//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Raising Spike // by Darth Link 22 //------------------------------// How did things get this complicated? Spike asked himself that as he struggled in his chains. He floated right behind Twilight and Nightmare Moon, who was casually blasting any Timberwolf that tried to attack the small group. The walk was mostly in silence, so the clinking of his restraints could be heard. The Queen of the Night shot a look back at her, and he stilled himself in fear. “Don’t worry, Spike, we’ll be there soon.” “Tamed a dragon, I see,” Nightmare Moon said. “You are quite the mare.” “I didn’t tame him, I hatched him.” That actually got Nightmare Moon to misstep a bit. She looked at Twilight with renewed curiosity. “Hatched him, you say? With magic?” When Twilight nodded, she went on. “You’re a rare find, Twilight Sparkle. Maybe I’ll make you a Princess. I could use an heir.” Twilight didn’t respond. She just kept her eyes on her objective. “Nothing to say, Twilight Sparkle?” “Were you expecting this to be a social walk? I’d hate to disappoint, but you’re nothing but a means to an end to me. I just want to get my baby dragon back.” Nightmare Moon looked caught off guard by Twilight’s bluntness. However, she only chuckled at the remarks. “You have quite the spine. Most are too afraid to stand up to me, even as much as that. So, is he your child? Does he call you ‘mother’?” Twilight actually stopped walking at that, if only for a moment. She looked at Spike, and the small dragon saw an uncertain look in her face. “I... well, I’ve never really thought about it.” “Never thought about it? You said you hatched him, and he looks like he’s been through at least a decade.” Nightmare Moon actually seemed somewhat amused by all this. “I’m willing to bet you’d still make a better mother than mine. Fool doted on my older sister...” Spike didn’t hear the rest of the mad queen’s ramblings. She just looked back at Twilight, who was still watching him with an unreadable look. However, slowly a smile crossed her face. Spike blinked. Was she... Spike loved Twilight, he knew that much. But he had never really thought about how. Twilight was Twilight, a constant in his life. The one who fed him and sheltered him, the one who changed his diapers as an infant, the one who taught him to read and write. She had fought dragons to keep him safe, loved him after he had been a rampaging beast, who had guided him through hard times. He had been her assistant, doing hard work for no clear pay. Oh, Twilight bought him whatever he wanted, at least before that disastrous birthday had put him on a strict gift limit, but he received all the comics he wanted and gems he could eat, even if no salary was attached. His greatest pay was Twilight’s happiness. Every affectionate rub to the head or kiss on the forehead was a badge of honor. “Is this it?” Both of them were brought out of their pondering by Nightmare Moon’s question. They were indeed at what remained of Twilight’s castle, the Friendship Map, sitting among the expanded Everfree’s wild foliage. “That’s it,” Twilight said. “Excellent. Then show me how it work...” It all happened so quick, Spike could barely follow. A large blast of magic came first. It was synthetic sunlight, a spell taught to Twilight by Princess Celestia. Nightmare Moon screamed in surprise and pain, and her guards were blinded by the intense light. So was Spike, but almost immediately he felt his chains loosen and himself being floated through the air, before landing belly-first on soft pony fur. Then he heard Nightmare Moon speak. “Foal!” In a flash, the sunlight was gone. Twilight summoned the spell. The time vortex opened again. “No!” Twilight was pulled up. Nightmare Moon’s spell struck her right in the stomach. Spike felt Twilight’s body convulse, but he tried to tell himself everything was okay. There was no way that spell did anything to Twilight. She was too powerful. Twilight landed on the clouds with a thump, Spike tumbling off of her. He silently thanked Twilight for having the foresight to cast a cloud-walking spell on him as he ran over to the Alicorn’s body. “Twilight? Twilight?” He pulled on Twilight’s shoulder, pulling her over on her back. The sight made him sick. The burn, so strong it covered her entire stomach, was the foulest thing Spike had ever seen. Remembering his first aid training, he checked her pulse. As he placed her fingers on her neck, trying not to look into those lifeless eyes. No pulse. “T-Twilight? Twilight, please