//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty-Six:Spike's Ultimate Destiny, Part One:The Game Begins // Story: Time Stops For No Dragon // by FluttershyLover55 //------------------------------// Time Stops For No Dragon Chapter 26-Spike's Ultimate Destiny, Part One:The Game Begins "First of all, how did you find it?" Twilight asked, wanting to know all of the facts. "It's kind of a long story, but I explored around town and got a lead to where it might be, so I followed it and found this thing in a cave, basically. I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of it, though. I'm pretty sure that it's harmless, unless I'm using it on Starswirl." Spike said, nonchalantly. He was fairly certain that her fears were unfounded. After all, this was Twilight, the mare that was commonly known to freak out and make a big deal out of things that were, decidedly not. "Spike, you didn't even read the book, did you?" "Not really, why?" Twilight face-hoofed in disappointment. "Of course, you didn't. You stumbled across one of the most dangerous artifacts in Equestrian history, and you don't even know what it does. That gauntlet is what sank Marelantis, for Celestia's sake! The last pony to wear it was overwhelmed by its power, and wiped the whole city off the map! Nopony has seen it in hundreds of years, and then you suddenly show up with it. Do you see where I'm coming from, now? This was already a big deal on its own, so I didn't blow it out of proportion this time." Spike was shocked. "Whoa! So, what does this thing do? I mean, if I could figure out how to use it, not even Starswirl would be a match for it." It turns out, that he had been shocked by the idea of what he could do with it, not the catastrophe that had happened because of its use. Twilight sighed. "Its main purpose is to store spells, effectively canceling them out. The user can then fire it back at the caster, or add the magic power to their own body. However, if somepony tries to absorb magic that they aren't strong enough for or equipped to handle, then it could kill them. In fact, for the gauntlet to work, the user's own magic power must be used, so be careful. Nopony knows how much magic can be stored in the gauntlet itself, but it sort of has a life of its own. The fact that it's on your arm, probably means that it has bonded to you. It's not easy to get off, but I could try, if you want." "No, that's okay, Twilight. I appreciate the offer, but I need this thing, if I want to stand a chance against Starswirl. He'll be casting spells way more powerful than I can on my own, and if I get hit by any one of them, I could be wiped out on the spot without this gauntlet's help." Spike had been sitting down while talking to Twilight, but he stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get going. I'm not trying to sound conceited, but I'm the only one who can save the world. I got us into this mess, and it's my responsibility to fix it, no matter what it takes." He started to leave, but Twilight stopped him, a familiar magenta glow gently tugging on his tail. He felt her hooves wrap around him from behind, and he turned around to face her, as she buried her face into his chest. "Spike, as much as I wish you didn't have to do this, I know that nothing I can say will stop you from going. You've grown up so fast, and I'm proud of you. I've never told you this before, because I was too embarrassed, but I've always kind of thought of you as my son, as well as one of my best friends." She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Twilight, you have no idea how much that means to me. I've always felt like you were sort of my mother, too." Spike was holding back tears, at this point. "I love you, Spike. My only request is that you come back, safely. Don't die on me, please? Oh, and also, when you see Starswirl, give him a good beating for me, all right?" She kissed him on the cheek. "Sure thing, Twilight. I'll try to make it back, but just in case I don't, I want you to know that I love you, too. Oh, and don't forget to tell the girls that I love them. By the way, don't worry about Fluttershy. I made a promise to save her, and that's what I'm going to do. Whether I make it back or not, you can bet that SHE will." Spike walked out the door, turning to look over his shoulder at her one last time. "See ya, Twi." "I'll see you later, Spike." Twilight replied, as the door closed. "I hope." She whispered under her breath. On his way from the Library, Spike fell into a hole that he didn't remember being there before. What he didn't realize at first, was that it was actually a portal. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX He fell a fair distance, smacking face down onto the floor, as a portal closed on the ceiling of the place that he had been sent to. Although his landing was certainly painful, he would suffer no lasting harm from it, and he got to his feet, wondering just where he had ended up. Two familiar sisters were standing in front of him, ready to explain why he was suddenly in the Canterlot Castle. "Ahem. I apologize for calling you here so abruptly, but we have important matters to discuss. I thought it was imperative to let you know that we have discovered where Starswirl is hiding." Celestia informed him. "What, you have? Where is he? Did you find Fluttershy?" Spike started firing off questions faster than they could answer them. "Calm down, Spike. One question at a time. As for Fluttershy, I'm sorry to say it, but we haven't been able to locate her. It is likely that she is with Starswirl, though." Luna answered. "He is hiding somewhere in the Everfree forest, as far as we can tell. I'd advise you to be careful, though, for there is no telling what he has in store." Celestia warned him, but Spike didn't seem to be fazed by it. "All right, then. If that's all you had to tell me, then I should get going. There's no time to waste." Spike said, seriously. Luna cleared her throat, awkwardly. "Actually, Spike, there's something you should know. We have been keeping this from you, and I believe it's time that you know the truth." In the event that he perished in his fight against Starswirl (they were confident that he wouldn't, but still) he deserved to know what they had done. It might affect his battle performance, but it couldn't be helped. Spike was beginning to get suspicious. The Princesses usually hid things from other ponies until they absolutely had to tell