//------------------------------//
// Ch. 34 Suffering in Darkness 
// Story: Strange Yet Wonderful 
// by Bionic Slime 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 34: Suffering in Darkness



Spike stirred groggily. His scaly lips idly smacked; tasting dry, chapped flesh along his forked tongue. His emerald eyes slowly opened to strange and unwelcoming new surroundings.

“Ugh…wha…where am I?”

He saw lanterns flashing their eerie glow across cavernous walls. There odd stone formations and razor sharp spikes everywhere, they looked all twisted and jagged as if Spike was in the mouth of some sharp toothed predator. There was no visible exit or entrance to the cave. What he did see was a series of wooden tables, each one containing a vast assortment of tools, magical items and glass containers housing unknown colorful liquids. One table had metallic tools designed for carving gems, but they were different, they looked like they had been twisted and modified by someone with exceptional talent…or madness.

“What in the-”

The disturbed dragon quickly discovered he was incapable of moving his arms, legs and even his tail. He was chained to the wall. Reinforced shackles were keeping him in place. Spike didn’t think there was any kind of metal in existence that could hold a dragon, guess he was wrong.

“Whew! About time, I was getting ready to do that old ‘throw ice water on the prisoner’s face to wake him up’ cliché. I mean, doing that would have sped things along, but then I would have to go get a bucket, fill it up, bring it back, splash you and then it’s a whole mess and-and you’re stuck there all soggy and crap. It’s just not something I was looking forward to.”

Spike’s curiosities and concerns instantly vanished upon hearing that wretched, venom laced voice. He remembered now, he remembered everything that happened. Crowe kidnapped him and brought him to this nightmarish cave. His head slowly turned towards the armored pony.

“RAH!”

The dragon tried to leap at the yellow colt and tear him to pieces until nothing but smoldering bones remained, but unsurprisingly, the chains stopped him from reaching his captor. The mask unfolded; revealing Crowe’s smug face to the infuriated dragon.

“Wow…I mean just…DAMN! That was total jump scare material, did NOT see that coming AT ALL! Just feel my neck, goosebumps infestation; no joke. Go on, give it a feel,” he extended his neck to Spike; still remaining outside Spike’s range. Crowe pulled his head back and smirked callously at the bound dragon. “Oh right you can’t cause you’re, well you know…captured…and uh all that,” he teased.

“Whatever you’re planning or doing or thinking about doing, it doesn’t matter. When my mom, my girlfriend and my friends get here; they’re going to drop kick you into a world of hurt. That is, if I don’t get to you first,” Spike snarled. He thrashed defiantly against his chains. “So I suggest you give up now while you still can.”

“Yeah…um…that’s not going to work for me so,” he casually scratched the back of his head, “I’m going to say no…yeah…I think no is the answer I’m going with.”

Spike frowned at the pony’s obnoxious sense of humor. It only added to Spike’s overwhelming frustration and animosity towards him. Content with his cruelty, Crowe turned his attention towards the table with the gem carving tools. 

There was a large dark purple wooden staff at the center of the table. It was curved at the top, twisted and bent into a shape resembling a crab’s claw. At the center of the ‘claw’ was a large, sky blue crystal. The curved edges surrounding the blue crystal had been modified by attaching emerald and ruby colored crystals to them. Crowe levitated an ice pick and hammer to his eyes. He proceeded to use them to carve off excess portions from the green and red crystals he had graphed to the staff.

“You can’t keep me here! I’ll scream, I’ll scream so loud all of Equestria will hear me!”

“Go ahead and waste your rank ass dragon breath. This cave is totally sound proof and no one knows where it is, not even Chimera Khan knew about it.”

Accepting the challenge, Spike reached deep down into the pit of his gut and bellowed a deafening, ear piercing roar that rattled the cave’s foundations. Crowe’s eyes bulged as he clutched his ears in pain. He felt like someone simultaneously exploded a million school bells directly into his ear drums.

“SHUT UUUUUUUUUUP,” Crowe shouted.

Crowe’s monstrous voice silenced Spike’s draconian howl. Reluctantly, the dragon ceased making any further calls for the time being. Crowe may be right about this place being too remote and isolative for anyone to hear him, but at the very least, Spike took some pleasure knowing he could piss off the armored colt in some way.

“You’re going to pay for what you’ve done, not to mention whatever you’ve done with Princess Celestia and Luna. My friends and family have beaten creeps like you before and they’re going to do it again, so give up unless you want to end up in a full body cast before your locked away in Tartarus for the rest of your life!”

“You got a real smart mouth on you reptile, you know that? So why don’t we find a better use for that voice of yours and get to know each other better!”

And Spike thought getting physically tortured by this nut was the worst thing he’d have to endure. He rolled his eyes. Even if he was chained to the wall with no way to contact anyone, that doesn’t mean he was going to make things easy for his captor.

