Dragonfire 🐲 Enter The Dragon Hero 🐲

by Phantom-Dragon

Evil Lives Here Part 2: Conquering Fear

Sometimes, in the past, when Spike was in his preteen years, the boy was experiencing his first hit of puberty, as a human. During this time, the young boy would often get into a lot of troubles, much to the ire and stress of his uncle Scorpan, who was still working with the NYPD, at the time.

"Spike," Scorpan scolded sternly. "This is the third time, this week, I've been called down to your school, regarding your behavior! This is not like you!"

"With all due respect, uncle," Spike spatted in a snarky and disrespectful tone. "Those bullies had it coming. They were beating the stuffings out of my Guys. What was I supposed to do? Not fight?"

"It's not about when you fight," Scorpan scolded, disapprovingly. “It’s about how you fight! So until you figured that out, you are grounded for a week! That means no hanging out with your friends! No video games, no comics, no TV! No—“

“No fair!” Spike spatted back.

“Don’t take that tone with me, young man!” Scorpan scolded. “As your legal guardian, you’re to do what I say what is best for you!”

“Why does it matter to you anyway?” Young Spike barked angrily. “You’re not my dad! Or even my mom! Not like she would care anyway if she left me with you!”

Scorpan recoiled back in shock at Spike’s comeback. Nevertheless, he regained his composure, but more bitterly.

“Well, if that’s how it is…then…go to your room!” Scorpan pointed. “And meditate on your actions. You will not leave, except for supper!”

“Fine! I will!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

“FINE!”

"So...this is the place." Spike said as he stared at a four-story mansion. It was located on the outskirts of the city. It was also near a beach. The manor looked nice and neat, as if someone has been taking care of it and he had a very good idea who. What really set him on edge is that it looked eerily similar to the one in Ponyville.

Spike had been waiting anxiously at the mansion that Fear Haunter had instructed for him to be, along with his friends, the Equestria Girls, and the Knights. After what felt like hours, the heroes at last were assembled.

"Yo, Spike! We got your message," Rumble said. "So what're we looking at now?"

"Another trap, and another of Fear Haunter's game, that's what," Spike answered. "He's got Sour Sweet in there, and we gotta save her, for her team, the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts."

"Yeah, I just got a text from Sunny Flare," Twilight said. "I can't believe Fear Haunter managed to teleport them all the way to Wisconsin!"

"Doesn't this guy ever run out of tricks?" Rainbow Dash grumbled.

"I doubt he's ever pulled his punches," Applejack replied.

"We'll figure that out later, let's just get in there and get Sour out, quickly," Spike insisted.

"Even after the spat you two had?" Button asked, to which everyone all shot glances at the boy. "Uh... nevermind. Although, gotta admit, Spike. You were as much of a hothead than she was, three years ago. Remember?"

"Not the time, Button," Spike berated the gamer boy. "Let's just get this over with."

But before the heroes could begin, something caught Sunset's eyes, "Twilight, Starlight, you might wanna take a look at this," Sunset spoke up as she notices a plaque on the entrance gate.

The three went to see the plaque and what they saw on it was a name, "Just as I thought, Madame Scarlett," Twilight said.

Everyone perked up at this, "Who?" Fluttershy asked.

"Madame Scarlett was a famous unicorn noble nearly a century ago who studied dark cults," Twilight lectured. "She also collected many artifacts and trinkets over the years."

"She was basically a 19^th century Daring Do." Starlight explained. "Many nobles didn't think highly of her as they thought she was a complete oddball, though she didn't think very highly of them either, so the feeling was mutual."

Sunset then came forward, "Unfortunately, she was found dead in a back alley with a puncture wound in the chest. She looked like she was stabbed or even gored by a bull or a large ram. But to this day, no one knows for sure what had happened, and the killer was never identified."

"And they say that after she died, her vengeful spirit made residence in her house, where she haunts and will attack anyone who dares to enter her home," Twilight ended, which sent goosebumps up the whole team's spine.

"Oh my!" Fluttershy whimpered, cowering behind her mane.

"Spooky," Featherweight shivered, holding onto Pipsqueak for comfort, while both boys were being held close by Captain Celaeno.

"Well, either way, we're going in," Spike said. "Sour Sweet's in there, somewhere. And... she needs to be saved, for her friends' sakes," The Dragon Prince looked down as a newfound guilt wash over him. "This whole mess is my fault, though. If I hadn't been so hard toward Sour, none of this would've happened."

"Spike, what's done is done," Twilight said as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Let's just concentrate on saving Sour so the two of you can work out your differences and move on."

"I know," Spike sighed. "But I also know that this is something I have to do by myself. For all I know, Fear and Bone are in there, and are waiting for me with all sorts of traps and tricks up their sleeves. And if anything ever happens to you guys then... I don't think I can forgive myself. That's why I'm going in by myself."

"Spike, no!" Sunset shouted. "That's completely out of the question and you know it! Don't try and be the big hero!"

"Sunset's right!" Applejack said. "We're in this together! We're a team, Spike! Whether ya like that or not, ya can't go at it alone!"

"We're not letting you get hit in the head and losing your powers again!" Rainbow Dash added. "There's no way we're losing you for another decade again!"

"That's right!" Pinkie Pie added. "Friendship is magic! Always have been and always will be!"

"That goes double for us, bro!" Button Mash said on behalf of himself and his fellow Knights. "We know what we signed up for when we discovered your true nature, Spike! You're our pal, and we're pals for life!" With that, the Knights all exchanged agreements as they raised their fists in the air.

Seeing how there's no point in talking them out of it, and that they've made up their minds, Spike nodded, reluctantly complying to his friends' terms, before he turned and resumed their mission at hand.

Somewhere in the mansion, spying on the heroes via a wall of monitors, Fear Haunter sneered, "So the young dragon called his friends after all," He chuckled. "How predictable."

Fear and Bone watched on the monitors as Spike and his fellow heroes entered the mansion in a big group, glancing in various directions, anticipating for anything out of the ordinary.

"Hmph! There're so many preys to pick off on," Bone growled. "So many meals and so little time."

"That won't be problem for long, brother," Fear Haunter chuckled, as he concentrated hard on the monitors.

