//------------------------------// // Chapter 16 - Your Greatest Failure // Story: Fear Within // by VirtualCipher //------------------------------// "Your greatest failure..." He whispered. Those final words of his pierced Twilight to the bone as she would witness a failure she would never forget. She became lifeless like a solid statue, almost acting like Discord when he was defeated and imprisoned. Slowly she felt herself numbing away, she could feel the pain coming to her once she would see the cruelty of his game. The air felt contaminated with worriment and fear to what would await them. The others felt paranoid sinking into them like a boat failing to float. All stained windows of Canterlot's throne room were now corrupted, overrun by that unsavoury, stitched up rag of a face. His eyes felt like they were mocking the whole of them, despite them being empty of any sort of emotion. All their eyes targeted the horrific face and then black. Fright's face disappeared, suddenly, words emerged from the black screen windows and said the following: Tape one. This appeared to be a recording of the past. After nearly five months, Twilight Sparkle heard his voice... These tapes all took place before Fright attacked Manehatten. Tape One. "H-hello!" A familiar voice called from the darkness. Within seconds of hearing his own voice, Spike stepped into the spotlight. A worried expression grew on his face as he looked at the dark void around him. Uncertain and confused, he called out to the darkness, hoping that his new "friend" would respond. "Fright?" He called out. "Are you there?" Spike continued to look around him and took notice to the chair in the centre of the spotlight. "No need to fret, my friend." A cold voice told him. Spike felt his scales jump as Fright emerged from the dark, walking with ease as he rested his lifeless hand on the wooden chair. "Come, sit," Fright told. Spike produced a rather frail laugh. "Heh... Sorry, Fright." He apologised. "You gave me a scare." Spike carefully walked over to the chair and rested his back, his feet hovering just above the ground and staring directly into the camera, however, that was unknown to him. The camera before him was also faded into the darkness which left the dragon oblivious to the fact that every breath, every word and movement of his was being recorded. Fright forced himself into the darkness, away from the camera's perspective but still in Spike's sight. "Uh, Fright. Is there any reason to why it's so dark?" Spike questioned, still analysing his surroundings which were just forever black. "I mean, there's only one light in here." He pointed upwards. "Are you afraid of the dark, Spike?" He questioned. "What?" Spike scoffed. "The dark doesn't bother me... All that much..." He whispered the last part to himself. "To answer your question," Fright revealed. "This room was once my lab, so many wondrous experiments and discoveries happened here... that was until someone put a stop to my research. Now, only mistaken horrors die here, in the darkness around us, failures of my past I'd prefer you wouldn't witness." Spike once again felt his scales crawling with an eerie feeling, almost looking white like a ghost. His mind pondered to what secrets would lie within the darkness around him. "I know this place isn't like your home, and you're probably feeling sick, but sadly, this is all I could do in the meantime." "Oh..." Spike felt a little guilt travel through him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." "Rude? You're far from it." He enlightened. "You're Spike the Dragon: Saviour of the Crystal Empire, assistant to the Princess of Friendship and the first dragon to actually live among ponies. To me, that sounds... remarkable." Spike's face lifted to a smile and he began to feel a little cocky as his ego was stroked. "Yeah, that does sound pretty remarkable, doesn't it?" "I am intrigued," Fright spoke. "Intrigued?" "You may know a bit about me, Spike, but I want to know everything about you. The main question on my mind is how did you become an assistant to Princess Twilight?" "Heh," Spike chuckled. "That's a rather long story, Fright, and besides there's not really much to know about me." "You're being modest. Spike, we're friends and as your friend, I would like to know how it all began." "Well, alright," Spike answered happily, and rather enthusiastically, too. "It all started when I was a purple egg, I was used as an entrance exam for unicorns in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. The test was to hatch the egg with magic and Twilight was the one who succeeded. At first, Twilight struggled to use her magic due to stress and pressure to the point where she was