it appeared in her own world as a child, even taking the heart of her deceased bully before fading into the darkness. "Just what the hell is this thing and why is it causing everyone around it so much grief?" With no sign of it around, it most likely did its job to cause havoc, or destroy a world however it seemed fitting, then ran away like a coward. Aqua was snapped out of her ire when she heard Rainbow, Sora, and Riku yell, getting smacked back as they surrounded the dragoon. "We need to help her. Lea, Xion, Terra, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie, cover Kairi. The rest of us will try to wear her out and keep her distracted."
"Ugh. Easier said than done," Sora grunted. "I don't know what training she's done as a dragoon, but while corrupted with Wrath, she hits like a runaway truck."
"That's an understatement," Rainbow groaned. "It's more like doing a sonic rainboom into a brick wall."
Ventus regrouped with everyone, clutching his side and wheezed after he got struck in the gut by Freya's iron-strength tail. "Combine both of those by twenty," he uttered.
Freya snarled, glaring at the numerous Key Bearers in her line of sight. She shot her left hand out with a yell, calling forth her Keyblade, shrouded in the same red and black aura billowing around her. Kairi began to charge her purification spell as the others got into position. Freya let out a roar, then jumped, startling everyone when she disappeared and prepared for her to reappear behind them. However, she was nowhere to be found.
"Oh no. Where'd she go!?" Sora exclaimed.
"Her movements make her look like she's teleporting around," Aqua uttered.
Unable to find her, expecting the corrupted dragoness to have run off to try to destroy the world, Spike dared to look up. Spotting a figure high up in the sky, he gasped as he saw a dark aura in the snow-covered clouds. Freya raised her Keyblade as the aura grew in size, creating a swirling mass of darkness.
"...H-Heaven's Wrath," Spike uttered.
"What?" Twilight looked at Spike, then looked up to see what he was staring at. Her eyes widened, watching the cloud of darkness suddenly flash, then without warning, it began to rain spears made of the darkness from Freya's corrupted aura. "RUN!"
Everyone quickly looked up, watching the aura above Freya flash, then begin raining down thousands of spears made of pure darkness upon the land. They all scattered, narrowly avoiding getting skewered or blown up from the explosions left by each spear as they impacted the ground. Luckily, they were far enough away from the Crystal Empire to instill fear in the crystal ponies as the spears came crashing down. With everyone split apart, Freya flung her Keyblade down toward the earth at breakneck speed. Just as everyone tried to get back together, Kairi gasped and leapt away, almost getting struck by the darkness infested Keyblade, unaware of Freya having dropped down behind her with such agility and a landing so silent, she could have been as light as a feather.
Sensing the dark presence, Kairi began to turn her head, only to be met with a powerful roundhouse kick to her face. The blow sent the alicorn sailing across the field, knocking her unconscious. Sora swiftly flew in his wife's path, catching her as they landed and skid across the snow. Once they came to a stop, Sora panicked as he checked on her, thankfully hearing her breathing, but the insane speed Freya had shook him.
"This is far worse than what happened with Sunset Shimmer," he uttered. Without Kairi conscious, she can't use her light to help extract this darkness from the troubled dragoon's corrupted form. It was all up to him and the Mane Six to use their light to purify Freya now. The others regrouped, Xion rushing over to watch over Kairi for Sora as he stepped forward, tapping into his Ray of Hope Form with the Crystal Ultima Keyblade in his hoof. Sensing the powerful light from him, Freya snarled, grasping her Keyblade sticking up from the ground and glared at him. "I'll try to keep her distracted. If I can wear her out, let's try to use the Elements' power to free her from this darkness."
"You're gonna take her on by yourself!?" Pinkie shrieked. "Did you SEE how quick she was moving!?...Jumping? SHE WAS MOVING REALLY FAST!"
"If we waste too much time trying to tire her out, that darkness will completely consume her heart," Aqua said.
Spike panicked, breaking free from Twilight's hooves and rushed toward Sora, grabbing one of his back legs tightly. "Sora, please save her!" he begged the stallion. "I don't want to lose my mom! Not after finally meeting her!"
"I'll save her, Spike. Don't worry," Sora assured Spike. Spike was pulled back by Aqua, keeping him out of harm's way. As the outsiders of the world stayed back with Kairi, the Mane Six stood behind Sora, the rest of the mares Formchanging their Keyblades to hopefully get some sort of edge against the corrupted Freya. "No one else is dying on my watch..."
The instant Freya dashed forward, Sora did the same. Both wielders clashed their Keyblades, light and dark auras sparking and scattering around them in a spectacular blaze. They soon began to warp around the field, becoming nothing but a rainbow and dark red and black blur zipping around, releasing deadly sparks across the field. Rainbow was flabbergasted; not even she was able to keep up with where they were going, and she thought her enhanced speed as a Keyblade wielder would have helped give her an edge over Sora.
"Jeeze. Freya must have had some different kind of training in her world," Lea uttered.
The two dueling wielders wound up getting a bit too close to the others, making them yelp and back away slightly as they kicked up snow. "And it doesn't help this corruption has probably made her ten times stronger and faster," Terra added.
Sora grunted as he and Freya landed, only to get tackled to the ground as he blinked. Freya tried to lunge for his throat with her fangs like a mad wolf, but he kept her at bay with his Keyblade pushing back against her chest. He didn't want to have to hurt her, but he really was left with no choice. He managed to kick her off of him, then swung, sending a wave of ethereal Keyblades rushing toward her. He missed as she leapt back, but upon landing, she stepped forward, quickly bounding and diving back down onto Sora.
Sora teleported out of the way, barely getting struck as Freya landed hard. She turned to roar at him, only to gag when Fluttershy snapped her whip, wrapping it around Freya's neck. Despite being choked, she grasped the whip with her right hand and tried to pull Fluttershy closer to slash at her with her Keyblade or her claws. Applejack came up behind her friend and helped pull the whip taut, setting the trio in a deadly tug-of-war. The dragon struggle with a snarl, but her eyes flicked to Pinkie as she sprinted up to her, slid, then began launching her bubble guns' bubbles at point blank range. Before a single bubble touched her, Freya leapt, dragging Applejack and Fluttershy as they yelled, then were flung into Pinkie as she landed with a deadly spiral jump.
All three mares were sent tumbling into a pile, Fluttershy's whip slipping off of Freya's neck. Before she could kill the downed trio, Rainbow sped through with lightning speed and thrust her spear at her. The dragoon flipped away, heading into Rarity's path as she lunged her rapier at her. Her reflexes were much faster, blocking the thin blade, avoiding Rainbow coming back for another swift lunge. Sora dove in, sending Freya on the defensive, but despite being outnumbered three-to-one, she was able to dodge and block their strikes, elemental prowess, and Sora's stream of ethereal Keyblades at all angles. Twilight waited for the right time to launch a volley of powerful spells that were weak enough to subdue Freya, but she didn't want to accidentally catch her friends in the crossfire.
With an aggravated roar, Freya exploded with rage, her aura pushing Sora, Rarity, and Rainbow back while breathing a deadly torrent of flames in the air. The flames crashed down like an erupting volcano, surrounding the snowy landscape in a sea of dark flames. Avoiding getting burnt, in the maze of veiling fire, Freya suddenly leapt through them, startling them as she went all out. Starting with Rarity, she smacked her rapier out of her aura, grasped her by the horn, then leapt and dragged her through the flames, aiming for Rainbow next. Flinging her Keyblade, she made the pegasus flap away, only to be grabbed by the neck, slamming both mares down, then flung them toward where Twilight was standing.
Twilight gasped, grabbing both her friends in her magic to slow them down after leaping in the air to avoid them crashing into her. After setting them down, Twilight cast Waterja to douse out the burning flames. As they disappeared in a burst of steam, veiling the landscape with the mix of hot air and the cold climate, it gave Freya the opportunity to take Sora out. He may have reacted in time and avoided her Keyblade, but as she flipped, her tail slammed down on Sora's head hard. He crashed to the ground as a sizable crater was left where he laid. Twilight quickly cleared the steam away with a hard flap of her wings, watching Freya loom over Sora, who was still surprisingly conscious, but he wasn't able to defend himself.
Freya began to inhale and incinerate Sora, but Twilight jumped in, slamming Harmony into the side of her head. She let out a roar as her flames just barely turned away in time to save Sora, but that was a costly decision. Her menacing gaze pierced into the alicorn's, disappearing with her incredible speed once more. Twilight winced, expecting a surprise attack, only for it to be a feint as Freya reappeared in front of Twilight, slamming her knee into her chest. She couldn't get a chance to wheeze in pain before the dragoon unleashed every ounce of strength in her endless rage. Forgoing her Keyblade, Freya yelled and grunted heavily in exertion as she punched, slashed, and kicked Twilight repeatedly, knocking the alicorn back over and over. With a harsh kick that sent Twilight flying back, Freya inhaled deeply, building up flames in her maw, then spat a massive fireball right at the defenseless princess.
The fireball exploded, engulfing Twilight in dark flames. The others looked on in horror, watching the smoke clear, but miraculously, she only took a small bit of damage. Around her was a small barrier of light that protected her as she laid in the puddle of melted snow. From the crater, Sora managed to crawl himself out, using her power to cast a shield to cover Twilight at the last second. His vision grew blurry as the blow to his head caught up with him, releasing a breath he was holding as his Ray of Hope Form faded.
"Damn it, this is not good," Riku grunted. "We gotta-"
Freya's eyes quickly shifted to the other wielders, then she roared and blew more of her corrupted dragon breath at them. They braced themselves as the flames hit the ground and began to surround them, sealing them in a dome of red and black fire.
"Not again!" Ventus exclaimed.
"Lea, can't you do something!?" Aqua asked, starting to get desperate.
Lea summoned his weapons and lit his chakrams ablaze. With a yell, he sent his chakrams spinning rapidly, trying to suck away the dark flames with his own fiery vortex. Sadly, his efforts were in vain as his fire was the one being absorbed, further adding fuel to the dark blaze.