After the heroes entered the mansion, Spike saw his phoenix companion in the middle of the entry hall while in a cage and still has the knife sticking in his chest.

"PEEWEE!!!!" Spike yelled as he rushed towards the Phoenix's cage.

However, Twilight notices a trip laser on the floor, "Spike wait-!!!" But it was too late as Spike's foot touches it.

All of a sudden, the front door and all the windows slammed shut, catching everyone by surprise and a strange sound is heard.

"The buck is that noise?" Rainbow asked.

"It sounds like a machine is charging up." Twilight answered.

"And it's getting louder-." Before Button could finish his sentence, a massive wave of dark energy suddenly rose from the ground and spread to the rest of the mansion. And everyone was caught in it.

Everyone got on their knees and yelled in pain as they feel their magic ripping away from them. For Spike, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash they felt this before, when they got struck by a Magi Pulse Grenade. But this was ten times worst. The Element bearers, Sunset, and Starlight were forced back into their pony forms and Spike notices that his armor plates began to rust and crumble, and his Cape of Compassion vanishing. Thinking fast, he begins to rip them out leaving only his jumpsuit.

It was then that the entire foundation of the building shook, and the entire surroundings of the mansion's interior started to darken.

"Hey! What's-what's happening?" Fluttershy asked, as she panicked and held Rainbow Dash tightly.

"I don't know," Twilight answered. "But remember, be ready for anything!"

"How?" Button asked. "We can hardly see anything!"

"Don't panic," Applejack said.

"Easy for you to say!" Button Mash replied. "Hey! Where is everyone? I can't even see my own hands!"

"Twilight?" Spike sounded. "Girls? Guys? Where are you?"

Fear chuckled grimly, watching how scattered the heroes looked.

"Perfect," The evil metahuman sneered. "The entire team has been divided. The herds have been scattered. The little lambs are now left to fend for themselves against the wolves."

"Then I take it that's my cue to begin my hunt then?" Bone asked.

"Go Bone," Fear said to his metahuman brother. "Go and hunt down our guests. Have fun."

"With pleasure, brother," Bone chuckled darkly as he turned away to torment his prey. "How I've missed the hunt."

Button Mash was walking down a hall of the terrifying mansion, which doubled as Fear Haunter's personal funhouse. He was passing by a portrait of nun, whose eyes looked as if they were following him. Being the wisecracker he is, Button Mash stopped and backtracked in front of the portrait.

"Like I haven't seen this in a million movies," The boy scoffed, before he pointed at the portrait. "A-HA!" With that, the boy pulled out his nun-chucks and spins them wildly, hitting the portrait.

Suddenly, the sound of music broke the silence, and Button Mash turned around and finds himself staring at a familiar beagle dog, elephant, lion, and ape.

"Hey kids!" The dog said. "Put on your ha-ha-happiest faces, because the banana splits show is about to begin!"

"Ruh roh," Button Mash commented.

Then, as if things couldn't get any worse, Button's ears perked to the sound of music playing behind him, to see a fairy animatronic, doing somersault.

"Hey cowboy," The fairy spoke. "Ready for a little ménage à trois?"

Featherweight was trembling with fright as he shines his flashlight around the mansion, lighting his way in the dark. He was all alone, in the dark, with nothing but silence for company. It was all too quiet for him, which adds onto the eeriness of this frightening atmosphere.

'I knew I should've stayed in bed,' The boy mentally moaned. 'Why did I get myself into this situation again?'

His ears quickly perked up when he hears the sound of bloodcurdling shrieks that echoed throughout the mansion. He turned his head to the left, then to the right. The noise seems to be coming from behind the doors. He'd dare not open any of them, for who knows what could be waiting for him from behind.

The boy decided to walk in the opposite direction of the noises. Obviously, if anything frightening was making those noises, then the most logical option he can think of was to get away from them.

Featherweight walked downstairs, arriving on the first level of the mansion, but stopped dead in his track. His eyes widened in fright, his teeth chattered, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and his whole body sweated with goosebumps, at the sight of a kitchen, flooded with blood, and littered with chopped up body parts of human beings. The boy pinched his nose, feeling himself on the verge of losing his lunch at the foul stench and squeamish, grotesque scene.

"Help us!" An anguish voice called, which startled Featherweight, as he watched to see a hand waving to him from the sink. "Please! Help us!"

"Help us!" Another called out from the oven.

"Help us! Help us!"

Featherweight froze in place, as his memories flashed faster before his very eyes, as he once again finds himself in front of the burning building, with all the helpless people locked inside, screaming desperately for him to save them.

Tender Taps opened the door and found himself in what appeared to be a huge ballroom that has seen better days. The marble floor was cracked and covered in dirt, littered with debris of windows and pieces of columns. Glass windows that surrounded the room have been shattered. Portraits of people, most likely the mansion's previous owners, were all worn, torn, and shattered to pieces. And a giant crystal chandelier had fallen off its perch from the ceilings and laid shattered on the floor, with the crystals scattered across the floor.

What greatly unnerves Tender Tap the most is the sight of several claw marks on the floor, as wells as strange bloody footprints that decorated the floor across the room. Swallowing his scream, Tender Tap cautiously tiptoed into the room, while glancing to the right and left, staying on high alert for anything that could jump out at him. Even though he's don up in his Chestplate of Valor, with other armor pieces to go with it, keeping his entire body full protected, it doesn't quite give him enough confident that he'll be unharmed.

Tender Taps was shining his flashlight across the ballroom, when suddenly, something caught his attention. There, lying on the floor appeared to be a person. A bloody corpse. Recently killed.

Tender Taps bit hard on his bottom lips, not daring to scream at the sight, 'Oh my god! A body!' He thought in horror. Against his better judgement, Tender Taps tiptoed closer for a closer look. He was only a few feet away, and already he was squeamish enough at the bloody sight, that he turned away, but stopped at the sound of low growling, and something wet and slimy dripped down from the ceiling and splattered on his left shoulder.

"Ew!" He muttered in disgust, at what he thought was slobbers. Knowing he would soon regret it, Tender Taps looked up, to see the moonlight outlining the shadowy figure of a hulking beast.