“Tell me, what’s your favorite holiday?”

Spike raised his eyebrow in confusion. He didn’t want to give Crowe the satisfaction of listening to what he had to say, but he couldn’t hide his reaction from such a peculiar question.

“Want to know mine?”

He stared flatly at the Earth pony; offering only silence in reply.

“So glad you asked! It’s Nightmare Night, I know its cliché of me and all since I’m…you know…evil” he made air quotes with his hooves, “but I just-just can’t help it, I LOVE everything about it! The costumes, the decorations, leeching off others for candy; there’s nothing like it. If I had to narrow it down though, I’d have to say there are two very specific reasons why it’s my favorite holiday. Go on, guess what they are!”

The drake coldly spat at Crowe’s armored hooves.

“Oooh close but no dice! The first thing I love about Nightmare Night is that it is the only holiday that actually celebrates evil. Think about it, Nightmare Night only exists because of Nightmare Moon. No other villain gets a celebratory holiday. There’s no ‘Discord Day’ or ‘Merry Chrysalis’, not even a ‘Cinco De Sombra’ day. I just find it so fascinating that ponies who celebrate the magic of friendship made a holiday about someone as evil as Luna.”

“HEY! Princess Luna is not evil. Nightmare Moon was her evil alter ego; she’s not like that anymore so don’t lump her in the same group as you,” Spike snapped.

“Congratulations on finally joining the conversation. Does this mean you’re curious about my second reason? Are you simply dying to know, chomping at the bit and all that jazz?” he asked tauntingly.

Spike bared his fangs at the yellow colt. He hated giving Crowe the satisfaction of answering him; it was a stupid move he instantly regretted. Spike really wanted to find out what this creep did to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, but he doubt Crowe would give him a straight answer. He just has to hold out until Twilight and the others rescue him.

“The second reason is the most important one of all: changing who you are. For one day, you can literally be anything you want; anything at all. You don’t have to settle for whatever hack job genetics dealt you. Reinvent yourself as anything your heart’s desire and leave behind your old boorish body, you know what I mean?”

This one struck a little too close to him. Spike cast his eyes down; biting his lip. He couldn’t deny there were times before Rarity became his girlfriend that he wished he was a pony just like everybody else. Things have changed for the better but the sting of that pain still aches from time to time.

“Yes, yes, of course you know what I mean! No-no don’t deny it, I can see it in your eyes. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Being a dragon, I imagined there were countless numbers of times you wished you could swap out those scales and claws for a pair of hooves and a nice fur coat. Maybe even right now as well.”

“How could you possibly know what I feel? You’re already a pony! Why would you want to change anything about yourself?”

A smug smile formed on Crowe’s lips. The drake didn’t like that look in Crowe’s eyes, it made him feel as if he made a terrible mistake by asking the pony such a logical question. No turning back now.

“Well, allow me to let you in on a little secret about being an Earth pony.”

Crowe approached Spike. He placed his hooves over Spike’s shoulders; pressing his body uncomfortably against the purple dragon’s body. In a sudden jerk, Crowe grabbed Spike’s head by the cheeks and glared savagely into his eyes.

“I…HAAAAAAAAATE IT, I HATE IT, I HATE IT, I HATE IT! It’s beyond degrading. Of all the pony races, of all the stinking possible bodies I could have been born into; I had to be born as the most worthless one! Unicorns get magic, Pegasai get wings but what do Earth ponies get? JACK FREAKING SQUAT! Can you even comprehend how insufferable that is for me? It’s like-like having the spirit of a phoenix stuck in the body of a pathetic, insignificant worm!”

Spike stared dryly at the aggravated colt.

“Well, your right about one thing right…you are pathetic.”

Crowe’s smile quickly fell. The mischievous thrill gleaming in his soulless royal blue eyes was gone. Only cold blooded darkness shined in those merciless orbs. He slowly backed away from Spike, maintaining constant eye contact even as his hooves reached the floor.

“You really know how to suck the joy out of things, don’t you? Thanks for ruining the ride, sport,” Crowe grumbled.

Sombra’s horn started to glow. Crowe extended his left hoof and levitated the clawed staff with the crystals into his metallic grasp. The staff surged to magical life; reacting strongly to the powerful magic brimming from the armor’s multiple components. Spike gulped heavily.

“Guess it’s time we got started then. Now be a good boy, open wide and say-”

Crowe violently jammed the staff’s crystals into Spike’s exposed underbelly. He threw his head back and roared in agonizing pain. Magical energy surged across his scales like electricity; he could feel it scorching every nerve ending and muscle throughout his entire body. Spike screamed for what felt like forever…but little did he know it was only the beginning.