"Urgh! Ok, that wasn't a smart idea!" he said. "And if someone were to tick me off and set me in a magic surge, that'd probably be worse!"
Growling, Aqua began launching Water spells to try to free them. The flames were far too powerful unlike the last ones Freya made earlier, keeping them permanently trapped inside. Through the veil of flames, Spike trembled, watching his mother stomp menacingly toward Twilight. The alicorn groaned, trying to get back up, only to yelp feeling Freya's foot kick her hard onto her back, then slam down on her chest. Gagging, Twilight coughed from the harsh blow to her ribs, trying to paw at her leg with her hooves, but froze when she gazed up at the corrupted dragoness. Freya stood over her, breathing heavily, her Keyblade reappearing in her left hand.
"No...No..." Spike muttered repeatedly. His whole body shook in fear, but what scared him the most was watching his own mother, corrupted by darkness, about to impale his surrogate sister with her own Keyblade. He was going to lose both his sister, and eventually, his mother. Without thinking, Spike ran as fast as his legs could, startling the other wielders as he suddenly bolted. They tried to stop him, but the crystal necklace began to shine, surrounding him in a veil of light as he phased through the dark flames unharmed. Tears streaming down his face, he didn't stop as the light around him intensified, increasing his speed as he flapped his wings and rushed to Twilight and Freya. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
With his cry, Spike's flames flew from his maw, billowed in a bright white and surrounded him. Freya began to thrust her Keyblade down with a yell, but was suddenly intercepted by a Keyblade of pure light, a form surrounded in white flames standing before her, and as they dissipated, Spike in his new form let out a roar, his left hand surrounded with white flames, and punched his corrupted mother right in the chest. The impact ignited Freya as she was sent flying away from Twilight, letting out shrill screams as she rolled around trying to snuff out the holy fire surrounding her. Spike breathed heavily, his cheeks still matted with his tears, barely acknowledging his transformation like last time.
Through the dark flames surrounding the others, the wielders gawked at Spike, and how his crystal had reacted and granted him a much older appearance, along with a crystal breastplate for armor. "Is that...Spike?" Terra uttered.
"Yup. That's what that light did to him a few days ago," Lea confirmed.
"But how did it react this time?" Xion asked. "Does it just choose when it wants to?"
"More importantly, just how much darkness is he going to attract while he's still outside the barrier with that on," Aqua mentioned.
The rest of the Mane Six came around, even Sora as he caught his second wind. When they stood back up and saw Spike next to Twilight, they were in awe by his appearance.
"Oh my...Spikey-wikey?" Rarity mumbled. The fashionista felt like she was seeing a completely different dragon before them. Standing as tall as Smolder, his baby fat was gone and his physique was more lean with some muscle to it. Despite their age difference, the unicorn couldn't help but blush at the handsome dragon that replaced the adorable baby dragon she'd met years ago. "...Is this...what he'll look like when he hits his growth spurt?"
"Uh oh. Now Rarity's got a crush on Spike," Pinkie said. "Try not to be TOO subtle like his crush on you, Rarity."
"T-That wasn't the first thing on my mind, Pinkie!" Rarity scolded.
"Rarispike shippers might get their wish~!" Pinkie continued to tease, flustering the unicorn more.
Freya snarled, getting back up after snuffing out the flames. When she leered at Spike, as he stepped in front of Twilight to protect her, her hardened gaze began to soften a little. They were still fueled with fury, but she eyed him with uncertainty. Twilight sat up, rubbing her chest, glancing back up at Spike.
"S-Spike, what're you...doing?" she uttered.
Ignoring her, Spike cautiously stepped forward. "...Mom...You need to fight this," Spike begged. Freya remained perfectly still, her muzzle twitching and her eyes wavering. Whether it was the darkness in her heart suddenly growing terrified of the light, or enraptured by it around Spike, or if there was a slim chance she was still in there and finally managing to wrestle herself from this darkness. Spike continued walking up to her, his weapon fizzling out as he reached his hand out to her. "I don't want to lose you...I don't want this...thing taking control hurting you or my friends...You're...You're stronger than this...Please..."
Freya took a step back, her hands trembling as tears began to well in her eyes. "...S-S...pi-i...ke..." Beneath the dark, foreboding voice, Spike saw some hope in getting his mother free from this torment. Her tears rolled down her cheeks, but then she began to growl, making Spike step back. She brought her hands to her head, her growling growing more frantic, shifting between monstrous and remorseful. The aura around her fluctuated, making her scream as her light within her began to fight back, but it was a losing battle. She raised her head, her eye peeking out through the shadow beneath her hat, melding between the terrifying Wrathful irises and her emerald green. "...E-End...End m-me...Before...Before...!"
She shot her head back, unleashing a powerful roar as fire spewed from her mouth and her aura exploding and flaring wider and wider. She continued to struggle, screaming out in anguish as her hands gripped her horns, trying to keep holding on. Spike shook his head and ran to her, ignoring everyone else's cries to stop. He wasn't going to lose his mother. Not like this.
"I don't want us to be apart again!" he said. Freya yelled, unleashing a shockwave that blew the snow around her, nearly knocking everyone off their feet. Spike stood his ground, fighting back against the powerful darkness trying to shove him back. "We'll...save you! We're not losing you! I won't let it take you away from me!" Spike pushed on, his armor radiating light, protecting him from the darkness threatening to engulf Freya. She yelled, her body moving on its own as she spun to smack Spike with her tail. He snatched it, slamming his foot down to keep her from whacking him as he wrapped his arms around Freya tightly. The darkness writhed as Freya screamed, trying to pry Spike off of him while he continued embracing her, ignoring the pain wracking his body from how potent the aura was burning at his scales. "J-Just...keep fighting! I'm here! I'll...face it with you!"
"S-Spike, don't!" Sora yelled out. "Whatever light the Crystal Heart gave you, it's not enough to spare you! That darkness will corrupt you, too!"
Spike cried out in agony as the armor was barely holding on, hearing it begin to crack as the darkness began to engulf him, too. "I...I won't...let go," he grunted, keeping his mother still while she continued roaring and spewing more dark flames. With Kairi unconscious and trapped in Freya's dark dome of flames and Sora and the Mane Six still badly beaten from the corrupted dragoon's impossible strength, Spike didn't know what to do. "I can't...lose you...Somepony......Anypony......."
Help me...
Spike clenched his eyes, awaiting for his heart to be engulfed in darkness alongside his mother. He felt no pain, though. Unsure if it was swift and painless, or it would inevitably hurt and strike every single nerve in his body, he dared to squint his eyes open. Instead of being with his mother, or outside the Crystal Empire, he found himself in the familiar throne room of the palace. There were no windows, but the room was so bright white and blue, he was amazed he wasn't blinded by the brilliant lighting.
"...What...What happened?" Spike mumbled. He looked around, but found no sign of any life. The doorway leading to the throne room was gone, but sitting atop the throne was the Crystal Heart, hovering high above it and slowly spun, sparkling with the purest of light. "...What am I doing here?" He looked down at himself, still in his older form, growing more confused. "...Mom? Twilight?...Guys?"
As he looked around, his necklace began to glimmer. Noticing the light, he held his crystal up, which started to shine more as he squinted his eyes from the bright flash. The light flew out and hovered in front of the Crystal Heart, which started to shine as well, the light engulfing it soon beginning to take on a much different shape. When Spike could see when the light faded, his eyes widened in awe at what stood in front of the throne.
Standing as tall as Luna was a majestic unicorn mare of pale vermillion with her mane and tail long and curled, almost like Cadence's, but it was brilliant raspberry that shifted to a cobalt blue at her curls. She looked like royalty with the regalia she wore: crystal beads that were tied around her torso and legs, each of them connected by a golden heart gem in the center of her chest and forward on her legs for them to see. Though she wore a crown of blue crystal, she also had a circlet made of the same beads with another heart-shaped gem on her forehead barely hidden underneath her mane. Her eyes were a brilliant amber, and her cutie mark was a six-pointed snowflake, but the curved arches and the base made it seem like it was sitting inside of a very clear glass pedestal.
The regal mare smiled at Spike, stepping down the small flight of steps leading to the throne behind her, her steps as light as a feather with small echoes ringing around them. "My young warrior; Spike, the Brave and Glorious. A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, young drake."
"...Y-You're...a crystal pony?" Spike uttered. "But...I...I almost mistook you for Cadence. Who...are you? And how do you know me?"
The mare let out a small laugh, standing before Spike. "History may have been distant in our times, and much of my presence has been lost after a loyal unicorn soldier lost his way through the dark intentions of a stranger," she said. "I am the former ruler of the Crystal Empire before I was slain by the dark one you and your companions knew as Sombra; I am Queen Amore." Spike's jaw hit the floor, baffled by the news. "And this 'Cadence' who now rules in my stead...I believe she may be a 'reincarnation' of me if you confused me for her."
"R-R-Re-Reinca-carna-?" Spike stumbled on his words, falling to his knees as he tried to process what was happening to him right now.
"Arise, Brave and Glorious Spike the Dragon," Amore said, lifting the stunned dragon back on his feet.
After his brain rebooted, Spike quickly shook his head, gawking at the unicorn he was almost standing at equal height with. "Wait, hold on a second. What happened to me? Am I dead?" he questioned. "Is this supposed to be some...harmonic afterlife after darkness eats away at my skin!?"
"Ease your worries, young one," Amore assured. "You requested for aid, and I have given you a reprieve from what has befallen your mother."
"Reprieve?" Spike mumbled.
"Your companions struggle to quell the wrath of a dragon whose heart was tormented by loss and loneliness," she continued. "Ferocious anger and bloodlust brought to life by the wicked, foul creature of the darkest abyss who transformed her into a beast with the intent to kill." Spike grimaced, but before he could panic, Amore gently brought a hoof to his chin, forcing him to gaze upon her. "But you can free her and vanquish this tainted evil corrupting her light."