Without warning, the creature spreads its wings, which are estimated to be about 30 feet wide, and with a loud piercing screech, it lunged towards Tender Taps.

"AH!!" Tender screamed, running for dear life as the bat-like creature landed on the floor and viscously flapped its wings, biting and clawing after Tender Taps, who quickly made a dash for one of the doors, only for the bat-monster to jump ahead and blocked his exit. The monster reared up on its hind legs and let out another bloodcurdling roar.

The strong and fast athlete of the Knights checked a room, which is decorated with mirrors of all shapes and sizes.

“Now what kind of a room is this?” Rumbled asked himself, passing by several mirrors, before he stopped in front of a huge mirror. Instead of showing his reflection, the mirror only showed him his brother, Thunderlane, and their father.

“Yo Rumble!” Thunderlane greeted Rumble, causing the young boy to turn around to see his big brother and father.

“Thunderlane?!” Rumble exclaimed. “What? What’re you-“

“Haven’t you heard boy?” Their father spoke in a strict tone that sounds venomous. “Your brother has made the team. He is now moving up in the big league.”

"We wanted to tell you the big news, but as of late, you just haven't been around so much," Thunderlane frowned. "It's almost like you didn't want to have anything to do with me lately. You seem happier around with your friends than you were with me."

"What?" Rumble exclaimed in shame. "No, brother, it's not like that. I–"

"Oh dear! I'm gonna be late! I've got to go! The World Cups League is calling for me!" With that, Thunderlane took his leave, while their father was left alone with Rumble.

"Rumble," The man shook his head. "If only you had spent more time with your brother, then you could've grown up to be just like him."

"B-But dad!"

"Save it, Rumble," The man held his hand up as he took his leave. "Sometimes, I'm not sure if you're even my son anymore."

Rumble held his hand out, begging and pleading for his father to come back, when he quickly remembered, "No! No way, this-it's just another trick from Fear Haunter! That's it!" He pounded his fist together. "Yeah, I can't let him get to me!" Unsheathing his Sword of Honor, Rumble loudly proclaimed to Fear, "You hear me, Fear?! Your hocus pocus won't stop me! Never have, never will!"

"Is that so?" A low and eerie voice scoffed, revealing himself to be Fear Haunter, emerging from the shadows, crossing his arms. "Typical human mortals," The metahuman rolled his eyes. "Always so stubborn, always eager for a fight, or a challenge, without even the faintest of comprehension at the outcome, should you fail. For you Rumble, you're always eager to throw the first punch and for thinking you could be top dog. Deny all you want, young warrior, just like how you've denied your brother of his love for you."

"RRRRGH!! That's enough out of you!" Rumble shouted as he skated towards Fear Haunter and slashed his sword at the metahuman, who immediately dodged to the side.

"Come on, is that the best you can do it?" Fear asked, as he continues to evade more slashes from Rumble. "I half expected you to be at least better than you were months ago. But I'll amuse." With that, Fear Haunter suddenly made various duplicates of himself as he surrounds Rumble.

The duo was in the mansion's basement, trying to find a way out.

"Find anything lad?" Celaeno called out.

Pip shook his head, "Sorry captain, still nothing." He answered as he returns to her.

Pinching the bridge of her beak, the Ornithian sighed in frustration, "This place is like a damn maze." As she tries to figure out where to go next, her ears perked up and eyes shot open as she hears a hissing noise. She suddenly grabs the boy and ran to a dark corner.

Pip was confused, "Captain what's wro-?" He was suddenly hushed.

"I don't think we're alone down here lad," Celaeno whispered to him. Pip was about to ask when he hears the hissing as well along with some growling until it eventually died down.

Unsheathing his sword, along with Celaeno who holds her gun at the ready in the other claw, the two swashbucklers cautiously proceed throughout the maze, back-to-back, keeping their wits about and hearing for anymore of the hissing.

Even though he holds a sword in his hands, in the company of his favorite parrot pirate, it didn't make Pipsqueak any less than scared for the horrors that is waiting to pounce on both him and Celaeno. Dealing with a twisted metahuman like Fear Haunter was one thing. But to know he has an accomplice with him, who happens to be not only his brother but a metahuman with crocodilian features is another. Sometimes, Pipsqueak and the Knights would question why he and his friends ever get themselves into this mess, or why they even bothered getting involved with all conflicts between Earth and Equestria. But it doesn't matter, because for the moment, he was content for having met Captain Celaeno, and she's counting on him now, more than ever. Secretly, though, in his eyes, Celaeno is more than his captain. To him, she's like a mother to him.

Captain Celaeno, meanwhile, is just as nervous than Pipsqueak is. It's not that she is afraid of what Fear has in store for her and her allies, and though she doesn't show it, she's more afraid of losing Pipsqueak than anyone else. After losing her hearty crew to the Cerulean Hunters, Celaeno finds herself flying solo, something she's not cut out for. To her, her crew were her family. Her only family that is. But upon meeting Pipsqueak and his boys, the Knights, her empty nest is no longer empty. Call it parental instinct, Captain Celaeno took upon herself to be the Knights' mentor, if not paternal figure, always having to reel in their reckless antics, especially Button Mash's cooky and delusional perspectives clashing with Rumble's boastful pride and arrogance. Though not to pick favorites, she'll admit, she admires Pipsqueak's spunk, strong spirit, and courage despite his rather small stature compared to the other boys. In her eyes, he's not just a cabin boy. In a way, she's already considered him a son to her. And she'd do anything to keep him safe and protected. And she's determined not to lose him, just as she had lost her crew.

Suddenly, a loud scratch was heard. Pipsqueak quickly shines his light on a wall, revealing a long row of scratch marks torn deep into the wall.

"Aye," Celaeno grimaced. "What do ya suppose could've made those marks?"

"I don't know captain," Pip replied. "Though I think it could be Fear's brother."

Celaeno looks at the claw marks for a good minute before saying, "I'm gonna go off on a limb here and say that it isn't."

"How can you be sure?" Pip asked.