5 Days later…

Spike hung wearily from his chains. Every inch of his body racked with pain, food and sleep deprivation had drained every drop of resistance the drake had. His right eye was swollen into a large, sagging purple lump while his underbelly was laced with slash and burn marks. Both of Spike’s feet and claws had jagged cuts carved into them. Even his green fin had been seared off; leaving uneven jagged shards. The poor young drake had nothing left, nothing but suffering and pain that greeted him with a smile again and again and again…for 5 days straight.

“Good morning my happy houseguest, how’s the day been treating you?” Crowe asked cheerily.

Spike moaned in pain. His lips felt so parched and cracked, his voice came out as a ghostly whimper. He felt like he’s been here a lifetime. The purple dragon struggled to lift his head up but was only able to lift it half way.

“Ouch! Hmm, and here I thought you were ugly before we started. Oh well. Now, before we pick up where we left off, it’s time once again for me to ask you the number one, most important question of the day: do you have it in you?” he asked.

“Please…s-s-stop….I….d-d-don’t know…what you…you…mean,” Spike weakly sputtered. His claws trembled; rattling his chains loudly. He tried to bring them together in a begging fashion but he didn’t have the strength or the mobility due to the chain link length. “I’m b-b-b-begging you…please,” he pleaded.

“So were 5 days in and still no golden egg, sigh, what a bummer. But don’t you worry about it champ! I’m not giving up on you yet. I know what I’m looking for is buried deep down inside of you. I just have to dig a little…deeper,” Crowe stated.

Sombra’s horn glowed brightly as Crowe summoned the crystal staff once again. Spike’s emerald eyes welled up with unparalleled fear. He knew what was coming, he knew what Crowe was going to do, but the scariest part of all was that he didn’t know why he was doing it or what he was after.

He was going die without ever knowing why.

“Please, please, don’t-don’t do this! You’ve asked me that question for days and days and I still don’t know what you mean,” Spike said frantically. His weak limbs thrashed pitifully; vainly trying to escape away from that horrible staff. “Just tell me what you want me to do already! I can’t take this anymore! WHAT DO YOU WANT?”

Crowe calmly approached Spike with the staff. He stepped up to the dragon, leaned in close and looked him directly in the eye. Spike’s eyes widened as he saw the most disturbing, smile he had ever seen form on Crowe’s face.

“I want to hear you scream.”

Spike gasped in horror.

BZZT!

The villainous pony prodded Spike’s body with the staff; powerful and painful energies surged throughout him. He threw his head back and screamed. The pain was unbearable, like nothing he’d ever felt before. Crowe pulled back the staff and Spike’s head dropped back down.

“Hey, come on man, I’ve already heard this song! What’s say we go ahead and change the beat, hmm?”

He zapped Spike with the staff once more.

Spike’s screams echoed across the cavern walls; his voice consumed with misery and agony. Rumblings of primal draconian roars could faintly be heard in Spike’s howling cries. Crowe eased the staff off.

“Quit pissing and moaning and show me what kind of a man you are!” Crowe spat venomously.

He used the staff again.

The dragon’s eyes receded into thin, reptilian slits. His fangs were sharpening and growing along with the rest of his body. His screams were slowly being replaced by feral sounding roars. Crowe pulled back.

“Yes, yes; yes! Now once more with feeling!”

Crowe plunged the staff right into Spike’s heart. A blinding burst of jade energy and light engulfed the cave and Crowe. Spike roared out one last time before his body was consumed by a series of transformations; bulking his body up and catapulting him to monstrous new heights. His head burst through the cave’s ceiling while his shackles snapped off his limbs.

Spike had transformed into the beastly dragon form he took on during his birthday so many years ago. His eyes had a dark glow emanating from them, a familiar mixture of green, red and purple fumes.

“HA, HA; now THAT’S what I’m talking about!” Crowe cackled wickedly.



Rarity opened the door to her home. Her eyes swollen with exhaustion and puffy redness, hair twisted into a haggard mess while her aching legs wobbled cripplingly. Moonstruck watched Rarity enter. He stood at the doorway, silver eyes teaming with concern.

“This is highly unnecessary Moonstruck. I am perfectly capable of continuing the search, really, all of you keep acting like I’m” Rarity paused to stifle a yawn, “made of glass or something.” Her weary blue eyes struggled to focus on the purple prince she was attempting to scold for treating her like a child. “This is a waste of time, we must continue looking for Spike,” she insisted.

“All of Ponyville won’t stop looking just because you’re taking a nap and getting something to eat. I promise; I’ll let you know as soon as something turns up,” Moonstruck said calmingly.

“I’m NOT taking a nap or eating, YOU said I was!”

“If you keep going on like this you’re going to crash and burn and it won’t be pretty, and we both know how important it is that you look pretty.”

Rarity harrumphed and turned her frazzled tail to the stallion. His pitiful attempt at humor only served to agitate the sleep and food deprived unicorn.