"...I can?" Spike asked. Despite the former queen of the Crystal Empire's assurance in him, Spike didn't think he could. "But...how?"
"My light has been bestowed upon you since the day you safely brought me down the altar." Confused, Spike gave the mare a quizzical look. He never once met her, but when she mentioned an altar, the day when the Crystal Empire returned and they were tasked with saving it from Sombra went through his mind. Though Twilight told him not to touch anything, that a test like this was meant only for her and Sora, it suddenly dawned on him as he stared at the queen in surprise. "That is right; I am the Crystal Heart, the very relic that has kept my subjects safe from the elements of ice and the darkness that dared to take away my little ponies' joy and freedom."
"You were the...?" Spike was in shock. Through Sombra's journal entries and hearing from his point of view as he lived his last few moments before his Heartless took full control, Amore was supposed to have met a tragic end to the corrupted unicorn stallion. They had no idea she was still "alive", and her light being bestowed upon him through the Crystal Heart, its light was just as pure as Kairi's, or even Flurry Heart's. "...Your heart is...made of pure light?" he asked. Amore gave him a nod. "...Were you...a Princess of Heart???"
"I know not of such a title," Amore admitted. "In my youth, my heart was purer than most ponies. While the tribes were segregated from each other for eons, I found no difference among ponies, whether or not they bear a horn or a pair of wings. My magic helped grant solace to the unfortunate earth ponies who struggled to provide food for themselves while pegasi and unicorns usurped their own strengths of magic and aerial skills to take what little they had. I offered them protection, though I was a unicorn, but I was welcomed for being their guidance and savior. With my magic, I was able to build this utopia of crystal, and imbued my light within the very relic known as the Crystal Heart.
"As the years passed, the earth ponies' joy and love within their hearts blossomed. With the Crystal Heart's light washing over them, and their light helping to strengthen my barrier, they evolved to become crystal ponies, their happiness a reflection of their peace and freedom." The queen let out a small, sad sigh as her lips curled into a frown. "A terrible war broke out, and there was a lone unicorn colt who had no home."
"Sombra?" Spike asked.
"Indeed. The very colt who would grow and be overtaken by the mysterious darkness that managed to slip into my barrier without being repelled," Amore said. "I have watched over him as I have done so with all my crystal ponies, and knew something was amiss when he lashed out blindly like a mad stallion. He took the Crystal Heart from its place beneath the castle, dispelling the barrier and revealing the kingdom to the cold climate. He barged into my chambers, my Crystal Heart held in his aura that was tainted with darkness. I pleaded with him to seek the light in his heart and stop this madness, but he was too far gone. Before he struck me down, I transferred all my light inside the relic, where I resided and hoped for salvation to come to Sombra and my subjects.
"My prayers were answered after one thousand years after Princesses Celestia and Luna used their power to banish Sombra and my kingdom into the realms of pure darkness." Appearing beside Amore's sides were the crystal statues of Sora and Spike. She turned to Sora's statue with her smile returning. "A warrior of light with a heart filled with light from not just himself, but from the many friends he has made at his young age. Despite all odds, Sora will never cease to stop whatever evils may come through his courage and the passion in his heart to see that light does not fade from all the hearts on his travels." She then looked at Spike's, her smile faltering once more, then gazed back at Spike with a look of sympathy. "For you, however, I sensed...something quite odd within your heart. Though it held no malice, it was lacking...a light every heart I know was meant to hold."
Spike wilted with a groan. "...So you knew as well?" he mumbled. "...My light was snuffed out when my mom and I got separated when her home was taken by the Heartless...No light, but not lost to the darkness..."
"Though that is true, I was able to sense in your heart a dragon who would do anything for his friends, his family, and for others who require saving," Amore said. "My light shined for you as you carried me down the side of the palace to safety, sensing that passion to put others before yourself, and granting you the light to protect who matters to you."
Even though Amore was praising him for what drove him to save the Crystal Empire, Spike gazed down in misery. "...I don't deserve it," he said. His response confused the royal unicorn. Spike held his crystal up, reminded of how selfish he was and how it drove him to do something so reckless. "If you knew what I did...I don't deserve to be a champion alongside Sora to the Crystal Empire. I wanted to help fight and not be left behind, like I always do...I asked Cadence, Shining Armor, and Sunburst to extract some of your light so I can wear it and use it to help everyone fend off the darkness...I practically took it from you, and I almost brought every single pony in the kingdom to their deaths when the Heartless came. All because I got too excited and wanted to show off, only to embarrass myself and feel more like a fool than a court jester who can't tell a simple joke."
Spike hung his head in shame, but then felt Amore's hooves clasp around his and his crystal. "I am aware, even if those intentions in the moment were in good faith to those who are helpless," she said. Spike closed his eyes, awaiting a verbal lashing from the queen whose light he took without even asking her for permission. Instead, she smiled, bringing his hand and his crystal to his chest. "But when you only thought of others and no longer your own desires, your own failures, or your doubts, my power made itself known to you." He opened his eyes, gazing back up at Amore. "Tell me, Spike, when my light granted your dragon breath power, what was on your mind in those times?"
As she released his hand, Spike looked back down at his crystal as he thought back to when the light reacted and enhanced his fire breath. "...I was panicking when I carried the Crystal Heart. Everyone was depending on me," he started. "I didn't want to let anyone down, and if Twilight and Sora trusted me to bring it back, I was the only one who could do it so the crystal ponies would be safe." The shock from the first time it happened was still clear in his mind. Dark crystal shot up to try to stop him, and while he was startled and blew his flames out of instinct, the bright light that was mixed with his green fire destroyed the crystal. He didn't even think about falling or being responsible for the Crystal Empire's downfall; he kept going without looking back or questioning if he was meant to be the one to save everyone. "Then, at the Equestria Games, I made a complete mule of myself. I was so embarrassed, I wanted to hide under a rock for the rest of my life.
"But when the Nobodies attacked the stadium, my friends were trying to stop them, but there were too many. An ice arrow struck a cloud, froze the water inside and made sharp icicles jut out from the cloud, and it began falling. Everyone was going to get hurt, but, without worrying about how others thought about my crummy performances, I just...felt like I had to do something to save them." When Nobodies attacked the stadium, neither Sora, Riku, Kairi, Aqua, or Ventus were able to melt it away using their magic. They were too caught up protecting themselves from the ambush, and the two women at the time had a disabling enchantment on them that prevented them from using magic. With a boost from Riku, Spike was concerned about everyone and not how awkward he made himself feel trying to make up for failing to light the torch to begin the games. The Crystal Heart reacted and helped him not only melt away the cloud, but also used imbued the ice with his holy flames to shoot out glowing shards of ice, killing every last Nobody that was still around. "I was the only one who could."
"And what of recently?" Amore asked. "A few days ago, and just moments ago today?"
Spike sighed, feeling like he was just going around in circles over his blunder with Amore's light. "I wanted to fight with everyone, so I took some of your light and put it in this crystal. I wanted to test it out if it was possible to use it outside of the barrier, but nothing happened. Even when that huge horde of Heartless appeared, I couldn't get it to work. The only time it did work and turned me into this was when my adoptive brother and a colt from the Crystal Empire were about to get attacked by-" Spike paused when he realized what he just said. He didn't understand how the light didn't want to work, but ignoring getting to safety and rushing to his brother and that colt's aid, he didn't want them to get killed for his selfish mistakes. He wasn't even thinking about his own safety; he was more concerned about protecting his surrogate older brother and an innocent colt who wasn't able to escape in time. "...I...flew toward them to protect them...and I was able to..."
Seeing he got the idea, Queen Amore nodded her head. Spike looked at his crystal once more, and what had brought his transformation again moments ago. He was so upset with the news he was given, and even more distraught when Heartless attacked him and his mother and corrupted her. Watching helplessly as his friends and sister fought Freya to try to save her, and failing, it was unbearable for him to watch. Seeing Twilight get hurt and about to be killed by his corrupted mother, he blindly rushed in, phasing through the dark flames harmlessly as the light reacted to his act to save his sister, granting him the light he needed to protect her and try to free Freya from the clutches of a corruptive sin.
"My light was meant to provide protection to my subjects. To see them safe and sound against those that wished to bring harm to them. That is how my light came to you; the desire to protect those you love and cherish." Spike finally understood how it worked, but even then, he still frowned. Sensing his self-doubt, Amore brought her hoof to rest on his shoulder. "I understand you feel unworthy to bear this power because of your selfish tendencies, but you are still a young drake. You learn from your faults and improve upon them. Your intentions mean well, but I advise you to think over what may occur more carefully."
"Even though I'll just mess up some more..." Spike placed a hand over his heart, letting out a small grunt. "...Can I really save my mom?"
"You do, and you will succeed," Amore assured. She began to glow, making Spike look at her in surprise. "I bequeath to you my light. You know how to harness it, and I trust you will not abuse its power. Fulfill your duty as one of my kingdom's saviors, Spike the Brave and Glorious."
As her body shined brighter, Amore closed her eyes as she faded into a flurry of lights. Spike gasped as he felt her light surround him, enter his chest, and filled his heart with a warmth he didn't know he had. It felt like the exact same light that mesmerized him as he first wore his new accessory, but he remained conscious. He could feel Amore's light in his heart; a light that was thought lost and rekindled by the former Crystal Empire's queen and her pure heart. The realm around him began to grow brighter, bringing him back to reality, but he wasn't afraid of what he was going to lose.
"...Queen Amore, I will do whatever I can with the light you gave me," Spike said to himself, gazing forward as he grew serious, yet confident. He closed his eyes, his right hand clutching a weapon that appeared in his claws in a bright flash of light and white flames. "Thank you...For giving me this chance...Grant me the strength to save my mother..."
"Spike!" Twilight cried out, running over to try to pull her little brother away from Freya's dark aura as it grew too strong and threatened to engulf him.
