//------------------------------// // A Reward For Your Patience // Story: The Apex Predator // by Dakln //------------------------------// Hey, guys. It's been a while since I've updated this story, huh? It's so crazy to think about the fact that I first began to upload this story almost two years ago now. But, you know, a lot of things got in the way. My cowriter, Kyle, who was supposed to be my support, ended up getting his mission call, and left, leaving me alone with my story... Let me put it this way; if you want a story I have come up with to stay alive, DO NOT LET ME PROCRASTINATE! Because, it is a slippery slope, my friends. I procrastinate a little bit, and then a little more, and then a little more, and before you can say "salsa verde", the story dies in my mind and I stop caring. Yeah, that's why I'm posting this chapter... To break the bad news. As much as I claimed the contrary not too long ago, this story is officially canceled. I wish I could say otherwise, but, try as I might when I attempted to revive this fanfic, my brain had already moved on a long time ago and didn't want to return here. Plus, you know, I have college, Grandma has cancer, I'm becoming an adult but I'm refusing to grow up, I have other things on my plate, and I can't worry about The Apex Predator anymore. It is no longer my top priority. With that said, however, I'm not going to be such a dick as to not tell you the rest of the story and leave you guys hanging! I've done that for long enough, and you guys deserve better than that. So, to reward you guys for your everlasting patience, I am going to finish this story for you guys, by giving you the Reader's Digest edition of what I had in mind. Up to this point in the story, Spike's been transformed into an adult, bipedal dragon by the meteorite that fell the night before, and asks Rarity out, out of the confidence his new look has given him. She accepts, and they go out on a modest date. While out there, they share some good moments together, and their relationship begins to slowly form. However, their date is interrupted by a rather rude stallion who sees their "interspecies pairing" as a sin and starts hurtling rocks at them. Most of them miss, and they both just try to ignore him to avoid ruining the date. But then, one of his rocks clocks Rarity in the face, which pisses Spike right off, and he starts marching towards the stallion to give him a piece of his mind. The stallion throws one last rock, but Spike catches it... Without thinking... In midair... Ending the argument right there, Spike and Rarity go to Twilight's to conduct some experiments, and they come to the conclusion that not only did the meteorite advance his physical age, it also gave him telekinetic powers. From then on, it divides into two side stories; Spike testing out and working out his telekinetic muscle, mostly in the form of pulling pranks with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, and fluffy shipping moments with Spike and Rarity building their relationship and getting closer. Then, one day, while the two of them are at an art gallery, Spike pops the question to her, and they get engaged. A little later, they go for a carriage ride in the mountains, but there's an asshole behind them who wants them to go faster. Spike solves this by pushing him aside, accidentally pushing him off the cliff. The victim survives, but only just, so Twilight advises him to limit his powers. A couple months later, on Nightmare Night, Spike and Rarity get ready with two costumes she designed. I never thought about her costume, I just figured it would be something like a vampire pony or something, but the costume she designs for him is a leather warrior outfit similar to Strider from Lord of the Rings, with a hooded cape. Rather than hunt for candy that night, they go out into the outskirts of Ponyville, searching for diamonds and gems suitable for their wedding bands, while still wearing their costumes of course. However, while they are out there, they're attacked by a group of Diamond Dogs who want their stash. In the scuffle, Spike kills two of them and scares the rest of them off, but not before Rarity sustains a mortal wound. Horrified, he rushes her to the hospital as fast as his legs can carry them both. He gathers their friends, but unfortunately, it's too late, and Rarity dies from internal bleeding. Spike, the Mane 6, and Sweetie Belle are devastated, but Spike takes it hardest of all. Then, he discovers that the doctor who took Rarity in is the same guy who threw rocks at them for dating a few months back. Because of this, he comes to the conclusion that the doctor, named Doctor Appleday, allowed Rarity to die because of his prejudice. This sends him into a fit of rage, where he nearly kills the doctor, then storms out of the hospital, contemplating what to do next. After an intense, psyche splitting discussion with himself, he deems two parties responsible for the death of his fiance: The Diamond Dogs, and the doctor, and decides to exact revenge upon them. Still wearing his Strider outfit, he goes down to the Diamond Mines, home of the Diamond Dogs, and goes on a vicious rampage, slaughtering every last one of them, men, women and children alike. When he is done, he next goes to Dr Appleday's house and puts him up to a test. He has inflicted the same injuries Rarity suffered onto the doctor's wife, and gives him an ultimatum. If he can save his wife, Spike will know that the doctor allowed Rarity to die, and will kill him, but if the doctor can't save his wife, Spike will admit that he was wrong and leave him alone, at the cost of his wife's life. Either way, he is paying a heavy price. However, when Appleday checks on his wife, she is already dead, to which Spike replies, "Oops. Looks like I lied. Just like you lied to me." Furious, Appleday tries to turn the tables by claiming innocence, and instead placing the blame upon Spike's head for not getting her to the hospital in time. Spike reacts to this by blowing up his house and going on a rampage through Ponyville, injuring many and killing Appleday in the process. Twilight sees the carnage and tries to fight him to get him under control, but Spike has completely lost his mind, tearing through buildings and ripping ponies to shreds, leaving havoc and destruction in his wake. After what seems like an eternity, Twilight realizes that there is only one way to stop him, and she uses magic to grab the horn off of a Celestia statue nearby, using it to impale Spike, killing him. The story ends with a funeral for Spike and Rarity, and a cliffhanger involving a certain chaos god in which said god revives Spike and promises to revive Rarity and make his dreams come true... In exchange for a... Favor... Well, there you have it. That is the entire story of The Apex Predator in a nutshell. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it everything you ever hoped for when you favorited this story? Or is it a huge letdown? Whatever you think, whatever you say, comment below, let me know! Thanks for sticking around for as long as you guys have, and I'm sorry this story is dead. Until next time... PEACE OUT!!!