"Take a very good look at those claw marks lad. They're a little small for a big brute like Bone Cruncher, don't you think?" Celaeno answered. While she has yet to meet Bone Cruncher in person, the description Lyra and Bon Bon gave her helps paint a pretty good picture for the Ornithian pirate. Bone was depicted as eight feet tall but the claw marks look like it was made by something that's around almost around six feet, if not a bit smaller.

Pip took another look at the claw marks and realize that she's right, "If Bone Cruncher didn't make these, then...who, or rather what, did?"

"Let's not stick around to find out." Celaeno said grimly as they continue their trek.

They continued when Pip's eyes as he saw some wooden stairs that go up."Hey Captain! Look! I think we found the exit!"

"Good work lad," Celaeno patted Pip on the head. "Now let's–"

Suddenly, without warning, something rammed through the stairs from behind and shattering it to pieces, catching the two swashbucklers off guard. As the quickly dust settles, their eyes widen at what they saw. In appearance, the creature looked like an equestrian pony, an earth pony stallion to be exact, but the similarities end there. The creature was around the same size as Big Mac, if not bigger, had a pair of dorsal fins protruding from its back, sharp teeth that looks like it could tear a grizzly bear easily, reptilian claws where it forehooves should be with its hind legs still having hooves, and the most shocking of all, had green scales instead of fur with blue stripes on the sides.

The creature growled at them as the duo stand their ground. That's when they hear a hissing right behind them, they turn to see another reptilian pony behind them but this one was different from the other one. This one was slightly smaller than the other one, Scales and color patterns similar to a Gila Monster, a long bony horn on the tip of its snout, and a club like tail.

"AAAAAAAHHHH!!!" Button Mash screamed, running for dear life to escape from the demonic, robotic versions of the Banana Split characters. "A fine jab to my childhood! I used to watch the Banana Split show every day, when I was a kid!"

Button Mash hadn't gone very far, when he bumps into something and fell on the floor. "What the–" Upon looking up, Button Mash was startled at the sight of a large robotic bear. "Freddy Fazbear!"

Freddy Fazbear reached his robotic claws out to grab Button, only for Button to retaliate with a swing of his nunchuck, which smacked Freddy across the face.

"Yeah, that's right!" Button Mash challenged, spinning his nunchucks as he got into fighting stance. "You want a piece of the Button Masher? You got it!"

With a loud roar, Freddy Fazbear lunged towards Button Mash.

Unfortunately, Button Mash had failed to realize quickly that what he thought was Freddy Fazbear, he was actually fighting his pal, Rumble, who was also under the influence that he was fighting Fear Haunter.

"You are so dead, Fear!" Rumble growled, as he lunges towards what he believed was Fear Haunter, throwing a punch in retaliation for his smarted jaw.

With that, the two boys continued to duke it out with one another, without realizing that they were being watched, by a certain crocodilian metahuman.

Bone Cruncher shook his head, "These are supposed to be the Dragon Prince's royal guards? I half-expected more." With that, Bone Cruncher simply walked over, grabbed both Button Mash and Rumble by the heads, and bonked each other on the head, knocking them out cold.

"Pathetic," Bone Cruncher growled, before he sniffed the air for some other preys to track down. "Ah...I hope these next unfortunate souls would put up a challenge or two."

Back in the basement, Celaeno and Pip were fighting the strange kaiju-like pony hybrids, when Celaeno's earrings flashed, "Uh oh, that can't be good," She moaned.

"What is it captain?" Pip asked.

"Your crazy fellas, Button Mash and Rumble are both in trouble. We have to go!" Celaeno insisted, knocking one of the kaiju-like pony abominations off of her, before taking Pipsqueak by the hand and retreated.

“Bone! I trust you’re enjoying the hunt?” Fear smirked, as he sat in his chair, watching the events unfolding before him via the monitors.

“You know me brother,” The crocodile-like metahuman responded via the communication devices. “The screams, the fears you induced, they’re all practically sheep herded to the butcher. Just like old times.”

“Yes, just like old times.” The sound of muffled screaming brought Fear’s attention towards a bound and gagged Sour Sweet. “Patience my dear. First them, then you.”

Tender Taps was running for dear life, struggling to escape the giant bat monster. The bat monster had cornered the boy into a closet, when a whistle was heard, stopping the creature in its track. Thinking the worst has passed, Tender Taps was drawn into a false sense of relief as he got out from his hiding spot and finds himself at the mercy of Bone Cruncher who reached out to grab him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

"No! Stop!" Featherweight shouted, putting his hands over his ears, straining to block out the screams of the poor lost souls, and shutting his eyes tightly, straining to block out the horrible sight of all the dead corpse and spirits.

Then, without warning, the boy was picked up by the leg. The screams became silent, with the bloodied corpses vanishing out of sight, revealing the boy was in nothing more than an empty kitchen. Holding him upside-down and staring into his soul is the crocodile-like metahuman, Bone Cruncher himself.

“Boo,” Bone Cruncher smirked.

With Pipsqueak’s hand in her claws, Captain Celaeno kept on running through the dark halls of the basement, searching for another way out.

Unfortunately, the reptilian-pony hybrids were tenacious and relentlessly pursued the two swashbucklers.

Forcing Pip and Celaeno continued their fight with the reptilian ponies.

"Captain, we can't keep fighting these things forever. We gotta help our friends!” Pip shouted as he was fighting off the reptilian pony with the sail fins.

“I know lad but these damn things won’t let up!” Celaeno said while she was fighting the one that looked like a gila monster.

During the fight, Celaeno swung her sword hard and cuts off the Gila monster-like pony’s arm off. The hybrid let out an agonizing yowl, while Pip and Celaeno watched in horror as another limb grew in place of the stump.

“This is bad…” Pipsqueak whimpered.

Then, without warning, the sail fin hybrid curled itself up into a ball and spins forward like a bowling ball, knocking Pipsqueak off his feet, knocking him down like a bowling pin.

“Pipsqueak!!!” Celaeno cried, with all of her attention focusing on her concerns for the boy.

Distracted, Celaeno was at the mercy of the Gila monster hybrid’s bite. Celaeno tried to fend it off, except her whole body has frozen up. She could barely move her arms, or her legs. She was paralyzed. The monster has paralyzed her.