Just as his breastplate was about to break into pieces, Spike's eyes shot open, shining a bright white, and his armor began to glow bright, mending itself. With a roar, Spike released Freya, an explosion of light blinding the landscape, sending the corrupted dragoon tumbling and screeching in agony from the light he unleashed. Everyone shielded their eyes, feeling a shockwave wash over them and spread several miles around him. The light also caught the attention of the Crystal Empire, drawn to a familiar light outside of the barrier that was just like the Crystal Heart's. With no knowledge of what was transpiring, the crystal ponies all hurried to see what this new light was.
Inside the castle, Flurry Heart sensed the light, flying away from her parents, to their surprise. Shining Armor and Cadence chased after her, trying to call her back as she began to head toward the barrier, along with the crystal ponies.
"What in Equestria is going on?" Cadence questioned. "Why is everypony leaving the kingdom?"
"I don't know, and Flurry's joined them," Shining noted. "Did she...sense something else? More Heartless?"
"I hope not!" Cadence exclaimed. "Princess of Heart or not, I'm not letting our baby go anywhere NEAR those things again!"
They arrived at where the crystal ponies sensed the light, the field looking more like a battlefield with snow blown away to reveal the earth beneath the frigid landscape. After Cadence grabbed Flurry, she and Shining Armor gasped when they saw the pillar of white flames lighting the land like a beacon. Twilight and her friends were scattered about, Sora was separated from the other wielders, but the others were no longer trapped in Freya's dome of dark flames. All of their injuries were washed away as well, and Kairi began to stir after being knocked unconscious.
"Ugh...What happened?" Kairi uttered.
"Kairi, you're awake," Xion said.
The alicorn sat up, rubbing her head, half expecting a headache from the harsh kick Freya gave her, but it was like she was never hurt. "How long was I out for?"
The flames began to die down, Spike's silhouette able to be seen in the fading light. Where the corrupted dragoon was flung, she growled and stood back up, glaring angrily as the darkness began to take over again. Her eyes lingered on the light, but soon grew fearful from how powerful it had become. Spike's wings flared out, blowing away the last of the flames and light to reveal himself. Jaws dropped when they saw the dragon's body was now fully coated in crystal armor, bearing a similar resemblance to his late father's full-body suit with the only difference being the translucent light blue covering his purple and green scales, but lacked the helmet that veiled his face. On the shoulders and the front side of his crystal grieves was a gold heart, and in the center of his new chest plate was a white snowflake, surrounded by a flicker of white flames encasing and protecting it. Spike opened his eyes, leering at his corrupted mother with a bold, fearless scowl.
"...Spike?" Twilight uttered.
Spike raised his right hand, holding it out before his face. He closed his eyes, and in a brilliant flash of light and holy flames that swirled around it, in his hand, to the shock of everyone witnessing, was a Keyblade made entirely of crystal. It wasn't a manifestation of one like before; it was a REAL Keyblade. The translucent blue crystal made it give the appearance it was made of glass, but flickering inside the long blade and the teeth shaped just like the Crystal Heart was a stream of white fire. The guard was in the shape of a shield, shimmering in a multitude of blue, purple, and pink light, and hanging at the end of the pommel was a crystal keychain, along with the very same symbol Freya's own Keyblade had at the end, but made of clear crystal; the insignia of a dragoon from Freya's Equestria.
"A-A Keyblade!?" Aqua exclaimed.
"But...how?" Terra questioned. "Spike didn't have light in his heart. But...that light that surrounded him..."
"...Pure light," Kairi uttered in awe. "The Crystal Heart...that small piece...gave him his light back."
"Are...you certain, Kairi?" Riku asked.
"It's different from mine, but...it's still pure all the same," she confirmed.
"Did we miss something, or did Spike have some internal struggle in his head while he was about to get devoured by his mom's Wrath?" Lea asked.
Spike opened his eyes, seeing the fear in the darkness controlling Freya. He slowly brought his Keyblade down to his side, an aftertrail of light following his motions like an illusion. As he held it at his side, Spike shifted his stance, bringing his legs together with his left leg in front, planting more weight on the ball of his left foot. He looked as if he was ready to leap, intimidating Freya's Wrath. Despite his posture, she snarled, refusing to be scared as she called her Keyblade. With a roar, she leapt, vanished, startling the audience from the Crystal Empire at her speed.
"Spike, look out!" Sora warned, but Spike didn't budge.
Freya dove down in front of him, but just as she was about to plunge her Keyblade into his chest, Spike flapped his wings and leapt backward. Flipping and getting some distance, stunning the corrupted dragoon, the moment Spike's feet touched solid ground, he quickly glanced up, hopped and swiftly vanished like she had, but his dive was far faster. The impact he made caused white flames to shoot up around him, singing Freya as she screeched in pain. Not giving her a moment to retaliate, Spike yelled and went on the offensive, striking her as white flames spewed out with each direct hit. Though no physical damage struck Freya, the darkness wailed in agony as it lashed through her body and into her heart, forcing it to escape and get out of his mother's body.
She managed to leap back enough, unleashing a shockwave as she roared to push Spike back, but he didn't budge. She then blew out a massive stream of dark flames at him, but he returned the attack with his own fire. Dark flames versus light, but it was no contest as Spike's decimated her flames. Panicking, the dragoon stopped breathing fire and tried to fly in the air. Spike growled, launching himself off the ground and caught up with her faster than she could blink. Before she knew it, Spike zipped all around her, slashing with each pass and disorienting her. He then dove down from above, flipping over and slamming his feet into her, dropping the corrupted dragoon back toward the ground while launching himself even higher into the sky.
While Freya crashed to the ground, struggling to get back on her feet, Spike slowed his ascent as he hovered above the clouds. With a hard flap, he pushed the clouds away, bringing a ray of sunlight down upon the fields of the frozen north. Raising his Keyblade high, the flames within ignited and poured from the tip of the blade, swirling around and above the dragon with holy light.
"HEAVEN'S WRATH!" Spike roared, swinging his blade down and unleashing a barrage of spears made of light raining down on the battlefield.
Freya looked up, her eyes shrinking to pinpricks and started to panic. The spears came falling down like hail, leaping and diving away from as many as she could, but the moment one of them struck her, the rest of the remaining spears homed in and constantly struck her, trapping her in a growing explosion of light. Several agonizing seconds passed until they slowed, then the dome of light imploded and sent her flying across the field toward the crystal ponies and the royal family watching Spike unleash his own holy wrath upon the corrupted dragoness. Tumbling across the snow, she stumbled up onto her feet, panting heavily as her eyes grew bloodshot, furious and enraged by the light piercing through her and striking the darkness taking hold. As she skid to a halt, she spotted the entire population of the Crystal Empire, backing away in fright from her monstrous form.
She smirked, then made a lunge for them, only to yell and stumble back when Spike's Keyblade came crashing down, barely impaling her. He then dropped down in front of her, and with a powerful roar, he unleashed a blast of white flames that swiftly engulfed Freya. He didn't stop, hearing the corrupted dragon screech as her body was burned by the holy light. With her maw wide open as she wailed in agony, the white flames snuck inside and shoved itself down her throat, making her gag, unable to close her mouth as the flames kept her jaws fully open. The holy flame phased through her and directly struck at the darkness, the aura that billowed around her flickering wildly as it started to die out.
As the veil of flames dispersed, Freya could be seen choking, clutching her throat as her body started glowing. She hacked, trying in vain to spit out the fire that went down inside esophagus, desperately clinging on to Freya's heart. She fell to her knees, and with a desperate cry, she suddenly shot her head skyward and screamed, spewing out a mix of dark and white flames into the air. As the darkness was purged from her body, Freya's scales slowly returned back to their normal purple and green, and her eyes turned from the corrupted red and yellow back to her emerald green. The mass of dark flames began to form as a demonic shriek rang out throughout the land, and once the last of it was pulled from the dragoon, it was then flung to the ground several yards away from Freya, Spike, and the inhabitants of the Crystal Empire.
Freya inhaled deeply, suddenly growing weak as she fell forward, catching herself with her hands. She panted as her vision slowly returned, her throat feeling raw from the roaring and screaming her Wrath unleashed. Spike's fire managed to wrest her light from the darkness' clutches for just a moment to hold it back, but she thought it was all over for her. She was back, still in disbelief, bringing a hand to her chest, feeling no ounce of the dark presence that took over her body. Hearing a low, frustrated growl, Freya glanced up, letting out a terrified gasp at what was stirring before her.
Climbing up on its feet, a demonic copy of herself staggered as it let out a grunt. Its body was pure black like a Shadow's, but it bore the same blood red eyes and yellow pupils, leering menacingly at its host.
"...T-That...was me?" Freya uttered, aghast at the reflection of herself from her many years brutally slaughtering Heartless with the same fury and rage in the Wrath's eyes.
Snarling, the Heartless let out a screech, then ran toward her on all fours like a frenzied predator. Freya grunted, trying to stand up, but her body was too weak to move from the purging flames that saved her. She heard the crystal ponies all panic behind her, but just as the Heartless lunged for her, Spike yelled and thrust his Keyblade straight through its chest. It gagged, twitching in pain, its eyes still lingering on Freya until its gaze was forcefully torn away, being hoisted up by Spike and trembled under his more menacing gaze.
"Leave. My mother. Alone," he growled. "When I find the monster that created you, I'll tear him apart for ruining her life and splitting us apart." Spike didn't give the Heartless a moment to respond, his Keyblade suddenly engulfing in white flames and burned it. It let out a painful shriek that slowly faded as its squirming body was evaporated by the holy fire. Once there was no trace of its existence left, the flames were snuffed out with a swift exhale from Spike. The whole tundra was stunned in silence by what they witnessed from Spike, the crystal ponies basking in the dragon's radiant crystal armor and the Keyblade that seemed to have been forged within the empire itself. Freya was even speechless, almost mistaking her son for Estinien with his armored form as he turned to look at her. "...Are you ok?"
"...Spike...You...You saved me?" she uttered, her voice raspy.