about to give up, but thanks to Rainbow Dash's sonic rainboom which must have triggered a reaction, Twilight went out of control! Not only did she manage to hatch me, but she also turned her own parents into potted plants!" He laughed. "She also turned me into a fully grown dragon, I was the same size as the Canterlot's castle! Luckily, Princess Celestia managed to calm her down and she withdrew her magic, returning me, her parents and everything else back to normal. Never before had the princess witnessed such a raw ability, she then offered Twilight to be her personal protégé. In the end, Twilight got her cutie mark by realising her special talent was magic and I was raised and trained by Celestia to become Twilight's assistant. So that's the story about how I was born and how I was assigned to be Twilight's assistant." "And that's how you were born?" Came the cold and dark voice. "Already, the start of your life sounds harsh." Spike only blinked in response, giving a poor laugh that lacked joy and humour. "Heh, I'm sorry, what?" He asked. "You are a dragon, you were taken away from your biological mother and father, snatched while you were an egg. You were used as an exam entrance for unicorns to become something great. We all know births are wonderful things and they're celebrated because it's a beautiful thing in life, but you were a mere test. Was your birth celebrated like any other ponies?" Spike couldn't really argue, his birth wasn't celebrated. He was born and that was it. Sure it was the moment he and Twilight first met, but even she didn't stick around. Spike held his head down as he began to think deep about his existence. Fright continued. "Instead, the celebration went towards Twilight because she passed the exam, and you? I guess you were either thrown into a crib or a cage waiting for Celestia to realise that she could make use of you." "Are you calling me useless?" Spike snapped. "I'm not calling you useless, I'm the one that's telling you that the way you were born and raised was unfair. Rather than having fun like any other youngling would, you were raised to become an assistant to Celestia's star pupil and then she was granted to be a princess. That technically makes you a servant." "Servant..." Again, Spike held down his head as he let Fright's words bury deep into his skull. He began to speak as a spark ignited inside his heart as he spoke cheerfully. "Raised differently compared to others or not, I'm still happy because I was assigned to be Twilight's assistant and friend." "Spike, you're a dragon and you should be living like one. Let's keep in mind that you are still young as well. Are you having fun like a youngling? No. Instead, you're slaving yourself away because you're known as Twilight's assistant, and I don't think you were assigned to be her friend." "What do you mean?" "What type of friend would have you cleaning up messes? What type of friend would have you left in the dark? What type of friend would forget you?" Spike held down his head in sadness, realising what he said was true. A true friend wouldn't forget him. But Twilight didn't completely forget about his existence, right? "That's enough for today," Fright said, turning off the camera. Tape Two. Again, the perspective was from a camera, focusing on Spike with Fright nowhere to be seen, but his voice was present. "Tell me, Spike. You said that you lived your life in Canterlot, but how did you end up in a small town like Ponyville?" Spike perked upwards and presented a smile. "Ponyville? Well, Twilight and I were ordered by Celestia to visit Ponyville to check on the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, also, she was instructed to make some friends. There we met Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. Once Twilight's duty with the Summer Sun Celebration was over, she felt sad because she had to leave her friends and go back to Canterlot. However, Princess Celestia gave her a new assignment, to stay in Ponyville and study the magic of friendship!" "And what about you?" A bit baffled, Spike spoke. "What about me?" "Why didn't Celestia instruct you to make friends as well?" Spike scratched his head and let out a chuckle. "I'm pretty sure that I was instructed to make friends as well, but the whole point of Twilight and I coming to Ponyville was to represent friendship and harmony. We demonstrated that after beating Nightmare Moon." "Are you talking about the friendship you're not a part of?" "The friendship I'm not a part of? I'm friends with Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. I also have a lot of friends in Ponyville like Big Mac, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Discord, a changeling