Helpless, Captain Celaeno fell to the ground, alongside Pipsqueak, as the beasts stood over them. The look of hungers in their eyes, their mouths cracked open, drooling as they are prepared for the kill.

But then, the shook, indicating the approaching footsteps of something bigger. The hybrids backed away. Celaeno strains to look up, seeing the crocodilian face of Bone Cruncher, who lowered himself close to the parrot’s face.

“Where’s your flock of a feather now, birdie?” Bone Cruncher hissed.

“Sour?” Spike called out. “Sour? Are you here?”

“SPIKE DRACO!!”

“Huh?” Spike looked up and finds himself staring at the angry eyes of all the girls that surround him.

"Spike! How could you?! How could you make out with each and every one of us, behind our backs?!" Twilight frowned.

"You underhanded, backstabbing, cold-hearted reptile!" Rarity spatted.

"I thought what we had was special!" Fluttershy cried. "I thought you cared about me!"

"What about all the parties I threw for you?" Pinkie Pie frowned, with her hair flat. "Downright despicable," She spoke for Madame LeFlour.

"Not cool!" Rainbow Dash growled. "You're so uncool, I could just kill you right here, and right now!"

"I guess I should've listened to Grand Pear when he told me to never trust a dragon with mah heart!" Applejack frowned.

Spike took a step back, aghast and shocked from all the hates the girls were firing towards him, and he fell down a hole.

Spike got up to see the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts now glaring down at him.

"How could you, Spike?" Sunny Flare scowled. "You've let us down! You let Fright killed Sour Sweet!"

"So uncool, dude!" Lemon Zest added.

"I knew we should've killed you when we had the chance," Sugarcoat said bluntly.

"What are we waiting for then?" Indigo asked, unsheathing her katanas. "Let's just do it, right here, right now!"

"Wait, no!" Spike shouted as he moved to the sides and leapt into the air to dodge the katanas. "Stop! I don't want to fight!"

"Tough!" Indigo shouted angrily as she continues to slash her blades left, right, up, and down, with Spike summoning his own fire katanas to parry and block.

Spike parried and blocked every slash from who he thought was Indigo, but the girl was moving too fast that Spike was barely able to keep up, when he blindly thrusted a jab, and a gasp was heard. Spike squinted his eyes open to see, much to his utter horror, he had stabbed his own uncle, Scorpan.

"Why, Spike?" Scorpan groaned. "Why? After everything we've sacrificed just for you?"

"Uncle?!" Spike gasped. "No...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it!" But Spike's words fell on deaf ears as a web of chain thrusted out from the shadows and restrained him, holding him down. "What?! What is this? What's going on?"

"Ungrateful child..." A voice spoke up, to which Spike looked up to see his mother, walking up to him, with a scowl expression on her face. "I took you in, out of the kindness of my heart. Taught you everything you needed to know about your powers. Make you feel welcome, when you were crudely cast aside by your birth mother. And this is how you repayed us?" Princess Celestia's eyes slowly turned green with purple smokes pouring from her eyes. "You're no longer my son," Princess Celestia said, flaring her wings up, and her horn pulsing a menacing dark aura. "You're dead to me!"

Spike closed his eyes tight shut, waiting for the killing blow. But it never came.

“Spike! Wake up!” A familiar voice shouted, to which Spike looked up to see himself looking into the icy blue eyes of his changeling friend, Thorax, who was slapping him across the face.

"Thor..." Spike gasped in surprise. "You came back."

"I never left." Thorax smiled at the dragon as he helped him up. "Come on, let's kick some ass," Spike nodded in response. "By the way, I'm still hoping you and Sour apologize after this." He said sternly.

"Don't worry, we're planning on it."

With that, both reconciled friends resumed their trek through the mansion.

After long hours of navigating through the dark foreboding maze of nightmares, Spike and Thorax eventually arrived at the heart of the mansion, where Sour Sweet is bound and gagged.

“Sour!” Spike shouted as he quickly ran over to untie the girl from her restraints.

“Spike? Y-You saved me." Sour said, with wide eyes. "But why?”

“Because your friends asked me to,” Spike replied, while noticing the way Thorax threatens with turning himself into a tiger, with the way his two large snake-like fangs were becoming more canine in appearance, and a patch of orange furs were growing in.

“And because I wanted to say I’m sorry for being so hard on you.” Thorax arches an eyebrow, “...and that I’m an idiot and a dick for letting you get captured, so you can go ahead and hit me with your best shot, or whatever.”

After a moment of processing what had transpired before her, Sour Sweet threw a punch across Spike's face.

"Yeah, I definitely deserved that," Spike muttered, before receiving another punch. "And that too."

"Easy there, my sweet," A dark voice spoke up as Fear revealed himself before the heroes. "Don't rough him up too badly, or he won't be able to watch the show."

"...What show?" Spike asked.

"Your friend's nightmare of horror, of course," Fear pointed to a hall of monitors, revealing captured footages of the Mane Six, Sunset Shimmer, Captain Celaeno, and the Knights experiencing their worst fears.

“Look at the lot of them, screaming and squirming for their lives. Waiting for some hero to save them.” Fear said with a grin as if proud of his work.

Spike, Thorax, and Sour’s eyes widened in horror at this.

Clenching his teeth in anger, Spike turns towards the twisted metahuman as he jumps and attempts to do a flying kick on him. But Fear sees this coming as he simply turns to smoke and zips across the other room while Spike’s foot just hits the stone wall, spraining it in the process.

“ARG, DAMMIT!!!” Spike screamed.

Fear just gave a dark chuckle, “Poor, predictable Dragon Prince. Remember what I said before you came here? Don’t get reckless. It was because of that recklessness that you fell for my trap which made you and your idiot friends lose your powers and got separated from one another. And now, that same recklessness costs you a foot!”

Just then, Fear was suddenly pounced on by a green tiger and got pinned to the floor. Fear and the beast just glared at each other. “Aw yes, the bug. Tell me you oversized horsefly, why did you bother coming back?”

“Something a sick bastard like you would never understand.” Thorax replied with a growl, “Sure Spike can be a bit of a bonehead who lets his emotions get the better of him once in a while and we may fight sometimes, but he’s my friend and I will always be there for him!”