“I’ve got Fluttershy, Rainbow and Hopeful following Crowe’s flight path and Arrowhead and Applejack are spearheading the search parties into the Everfree forest and beyond.”

“And what’s your point?”

“My point is that you can’t do anything for Spike if you work yourself to death! All I’m asking is you sleep for a little while and-”

“ABSOLUTELY OUT OF THE QUESTION,” Moonstruck backed away; slightly startled by her outburst. “Spike is out there…alone…with that horrible, heartless monster. Celestia knows what he is doing to him. If our roles were reversed, Spike would not rest for one minute while I was out there. I refuse to abandon him in his time of need!”

Rarity flung herself towards the door way. She attempted to tackle Moonstruck and shove past him to leave, but the winged prince easily stopped her with his magic and levitated her upstairs to her bedroom. She wiggled and whined at being forced back into her home but was far too weak to resist. Moonstruck dropped her gracefully onto her bed and turned to leave.

“I know you would never abandon Spike, so does he. But it’s been 5 days Rarity... 5 days of nonstop searching. We all have to rest at some point. Twilight should be back from Canterlot with hopefully some good news, get some rest until then…please,” he asked mournfully.

The unicorn tried to resist. Her mind fiercely berating her for taking even a single second to rest, she should be out there looking with every pony else! But her body betrayed her. Try as she might, sleep claimed her body and forced her eyes to slowly drift shut.

Moonstruck sighed with relief. He levitated her under the covers and quietly closed the door behind him.

“I’m so sorry Rarity, I really am. Please try to remember that…you’re not the only one suffering here,” he whimpered; blinking back tears.

Despite having a rocky start; Moonstruck had grown inexplicably fond of the young dragon in the short time he spent with him. He admired his tenacity and his passion for wooing the purple haired fashionista. Sometimes, Moonstruck almost felt like a father figure to Spike; offering him male guidance and support in a city mostly dominated by females. He too knew what it was like to grow up without ever knowing your parents.

“I better get back to the search party. I just hope your bringing home a miracle with you Crackers, because we could really use one right now,” he said somberly.

The prince flew into the sky and resumed searching for Spike.

Meanwhile, back in the boutique, Rarity dreamed of her scaly beloved and longed to be by his side again.

The ivory mare found herself standing on a grassy ledge; branching off to a cliff under a pitch black night sky littered with glittering, silvery stars. She felt a cold breeze wash over her body, her muscles and fur stiffened as a result. She timidly approached the cliff’s edge and peered down.

She saw nothing, absolutely nothing.

There were no towns, no ponies, no oceans, no buildings; just an empty, meaningless void that stretched on into infinity. Her sapphire blues shimmered with crystal like tears; they dripped from her eye lash extensions and fluttered like moths across the inky heavens. She stared at the heavens and watched as her tears mingled with the stars and danced a most peculiar dance. They rearranged and took on a very familiar face, one that stung her heart with a thousand needles.

It was Spike.

Her lips longed to say his name, longed to call out to him and summon him back, back into her arms; where he belonged.

Lost in the darkness

Hoping for a sign

Instead there's only silence

Can't you hear my screams?

Never stop hoping

Need to know where you are

But one thing's for sure

You're always in my heart

Rarity shook her head briskly. She dashed away her tears and looked to Spike’s face with a newfound surge of determination and passion. 

I'll find you somewhere

I'll keep on trying

Until my dying day

I just need to know

Whatever has happened

The truth will free my soul

The black sky flashed images of precious moments between her and Spike across its endless landscape. She smiled fondly at the sweet imagery. Falling to their deaths on Spike’s birthday, rescuing her from Chimera Khan, gifting her with the fire ruby, and of course, the Hearts and Hooves celebration. She laughed weakly; mascara and tears dripping down her cheeks.

Lost in the darkness

Tried to find your way home

I want to embrace you

And never let you go

Almost hope you're in heaven

So no one can hurt your soul

Living in agony

Cause I just do not know

Where you are

A single hoof reached out to try and touch them, to feel the warmth from those memories. Eventually, she slowly pulled her hoof back; remembering that, just like Spike, they are too far out of reach. They played like some celestial romantic film; reminding her of their joys and reinforcing the fear she may never experience these moments with him ever again. The images vanished and once again she was alone in the endless darkness.

Wherever you are

I won't stop searching

Whatever it takes me to know.



Hours later, Twilight had returned from Canterlot. She requested everyone meet up with her outside the library for her debriefing. Fluttershy, Applejack, Hopeful, Arrowhead, Moonstruck and Rainbow Dash stood outside the library to greet their friend. They embraced in a brief but comforting hug. Twilight looked brokenly to her friends. Judging by the look on her face, it was clear good news had not followed her home.

“So, did you find out anything in Canterlot, any clues where Spike is or the princesses?” Moonstruck asked hesitantly.