named Thorax and Starlight Glimmer who is now, in fact, Twilight's personal protégé. So when you say the friendship I'm not a part of, I have no idea what you mean." He said while giving a shrug. "You have Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic and now the Princess of Friendship. Rarity represents generosity and Pinkie Pie represents laughter. Fluttershy is that of kindness and Applejack symbolises honesty and Rainbow Dash shows loyalty. They all represent harmony, but what about you?" Spike didn't know how to answer. Compared to his friends he did not represent harmony. He just sat there as he forced himself to think of an answer he could use to prove Fright wrong that he was a part of Twilight's friendship. "And now there's this Starlight Glimmer that has a bigger role than you. She is being taught by Twilight the meaning of friendship. Did Twilight ever teach you how to make friends?" "Okay, I've heard enough!" Spike shouted. "So have I." Again, the camera switched off resulting in black. Tape Three. Again, it was the same thing. Spike was sitting in the centre of the bright grey room but this time, the light appeared to be getting dimmer. "Tell me, my young friend. To you, what is a friend?" Fright asked. "A friend?" Spike pondered. "Well, by definition; a friend is someone who has a bond of mutual affection. But to me, a friend is someone I can trust, I can love. Someone I need when I'm... alone..." "And as a dragon, you don't get along with your own species, do you?" "No." He simply confirmed. This wasn't all true due to the fact that he had become friends with Princess Ember, however, he had failed to mention her at this time. "Are you ashamed by that?" "What?" He hesitated to speak at first. "Of course not. Just because I'm a dragon and I can't get along with my own kind because I was raised by ponies doesn't mean I need to hate myself. In fact, I'm kinda proud of who I am. Dragons are greedy, intimidating and vicious, but, me? I am a dragon, but... "But you're different." Fright interrupted. "You're not like most dragons. You're not greedy, intimidating or vicious. You're a dragon that pleases others, cares for those who are in need. Your so called 'friends' may see you as an assistant or a baby, but I see you as something more than all of that. I see you as something that allows hope and light to reach the end of the darkened tunnel. You're a good friend Spike, probably better than Twilight." Spike didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult towards Twilight. "Furthermore, you may not get along with dragons, however, you get along with ponies just fine. What do you think of your friends?" "My friends? You mean Twilight and the others?" Spike questioned. "Yes." Fright's voice harshened a little. "Them..." "Wow, I've never had a question like that before." His thoughts ran through his entire head like a race track; many answers sprinting around like a marathon. "They aren't my friends." He stated. "They're my family. Sure it may sound stupid because they're ponies and I'm a dragon, but in the end, does it really matter when it comes to appearance? You can call me an assistant, servant, slave, but no matter what you say, Twilight is my family! My friends are my family, that's what I think of my friends." This little speech of the baby dragon's had left his "new friend" quiet. He didn't know if he was disappointed, stunned or surprised. The silence between them had polluted the air and Spike began to feel disturbed. Finally, the silence broke and conversation between the two fixed with Fright responding to his speech. "That's very... thoughtful. You truly are something extraordinary, you know that?" All that was seen was Spike laugh. "Thanks. I don't often get many compliments. Especially ones that actually make me feel proud of who I am." "So, you see your friends as your family? That is very uplifting to hear from you. However, have you ever wondered what your friends think of you?" Fright brought up. Spike sighed. "I already know what they think of me. They see me as a friend, assistant and a baby dragon. Deep down inside I know they love me, but... I've always been pushed around, you know?" Fright gestured his hand. "Please, do go on." "Like I said before; My friends are my family, Twilight's my family, but even family can go too far when it comes to pain. It hurts." "Would you like to give an example?" Spike's face turned cold, his memories sinking back in, his heart dropping from his chest and into his stomach. "Yes. It was mine and Twilight's first Winter Wrap Up in Ponyville. She had difficulty in finding how she could help clean up winter, but she found out that she was good at organising