“Cute. Lucky for me, I had a backup plan in case you ever did show up.” Fear smirked.

“And what’s that?” As soon as Thorax asked that, there was a loud beeping sound coming from Fear’s left hand. Thorax turned to see what it was and was shocked to see that it was a magi-pulse grenade. “Aw cra-!!!” He didn’t finish his sentence as Fear quickly turned into a puff of smoke while dropping the MPG to the ground which caused it to set off and unleash an explosion of dark energy. Thorax screamed in pain as he was turned back into his original changeling form.

The dark energy quickly died down and Thorax struggled to get up. Just then, the changeling was grabbed by the throat and was lifted up to be face to face with Fear Haunter.

Fear then turned to Spike, “And now ‘Dragon Prince’, that recklessness is going to cost you a friend!” As soon as Fear finished that last part, he tightened his grip around Thorax’s throat, choking the life out of the changeling.

Seeing his friend gasping for air, Spike was able to use his one good leg to leap into the air and try to throw a punch at Fear. “LET HIM GOOOO!!!” Spike practically shouted.

Unfortunately for the Dragon Prince, the twisted meta-human caught Spike’s fist and slammed his foot on the boy's chest. Spike fell on the ground with Fear’s foot pinning him there.

Fear just laughed at Spike, “What now ‘Dragon Prince’, Huh? What now?! You have no one left to save you-HUUURRRGH!!!!” Fear didn’t get to finish his sentence as a piece of rope suddenly tied around his neck and started choking him. This caused him to drop Thorax and get off of Spike.

As the boy got up and the changeling gasped for air. They both turn to see that Sour got behind him and started strangling him with the same rope he used to tie her up.

Both boys could see the pure rage in Sour’s face as she tightened the rope on Fear’s neck.

As he was gasping for air, Fear reached into his pocket and brought out a small hunting knife. Fear then grabbed the rope wrapped around his neck and pulled it out a little before using the knife to cut it.

This causes Sour to stumble back and fall on the floor.

Fear turned to the Shadowbolt girl with pure rage and hatred in his eyes, “THAT DOES IT!!!” He practically screamed, “NO MORE GAMES! NO MORE MESSING AROUND! I’M GONNA KILL ALL THREE OF YOU! RIGHT HERE! RIGHT NOW!!!!!” He then brought out his scythe to which he twirls around and somehow turns into a pair of smaller ones. “Starting with you, you bipolar BITCH!”

Spike and Thorax were about to jump in and help her but someone grabbed them from behind and threw them through a wall where they found themselves in another room. Stepping through the hole in the wall was none other than Bone Cruncher.

The crocodilian meta-human slowly approached the two boys while growling and hissing at them as well as sizing them up.

“Taste my dragon breath dirtball!” Spike roared before letting out a long inhale but when he exhaled, instead of a torrent of flames, all he got were puffs of smoke and green embers. “Right…” Spike muttered when he remembered that he doesn’t have any powers right now.

Bone just chuckled at the display before he whipped around with his tail swing.

Both boys barely dodged in time before the massive tail struck them.

Spike didn't have time to recover, when Bone Cruncher grabbed him by the leg and proceeded to thrash the green-haired boy around the room. The sickening sound of breaking bones echoed around the room, accompanied by the thunderous sounds of bricks and floor tiles smashed to pieces.

These are the kind of gut-wrenching sounds that indicates little to no survival for any ordinary humans.

Thorax got back up and immediately galloped towards Bone Cruncher to save Spike. But Bone Cruncher had already seen him coming and threw Spike towards the changeling.

Spike and Thorax rolled across the floor, until they came to a stop.

"You stand no chance, Dragon Prince," Bone Cruncher hissed, cracking his knuckles and readying himself for another attack. "No powers. No weapons. No magic girls. Just a human boy. Not fit to be a prince..."

For the very life of him, Spike felt his whole being trembled, as if knowing he and Thorax may possibly on deaths door. In a heartbeat, his whole life flashed before his eyes, from the moment he was found by Scorpan, brought to and was adopted by Princess Celestia, Somnambula leading the attack that separated him from his mother, and the decades he spent living and learning martial arts, under Scorpan's supervision.

'Is this how my story ends?' Spike thought to himself, fearfully. 'My friends are in trouble...I'm so close, yet so far away to save them...but I'm going to die...they're going to die...because of me...'

"Spike...Spike...Spike!" Thorax shouted, snapping Spike back to reality. "Wake up! This isn't the time to be spacing out! We have to get up and fight!"

"What good will that do, Thor?" Spike asked, wearily almost out of breath. "Without our powers, we're done for..."

"When has that ever stopped you?" Thorax asked, in outrage. "You used to get into a lot of fights, back in school, ten years ago, here on Earth. And that was after you lost your memories! And that's WAY back when!"

"Those were different times back then..." Spike groaned. "I fought school bullies and got detentions for them...and I got into several arguments with my uncle.."

"SO? It doesn't change the fact that you're a fighter! Dragonfire or no Dragonfire, you're the strongest and bravest kid I know! And I risked my neck coming here to help you, because I believed in you!"

Spike kept on trembling as he felt the floor rumbling from Bone Cruncher's approaching footsteps, while at the same time, struggling to process every one of Thorax's words.

Once again, Spike's life flashed before his eyes as he recalls every moments of his life that he will treasure for the rest of his life. His mom, uncle, the Knights who are his brothers-in-arms, and the girls of his life.

"C'mon, Spike! Get up!" Thorax helped Spike up to his feet. "Show him who you are! Everyone needs you!"

"A very rousing speech, I'm sure," Bone Cruncher scowled, once he was finally towering over the boys. "Pity that it will be the last words you'll ever say."

Bone Cruncher threw a punch at the two boys, who quickly dove to the right to avoid the strike.

"You got a plan?" Thorax asked, hopefully.

"I'm thinking..." Spike said, frantically strategizing in the moment. "I got it!" He snapped his fingers. "Let's play Arkham Knight."

"Spike...now's not the time for Batman..."