Spike smiled, relieved. "I'm glad," he said. "Nothing's gonna...tear us apart...again..."
His eyes began to droop as he slowly leaned forward, letting out an exhausted groan. He dropped his Keyblade, disappearing in flickering embers of white flames, as well as his crystal armor, losing consciousness as he began to fall toward Freya. Gasping, Freya caught him, grunting slightly as she wound up falling back with Spike laying on top of her. Fearing the worst, she breathed a sigh of relief when she heard him breathing. What confused her more was that he was still in his much taller form and didn't revert back to his smaller size.
The wielders rushed over to the two dragons, Twilight frantically hovering over them. "Spike! I-Is he ok!?"
"...He's just passed out," Freya uttered.
Twilight let out a huge sigh, but she and the others also noticed Spike was still in his taller form. "That's weird. Last time, he turned back to a little dragon," Lea said, scratching his head curiously.
"Did that height permanently stick to him when that light was unleashed?" Sora asked. "If so, it'd be hard not seeing him as a 'baby' dragon anymore."
Aqua stepped forward, gazing down at Spike, then looked at Freya. "...What happened out here?" she asked.
Freya frowned, gazing down at her son. "...Do not blame Spike," she said. "I...heard what you all talked about with him back in the throne room." Aqua winced, as did the others. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I went to look for him, and...I overheard what I was terrified was true; my son's light in his heart was gone...I hoped I was wrong when I felt nothing before you spoke with him..." Freya cradled Spike's head as guilt weighed heavily on her. "The darkness...It separated us, and took away his light as it protected his egg...The horrible tragedy hurt just as much as losing him and Estinien..."
"That might have been possible," Aqua mumbled.
"He was so distraught...He looked like he wanted to give up on everything when I followed him..." Freya choked back a sob, nuzzling Spike's face. "I can't believe I put his life in jeopardy again. And by my own hands, too...Even without his light, I wanted to help him become a dragoon like me using the light from the Crystal Heart."
"So you dragged him outside the barrier? With that fragment of pure light?" Aqua questioned, astonished by Freya's decision, but the glare she gave the unicorn stunned her more.
"I swore I would protect him if the Heartless came to attack him! I promised him that!" Freya shouted. "He has a dragoon's spirit in his heart, even without his light! I wanted to help him prove he can be of use without feeling dejected or let down by any misfortune that shuts him out!" Her anger soon turned to grief, her body trembling as she held Spike closely to her chest. "...But...But then that...that thing...It came back. It taunted me...And I became fortune's fool as it goaded me...took me away from him to leave him captured...and then it turned me into a monster, attacked him, and all of you with the anger that filled my heart with such pain for so many years..." Her tears flowed, hugging Spike tightly as she cried. "...I'm such a horrible mother...I couldn't keep my baby safe in the past...and I cannot keep him safe in the present..."
"That's not true." Freya looked up, staring meekly at Twilight. "You were able to fight back from the corruption the poisoned your heart. You did the best you could before, and you didn't know what the Darkling was planning before it was too late."
"...But it still won...It...took control," Freya whimpered. "...I only wanted to cheer him up...and I didn't think about the repercussions..."
"I think we're more at ease knowing we didn't lose either of you," Twilight assured. "And I know Spike doesn't blame you for what happened. Whether his heart has light or not, all we could have done was try to make sure he's reminded that he's not going to be left behind or forgotten."
"Uhh, this may sound crazy, but...I'm able to...sense a light in Spike's heart," Kairi chimed in.
Everyone looked at her, even Freya as her eyes widened in shock. "Huh? But, I thought he didn't have any when it was lost after he and Freya were split up from their destroyed world," Ventus said.
"I know. But, when I came to, and when Spike was in that armor...it felt faint, but...there was a light that just 'appeared'," Kairi elaborated, then pointed to the unconscious dragon. "And...it's still present."
Startled, Freya looked down at Spike and gently brought a hand to his chest. She let out a small gasp, her eyes quivering with disbelief; she sensed a light in his heart.
"...There...There is," she uttered.
Twilight grew curious and touched Spike's chest with her hoof, resting it beside Freya's, her ears perking up in surprise. "He does," she confirmed, startling the other wielders. "But...what even happened to him?"
"I think we'll have to wait and find out when Spike wakes up," Terra said.
With no choice but to wait, Terra lifted Spike onto his back and began to return to the Crystal Empire to let him rest. Twilight helped Freya back on her feet while she leaned against the alicorn for support. As Terra walked past the citizens of the Crystal Empire, everyone noticed all the crystal ponies were staring at Spike. They weren't startled by his older-looking appearance after the other day, but the way they were staring at him was out of familiarity they weren't able to process. Even Flurry Heart was in a similar state, being held in Cadence's hooves while barely uttering a single sound.
"Cadence, Shining Armor, what's going on with the crystal ponies?" Twilight asked as she helped Freya over to her family, the others following behind them.
"I don't know. We ran after Flurry Heart when she just stopped playing and suddenly flew out of the castle to here," Cadence said. "They all showed up to see...whatever was happening out here."
"We thought there were more Heartless, but they wouldn't dare set hoof outside the barrier if there was anything dangerous," Shining added. "They're all just...looking at Spike. I don't think they're surprised by his appearance, but maybe it was...whatever that light was that drew them to him."
"Like the light from the Crystal Heart?" Xion asked.
"We can't even get their attention," Cadence said. "We both tried asking what they were all doing, but they were just watching Spike and Freya. What happened to her?"
Freya lowered her head, ashamed. "...I let my anger control my priorities when the Heartless came after us...That demon went specifically for me, and I put your kingdom in peril..."
"Let's just get back inside and rest," Twilight said.
Everyone went back inside the safety of the barrier, waiting for some answers to a whole mess of questions that were added today. The one who may have them is Spike, who would be unable to until he wakes up.
Groaning as he began to stir, Spike squinted his eyes open. He found himself back inside the castle, his mind cloudy as he tried to recollect what happened. He grunted and sat up, rubbing his eyes with his right claw, but when he glanced at his appendage, his eyes widened when he saw how longer his arm was. Glancing down at himself, he didn't find himself back to his smaller, stout, chubby self anymore.
"Am I still...?" While startled by his more mature voice, he felt something was holding onto his other hand. Gazing down at his left was Freya, knelt against the bed with her hand in his, her hat off while she was fast asleep with her head resting on the bed. Spike remembered what happened and how he was able to save her, including his talk with the former ruler of the Crystal Empire over a thousand years ago. He gently shook his mother's shoulder, waking her up as she let out a small groan, but at the sight of her child having woken up, she was wide awake and sat up. "...Uhh...hi?"
Freya immediately caught Spike in her arms and embraced him tightly, startling him. "...I was so worried," she mumbled.
"W-What happened?" he asked. "I feel fine...Well, mostly."
"You were unconscious the last few days," Freya said. Spike winced, barely noticing just how long he had been out. Though Freya pulled back a bit, she examined every inch of him while pressing and prodding his body for any signs of discomfort. "Any pain? Bruising?"
"Mom, cut it out. I'm not hurt," Spike assured. "Just...a little groggy. And incredibly confused." He grabbed her hands to cease her concerned prodding. He looked back down at his claws, baffled witnessing this odd change. "Why didn't I turn back like last time?"
"We were hoping you knew," Freya said. "...You remained this way, even when you passed out."
"Huh...Weird..." A loud grumble rang out in the room, and both their eyes trailed down to Spike's belly. His stomach growled, flustering him as he grinned sheepishly. "Uhh...Hopefully it's lunchtime?"
Freya shook her head with a small chuckle. "We can eat and hear what happened with you," she said. Spike nodded, but as he stood up beside the bed, he took one step, only to yelp and suddenly fall forward, smacking his face into the floor. "Oh my gosh! Are you ok!?"
"Ow...I'm fine," Spike grunted, slowly getting up on his knees. "My legs are longer than they used to." He rubbed his snout, then stood back up. Slowly, he began to take a bit of a wider step forward, already beginning to get the hang of his new height. "This is still so weird. It's like I had actually been asleep for years and I hit my growth spurt."
"If you were unconscious for years, I would be beside myself with grief," Freya muttered.
They left the bedroom, Freya staying by her son's side to make sure he didn't wind up slipping over his feet and faceplanted again. They gathered the others, bringing everyone relief to see Spike was back on his feet. Especially Twilight, who had been just as worried sick as Freya was. They all gathered in the dining hall for lunch, Spike hungrily scarfing down several plates worth of food to make up for the several days of missed meals. Thankfully, he stopped himself before his stomach burst, the others hoping beyond hope that this new appetite of his was just because he hadn't eaten in days.
"Jeeze. Save some room for dessert, Spike," Shining teased.
"There's dessert?" Spike asked.
"Hey, if there's dessert, you're not eating the whole thing without sharing!" Pinkie warned.
"You literally ingest an entire buffet table of sweets whenever you throw your parties," Rainbow said with a frown.
"I have an excuse; I am a cartoon pony who does more whacky and psycho-bonkers shenanigans than all of you, and is why Discord said I was his favorite before Fluttershy took that spot," Pinkie stated, leaving the whole table silent from her random rant. "Also, I love sweets. How can you NOT just want to dive into something so delicious?"
"...Why do I feel like my brain is going to deteriorate and make me go insane?" Sora questioned, subconsciously rubbing the top of his head as if he had a weird case of deja vu.
"Before we wind up detracting from the main topic we've been waiting to discuss," Aqua chimed in, then glanced over at Spike. "There's a lot we need to figure out with what happened with you and your mother before and after we arrived to find out what was happening outside this kingdom."
Spike grimaced, his eyes slowly shifting over to his right where Freya sat. "...Uhh...W-Well...After I left when I was told the...bad news..."
"I admitted the fault for what happened was mine, Spike," Freya said. Spike flinched, fully looking at his mother with worry. "You don't need to lie to everyone to try to protect me. I only wanted to lift your spirits and tossed aside the consequences of bringing your crystal outside the barrier. And in my haste and desire for vengeance on the Heartless who took everything from me, it became my hubris and almost decimated this world by my corrupted influence."
