I smile at Rainbow Dash as she scowls at me.
"Don't you put that shit-eating grin on," she growls. "Peter, you fucked up. This is fucking stupid, and it's because you just couldn't resist using your fancy-ass magic!"
I chuckle lightly. "Oh, Dashie, ever the hot flame," I remark.
"You're damn straight! Peter, you've got to be more careful! Do you want our kid to be fatherless!?"
"Of course not!" I shout in response. "But it's done now - it's over, alright? Just...stop freaking out about it, okay?"
"Fuck you," she spits. I sigh, and look up in surprise as the door bursts open, despite a nurses' protests.
The first thing I notice is the purple dragon.
"Spike!?" I shout in shock.
"You seem surprised," he remarks coolly.
"I...I didn't expect you back so soon," I lie. He nods, and Twilight steps forward, using magic to keep the furious nurse at bay.
"Peter, Celestia said you know more about the darkness in Spike than she does. Could you explain it? I mean, he...he killed another dragon, Peter...and he seems to be fine with it!" Twilight sighs. "Please...I want to understand why..."
I sigh as I sit up. Rainbow tries to keep me down, but I slap her hoof away. She immediately retracts, as she knows I'm not short with her unless it's important.
"Spike...I wish that dragon had killed you first," I announce. Both Twilight and Spike gasp, and I hold up a hand to stop them as they open their mouths to protest. "Spike, deep inside, you and I both know that you're perturbed by your act of murder. And we both know that you're scared, but right now, you can't feel it in its entirety. Within an hour or so...you will. I promise you that." Spike frowns, and I continue. "I wanted to spare you from that, Spike. I'll explain it all, let me speak.
"When your darkness takes over, you'll kill without remorse. If you're threatened, you'll kill without so much as batting an eye - unless you get blood in one of them. When this happens, you'll be dulled for a while when you return to consciousness. After a while, though...it'll hit you. You...you'll feel absolutely horrible, Spike. You'll feel the guilt of ending a life, and you will be...well, you'll be broken.
"And then, you won't be able to stop killing, and your life will become insanity, and you won't know when the darkness has you anymore. You'll descend into insanity, and that is not what I wanted for you. So I sent that dragon to try to kill you, because I will not let a friend of mine suffer a fate like that."
Spike and Twilight gasp, but Rainbow remains stoic. "What!?" Twilight demands. "How did Celestia let you do this!?"
"I told her he was part of Vanquel's plans," I shout in response, my fists clenching. "I lied to her, and made her think he had to die, because I don't want him to suffer that fucking fate!" Spike recoils at the language. "Spike you're my friend, and you've already experienced death. I don't want you to feel the guilt of causing it. I want you to be free - I want your soul to be freed of the darkness within you, damnit!" Spikes' lower lip begins to tremble, and I continue. "I tried to kill you to save you from Grendel's remnant, Spike. I tried to kill you to make you happy again, so your soul could be free."
Twilight frowns. "I...I don't understand...why...why would you say he's part of Vanquel's plans?"
"Because he is," I sigh. "Vanquel wants him dead. Spike is one of the only living beings that could ever stop him - besides myself."
"So why did you want him dead!?" Twilight demands.
"Because I didn't want to put that sort of responsibility on him!" I shout in return. "He doesn't deserve that sort of life! He doesn't! Before he was murdered by Grendel, he hadn't done a god damn thing wrong in his entire life! He was fucking innocent!" Twilight frowns, as she's obviously remembering my speech at the baby dragon's funeral. "He shouldn't have to kill Vanquel. It's my responsibility."
Spike frowns, and Twilight balks. I sigh as I wave my hand to shoo them away. "I've got to rest, I'm getting tired," I announce as my vision swims. "Just...think on what I've said, the both of you. It may determine the destiny of Equestria, and all that crap..." I yawn as I fall back onto the bed. "If Spike were to kill Vanquel," I announce as they're about to leave, stopping them in their tracks, "his darkness would be taken from him, and he would be himself once more. But he would have any kills he had performed while under its control upon his own conscious." I sigh. "You should go...I've got to speak with Rainbow."
Twilight nods, speechlessly carrying Spike out on her back. I rub my temples, and Rainbow Dash rests her head on my shoulder in an attempt to pamper me.
"You didn't have to be so damn harsh on them," she mutters.
"I know," I sigh. "But...I think it was the only way to make it work..."
She nods. "Yeah...if they don't know the full of it, they would probably hate you forever..."
I nod, and I look up with a groan as I hear hoofsteps. I notice that they belong to a certain white Alicorn.
"Trixie's here," she slurs a bit. I hear a swig, and I pinch my fingers to my forehead as Rainbow cringes. "Thought you'd like t' know..."
"Celestia, you still haven't stopped drinking?" I ask with a sigh. "Jesus Christ, we sent you to that Alcoholics Anonymous in your disguise for a reason..."
"Well, I've got t' drink if I wanna stay sane," she grumbles. "In any case...I've got to go," she announces, before turning and awkwardly trotting out of the room. Rainbow Dash sighs to herself.
"What the hell do you think she drinks to get that drunk?" She asks.
"She drinks extract from the Moons' light," I grumble. "It's known as MoonShine. She also drinks extract of the Suns' matter - it's practically alcohol and lava in a cup."
Rainbow sticks her tongue out with a sound of disgust. "That sounds nasty..."
"It's actually quite nice," I inform her. "Once you start drinking it, you'll find that it's actually very cool. You've just got to work up the courage to do so first."
Rainbow shrugs. "Yeah, whatever. You should get to sleep, Peter - you're gonna need it to deal with Trixie..."
I sigh as I close my eyes. "Fine," I mutter. I smile as she kisses me on the cheek. "I love you."
"You're still in a fuckload of trouble," she mutters.
I sigh as I rub her muzzle. "Don't doubt it," I grumble. "Good night..."
She nuzzles me, and I smile as I fall asleep. Well, I smile, but inside I'm screaming in terror at the prospect of what Rainbow will do to me.