"No, no! I mean, like the DLC for Arkham Knight, when Batman and Nightwing were fighting Killer Croc! They relied on teamwork and coordination to take down the big guy!"

Catching onto what Spike was getting at, Thorax nodded as they put their plan into action.

Both boy and changeling watched carefully as Bone Cruncher got down on all four and charged towards them like a rampaging animal. Reacting fast, both boys leapt into the air to avoid getting trampled, with Spike running across Bone's scales to the tip of his tail. Bone soon came to a stop and was about to turn around, when he was met with a kneecap to the face.

With Bone Cruncher disoriented and slightly off balance, Spike proceeded to throw several punches, and every forms of spinning heel kicks, turning side kicks, and roundhouse kicks, at the crocodilian metahuman's head. Soon, Thorax joined in on the fight. Though not as knowledgeable in martial arts as Spike is, Thorax still landed a few punches and kicks at Bone Cruncher with his hooves, enough to keep the metahuman distracted.

Irritated, Bone Cruncher slashed his claws left and right, which the two boys narrowly evaded. Upon seeing an opening, Spike had Thorax put his leg between Bone Cruncher's, while the Dragon Prince lunged in to land an open palm strike to the rib, shoving Bone Cruncher, causing him to trip over Thorax's legs.

Following through on the action, Spike and Thorax continued to throw more kicks and punches at Bone Cruncher's face. Bone Cruncher snapped his jaws forward, but he had missed his targets, thus leaving himself vulnerable and open for another attack. Spike threw an uppercut, forcing Bone Cruncher to throw his head up in the air, allowing Thorax to throw a jab to the metahuman's throat, temporarily cutting off the airway.

Bone Cruncher gasped breathlessly for air, while being at the mercy of Spike and Thorax who still followed through on their actions to land more kicks and punches.

In the spur of the moment, Spike proceeded to throw some techniques he learned in the style of Jeet Kune Do – Bruce Lee's style of martial arts. Spike threw a low kick, behind at one of Bone Cruncher's legs, forcing him to bend at the knee, lowering his height.

Following through, while ensuring Bone Cruncher doesn't have enough time to recover for a counterattack, Spike threw several fast palm strikes to the metahuman's chest, and some to the face. Bone Cruncher tries to fight back with an uppercut, but Spike managed to block the incoming attack with a low block. Before Bone could attack him again, Spike did a backflip to get away, and landed a capoeira kick beneath his jaws.

"ENOUGH!!!" Bone Cruncher bellowed, spinning his tail to throw Spike and Thorax off, following through in a roll to put some distance between him and the boys. "You will both die tonight, along with your pathetic friends..."

"Not unless I can help it!" Spike declared.

"We are in this together!" Thorax added. "We're all friends. And friends are family."

With an irritated hiss, Bone Cruncher picked up a slab of rock and hurled it towards Spike and Thorax. The two boys quickly dodged the debris, and resumed attacking Bone Cruncher from two different directions. Bone Cruncher snapped his jaws at Spike, on the left, while whipping his tail to hit Thorax, on the right.

Spike quickly backed up to avoid the teeth, whilst Thorax manages to dodge the tail whip, and threw a punch at Bone Cruncher's rib. Bone Cruncher turned to swat the changeling away, forgetting Spike, who landed a roundhouse kick to his snout. Soon, both Spike and Thorax proceeded to throw more kicks and punches, practically juggling Bone's head in every confusing directions.

With Bone Cruncher stunned, Spike took this as an opportunity to land some strikes at the metahuman's nerve points, paralyzing his arms and legs, rendering him helpless on the spot.

"What are you?" Bone Cruncher asked, breathlessly.

Spike got in Bone's face and scowled, "I am Spike the Dragon Prince of Equestria...and New York..."

Fear slash and swirled his scythes at Sour with such ferocity, the Crystal Prep girl barely had time to dodge them before she made a couple backflips away from him to get some distance.

Sour then notices a sword hanging on a wall and makes a mad dash towards it. After grabbing the blade, Sour turned toward Fear and stood in a battle stance, ready to attack.

The two just stared each other down, waiting for the other to make a move. The two then charged at each other, their blades at the ready before they clashed.

Sparks flew as Sour’s sword and Fear’s scythes clashed. Both stammered back from each other with Fear deciding to change his game plan by merging his two scythes into a longer double-bladed one.

Fear then dashed at Sour who barely had enough time to block his attack and stammered back a little. Fear then swung his scythe towards her but she managed to parry it in time. Using this momentum, she then did an uppercut to his jaw which caused him to stagger back a little.

Fear quickly recovered from that before charging at Sour at once again while swinging scythe wildly at her who in turn either blocked or dodged his attacks. Fear then did a sweep kick to Sour’s legs which caused her to fall to the ground. After that, Fear raised his scythe, ready to deliver the killing blow but Sour quickly managed to raise her sword in time to block his weapon.

Sour quickly got up and kicked Fear in the face which sent him flying across the room. Fear wiped the blood that was dripping from his mouth before giving the Shadowbolt girl a hateful glare. He then lept towards her and swung his scythe at her left feet which made her cry out in pain. He then used his weapon to shove her to the floor, knocking the blade out of her hand.

Fear slowly approached Sour and swung his scythe at her but Sour remembered that that still had an extra in her pocket and brought it out just in time to block the scythe. Blocking it caused Sour to twirl around Fear before parrying his scythe and running to the sword.

As she picked it back up, Fear was already on her as he tried to swipe at her. But Sour was ready for him this time and made a quick slash at him splitting his double bladed scythe in two.

Undeterred, Fear still attempted to slash Sour but she still managed to either dodge, block or parry them before she was able to dislodge one of Fear’s scythes from his hand.

Being down to one scythe now, Fear decided to pull his trump card and use his powers on her.

Just then, Sour is suddenly confronted by her past tormentors who just laughed at her and called her names.

Fear smirked as he saw Sour dropping to her knees and trembling with fear. The twisted metahuman then approached her and raised his scythe, ready to deliver the final blow.

But as Fear brought the scythe down however, Sour managed to grab Fear’s wrist with his blade just inches away from his face.

The Shadowbolt girl looked up to the twisted metahuman not with fright but with pure rage, much to Fear’s shock. She then twisted Fear’s wrist which made him drop his weapon and cry out in pain.