"As dumb as it was even after knowing and listening to us discussing that with you, Spike, we don't hold what she did during her corruption against her," Riku assured. "We were actually lucky you decided to rush in and managed to fight her better than either of us could. Not even Sora stood a chance with his Ray of Hope Form."
"But running off through a wall of dark flames could have done far worse if that light from your crystal didn't spare you," Terra added.
"I...wasn't even thinking about myself at the time," Spike said. "I saw mom coming toward Twilight, and I didn't want to lose either of them. So, I took a chance, and the light changed me into..." As he gestured to himself, he still wondered why his body refused to change back. "...Am I...permanently older now?"
"That's what's gotten us so confused the last few days," Twilight said.
"I don't mind it at all," Rarity said. "Now you look just as mature as you've been as a baby dragon, Spikey-Wikey."
Spike blushed at Rarity's comment, growing a little confidence as he held up his arms and flexed his biceps. He may not have much physical muscle with his new, lean body, but maybe a little workout might impress his crush further.
"Is this shipping fuel for Rarispike in this story?" Pinkie questioned out of nowhere, making Rarity growl and leer at Pinkie with a light blush on her face.
"What in the hay are you prattling on about with that 'Rarispike' thing!?" Rarity exclaimed.
"Umm...What now?" Freya questioned as she stared at her son.
"Spike has had a crush on Rarity since we first moved to Ponyville and met her a few years ago," Twilight said.
"And Miss Princess of Friendship couldn't have kept that Pinkie Promise to herself during that whole debacle between Fluttershy's brief modeling career and Rarity being completely jealous of her," Pinkie added. "Too bad this story never mentioned it, but she was doing so well before she cracked. Shame on you, Twilight."
Shocked, Freya gawked at Spike, who winced, his cheeks burning hotter as he slumped in his seat. "...Uhhhhhh...Interesting," she mumbled.
"Focus, guys," Aqua reminded everyone. Spike felt a little sheepish having his mother know he had a crush on someone like Rarity, and still does despite their difference in age. Freya was a little bit bothered, but she knew better than to control anyone's love life. "Before you unleashed that light granting you the power to purge Freya's Wrath from her heart, did anything happen which only you could see?"
What Spike had seen was still clear in his mind. He wasn't sure if the others would believe him, but she was able to explain how the light from the Crystal Heart reacted and gave him this power.
"...Time felt like it passed...slowly. When I wound up in what looked like the throne room in this castle," Spike explained. "I saw the Crystal Heart, and then a pony as tall as Luna appeared in a bright light. Her name was Amore; she was the former ruler of the Crystal Empire a thousand years ago."
"'Amore'?" Cadence questioned.
"She looked just like Cadence, and she was a unicorn," Spike added, shocking everyone present in the room.
"A unicorn!?" they all exclaimed.
"Wait, the crystal ponies are earth ponies!" Ventus pointed out. "How was a unicorn crowned a ruler if the only one we know who lived here over a thousand years ago was Sombra!?"
"I think she's ruled the Crystal Empire longer than that," Spike said. "She mentioned the time when ponies were separated from each other before Equestria was founded. The crystal ponies were normal earth ponies, but they were all farmers who had unfortunate luck giving unicorns and pegasi all of their food, even what they needed to survive for their own families. Queen Amore gave them the chance to be free from the harsher tribes and find peace and safety, building the Crystal Empire from the ground up, and turning it into the prosperous kingdom it is now."
"But that's impossible," Shining said. "Cadence and I have gone through every book in the library, but none of them mentioned this queen at all. Not even Sunburst mentioned anything we may have overlooked."
"Sombra's journal mentioned this queen," Sora pointed out. "She even met Celestia and Luna. If they remembered M had been a part of their lives, they should have mentioned to us that there was a queen who once ruled the Crystal Empire before Sombra's darkness took her life."
"But they didn't," Twilight mumbled. "...If they were cursed by Sombra not to remember the peace and happiness they had, could he have...made them forget about the one who brought them salvation?"
"If that were the case, the crystal ponies would have talked about her," Cadence said. "But, Spike, you said that the queen looked similar to me...I don't know how far back my family tree goes, but...did she say she was my ancestor?"
"No. She said you were more like a reincarnation of her," Spike corrected. "But if I swapped her fur and hair with yours...I think you two would have been related as mother and daughter." Cadence was astonished, slowly wondering if perhaps she really was related to Amore if she was helping lead the Crystal Empire in her stead. "One thing I thought she was when I met her was that she might have been a Princess of Heart like Kairi. Her heart was filled with pure light, but she'd never even heard of it, or possibly Kingdom Hearts."
"Pure light," Kairi mumbled. "...When I came to, I felt pure light coming from you when you dawned that armor."
"Yeah. That was Queen Amore's light," Spike said with a nod. "And, I figured out how the light connected with me and helped save everyone all those times. I put everyone before me, and I used that light to protect everyone." He brought his hands to the back of his neck, unclasping the chain holding his crystal and held it out. "Every time I was so concerned about me failing or making an idiot out of myself, it didn't work. But saving the Crystal Empire from Sombra, protecting the stadium from that frozen cloud, when Shining Armor and one of the colts here were about to be struck by Heartless, and when mom was going to hurt Twilight...I threw away what I wanted and rushed in without any concern for my own safety. She entrusted me with her light, the light she poured into the Crystal Heart to protect the ponies who needed her power to protect them, and I was called her champion alongside Sora to defend the ones who were unable to protect themselves. And I used it to save my family, my friends...the Crystal Empire.
"...But I don't think I'm really ready for this. Even if I have a Keyblade now, and I managed to save my mom from falling to the darkness in her heart..." He set his crystal down on the table, leaning back in his seat with a sigh. "I was in way over my head. Maybe I redeemed myself the other day, but after all I had wanted these last couple weeks, I think I'm fine just being me."
Everyone looked at Spike in silence. Freya was disappointed, wanting desperately to have trained her son now that he had the capability to learn how to wield a Keyblade. She didn't want him to bring himself down like this again, but if he was content retiring before he even started his career as a Key Bearer, she would be glad just to have him back in her life.
Aqua levitated Spike's crystal, staring at it curiously, then back to Spike. "...You're right, Spike," she said. "You're not ready for this." Spike just hung his head, not even bothered. But then, he felt the chain clasp back around his neck, staring down at the crystal dangling against his chest, then glanced back up at the unicorn. "You may have saved the day, but you're going to need proper training if you're able to fight like that."
"Huh? W-What are you-?" Confused, Spike glanced around the table. Neither of his friends or his family were upset with him or were sympathetic to his plights. He looked at Freya, who was also just as surprised. "But...Why?"
"Spike, you were able to use a Keyblade," Twilight said. "An actual, physical Keyblade. Haven't you noticed something different in your heart?"
"My heart?" Spike brought his hand over his chest, pressing it all around his heart, only to be left with more confusion.
"We told you you didn't have a speck of light in your heart because of what happened with you and Freya when the darkness attacked your real home world," Aqua explained. "That light of yours was sacrificed so that your egg could live. But you have that light back."
"I-I do? Since when?" Spike questioned.
Freya let out a small gasp, gazing at her son's crystal. "...The fragment of light that was in your crystal," she said. Spike lifted the crystal, having been unaware that the light within it was gone. "If the light was from this kingdom's queen, whose heart was pure..."
Spike's eyes widened as he recalled watching Amore disappear in a flurry of lights, and that same aura of light washed over him and filled his heart with something he never knew had been missing until that moment. "...She brought my light back..." He looked down at himself, the older body he was in actually meant to BE his real body if his mother mentioned how odd it was for him to still be so small at his age. He slowly looked up, then stretched his right arm out with his hand opened. A flash of light appeared along with swirling white flames, revealing Spike's Keyblade held tightly in his hand. "...She gave me...her light...I was meant to be...a Key Bearer after all?"
"It appears that way," Aqua said with a nod. "Although, if you still don't think you're ready..."
Shining Armor and Cadence were in awe witnessing Spike's new Keyblade up close. Even Flurry was enamored as she stared at the white flames flickering inside the crystal blade. This was supposed to be an exciting moment for Spike, though the others could see him contemplating taking the offer to learn and truly be a part of the gang saving the world from the Heartless. Several agonizing moments passed before Spike finally reacted. As concerned as he was, his brow furrowed, looking determined, and he stood up, holding his Keyblade up over his head.
"Queen Amore trusted her light with me to use her power to protect the ones who mean a lot to me," he said. "I promised her I wouldn't use it selfishly; only to defend those who need my strength, just like she had done to the crystal ponies in this kingdom. I am Spike, the Brave and Glorious. I am one of this kingdom's saviors. And I will use every ounce of light given to me to keep these ponies, my home, and everyone I love safe from those who dare to harm them."
"I think we'll take that speech as a yes," Sora said.
Spike grinned sheepishly as the others playfully laughed at his heroic speech. Freya grinned, already seeing Spike as a loyal dragoon if their world was still around. His father would have been proud of him as much as she was.
After spending nearly two weeks in the Crystal Empire, the wielders said their goodbyes to the royal family and took their leave. Though Cadence was curious to want to learn more about Queen Amore, without any records of the late queen, all she could do was wonder and maybe run into something that may have been overlooked at the library or historical records pertaining the Crystal Empire's foundations. While the group strolled through the city, the crystal ponies were back to doing their usual errands, and the many fans of Sora and Spike crowded them and wanted their unbridled attention.
In the center of the square where Sora and Spike's statues were, Spike froze when he saw some of the crystal sculptors putting the finishing touches on a new statue of Spike in his new body. His older one was still present to depict his first heroics to the empire, but the newer one stood behind him, donning his crystal armor with a fierce, protective gaze staring out toward the horizon with his Keyblade pointed out. His stance was just like his smaller size's, not only as the kingdom's savior with their ancient relic, along with the light that belonged to their late queen, but also as a valiant protector alongside Sora. They weren't able to replicate the flame that was present in his real Keyblade, but Spike was still amazed by how devoted the crystal ponies were to his bravery.