and she was given the title 'All-Team Organizer.' Once Winter Wrap Up had officially been wrapped up, I was tired and I fell asleep, unknown to me I was sleeping on an ice block that was melting above freezing water. They were laughing at me... they... they didn't even bother to help me, I nearly froze to death and they just stood back and laughed at me!" He choked, tears slightly forming. "The whole town was laughing at me, and I was humiliated. I nearly froze to death and they didn't even care!" His words forced, accompanied with sobbing. "With friends like that, would you even consider them a family? Because I'm pretty sure they don't with you." The hooded, disorienting monster approached the crying dragon, kneeling down and placing his index finger under the dragon's chin, causing him to look directly into his eyes. Spike sniffled. "Anything else?" Fright continued. "Because I'm pretty sure it doesn't end there, does it?" Before the answer was revealed, the camera cut to black. Tape Four. Instantly, Spike spoke the moment he heard steps being taken in the dark. A part of him felt joy and hope but he knew this feeling would die. "Tw-Twilight?" He spoke. "Is that you?" Silence remained until... "What's wrong, Spike?" Fright revealed. "Feeling homesick?" He recognised the voice resulting in sadness. Like Spike expected, the joy and hope he felt died within in him. "Oh, hey..." The steps taken by the hooded, slender figure stopped, staring directly down at Spike who was trying to avoid eye contact with him. At this point, he was beginning to feel crept out. His eyes slowly advanced upwards like an escalator. He was looking at Fright. "I know what you're thinking." Fright sensed. "So say it." This harsh tone of his pushed Spike to an edge where he felt a little intimidated than before. He sighed. "I... I miss my friends." The dragon confessed. "I miss Ponyville, I miss Twilight. I feel more than homesick. I feel destroyed that I've been gone for this long and she's probably sick." Spike held his head into his claws. "I'm such a fool, she's probably destroyed half the land trying to find me." "I don't think so." Fright answered back. "What do you mean 'you don't think so?' I'm Twilight's number one assistant, her best friend, her family!" Behind his back, Fright handed the dragon a rolled up newspaper. Confused, he gently took the newspaper into his claws. He then analysed the paper, his eyes telling him that the paper was in fact from Ponyville as the company was Ponyville News. He turned the next page to the title saying "Say hello to the Princess of Friendship's new assistant!" "Whatever you were to them. An assistant, friend, family. It doesn't matter... because what you truly are... is replaceable!" Immediately, Spike's heart stopped pumping, a shiver vibrating through his whole body, sending signals of distress, fear and sorrow to the point where he could feel actual pain hit him hard deep inside his heart. Three pictures on a single page were displayed on the paper. He had been replaced by a filly; a young unicorn named Dinky. The first photograph showed Dinky stacking books while Twilight was reading a book at her desk. The second photograph showed them both eating at a restaurant. The third photo was the most heartbreaking. It showed Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy all in the castle and in the middle was Dinky. Around them was confetti and above them was a banner in colourful writing saying 'Welcome New Assistant!' The text written were saying how great she was with stepping up to help the Princess and how she was capable of doing so many things to help with her magic. Spike stared endlessly at three photographs, not blinking, not showing any sign life. He was stunned, horrified, dazed by the sudden realisation that he was replaced. His eyes teared up, showing emotional pain and devastation. "No..." Spike's claws loosened the grip he had on the newspaper causing it to fall to the ground. His face was showing the very definition of sadness. "No. I don't believe..." What he was about to say was moronic. That he didn't believe it. What was there not to believe? The evidence was right in front of him, however, he was forcing himself not to believe it, this was all very hard for him. "I...I..." He continued to stutter. "She... replaced me..." Spike choked on his tears. "I was her friend, her family... and she *hic* she replaced me." His head hung downwards like a construction crane with his tears dripping. Finally, he sunk his head deep into his claws, painfully crying. "No! No! No! NO!" Spike screamed, sobbing like mad into his claws. Fright emerged from the shadows, stationing himself behind the chair Spike was sitting on. "We have a lot in common you and me." He comforted. "My friends left me to suffer, and your friends left you to die. We are so similar when it comes to the betrayal of the ones we trust the most." Promptly, Spike lashed out. "SHUT UP! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" He cried. "IF I NEVER FOUND YOU IN THAT STUPID FOREST I WOULD HAVE-" "Been eaten by Timberwolves." Spike quickly silenced himself, still enraged at Fright. The steps taken by our bringer of fear ended beside Spike, kneeling down on one knee and looking him in the dragon's destroyed, teary eyes. "Now, you know the truth," Fright told. "You were never a friend to them, you were never family to them. You were just an object; an object that was meant to be used, broken, replaced and forgotten." That final word hit him, he just broke down again, his head hung with his tears streaming down his cheeks like a waterfall. "Why?" Spike asked. "Why *hic* did... they do this?" Fright ignored his question. "You are the perfect example of how broken friendship and harmony really is." "NO! NO!" Twilight screamed, her eyes devastated with tears. "I didn't replace you! I never forgot you! Everyday I missed you." She screamed, her voice filling the throne room. It was no use, this was only a recording, the pain had long been inflicted upon him. Tape Five. Everything had changed. Seeing Spike learn about his replacement had just changed him. He was hurt. The dragon was no longer surrounded by darkness, the room had brightened revealing broken glass, eight nooses hanging from the ceiling and bits of spiders crawling through the cracks of the tiled flooring. On the wall was a company of syringes used for Fright's wicked experiments. The same Spike Twilight had once known had changed. He was no longer the happy, cheerful and devoted assistant shown in this tape. He was depressed; miserable, lost. He was just lifeless to the world around him. Walking into view, Fright progressed his way besides Spike who continued to remain lifeless. "The Princess of Friendship has herself a new assistant which means you have been abandoned by her." Expecting a reaction, Spike remained miserable. Fright continued. "You're mine now. My assistant, my friend, my pet." His words harshened, almost spitting venom. Through the decaying stitches that kept his mouth together, a weak, but dreadful grin could be seen. Fright stood back up, his eyes still fixated on the dragon. Slowly, his mind tracked back onto the subject. "What lessons shall we learn about friendship and harmony today, my assistant?" He asked. Spike remained lifeless, not taking any notice to the world around him. "Forget friendship and harmony for now," Fright instructed. "Let's talk about something more interesting. Let's talk about fears." He suggested. "In case you didn't know, I am infatuated by it. It's a powerful thing that runs through every being in the universe. Twilight has fears, Celestia has fears, Luna has fears and so does Discord. Everything has a fear. But what about you? What do you fear?" Spike didn't answer, he kept his mouth sealed, shut like a front door locking. As if he actually needed the answer, Fright knew his fear from a mile away. Although hearing him state his fear and knowing it had come true would give him the satisfaction. Spike's eyes darted upwards, looking at Fright with no emotion displayed. "Do you really think you can hide your fears from me, Spike?" He questioned. "I already know that fear you keep sealed in the back of your mind. Thanks to the demonstration your so-called friends have given, it's become obvious. However, it's not the typical fears that get you. Spiders, heights or the darkness, no. You fear of being forgotten." Spike whispered. "Shut up..." "When I found you in the Everfree Forest, you told me how it all happened, how Twilight mistreated you, how she saw you differently compared to her friends. When you informed me on how she forgot you, your life became meaningless. You were raised to serve her, to obey her, to do her bidding like a little pet! But now, you are nothing. You weren't her friend or family. You have no identity, no future, no life." Spike curled himself up. "Stop..." "Why? Because you know it's true. You can't rely on Twilight anymore." "Leave me alone." "But you already are alone." "Stop..." Spike begged, continuing to sob. "You've suffered to the point where you'll keep lying to yourself. You'll keep telling the same lies over and over, that you were friends with them, with her. But you were nothing but an object. A forgotten object that's broken, humiliated and abused." "Please..." He choked. Fright began to circulate around the crying dragon. "Celestia's band of misfit representations of harmony have tortured you, haven't they? Your fears have peeled back the layers of your mind, you now see the monsters that they truly are, don't you?" He continued. "They abandoned you at the Gand Galloping Gala when all you wanted to do was spend time with them as friends. They've held many engaging parties and activities and they never invited you, they even forgot your birthday." Spike dug his claws into his gills, preventing him from hearing the truth. "Applejack and Rainbow Dash used you as a test dummy, a guinea pig in the Iron Hooves competition and for what? Just to prove who was the toughest. They abuse you." "Fluttershy thinks of you as a pet. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash have repeatedly bullied you due to your appearance and size. You saved the Crystal Empie and prevented a war between ponies and dragons and they neglect that fact, they only want to see you as a mewling assistant." "Rarity has continually used your feeling just so she could get free labour out of you and despite the fact that she doesn't share the same feelings as you do, she refuses to tell so you'll keep obediently working for her, she's been playing you as a fool, she manipulated you into giving her your precious gem that was going to be your birthday snack." "And Twilight. She's the one that replaced you. She's the one that looked you in the eyes and confessed that she forgot you all this time. You are nothing." As Spike allowed his tears to spill uncontrollably, Fright stood in front of the dragon. He took it all in, he believed every word Fright said... and he was right. "It hurts, doesn't it? The feeling that your loved ones are gone, and you're alone... The feeling that you have lost your rightful place in the crowd, and you're now lost in a void, a void which sucks the joy out of you and leaves you with nothing but anger and tears. That is depression." He said while Spike was in pain emotionally, quietly sobbing. As his hood hid the remains of his face, he leant in closer to the dragon. "You told me they were your family. What are they now?" Nothing came out of the dragon's mouth. Just silence. Tape Six. Static and white noise interrupted the scene, sending more chills to the atmosphere around. Spike had curled himself up into the deepest part of the wooden, broken chair. His small arms managed to secure his legs as he remained curled in a ball, his head pointing down, not showing his face. No attention was paid to his "friend" creeping around, his steps echoing through the room. "Spike the Dragon: Assistant to the Princess of Friendship, saviour of the Crystal Empire, the first dragon to live among ponies. Those titles do not suit you. You are Spike the Dragon: victim of false hope; a target for humiliation and torment; a forgotten fragment," Fright spoke. He continued, "You've known how long Twilight has used you, you know how her friends abused you. But never did you want to see it. All this time, you were blinded by harmony, but I have returned your sight, I have delivered you the gift of vision; the vision of truth. You see the truth and now you know the truth. You believe the truth." "Believe... the truth..." Spike mumbled. Fright rested his hands on the broken chair and leant towards the side of Spike's head, his stitched mouth breathing into his gills. "What is that truth?" Fright asked. "I... am nothing but an object... An object that was meant to be used, broken, replaced and forgotten." Fright leant back, elevating himself back up from the dragon's side. "The truth may sound harsh, Spike... But remember when I told you I could offer you respect and happiness. I can still do that. I can make all of this sadness you're feeling vanish, I can replace it with the feeling you truly deserve." Still curled up from his outside world, he heard his words. "R-Really?" Spike asked. "Of course," Fright once again levelled himself with Spike, resting his right hand behind the dragon. "All you need to do is show a little..." "Eh..." Spike flinched. Fright removed the syringe that was pierced in Spike's back, his right hand retreating back to his side as Spike's body winced. "Fear," Fright finished. About a second after Fright returned to his normal level, Spike's eyes were consumed in red. "Wh-What have you do-done to me?" Spike coughed, growling in pain. Losing focus and balance, he felt himself being pushed by an unknown force. The dragon fell from the chair and hit the ground as his head frantically turned, looking left to right. From Spike's perspective, the floor crumbled away and red mist surrounded him. Coughing took over his words as spit was produced. What he was seeing made him sick to the