them, so this was nothing new, but this sounded more important than the types of things they normally liked to keep hidden. "What are you two talking about?" Spike said, slowly. "Spike, there is no easy way to say this, but your destiny has been altered." Celestia and Luna hung their heads in shame. "If you want to blame somepony for all of this, then look no further." He raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding what they were getting at. "I'm not sure that I understand what you're trying to say, but last time I checked, all of this was MY fault, not yours." Luna shook her head. "Not so, Spike the Dragon. By sending you on that mission to the Badlands, we set in motion a sequence of events that never should have occurred." "How do you know that none of this should have ever occurred? Where's the proof?" Spike asked. "Spike, there's no way that you could know this, but my sister and I possess the power to see into the future. It is our duty to watch over all of our subjects, and we saw how unhappy you were with your current situation, so we took a peek. This may be hard to believe, but there exists a world where you saved a crystalline kingdom, though you never quite turned out to be the hero you could have been. In that world, after accomplishing that one heroic deed, nothing changed for you. You were still left behind on adventures, and you never stopped pining for Rarity. That world, is the very same one as ours. By sending you on a quest to the Badlands that future was averted, and now, you are heading down a very different path. It is an undestined one, but it's still a path, nonetheless." Celestia explained, thoroughly. In the other world, they had never found out about what was happening at the Badlands, and The Elder had even taken care of Kazami himself, preventing the disaster. Starswirl was never released, and Discord had been successfully turned to stone the second time. "Heh, heh, that's a relief. I thought you were going to tell me that it was impossible for me to save Fluttershy, or something! From what you've been telling me, it seems like my life has only improved thanks to your actions. I never would have realized my love for Fluttershy, or became an Element of Harmony, after all!" Both princesses had assumed that he would be mad at them, but it was nice to see that that wasn't the case. However, there was still more bad news in store for the young adult dragon. "About that, Spike…It might actually be impossible to save Fluttershy. Discord's soul has entangled itself with her own, and if you try to remove it using excessive force, it could damage her in such a way that she might never recover. If it doesn't kill her, it could put her in a comatose state. And besides, that mare's body wasn't made to hold that much magic inside of her, since she isn't a unicorn. There's no telling what damage the monster possessing her has already done, so even if you get her back, she might not be the same." Luna warned, ominously. "So, what? Are you trying to make me give up on her? If so, it's not going to work. If I give up on taking her with me, then this whole quest, no, everything I've done since becoming a hero, would be for nothing!" Spike growled, baring his fangs in anger. "No, of course not, Spike. We wouldn't dream of it. I was only making sure that you would be prepared, in the event that something happens. Your determination to succeed is one of your greatest qualities, both as a hero and a noble young dragon. We would never try to take that away from you. I promise." Luna continued, as Celestia smiled and nodded. Upon hearing her words, Spike lowered his head, turning his back to them. "I'm sorry, I don't blame either of you for this mess. I'm just emotional, right now. I've been trying not to be, but my goal is so close now, and at this point, I can accomplish the mission or die trying. Those are the only two options that I'll accept. Whatever happens now, don't blame yourselves. I'm an adult now, at least in pony terms, and that means that I have to accept the outcome of my actions, whether it's good or bad." "Spike, I know how much you've invested into this journey, but please, don't do anything rash. Twilight and the rest of your friends would kill us, if they found out that we could have stopped you from doing this. Not only that, but we consider you a friend as well, so obviously we don't want anything bad to happen to you." Luna told him. Spike's toothy grin went unseen, since he was facing away from them, but one could tell he was wearing it from the tone of his voice. "Now, when have I ever done anything that would qualify as rash?" Based on their observations of his past battles, the opposite of his words rang true. However, before they could reply, he vanished in a flash of light. It was clear that he had teleported off to the Everfree forest, in a rush to meet with his ultimate destiny. As they stood there, watching the spot where he was previously standing, Luna spoke up. "Sister, why did you tell him that? I thought our intention was to raise his spirits, not lower them." "You're not wrong, Luna." Celestia admitted. "If that is so, then why would you even bring up the possibility of his failure to save Fluttershy? That seems to me, like the type of thing that would either make him worried or depressed." Celestia met Luna's questioning gaze, with a look that implied she knew something that her younger sister didn't. "You'd think so, wouldn't you? For a normal creature, that's an expected reaction, but not for somepony like him. The reason I brought it up, was because I knew for a fact, that it would have the opposite effect. By telling him that he couldn't do it, it will only give him the determination to try harder, and prove that my assumption was wrong." Luna smiled in understanding, happy to have realized what she was talking about. "I see. While it may have seemed cruel at first, in hindsight, you have helped him greatly, by bolstering his fighting spirit!" "Now, you're getting it, dear sister." The Sun Princess said with a grin. Luna frowned, her worry for his wellbeing taking hold. "Do you think he can win, Celestia?" "In all honesty, his chances wouldn't be that high, even with all his skills and weapons, except for one thing. Did you see what he was wearing on his arm?" She hadn't been paying much attention, but now that it had been pointed out to her, the Princess of the Night was able to figure out what she was