Twilight sighed heavily, her wings wilting in defeat. She really wished she had better news.

“Not much I’m afraid. Cadence agreed to watch over Canterlot while I continue to search for the princesses and Spike. Shining Armor is still at the Crystal Empire. No pony has any clue where anyone is. I sent guards out all over the kingdom…but still nothing. The only thing we do know for sure is that wherever they are, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia are still alive,” Twilight explained.

“Not to sound like a rotten apple Twi, but how can ya be so sure?” Applejack timidly inquired.

“Because it’s night now; the sun and the moon are still being raised by the princesses, which means they must still be alive somewhere. Please tell me you guys have found something, anything?”

The ponies looked down in shame. None of them wanted to greet the young princess with further sadness than she was already experiencing. They knew what Spike missing was doing to her, how it was breaking her heart and how she had to stay strong for the sake of Equestria.

“I’m so, so, so sorry Twilight but…we…don’t have anything. I asked all of my animal friends for help. I even went into the Everfree forest and asked the monsters for help, but no one knows where Crowe took Spike,” Fluttershy said; holding back her sobs.

“Rainbow and I searched the skies for hours. We followed Crowe’s flight path but it eventually disappears, and since he’s an Earth pony, he could have just as easily gone on hoof into hiding,” Hopeful said drearily.

“I went to Tartarus with Moonstruck and shook down that Cauldron nut job to see if she knew anything. Turns out Crowe duped her just like he duped Chimera Khan. She didn’t know anything about Crowe or have any ideas where he’d go and she worked with the guy,” Rainbow added.

“Ah went to Zecora to see if she had any potions or mystical accessories to help track down dragons, but she’s still too shaken up from Crowe beatin’ the stuffin’ out of her to do anythin’. Plus, that gutter trash bottom feeder trashed most of her supplies,” Applejack said; rubbing her blond locks underneath her Stetson.

“I doubled back to Khan’s old hideout hoping to find something that could help us learn more about Crowe; no dice though. This guy has been playing every pony for a fool for years. And if we factor in the shapeshifting power too, it’s like looking for one specific grain of sand at a beach; it’s damn near impossible,” Arrowhead grimly surmised.

“I was afraid you were going to say that. How are Pinkie Pie and Rarity doing? I didn’t see Rarity and-oh no! Don’t tell me! Did something happen to her too?!? Please don’t tell me she’s been-”

“Keeps your screws in, Crackers; Rarity’s fine. Well, she’s as fine as any of us can be at this point. She was burning herself out so I kinda forced her to get some rest and eat. She was going to kill herself if she kept going at that pace. As for Pinkie, unfortunately, nothing’s changed. She’s still in a coma and the doctors are saying her vitals are strong but they still don’t know when she’ll wake up,” Moonstruck said somberly.

Twilight sniffled silently. Her ear drooped, tears rolling down her cheeks. Moonstruck hugged her and nuzzled against her neck. As comforting as the young prince was, Twilight was finding it hard to recognize any kind of comfort knowing her adopted son’s life rests in the hooves of a merciless maniac. She sobbed harder and buried her face in Moonstruck’s chest. He wrapped his bat wings around her; shedding tears of his own.

“Good grief. How can things possibly get any lower than this?” Hopeful grumbled.

RRRRRIIIPPPP!

A monstrous pair of claws grasped the sides of the library. The beast who owned those claws revealed himself as he ripped the tree out of the ground as if it were a common weed. Books, shelves and numerous belongings dropped down like leaves. The ponies watched in paralyzing horror. The beast looked down at them with bright green and red glowing eyes.

Rainbow slowly turned her head towards Hopeful.

“You just had to say something, didn’t you?” she griped irritably.

“EVERYPONY RUN,” Twilight shouted

The ponies turned tail and ran away from the beast as quickly as possible. Owlicious flew out of the uprooted tree and followed suit. The howl of the beast’s roar caused the ponies ears to fold.

WHAM!

The beast slammed the library down; violently shaking the ground with quaking shudders. Ponies started to flee their homes and distance themselves from yet another monster attack. Twilight and her friends ceased running, they turned to observe the beast but maintained a safe enough distance.

FASCHOOM!

The beast set fire to the fallen library home. Emerald flames consumed the Golden oak library, growing stronger and larger with each newly incinerated memento from Twilight’s home. The monstrous creature looked upon the raging inferno with a soulless, empty stare.

“Not again,” Twilight sighed miserably. This was the second time Spike and she had lost their home to some monstrous being.

As the fire intensified, so did its jade glow. The light revealed the flesh and form of the beast that had burned Twilight’s home to the ground. It was a large, menacing purple dragon with a long snout, pointed green frills and a pale green underbelly.

“Well ah’ll be dipped in apple sauce…that’s Spike!” Applejack exclaimed.