Freya had to snap Spike out of his stupor before he wound up falling behind. As much as they wanted to get back to Ponyville to continue running the School of Friendship and continuing training the Young Six, they took the train back after the wild insanity over the last couple of weeks. Spike was a little anxious being outside the barrier as they approached the train station and boarded the next train, but as the train left and exited the safety of the barrier, several minutes had passed, and the ride was surprisingly smooth. No Heartless appeared, no longer attracted by the light of the Crystal Heart that was in his crystal, and the new light that was rekindled in his heart wasn't in any peril either.
Moments later, the train arrived in Ponyville. Spike was eager to see everyone in town's reaction to the new him and to show Freya everything. Freya felt like she had never lost her home from all the rustic homes in Ponyville, all the different ponies going about and waving to the others while also gawking at Spike in shock, as he expected heir reactions to be. When she caught a glimpse at the castle, she was stunned by the crystalline architecture and how similar it's shaped as a giant tree. Beyond where she would be staying with her son was the school, where students there learn about friendship from Twilight and her friends. She didn't think friendship was something meant to be learned in an educational system, but with how differently things were between the two Equestrias, hearing how the ponies had been against each other for many, many years, this world definitely had more differences than she could count.
"Hey, there you guys are!" Starlight ran over from the entrance of the school to meet them, followed by the Young Six. "I thought you would just be gone for a couple days in the Crystal Empire, but don't worry! I didn't think about accidentally blowing up the-" The guidance counselor paused when she looked at Spike. She craned her head up, stunned by his new appearance as he grinned at Starlight. The Young Six were also shocked seeing the new Spike. "...When did Spike get a growth spurt?"
"Uhh, long story," Spike bashfully said. "But, there's a whole lot of good news I've been eager to share with all of you guys."
"Besides you being a bit taller and my brother can't call you a shrimp anymore?" Smolder teased.
"Better than that. Just watch." Spike held his arm out, summoning his Keyblade.
Jaws dropped as Starlight and the Young Six were taken aback. "Spike has a Keyblade!?" Starlight exclaimed.
"Wow. It's...pretty," Ocellus uttered, enamored by the glowing white flame within the blade like a beacon.
"When did you get that, Spike?" Sandbar asked.
"Uhh, it's...a bit of a long story. Along with how I got my 'growth spurt'," Spike said, dismissing his Keyblade in a burst of light and white flaming embers. "But there's even more awesome news; I found my mom."
"Seriously!?" Smolder asked. "That's great, Spike! Where is she?"
"She's right here." Freya stepped forward, standing beside Spike and shocking the young wielders and guidance counselor. "My name is Freya Crescent Varlineau. I am also a Key Bearer."
She showed them her Keyblade, startling them as they stared at the dragoon in awe. "Wow. That's so amazing, Spike!" Silverstream squealed.
"Wait, aren't adult dragons supposed to be insanely tall?" Gallus questioned.
"That's...a whole lot more long stories to tell, but to make it brief...my mom is actually from a different Equestria from this one," Spike said. "...And I'm also...not from this world either."
"...What? Yona confused," Yona said. "Spike...not born in Equestria, but born in other Equestria? And...Spike's mom not like Smolder?"
"There's a lot to explain, but...that'll have to wait for another time," Freya said. "The last several days...I just want to relax and spend much needed time with my baby."
Freya rubbed Spike's head, making him wince in embarrassment. "M-Mom, don't," he whined.
"Freya's going to be staying in the castle to bond with Spike, and as a master, she can help train you guys along with us," Aqua added. "She has unique skills as a wielder the likes of which we're never known."
"I'd like to go for a little spar with Spike's mom," Smolder confidently goaded. "I wanna see what another dragon can do with a Keyblade."
"Hmm...I doubt you would last one second the moment it begins," Freya said with a smirk.
"I'll take that challenge." Smolder summoned her Keyblade, eager to see if the dragoon was as skilled as she claimed. Freya glanced at Spike, who only shrugged, then she shifted her gaze back to Smolder. She took one step, then suddenly vanished, startling the Young Six, then making them yelp when she reappeared behind Smolder, her Keyblade held up against the teen dragon's neck. Frozen, Smolder was dumbfounded by the insane speed Freya had. "...H-How...? I-I didn't even blink!"
"I did warn you," Freya said. She dismissed her Keyblade, relieving Smolder as she released a breath she was holding. "Whenever I'm more well rested, I would like to see what you're capable of."
Smolder turned around and stared at Freya. "...Can you teach me how to move like that?"
"If Spike is able to, I think you might be able to learn as well," Freya said.
"Spike can do that, too!?" Gallus questioned.
"Uhh, kinda. I need some proper training first and avoid passing out when I exert myself," Spike admitted.
"How come you didn't have a Keyblade before either of us, Spike?" Ocellus asked curiously. "You've been around our masters longer than we have, but you become a bearer recently."
"A tale for another time," Aqua chided. "Now, off to The Land of Departure. You guys better not have been slacking on your training while we were gone."
Without arguing, the Young Six hurried off to the castle. "'The Land of Departure'?" Freya asked.
"There's a portal in the castle's library that connects to another world where Aqua, Terra, and Ven used to train years ago," Twilight explained. "We can give you a tour. It's a little hard to navigate your first time."
"I think I can manage finding a way out of a winding maze," Freya assured.
Later that evening, Freya was already settled into her new home. There had been so many ups and downs in her life the last several years, even after reuniting with her child. She stood in the middle of her personal bathroom's shower, letting the water rush down her body. She forgot how soothing it was to take a nice, relaxing shower after a stressful day, letting the water wash away her aches and pains. Her mind drifted, her hands subconsciously rubbing her belly, reminiscing the loving embrace she felt from Estinien while she was pregnant. Beneath the stream of water cascading down her face, her tears mixed with the warm water, missing her lover's touch and his deep, but affectionate words whispering in her ear.
A knock on her bedroom door snapped her out of her thoughts. "Mom? You in there?"
"I'm in the shower! I'll be out in a moment!" Freya called out. Even though she lost her husband, having her child back was enough to fill the gaping hole that struck her heart years ago. She turned off the water and stepped out, drying herself off with a towel, then stepped out into her new bedroom. Her coat and hat were hanging on a rack, and her two mementos of Estinien rested on the nightstand near her bed. The locket was opened, leaning against the fire ruby ring so it faced her when she looked at it. She opened the door for Spike, noticing his nervous grin. "You alright?"
"I was just...making sure you were comfortable," he said.
"I'm fine. Just a bed is good enough for me right now," she assured.
"Ok. Good," Spike said. "Just...making sure, you know?"
"It's my job to worry about you," Freya playfully chided. Sadly, her response made both dragons frown. They were both overly concerned for their well-being, especially after they were attacked by the Darkling and Freya was possessed by the darkness of her rage. Physically, they were both fine, but emotionally, it was overwhelming for them. To be reunited after all these years, only to have them being split again by the same monster in a short amount of time would have completely broken either of them, Freya especially. Since Spike had been unconscious, her thoughts were plagued by what she saw being released from her heart. She had no idea Heartless could also be born from the corruption of either of the seven deadly sins if the darkness was that strong. "...I made a mess of things since I got here, haven't I?"
"No, mom, it was all my fault," Spike said. "I put everyone's lives in danger because I wanted to feel useful...I'm kinda glad that chance led you here while you were out...'exploring' the worlds."
"...I could have done far worse," Freya uttered. "...If I hadn't landed in this world, found you and your friends..." The destruction she left the day she lost everything, the worlds she had been to for either a small moment of rest, what she left behind the moment she saw any sign of the Heartless made her heart fill with dread. Seeing a copy of herself, billowing with darkness and unbridled rage, that would have been her fate if she hadn't met Spike a moment later. The thought of decimating this Equestria, and possibly killing her child she truly thought was gone forever upset her as tears streamed down her face. "...I would have been just as horrible as the Heartless...Far worse..."
Spike hugged Freya, her arms immediately wrapping around his and holding him tightly as she wept. "I know that's not you, mom," he assured, feeling his mother holding him tighter. "I might not have known everything about you in such a short amount of time, but from what I've seen about the real you from your past, you're not like them. We'll get through this together. This Equestria's your new home now."
Freya smiled, nuzzling her cheek against Spike's, then moved her head back, bringing her hands to Spike's face as she gazed at him. "...You really do look so much like your father," she said. "If only he were with us...I would be more at peace."
"I think that he's still with us," Spike said, bringing a hand over to rest over Freya's heart. "In here."
She gazed down, slightly stunned by her son's words. Even when she was lost or had doubts, Estinien would always find a way to comfort those doubts with encouraging or reassuring words. She smiled, looking back up at Spike.
"Perhaps you're more like your father than I thought," she said, earning a small giggle from Spike. She held Spike closer to her again, planting a kiss on his head. "I love you so much, Spike."
"I love you too, mom," Spike said. After a moment, the dragons released each other from their hug. "Hey, you think we can...do some training tomorrow? I don't think I have much work to do at the school."
"...Ok. We'll start in the morning," Freya agreed. "Try to get some rest."
"Yeah, you too." Spike was about to leave, but quickly turned and hugged Freya again, surprising her. "One more before I go to bed."
She laughed, but obliged and gave her son one more hug. Spike finally pulled away and walked through the halls to his bedroom. Freya watched him as he turned a corner, then headed back inside hers. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand as she approached her bed, then got herself comfortable to try to rest for her promised training session with Spike. As she rested her head on her pillow, she gazed at the picture in her locket. She may have lost her home and the love of her life, unsure if he may have escaped and may still be alive searching for them, but she feels she has found herself a new home, and reunited with their child after fearing the worst. With a small smile, holding his memory in her heart, Freya drifted off to sleep, ready to start her life anew with her son and teach him how to be a powerful dragoon like his father.
