//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 // Story: The Darkness Shard // by OliverSparkle //------------------------------// Spike was still crying as he ran into the guest room, he and Twilight were sleeping in, and closed the door shut. He flew into his bed, pulled the blanket over him, including his head, and continued to cry. After hearing what Discord just said to him, he couldn’t stop crying or keep those words away from him. Twilight made it to her guest room to see the door was completely shut. She gently knocked on the door and waited for Spike to open the door. “Spike?” No response was heard. Twilight knocked on the door one last time. “Spike. It’s me, Twilight. Can I come in?” No response was heard again. Twilight was about to go straight in and check on him, but then didn’t as he probably wants more time to be alone. So she decided to leave him for a bit and make him some hot chocolate, that normally makes him better. “Spike, I’m just gonna leave you a bit,” she said, “Sorry for disturbing. I’ll be in the kitchen if you want me.” With no response after that, Twilight made her way down the hallway and into the kitchen. Twilight walked into the kitchen and poured some water into the kettle before turning it on. She magically levitated a tray out from the worktop cupboard and placed on top of the worktop. She placed a mug and a plate on the tray as she placed some cookies, from the cookie jar, onto the plate. The kettle began to whistle loudly as Twilight magically levitated the kettle and poured the hot water into the mug and put chocolate powder in it. “Hopefully this will cheer him,” she said to herself, “Hot chocolate and cookies always cheers him up.” Twilight magically levitated the tray and walked out of the kitchen and headed back to her guest room. Twilight made it back to the guest room, while still levitating the tray with her magic, as she knocked on the door again just to see if Spike does respond this time. “T-Twilight?” Spike finally responded, but he was still upset. “Yes, Spike, it’s me,” replied Twilight softly, “Can I…?” “Come in! P-Please!” Twilight knew he was really upset this time and he really needs her. She opened the door and walked into the room to see Spike in his basket with his eyes now red and tears still rolling down his face. “It’s okay, Spike. I’m in now,” she said softly to him as she placed the tray on the table that close to the bed. Twilight walked over to the basket, gently picked Spike out from underneath the blanket and hugged him while gently and slowly rubbed his back as the poor dragon buried his face into Twilight’s chest. “Shh…shhh…I’ve got you, Spike,” whispered Twilight softly in his ear, “I’ve got you.” Spike started to sniffle. “H-He’s right. I d-don’t d-deserve to b-be in your f-family.” Twilight was so having none of that. She pulled him away and held him while saying, “That’s not true. He is wrong. You do deserve to be in my family, especially after the day I hatched you.” “But…but I yelled you after telling me about Sludge. And all the other things I…” Twilight gently placed a hoof on Spike’s mouth to stop him from hurting himself by saying the same thing Discord just said. “Spike, the things Discord said, aren’t true,” said Twilight softly while smiling, “You may have yelled at me, but that was Sludge’s fault. He made you think that he was your dragon and taught you to be dragon in the way he wants you to be. I could never kick you out or punish you for something like that. And all the other mistakes you did, are in the past now. You’re part of my family, as son and brother. No matter what everycreature else say, it’s not gonna stop me from calling you family. You’re not just a dragon, Spike. You’re a Sparkle.” Even though he still had tears in his eyes, Spike slowly formed a smile on his face as he and Twilight hugged each other. “Can I start calling you mom?” Asked Spike. Twilight smiled at her baby dragon before answering, “You may call me mom anytime you want, Spike.” She then gave him a kiss on the top of his head. Spike said nothing and just smiled happily while hugging his mother. They broke the hug before hearing a familiar voice near the doorway. “Amazing job making him feel better, Twilight.” Twilight and Spike looked at the doorway and saw three black coat hooded figures walking into the room. One hooded figure was tall, and the other two were a size tall of a teenager. “Axel? Roxas? Xion?” Spike asked in hopes that it was them under the hoods. The three took their hoods to reveal three smiley faces of Roxas, Xion and Axel while Axel said, “See? He really does remember us.” Spike let out a gasp of joy as he saw Xion smiling at him. “Xion!” He shouted happily before flying towards her while Twilight smiled at him go. Xion reached her arms out and smiled as Spike flew into her arms and two hugged together in sweet happiness. Twilight stood back onto her hooves as she said softly, “It’s so nice to see you three again. But, why are you here anyways?” Suddenly, before anyone could say anything else, a growl came from outside the castle and near the guest bedroom. The pony, dragon and the three friends looked at the window as a strange dark ghostly figure broke through the window with another one coming in after. The dark ghostly figures were shaped like wolves, have dark red eyes and dark smoke rising from their bodies. “Not for them, to be honest,” said Axel in annoyed tone. Twilight groaned in annoyance. “Why does every reunion have to end up like this?” Twilight glared at the dark wolves and stood in battle mode with Roxas, Xion and Axel doing the same as they summoned their Keyblades. However, Xion’s Keyblade was a new one. It was the same shape as the Kingdom Key, only the blade was coloured in purple and the teeth was in shape of fire flames. The blade holder was coloured red with the keychain coloured in green with a pink gem at the end of the chain. The dark wolves began to charge at the