Upon closer examination, Twilight, Rainbow and Fluttershy indeed confirmed that the towering behemoth before them was Spike in his full sized dragon form. Hopeful, Arrowhead and Moonstruck were completely baffled by this realization; having never seen Spike in such a state before.

“H-h-h-how is that possible? There’s no way that’s the same dragon. He’s like the size of a castle!” Arrowhead babbled.

“Spike told me he went all mega-monster once on his birthday, but I had no idea he got THIS big! How did this happen?” Moonstruck loudly mused.

“I don’t know! The last time he got this big, it was due to his greed getting out of control and it took Rarity to snap him out of it. Oh Spike, what has he done to you?” Twilight said woefully. Tears were forming in her purple eyes, Moonstruck held her hoof comfortingly.

“I’m going to fly over and get Rarity. She brought him back once, maybe she can do it again,” Rainbow said; revving up her wings to fly.

Before Dash could depart, Spike roared thunderously once more. This roar sounded different though. This roar sounded more like a calling, a summoning of some kind. A flash of yellow light appeared just above Spike’s right shoulder. Crowe’s armored body materialized into shape. The mask folded back to reveal his face; sporting the smuggest and most sinister of sadistic smiles. He hovered on his Phoenix wings; lording over all he saw.

“Yes, by all means, please bring the snake slut! I’m dying to see what she thinks of her main man’s extreme makeover,” he said taunted.

The ponies looked at Crowe with collective hatred. No villain before, not even Khan had generated this much loathing towards one pony. Moonstruck was especially infuriated now that he knows Crowe was responsible for ruining his life.

“Eh? Eh? Come on, you’re glad to see me, aren’t you? Yeah, yeah you are, at least one of you is. I mean I know I’m all bad and grr and stuff but really, I’m not such a bad king once you get to know me. Spike can vouch for me, right big guy?” Crowe beamed brightly.

Spike replied with a primitive, zombie like groan.

“I swear to you Crowe, I’m going to rip out your heart you lousy BASTARD!” Moonstruck screamed.

Crowe laughed and rolled his eyes. He tapped his hoof against his Starswirl chest plate, as if tempting Moonstruck to take a shot at it.

“I already owed you some major payback for what you did to Spitfire, but now I’m REALLY going to flatten you for this. No one messes with my friends,” Rainbow barked defensively.

Twilight flared her wings in a show of force. Her horn glowed bright purple, charging up her magical energy and anxiously awaiting the moment she can unload it on Crowe. But she knew all too well his plate would just absorb it, plus, she needed information on what he did to Spike. As much as she hated it, she had to wait to pummel him until after she pumped him for info.

“More importantly, no one messes with my son! What do you want Crowe? Tell me what you’ve done to Spike, or so help me, I’ll-”

“SHOVE IT TWINKY! You’re not modeling crowns anymore, I am so, keep your mouth shut and pay attention before I have Spikezilla royally stomp all of your asses,” Crowe snarled back. 

Reluctantly, Twilight backed off and motioned for Moonstruck and Rainbow to do the same. 

“Good, now that I have your undivided attention, allow me to bring you all up to speed,” Crowe said. He cast a projection spell just off to his side. A swirling portal appeared; magically replaying back the events that befell Spike over the past 5 days. 

Spike was strapped to an operating table in Crowe’s workshop. The yellow colt approached the drake. Spike struggled but was unable to break free from his bindings.

“I'll begin with how I peeled back the layers of the boy's mind. Oh, he bravely tried to fight it at first. You all would've been proud to see him so strong.”

Crowe grafted electrodes to each side of Spike’s head. He used the crystal staff and Sombra’s horn to electrify Spike with unknown dark energies, blasting the electrodes directly. The young dragon screamed and jerked violently out of control.

The ponies gasped in blood chilling horror. All color drained from Rainbow’s face, Hopeful was on the verge of vomiting, Applejack and Arrowhead couldn’t stand to keep watching, and Fluttershy was practically drowning herself in her own tears. Moonstruck and Twilight were fixated on the savagery displayed before their eyes. Too enraged to look away and too mortified to comprehend what they were watching.

“But after a while, all the shocks and spells started to take effect, and soon everything that made him who he was slipped away.”

Crowe circled the floor with ritual markers and symbols. Surging waves of energy erupted from the symbols; bombarding Spike with spells and hexes. Spike continued to thrash against his bindings but still could not break free. He screamed even louder and harder as Crowe twisted the crystal staff against his underbelly like a screwdriver.

“Now only the Beast remains, a beast that I and I alone can-”

ZAP!

Twilight blasted a spell beam at Crowe. The beam missed and struck Crowe’s portal instead; dissolving it instantly. He peered down and spotted the purple princess, her horn sizzled from the recent attack. The anger and sadness brimming in her violet eyes is immeasurable.