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Wow, so Spike's a keyblade wieldier too now, awesome. And a growth spurt to boot. Wait, how old is he now, now that he's slightly taller. 20?
Spike has a Keyblade now. So now he can protect his family and friends from the darkness as well.
Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.......................................................................
All that's left is for the events of Dragon Dropped to happen...
There's nothing stronger than the bonds of family, and Spike has shown that throughout.
Okay that was AWESOME! Glad Spike is a Key wielder now!
At last, Spike has proven himself and through some divine help he's regained his light and ability to be a keyblade wielder now. It's admirable how Freya tried to make Spike feel better and try to make him a hero in some regard; even though it kind of blew up in her face and she almost became a heartless. Speaking of which the return of the heartless that made Sludge a monster and the same creature that destroyed the alternative Equestria was unexpected and satisfying that it was Spike who ended up destroying it once and for all. It feels like Spike was finishing what his father started and payback for what Sludge did to trick him.
Spike's keyblade itself was really nicely designed that seems to combine elements of his homeland with his surrogate brother's shield and his native homeland with his mom's symbol on it. The design is very nice and fitting for him. I'm not sure if there's a name for Spike's keyblade yet, but I've got two in mind. The first being Crystal Harmony in name of the Crystal Empire and Spike's desire to bring harmony to others. The other being Dragoon's Heart in honor of his mom and carrying on his father's legacy.
"Oh my...Spikey-wikey?" Rarity mumbled. The fashionista felt like she was seeing a completely different dragon before them. Standing as tall as Smolder, his baby fat was gone and his physique was more lean with some muscle to it. Despite their age difference, the unicorn couldn't help but blush at the handsome dragon that replaced the adorable baby dragon she'd met years ago. "...Is this...what he'll look like when he hits his growth spurt?"
Being that Sparity is my favorite ship in all of FiM, I greatly approve of the idea of them being a couple. Can't argue age difference since Spike is clearly older now and seems to be slightly older than Smolder. It seems she doesn't have to worry much about competition though unless Ember sees Spike and falls for him and hopefully a certain mail carrier griffon won't try to make a move either.
It would be interesting to see how Ember and Thorax react to seeing Spike now and be amazed by his new skills. Though, I think once Freya hears of what Garble and his cronies did to her son, they'll pretty much never want to pick on him again in fear of their lives. The Student Six seem happy to know Spike is now a wielder and I think he'll be training with them too. Though, from the way Freya showed her skills, it seems Spike may surpass them in many ways.
Still as overconfident as ever, Smolder. Something that I think Freya will teach her to stop being through discipline and training.
Really nice chapter and it's good to see Spike finally have his own keyblade. I'm curious to see if he'll go to another world and if so which one he'll end up in. Unless he goes with Sandbar on his first trip to another world. Either way, the Mane 7 (I count Spike as a main character) are now fully fledged key bearers.
2 words to describe this chapter : TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!
Glad to see my fave purple dragon finally getting his way overdue spotlight in terms of real family bonds & keyblade awesomeness!!! Looking forward to see him & Freya training together to master his unlocked powers! 🥰
BTW in terms of size is Spike now Ember's size or Smolder's?
Keep up the great work!
I'm really loving these chapters! It's good to see Spike being reunited with his mother (amazing OC, by the way) and have a Keyblade of his own. Outstanding job. This is pretty much the only fanfic I read on this site anymore. Keep up the awesome work!
Happen to notice the new chapter since this fic got featured for a bit.
And HOLY MOLY things went awesome there.
With Spike finally gaining a Keyblade and a awesome transformation along with managing to save his mom from the darkness that Darkling did to her.
And awesome lore bit on Amore showing up.
Can't wait to see what stuff Spike will develop with his awakened self and maybe if he will train hard with the Young Six.
Would be awesome in seeing Smolder's reaction to what Spike has become(especially on how he wiped the floor with all the Heartless there) and also the whole Dragoon deal, she already got a slight taste with Freya's speed and I bet she will jaw-drop hard when she sees how a Keyblade Dragoon fights.
(Honestly Aqua acted more calmer than I thought when she wanted to have a word with Spike. In fact its great that the gang now realizes they left Spike out alot when it got pointed out)
Honestly did not realize it turns out Spike's Heart lost its light when his egg got separated from Freya.
Makes me wonder if his Heart is technically "in-between" similar to the whole thing with Xenmas.
Its a miracle that the Crystal Heart's/Amore's light restored his Light, in fact ironically it seems that Spike's condition allowed him to gain that power in the first place. It seems to have opened a door on how he can gain certain powers and such.
Seeing how in the show with Ending Of The End showing he's a Element Bearer now, makes me wonder how it might look in this adaption or affect things.
And how Spike's new status now might interface with the concept of Twilight's/Sora's D-Links stuff now(not sure if the other Mane 5 can do D-Links, haven't saw that yet)
11901645
Actually Spike defeated the Wrath darkness that infected his mother due to the Darkling.
But it will be awesome if he gets to kill the Darkling in the future(most likely with Aqua and Freya joining in on beating the crap out of it too due to the hell it had put them through)
Rarity gonna have to watch out for Smolder if she starts falling for Spike too(maybe Ocellus too).
They are all probably gonna have to share Spike, lol.
11901399
I do wonder how Dragon Dropped will look if it gets adapted.
Certainly be a bit funny
While I like Spike x Smolder and Spike x Ocellus alot more, Sparity is a bit of a nice ship too(often in my head in general I just imagine them all sharing Spike in random scenarios since I can't seem to stick with just only 1 when imagining stuff)
11901654
I do wonder how Spike's and Smolder's interactions will be now.
Same with Ember's reaction
11901730
Judging from Smolder and how she reacted, she doesn't seem romantically interested in him. Same goes for Ocellus. Just so long as a certain mail carrier griffon doesn't try anything, Rarity should have him. Unless Ember does see him and instantly falls for him.
As soon as I saw the name of this chapter I couldn't help but realize what was going to happen. Thankfully I was proven wrong as Freya still gets to hang around and with Spike's growth spurt and him obtaining a keyblade that's two new wielders on top of the 20 or so (seriously we have a small army at this point) that we have now. There are a few things I still am wondering about though. For one since Freya is a dragoon yet still uses a keyblade instead of a sear or lance, could that also mean that other wielders that are other classes such as monk or black mage exist but don't use the weapons associated with them? That and I forgot to mention that we have now seen Twilight dual wield both Harmony and the Keyblade of Magic, which begs the question: is everyone capable of dual wielding if they have more than one keyblade but don't because it doesn't fit their fighting style, or is it something else entirely? One final thing I can't help but wonder: whose Darkling is the one we keep seeing? In Union X it's revealed that Darklings were essentially keybalde wielders who fell to darkness because of Nightmare Chirithy. Either all keyblade wielders become Darklings when they fall to darkness or this is one Darkling that's been around for a very long time. Either way, I'm excited to see where the story goes from here.
11901835
From Freya's world in this story, they were called dragoons because they were warriors who protected her Equestria from the darkness that appeared. They bear Keyblades, no spears or lances, but they are capable of fighting like a dragoon class, hence her swift leaps and landings, along with the special unique skill Heaven's Wrath, which only Freya and Estinien were able to do as the strongest dragoons among their kind, and now Spike as his new powers as a bearer with his rekindled light courtesy of Queen Amore inheriting that powerful hail of holy lances.
Twilight is the only one of the Mane Six and Young Six with the ability to dual wield with both her own Keyblade and the Keyblade of Magic. Granted, some of the Mane Six's Formchanges grant them dual weapons (Pinkie's bubble guns and Rainbow's lightning daggers), but they have a preferred style of combat with just one Keyblade alone. Sora, Roxas, and even Xion originally have this style of wielding alone, not only because all three of them are basically the same person in their own way, but Xion only dual wields when shifting to her armored Sora double form, Roxas naturally dual wields after given the ability after he killed Xion during the ending sequence from 358/2 Days, and Sora is much more diverse compared to everyone else through his Drives, Formchanges, and even his fighting style from the beginning up until this point. While everyone is more comfortable with how they fight, Sora constantly learns more new ways as alternatives to his lost strength after each new game, and improves by utilizing new spells, techniques, and even types of weapons besides simple or advanced swordplay.
yes we do
Please, this is an important question, because knowing that only remains San Fransokyo the worst and traumatic thing at the Keyblade War is close to happen, because I need to know if is gonna happen or not?
11901940
...Umm...What exactly is the question???
11902559
Does Xehanort will destroy Kairi like the game of Kingdom Hearts 3?
Yikes. It seems like corrupted Heartless can appear from anyone if Wrath was used twice. But to see that Amore used her Light to restore Spikes & thus awakening his light to use the keyblade was something I did not see coming.
I am glad that Freya is going to live with the others in the castle of Friendship & gets to help train Spike as a keyblade Dragoon. But Something tells me Manami is going to be surprised the next time she visits Equestria.
11901741
That might change when she sees him more
Shame the actual show never had them hang much outside of Molt Down, Father Knows Beast and Sweet And Smokey.
Now that I think about it, wonder how the Organization is gonna react to Spike's new power and such?
Heck I wonder how M will think in seeing Spike is a Keyblade Wielder now
11902752
Actually they did hang out together in A Rockhoof and a Hard Place, they were doing firebreathing competitions before Rockhoof drenched them with water.
11910108
In show or in-fic?
Didn't know that little bit honestly.
11910136
In canon actually!
https://youtu.be/bCE7L0KYckc?si=FYuNGMXHDlMCDtpx&t=260
11910173
Cool
Shame the list is still small though even with that.
11910183
Indeed, those 2 have good chemistry together whenever they were onscreen!
11910188
Yep
Honestly my shipping of those two skyrocketed for me(to the levels of Spiluna) since the past year or two.
Same with Spike x Ocellus.
In fact the show could have had Spike hang out with the Young Six in general too due to being close to their ages as well.