wake up.” No answer. “Twilight? Twilight? ...M-mom?” No answer. “Well, well, up for another...” Starlight’s voice stopped dead. Spike looked up to see the Unicorn who had caused all this. She was stunned, her eyes and mouth open, whether in shock or horror Spike couldn’t say. “W-well, looks like Little Miss Friendship g-got what she deserved,” she said, although it was clear the gusto wasn’t there anymore. Spike glared at her. “You... you...” “Well, it l-looks like I win.” Starlight’s gaze lingered on the fallen Alicorn before turning back to where a young Rainbow Dash was flying. “All it will take now is one well-placed shot.” Spike felt something he hadn’t felt since his disastrous first birthday in Ponyville. A strong feeling, overwhelming all others. It grew. His vision reddened. Starlight. It was her fault. Her fault. Nightmare Moon might have dealt the blow, but Starlight allowed her to. She had caused it. Twilight was dead because of her. Because of her. Twilight dead... Twilight dead... her fault.... Starlight... get Starlight. He leapt, tackling the Unicorn just before he fired the shot. They tumbled through the air, Spike’s massive claws wrapped around Starlight’s neck. Massive... bigger than usual. Why? Who cares. Starlight. Her fault. They landed behind some buildings. Spike punched her twice. Her face was swollen. Teeth flew out. Her horn lit up. Spike grabbed it and bent it a full 45 degrees. It was the fact that the swelling was around her mouth so badly that stopped Starlight’s screams from carrying. Spike placed a massive claw over her face and picked her up. She turned to the building and smashed the back of her head into it. And again. And again. He threw her body to the ground. He kicked. The body went rolling. Starlight guttered out something. Probable a scream for help. She began dragging her broken body over to the edge of the cloud. Spike understood. She’d fall. A fall meant death. A death meant an escape from him. No. Wouldn’t allow. Twilight dead. Starlight... her fault... her fault... her fault... must be punished. She would suffer... Suffer... He ran up to her and hit her. Again. Again. Again. A flash of rainbow light. He didn’t care. Again. Again. Again. The sound of the portal opening up. Again. Again. Again. It was only after he felt himself floating upwards did he stop. What was happening? He looked up. He saw the portal. He stared at it, trying to get his thoughts clear until he was sucked through. Three figures hit the ground, and only one of them was moving. Spike stood still and blinked. He was home again, in the castle. That was good. But it seemed so much smaller. Smaller... or was he bigger? He brought an arm in front of himself and looked. It was longer, and more muscular. Sharp claws. There was red on them. Red. And purple fur. Why... He looked around and saw two unicorns just lying there. One was badly beaten. She was just barely breathing, but it came out in weak garbles. The other was Twilight. She looked fine. Her back was to him. But... no... no... Spike barely noticed himself shrink back to his regular size as he dashed toward Twilight. He pushed her onto her back. “Mom? Mom! Please, say something? Please! tell me I read your pulse wrong, please!” The tears came. He couldn’t see anything through them. The door opened. He didn’t turn to look. “Twilight, are you in SWEET CELESTIA!” Spike slowly turned. Rarity wasn’t the only one there. Every other member of the Friendship Council was there, their mouth’s hanging open and their eyes wide. All were staring at Starlight’s mangled body. Then Rainbow Dash turned and saw Spike next to a fallen Twilight. “Spike wh... Twilight!” That got everypony to run over to them. In a flash they were all babbling at once, crying Twilight’s name and desperately trying to think of anything they could do. “Mom...” The small word cut through the noise. Everypony looked at him, stunned. “Starlight... killed her... M-Mom...” And the tears started again. Pinkie had her forelegs around him in an instant. Rarity spoke up. “Rainbow Dash, run and get the doctors! Fluttershy, get the medical supplies, Twilight keeps an emergency kit over there! Applejack, go help Starlight. Don’t give me that look, just do it!” The ponies all scrambled as Rarity checked for a pulse. Spike barely noticed. He didn’t even see. The tears were too great. All there was to him was warm pink comfort. Twilight was gone. His mother was gone. Starlight was likely going to die... it would be his fault. He blacked out.