“HA, I knew you’d be the first one to take a swing at me. Did my little puppet show upset you that much, princess?”

ZAP! SPLAT!

Crowe cried out in pain as a crystal blue beam suddenly struck him in his left eye. The attack liquidated Crowe’s eye. He sneered loathingly at the newly arrived pony that had blindsided him: Rarity.

The white unicorn panted heavily, having run all the way from her boutique to Twilight’s fallen home as soon as she awoke; due to Spike’s monstrous roaring. Her sapphire blues reflected the same scorn and sorrow Twilight had in her eyes. No pony had expected such a powerful attack like that to come out of Rarity, certainly not Crowe.

“You BITCH! Do you have any idea how much that freaking hurt?!?” Crowe spat viciously. He pointed to his wounded eye. The magical properties of his armor fully restored his eye in a matter of seconds.

“Give…him…back,” Rarity said; heaving intensely.

Spike remained still and silent as stone. The dragon failed to show even a speck of genuine emotion, even to Rarity’s arrival. She ran desperately towards her scaly beloved. Rainbow and Applejack held her back; fearful of what Spike may do while under Crowe’s control.

“Give him back, give him back, GIVE HIM BACK TO ME!” she shrieked. 

Tears poured down Rarity’s cheeks, her hooves flailing wildly; longing to feel the warmth of Spike’s touch once more. She called out his name but Spike still failed to respond. She shouted it again and again and again until she dropped to her knees; collapsing under the weight of her own sadness and exhaustion. Everyone felt as powerless as Rarity did at that moment.

“Whatever it is you’re after, whatever you’re trying to accomplish; Spike does not need to be a part of it. He’s innocent and caring; a son any parent would proud to call her own…I know I am. So I’m begging you,” Twilight dropped to her knees and bowed down. “Please let him go. I’ll do anything you want; anything at all but please…let my baby boy go,” Twilight pleaded.

“You know, watching you grovel like that is just so delicious. It really is too much. I suppose I could be convinced to let your butt ugly brat go if you were to, oh I don’t know, offer something to trade for him,” Crowe mused; stroking his chin.

Twilight’s eyes widened. She immediately looked to Crowe and Spike, eyes brimming with hope. The other ponies however were skeptical of this proposal.

“Ah don’t get it. Ya’ll got enuff power to defeat the Royal sisters, what could Twilight possibly have that you’d be willing to trade Spike for?” Applejack inquired.

“Oh no-no-no-no you misunderstand, you see it’s not what Twilight has to offer; it’s what all of YOU have to offer: namely yourselves,” Crowe chuckled.

Moonstruck’s face slowly morphed from confusion to seething hatred. Not all of the ponies understood what Crowe was getting at, but he did.

“Being King sounds fun and all, but lately, I’ve been thinking that ‘Emperor Crowe’ has a nicer ring to it; don’t you? And what good is being emperor if you can’t live out the rest of your days in the lap of luxury in your very own castle; surrounded by 5 beautiful women to cater to every desire imaginable?” Crowe explained.

“That’s funny, I didn’t know he had a castle,” Fluttershy pondered aloud.

Crowe dropped to the ground in front of the gathered ponies. He turned to the smoldering memorial that was once Twilight, Spike and Moonstruck’s home. His eyes flashed neon blue and a gargantuan cascade of white light engulfed the fallen tree. Twilight and her friends shielded their eyes from the blinding glow. The decimated Golden Oak library had been transformed into a towering black crystal castle, the same style of castle Twilight would have had if she accepted it after defeating Tirek.

“Oh…I see…I probably shouldn’t have said anything,” she mumbled bashfully.

“So here’s your proverbial ‘deal with the devil’ ladies,” Crowe turned to face the ponies, “you 5, foxy females agree to marry me and become my own personal harem of sexy slaves and in return, I’ll let reptile boy off his leash.”

The mares simultaneously displayed faces of absolute disgust. The idea of being married and living with such a vile pig made then sick to their stomachs, especially Rarity. Hopeful, Arrowhead and Rainbow were about ready to blow their tops and tear Crowe apart. Moonstruck beat them to the punch however. The Necricorn lunged at Crowe and attempted to pierce his chest with his curved horn.

“You’re not going anywhere near any of them, you hear me?!? I won’t let you destroy my happiness again!” Moonstruck barked.

BZZT!

Moonstruck was blocked by a wall of electrified energy. His horn pushed and pushed against the electric net-like wall, but nothing would break the barrier between him and his most hated enemy. He growled behind clenched teeth as he struggled fiercely to break through. Crowe casually approached the electric barrier. He smiled arrogantly at the thrashing Necricorn, laughing at the thought of this pitiful creature earning the title of ‘Prince of friendship’.