core of his stomach. "N-No! No, make it stop! Please! Make it stop!" Spike begged. On his knees, his head turned to all angles, witnessing his horrors. The pain turned to sobbing, he was just yelling as his tears bled down his cheeks. "Pl-please!" His voice weakened. In response, Fright knelt down beside him and slapped the dragon. Of course, he did feel the pain but he just wanted the demons of his subconscious to stop terrorising his mind. The crooked fingers grabbed Spike's cheeks as Fright's eyes ensnared him. "What do you see, little dragon? Are your friends betraying you? Being sent away? Becoming nothing, ceasing to exist? This is what life is now, Spike. Harmony is nothing." Again, Fright's injected another dose into the dragon. Spike's eyes blackened, immediately collapsing onto the ground. He appeared to have passed out, entering his own domain to face his fears. The ordeal was over. Twilight's punishment was over. Spike's torment was over. The horrific, hidden face of Fright was shown yet again on the stained windows of Canterlot castle. He spoke... "He's not dead, Twilight. Just broken. After experiencing the lessons of friendship and harmony, who would have thought you'd cause this much pain, torment and suffering towards one of the friends who loved you as a family. I wanted more than all of this, but this is what happens when you think friendship can solve everything. This is what happens when you force my hand, Celestia." As the stained windows faded to darkened black with Fright fading away. Three words appeared. HARMONY IS NOTHING. The blackened, stained windows turned back to their original forms. No longer was it dark in the throne room, no. It shone brightly in this time of grief, misery and depression. In fact, the lighting in the room was offensively bright when everything should have remained dark, grey, miserable and damp. In the throne room, the sound of sobbing was heard, quiet and loud. The six Elements of Harmony remained weakened, powerless to do anything. Nothing... Not a single word was spoken in that room. Already, Fluttershy had lost Discord and now, seeing Spike broken from reality, being turned into a victim of Fright's fear spell made it all worse. The poor pegasus broke down into tears, sobbing and shrieking, falling to the ground with her wings hiding her face. Pinkie Pie never felt so much guilt before, all the happiness and joy that was consumed in her body was now plagued with wrong. Of course, her mane deflated as tears continued to stream endlessly. Her eyes pointing to the ground, she could not bare to look up again, her bottom lip was pushed out, quivering. None of this would have happened if Pinkie treated him like a friend. Rainbow Dash struggled to see due to the constant tears in her eyes. Everything she had witnessed was the breaking of the dragon she cared for. For years she bullied, tormented and abused him with her stupid pranks and now this! She sobbed the loudest, feeling nothing but empathy for the dragon. All the abuse should have gone towards her, not him, she thought. Applejack broke down like never before. It was very rare to see her cry, but this... She remained still, every tear dropped was filled with an abyss of anger and heartache. Did she really think about using a baby dragon as a test dummy just for her and Rainbow Dash's amusement? All she could think about was how stupid she must have been and how Spike managed to put up with the constant abuse. Rarity... The poor unicorn was stunned, on the edge of collapsing into an endless void filled with grief. After many years of toying with his heart, playing with his emotions and pulling his string like a puppet, all of this made her feel dread. Fright was right about her, she was manipulative. She would only be there for Spike if it meant taking away something of his or charming him into doing her bidding. The Princess of Friendship let this happen... Where did it all go so wrong? For many years, she and Spike had been so close, well, in Canterlot at least. What kind of friend was she? She's the Princess of Friendship for crying out loud and now, she just witnessed her first and very best friend suffer all because she foolishly forgot about his existence. The thoughts going through her mind forced her to come across every little thing she had done to Spike to hurt him. She's ignored, abused, humiliated, replaced and forgotten him. He was right, Fright was right. Harmony and friendship are broken if it's come to this. Watching him being destroyed mentally with fears was devastating. This is what Twilight had been reduced to. "Sp... Spi-ke..." She cried his name, too overcome with emotion to do anything. She was powerless. Afraid.