referring to. "Yes, he was wearing the 'Gauntlet of Marelantis', wasn't he?" "Precisely. With the power of that ancient artifact at his disposal, his chances go from almost none to a significant amount. There's still a strong possibility that he might die, but he at least has more of a chance to survive than he ever did before." Celestia explained. "True." Luna continued staring at the spot where he had been standing. "Please, be safe, noble Spike the dragon." XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Spike appeared next to Fluttershy's cottage, at the outskirts of the Everfree forest. He was about to enter the forest, but something made him stop and look at her old home. Whether it was nostalgia or simple curiosity, he felt compelled to go take a look at it one last time. He had many great memories of living there with her, and while he wished that things could have been different, he was about to fix everything, so things would return to normal. He hadn't really been back to it, at least not in this time period, since she kicked him out, which seemed like it was a lifetime ago, at this point. For old time's sake, he decided on a whim to check inside it before he left to go confront Starswirl. He was expecting it to look exactly the same as it had been when he left, but he had no idea how wrong he was. Upon opening the door and stepping inside, he did a double take. Inside what should have been Fluttershy's cottage, was the entirety of Canterlot Castle. He was about to walk back out the way he came to check that he was at the right place, but when he turned around, the door he had come through was gone. Spike sighed, as a familiar evil laughter sounded all around him, seemingly coming from every direction. This was a trap, and he had walked right into it. Thinking quickly, he willed the gauntlet on his arm to vanish, hoping that he could hide it from his opponent. If the thing had a mind of its own like Twilight had claimed, then it should listen to him and disappear, like his jacket had when he didn't want anypony to see it. If his enemy knew about it, then he would lose the element of surprise. Luckily, it worked, right as Starswirl decided to show himself. The bells on his outfit gave his presence away as they jingled with every step he took, appearing from around the corner and approaching Spike. He stopped, when he was right in front of him. "Welcome, young dragon. Do you like what I've done with the place? I hope you don't mind, but I made some renovations to it while you were away." Starswirl said, greeting him with a welcoming smile. "I don't care about that! What have you done with Fluttershy? I KNOW that you have her here, somewhere!" Spike growled, wanting to get to the part where he kicked this decrepit, old wizard's butt and finally saved the mare he loved. "Oh come on, aren't you interested in how I did all of this? It took a lot of time and effort! Well, I'll explain it to you, anyway. This is all part of a spell I used to create what is essentially, a pocket dimension crafted in the style of the royal castle. While it may be indistinguishable from the real thing, this is actually a very convincing replica. Using the chaotic magic residing within your little female friend, I was able to build all of this. The spell is anchored to the front door of the cottage, acting as a filter that sends whoever walks through the doorway into this alternate plane of existence. It basically, works in the same manner as the time travel spell I created, except it allows your whole body to go through it, and only those I allow to enter will be able to access this place. In other words, if any of your other friends try to enter or even if those namby pamby princesses tried, they wouldn't be able to get in. For all intents and purposes, you're trapped here, Spike. The only way this place will disappear, is if you defeat me." Starswirl explained, as in depth-as possible. Spike had heard enough, if he wanted a fight, then he was ready to throw down, right here and now. "All right then, let's fight!" The eager dragon charged towards him, but an invisible wall pushed against him, halting his momentum and making all forward movement impossible. "Ah, ah, ah. Now, Spike, everypony knows that before you can have the main course, you have to eat an appetizer! You'll get your chance to take me out, and believe me, I want to take you out just as badly, but you have to earn the right, first. So, we're going to play a game, you and I. I'm going to go to the highest point of the castle, where I will wait for your arrival. You're going to play hide and seek with Fluttershy. Your playground will be the whole castle, and she'll be seeking you. She can get particularly violent in this new form of hers, so if she finds you, rest assured that she WILL kill you. The only way for you to win, is if you can somehow sneak past her and make it to my location, or if you kill her before she can kill you." Starswirl chuckled, turning and beginning to walk away from Spike. "Don't worry, you'll get about a five minute headstart. I'd pick a good hiding place, if I were you. I'll wish you good luck, but I sincerely hope that she finishes you off, so that I don't have to get my hooves dirty!" He said as he rounded the corner, disappearing from view. Spike found that the invisible wall was gone now, and he was left to find a hiding spot as fast as he possibly could. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Meanwhile, in the Badlands… In the magical hall of paintings inside the Elder's castle that told of various moments in Spike's life, like the time he defeated Kazami or the newest one, which was of his triumph over Discord, a brand new one appeared. Its contents were disturbing, to say the least. It depicted Spike and Fluttershy with Starswirl standing over them in a triumphant pose. Spike appeared to be nearly dead, if he wasn't already, and Fluttershy was very pale. There were two bite marks on her neck as if she had had the blood sucked out of her body. It was almost like a vampire had stolen her blood, as well as her life. Unlike the others, there was no inscription under this one, so there were no hints to its meaning. If anypony had been around to see it, though, they would be able to tell that it obviously didn't mean anything good. Spike's struggles should have been coming to an end soon, but they were only just beginning, if this cryptic painting was anything to go by.