“It’s funny; years ago I would have given my left nut to have the power you possess. But look at you now: a failure in every possibly way. You can’t even protect the mare you love from danger…how pathetic. You’re nothing but a putrid waste of flesh and fur, just a brain dead loser who doesn’t know when he’s been outclassed. I can’t believe I would have ever settled for such a disappointing power,” Crowe sneered and spat at Moonstruck’s face.

The zombified Spike suddenly sprang to life. On his master’s mental command, the dragon reared back his tree sized tail and swung it towards Moonstruck. Twilight teleported to Moonstruck’s side and tried to pull him out of the way, but the swinging tail was too fast and both ponies were swatted aside like flies. The electric net dissipated upon impact.

Hopeful and Fluttershy moved quickly to help the fallen prince and princess back onto their hooves. Unflinchingly, Spike shed a single tear from his left eye. 

“Wake up and choke down the failure crybabies! If I wanted to, I could melt all of you into a steaming pile of pony puke; the only reason I’m giving you this choice is because I allow you to keep breathing long enough to make it. Now, here’s the deal: either Princess Twinky and her friendship floozies get served to me on a silver platter, or Spike stays my dog for the rest of his meaningless life. You’ve got 3 hours. Make the choice or I make it for you, either way…I win.”

Crowe vanished in a flash of energy. He materialized inside the newly erected dark castle; looking down over the group and all of Ponyville.

Twilight knew she and her friends had a lot to talk about. Applejack suggested heading to Sweet Apple Acres and discussing their next move inside her family’s barn. At the very least, they’d be away from Crowe’s prying eyes. Everyone agreed and headed towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Once the gang arrived, they entered the barn and began their discussion.

“Everyone, I know this is the last thing any of us want to talk about, but we’ve only got 3 hours and we need to make them count. We need to figure what we’re going to do,” Twilight said.

“I think it’s pretty obvious what we got to do: we bust into that creep’s nasty looking castle and give him the beat down of a lifetime until he gives us Spike back.”

Applejack shook her head at Rainbow’s predictable response.

“This ain’t like other big nasties we’ve fought before. This Crowe feller has us strung up by our tails, and he’s already proven he can clean our clocks somethin’ fierce if we try rasslin’ with him.”

“Not to mention, he could use Spike as a shield or have him harm us or someone else. The poor, poor dear, he’s been through so much already. I refuse to do anything that puts sweet Spiky Wiky through anymore suffering.”

“But Rarity, what are our options? You can’t possibly be considering becoming that monster’s sex toys for the rest of your lives,” Arrowhead interjected.

“Actually, I think that’s exactly what we have to do,” Twilight declared.

“SAY WHAT?!?” the group collectively cried out. Rarity was the only one who wasn’t surprised by Twilight’s suggestion.

“Princess or not, you need to flush that idea down the toilet because it ain’t happening!”

“Moonstruck, please, you have to understand. If we-”

“No I DO understand; I understand you’ve lost your stinking mind and you’re taking everyone else with you.”

“I don’t like this anymore than you do. This is wrong, humiliating and sickening in every possible way, but we have no choice, Spike’s freedom is on the line here; maybe even his life. I would do anything to keep the ones I care about safe…even this.”

“Um excuse me b-b-but I um think I agree with Twilight. I mean, I’m positively terrified at just the idea of being married to that-that horrible, awful pony, but he’s got one of our best friends. Spike would do the same if he were in our position,” Fluttershy meekly added.

“But who’s to say we can actually trust this creep? He has no honor and no sense of respect. Plus, let’s not forgot he’s a known back stabber and if he goes back on his deal, there’s nothing we could do to stop him,” Hopeful said anxiously.

“Doesn’t matter, if he lays one filthy hoof on Rainbow or any other mare; I will personally make sure he chokes on his own broken teeth,” Arrowhead grumbled murderously.

“All of you make good points, and I think I speak for all of us when I say how touched we are to see you guys want to protect us so badly,” Twilight paused and looked around the room. “But this is our choice to make and just because we’ve lost the battle, that doesn’t mean were giving up the war too.”

“What are you getting at, Crackers?”

“Crowe only wants us, no pony else. Even if we become his brides, that still leaves the 3 of you; plus Spike, to come up with a plan to get us out of there. Believe me Moonstruck, I wish it didn’t have to come to this; I truly do, but it’s the only shot we’ve got right now.”

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Arrowhead, Hopeful and Moonstruck looked at each other uneasily. They all felt dread twisting up their stomachs as they mulled this over. Rarity and Fluttershy remained firm in their decision to side with Twilight.

“I know he asked for all 5 of us to agree, but I won’t ask any pony to agree with my plan just because I think it’s the only one we’ve got right now. If any of you have any other ideas or plans, now’s the time. But we’ve got to hurry, there’s no telling what Crowe might do if we take too long. Our time is almost up,” Twilight said.



To be continued…