Sour quickly got up and with a scream, socked Fear right in the face which sent him flying across the room.

Sour then ran over to Fear’s downed body and began to wail on him. After a good minute of savagely beating him, she managed to calm down before going too far.

After catching her breath, she looks down to see Fear’s bruised and bloodied face. The metahuman was barely breathing, and hardly reacting to Sour Sweet, when she lightly tapped him on the face, to inspect him. She had beaten him so much, so senselessly, she had knocked him unconsious.

Sour Sweet looked back up at the monitors. With that, Fear Haunter's fearful illusions disappeared. The Mane Six, the Knights, and Captain Celaeno were finally awake and freed from the fiendish metahuman's nightmares. No longer fearful for their lives, the heroes all had looks of confusions on their faces, as they begin to regain their composures to rendezvous.

At that moment, Bone Cruncher was thrown into the room, courtesy of Spike and Thorax. Furthermore, as if fate was smiling down upon them, the rest of their friends suddenly arrived, just in time to witness Spike and Thorax triumphant victory over Bone Cruncher. Among them was Peewee, who let out a song-like screech to let his master know of his presence.

"Peewee!" Spike cried happily, embracing his pet phoenix into his arms.

Bone Cruncher let out a groaned, alerting the heroes to assume fighting stances, as their eyes were fixated on the crocodilian metahuman. Bone Cruncher stood back up on his feet, not yet giving up another battle. After some heavy breathing, Bone Cruncher let out a low-rumbling thunderous roar, before he was joined by the reptilian-ponies, whom Pipsqueak and Captain Celaeno had dealt with before.

Just as he was about to charge into battle again, Bone Cruncher's eyes turned to the side to see the horrifying sight of Sour Sweet, standing atop of his brother.

"Fear Haunter!" He cried out.

Bone Cruncher slowly walked over to the unconscious body of his fallen brother, gently picking up his body, before he turns and snarled at the heroes.

"This isn't over," The crocodile metahuman hissed. "We will meet again." With a kick of his legs, Bone Cruncher leapt away, while carrying his brother, and they both disappeared into the darkness, along with their pets.

"Well everyone," Twilight sighed. "Let's just... go home."

Sometimes later, after their big fight, Spike was sitting in the backseat of a police car, being driven by his uncle. Whatever trouble Spike was in, thankfully, his uncle managed to bail him out of it. But the stern and displeased reflection in the mirror was the tell-tale sign for Spike to understand that it may be the last time his uncle would save him.

"I'm sorry uncle. For everything." Young Spike apologized.

"I know you are." The man replied, gently, but sternly. "You're my nephew, and nothing will ever change that," He said, with the look of disappointment still clear on his face. "But my trust is something you will have to earn back."

Without another word, Spike silently nodded his head in agreement and compliance, "Yes uncle."

Later that night, Spike and Sour Sweet were at the former’s apartment, with Peewee resting, safe and sound, on a pillow, in the middle of a table.

Both teenagers were struggling to process everything that had transpired. It was a solemn reminder that they were still young and have much growing up to do.

Deciding to break the ice, Sour Sweet was the first to begin.

“Spike…thank you,” She said.

Spike simply nodded in response. However, Sour Sweet wasn’t satisfied with his response.

“You didn’t have to save me, you know…”

“No…” Spike sighed. “But…I didn’t do it for you…your friends wanted me to. And Thorax. And…Twilight and the others.”

Sour Sweet nodded in acknowledgment.

“I know I’m supposed to be a big shot Dragon Prince, or hero, or whatever,” Spike sighed. “But I'm not perfect… and I’m sorry I didn’t meet any of your standards for your…your dream gentleman…”

“No,” Sour Sweet shook her head. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I set the standards high. I lost my temper… And you had the displeasure of seeing my ugly side, which I’ve tried so hard to get rid of.”

“Yeah, well I’ve done a lousier job of keeping my temper in check,” Spike sympathize. “I thought I was above it. A decade of what Uncle Scorpan had put me through…the intensive trainings of Ninjitsu…the studies from the masters…the discipline from the monks of Shaolin…”

Spike sighed, further expressing his shame, “And still…I got angry and lost focus of what’s really important…protecting others, including you…”

Sour Sweet looked up and sighed, “Well…my grandma once told me that…expressing your feelings, it’s all part of being human. Just…try to cut me some slack, okay? I know, I have…issues. Everybody’s got issues…but I’m trying…and that means a lot more than you think…”

Spike didn’t argue. Instead, he nodded in compliance.

“I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree,” Spike shrugged. “But…I’ll try.”

Sour Sweet smiled sadly, before she continued, “And…thanks again for letting me…punch you in the face. I hope it wasn’t too bad?”

“Oh no. I’ve been hit worst, believe me,” Spike scoffed. “Try defending your mom from a lightning bolt.”

“Oh, yeah. I…haven’t forgotten about that.”

Both Spike and Sour shared some laughs, before the joy died down.

“Still…if I had known what you’ve been through…I never would’ve hunted you down to begin with,” Sour frowned sadly. “My friends and I, we were…we were so caught up in…the reputation of Crystal Prep…the motto we’ve been taught of…strike first, strike hard, no mercy…we…”

“Got seduced to the Dark Side,” Spike sighed. “Now we both know how Anakin must’ve felt…”

Neither teenagers said a word, until Spike spoke up, “Maybe if we had the choice…to live our lives as…ordinary teenagers, then we wouldn’t be fighting each other to begin with. We could be friends…”

“I would like that very much,” Sour Sweet admitted.

Spike held his hand out, concentrating his powers, morphing his hand into his dragon claws.

“Do you think…a dragon like me…even a celestial kind, could still live a normal life?” He asked.

“How would I know? I’m not a dragon,” Sour Sweet answered. “But…like my grandma would say. Anything’s possible.”

“So…you up for another date? Even if it’s not perfect?”

In response, Sour Sweet reached out and grasped Spike’s hands.

“I’ll be counting the day,” Sour smiled.

Spike and Sour Sweet both closed the distance, until at last, their lips met in a passionate kiss.