group. One of them was aiming towards Twilight, but she jumped over the dark wolf just before it could strike her. She landed behind it and shoot a purple magic grasp beam at it. However, it didn’t disappear. Instead, it turned to glare at Twilight once more while growling. “Huh? Why did it not vanish?” She asked in shock and confusion. The dark wolf tried to strike Twilight again, but she flew up to the ceiling to where it can’t reach her no matter how high it can jump to strike her with its dark claws. The other dark wolf tried to attack Xion, but she kept jumping a bit to dodge its attacks as she tried to smack it with her Keyblade, but the dark wolf was also quick on its paws and dodge her attacks. “Be careful, Xion!” Spike called worriedly. “Don’t worry, Spike!” Said Xion while trying to attack the dark wolf, “I’ll be careful!” Axel changed his Keyblade to his two chakarms and threw them at the dark wolf as they went through it and flew back to Axel before he changed them back to his Keyblade. The dark wolf collapsed to the ground before disappearing into a small dark smoke. “Gotcha!” Axel said proudly while smirking. Roxas charged towards the last dark wolf while sliding his Keyblades on the floor, causing sparks to flick, as he sliced through the dark wolf which made it collapse before disappearing into a small dark smoke. “All done,” said Roxas as his Keyblades magically disappeared from his hands. Twilight floated down back to the floor. Spike flew up to her and hugged her as she returned the hug. Roxas, Xion and Axel walked up towards the two while Xion was still holding her Keyblade. “Are you okay, Mom?” Spike asked. “Yeah, I’m okay, Spike,” answered Twilight politely, “Don’t you worry.” Twilight and Spike broke the hug before turning back to Roxas, Xion and Axel as Spike suddenly saw Xion’s new Keyblade. “Is that a new Keyblade?” Asked the purple dragon politely. “Yep,” answered Xion before holding her new Keyblade up for Spike to get a good view of it, “After Sora’s first Keyblade got destroyed, I felt bad for him and didn’t want him to feel upset about it if he keeps seeing my replica one. So I asked Yen Sid to give me a new one that isn’t a replica and one that I can call my own.” “And he gave you one that resembles me? Cool!” “Impressive,” added Twilight proudly. Xion smiled at the Twilight and Spike with Roxas and Axel smiling as well. Flashback At the tower in the mysterious area of Twilight Tower, Sora and the other guardians of light were in the main room of Yen Sid. The retired Keyblade Master had called them all in as he suddenly felt something happened in the world of Equestria and it had something to with Lightning Twister. Sora was not very happy after hearing this as he slapped his fist on the desk while angrily saying, “Are you being serious right now?! The darkness is back in Equestria and it has something to do with Lightning Twister?! First Young Xehanort, next Vanitas, and now this! Who else from our world is now spreading darkness in Equestria and is also after Lightning?! And how many more times do we have to fight the darkness until they finally decide to leave both Equestria and Lightning alone?!” “Sora!” Donald said crossly, “Show some respect! That’s Master Yen Sid you’re shouting at!” Sora glared at Donald. “I know who I’m shouting at, Donald! But I’m too angry to be careful of my shouting! The darkness is haunting Equestria again, and someone wants something to do with Lightning Twister for the THIRD time! And I’m getting tired of him being haunted by the darkness and those that want him in the darkness! How many more times do we need to defeat the darkness in Equestria before they start to realise that Lightning will never accept the darkness no matter what?!” “Still no excuse to take out on Yen Sid!” Argued Donald, “He had nothing to do with it!” “I’m not saying it is his fault!” Sora shouted angrily. “Don’t make him get anymore angry, Donald,” said Yen Sid calmly, “He has every right to be angry.” Sora stopped getting angry and stared confusedly at Yen Sid. “I do?” Yen Sid nodded his head before saying, “Yes, you do. I understand that anyone from our world letting darkness get into Equestria and want something to do with young Lightning Twister is getting out of hand now. But I do hope you can continue helping him no matter what the darkness tries to do to him.” Sora stood up straight and gave Yen Sid a nod in response. “I will, Master Yen Sid. Lightning’s my friend. And I refuse to let anything hurt him, like Fluttershy and the others would do as well. No matter where the darkness is or whoever’s controlling it, I will always be there to protect him from getting hurt. As a friend, and a brother.” All of the guardians, including Terra, smiled at Sora after hearing his speech. They were proud of Sora still accepting the quest to stop the darkness and save Lightning Twister, no matter how many times it tries to harm him, and refuse to get more stress and angry about it happening again. “We’re coming too,” said Kairi, “You might need help fighting the darkness again, and there’s no telling who’s controlling it this time.” Sora smiled at Kairi. “Alright. With all of us going back to Equestria, the new darkness won’t stand a chance or even try to harm our Equestria friends even more.” Everyone continued to smile at Sora as Axel gave him a thumbs up, even Yen Sid smiled at him. “That is an excellent idea,” he said proudly, “I approve.” “Thank you,” said Kairi kindly. “Oh, and one more thing,” added Yen Sid, “Whoever is controlling the darkness this time, you might need another extra pair of hands for this time. Which is why I asked him to come along.” Yen Sid lifted his left hand up to show the guardians who he asked to tag along as they all heard a pair of boots coming towards them. Sora and the others turned and saw someone, wearing black boots, standing near the desk. That was when Sora started to recognise who it was. “Hey, aren’t you…?”