Chapter 44 - Behind the Mask
When the blue sky faded, making way for Princess Luna's night sky, no clouds interfered with the stars gaze. Vast and clear, anyone would appreciate the beauty of the night if panic hadn't spread like wildfire. Tonight was the night where the cold would creep into the bones of creatures, staining their senses with an aching sensation. Slowly, drifting through the darkened sky, the changeling airship remained concealed, hidden away from prying eyes. Chrysalis' flagship, her flying temple, dark, sharp and straight out of a nightmare, the vessel was something to be feared. It sailed smoothly by the stars, pushing through the air and lingering across the barren lands.
During this silent flight, the changelings patrolled the dark halls of the flying temple, vacant of any light. They marched while others rested, latching themselves onto the dreary walls and ceilings. Away from Chrysalis' servants, in a lab much like his previous one, potions were brewing and concoctions were mixing, the room was dark much like the rest of the ship and it held great space between the two souls that lingered. Needless to say, strife was slowly ascending.
Gripped with irritation, the sadistic and twisted alchemist fiercely revolved around to The Hunter's direction. Fright was furious. Despite the emptiness his eyes carried, they were burning with disappointment as he glared at his masked weapon. A few minutes died when Fright had been informed of The Hunter's intriguing capture, however, it was not the prey he anticipated it to be. Although he did not shout, his voice conveyed displeasure, looking rather displeased with The Hunter, who was not far across from him.
"How is it that you managed to succeed in infiltrating the Crystal Empire but fail in apprehending our initial target?" He groaned through the disarrayed stitches that imprisoned his mouth, gritting his teeth a little as his irked glare failed to fade. "Did my instructions back at that miserable prison not come clear to you? I needed the child, not the protégé!"
Standing tall, The Hunter nonchalantly swiped his hand in a careless manner and responded rather calmly, "Adding Cadence's daughter in this whole chaos wouldn't have made a difference. There's no reason to get her involved."
His response only added fuel to the burning furnace that was his vexed glare, "There is every reason to get her involved. With the youngling in our possession, the rulers of the Crystal Empire would have been scared and in that fear, I could have controlled them. But you, Hunter," Fright pointed in aggravation, his hand still slightly charred after the damage Twilight inflicted upon him back at Tartarus. "You chose the student."
"Our priority isn't Shining Armour, Cadence or their child, it's Twilight!" The Hunter argued, stepping closer to the furious alchemist. "I suggest you quit whining and be grateful that I didn't return empty-handed."
Levelling his skeletal hands behind his back, the alchemist gathered back the pieces of his serenity and breathed, dropping his glare, "Although you went against my instructions, I suppose this isn't a complete loss. We can still break the protégé, meaning there's more fear to unleash upon Twilight," Fright raised his right hand and admired the syringe around his wrist. "When she hears her disciple's scream, I'm certain the Princess of Friendship won't last another night."
Firmly, The Hunter shot his claw towards the alchemist's wrist and gripped it, drawing Fright closer towards his lifeless mask. The darkling's barren, dark eyes stared deep into his cold, empty glare. If he wanted to, he could have broken the syringe but chose not to and placed his focused on the poorly crafted face of the fear-bringer.
"Starlight is mine to deal with." He declared with a slight growl. "You don't touch her, you don't look at her and you don't go anywhere near her. Just because our little hostage situation has changed doesn't mean you can go against your word."
Surprised by The Hunter's sudden force, Fright was quick to frown as he slipped his wrist out of the darkling's grasp, "Do we not share the same desire?" He questioned. "I thought you wanted nothing more than to see the alicorn suffer for what she did to you."
"I do," The Hunter responded coldly. "But Starlight is under my watch and my watch alone. So keep your sick concoctions to yourself."
Hiking a brow behind his crude mask of a face, the alchemist gave a cold glare, "Is fear swelling behind that mask? Because you seem different. You don't carry the same hatred for Twilight's valued apprentice compared to the rest." Although it was difficult to make out, there had been a devilish grin forming. "I'm beginning to suspect that you care for her, am I correct?"
"That doesn't matter!" The Hunter let off a rattled growl. "I did my part, what's next?"
"What's next?" Fright repeated with the tilt of his head. "Next would have been to gather the attention of the Crystal Empire's leaders and to make them afraid with what we had in our grasp. But as you can see, you have your own interest with this Starlight."
"Are you going to tell me or are you going to keep being bitter?" The darkling chided.
With the slight shake of his head, the alchemist carried on, "We have made astonishing progress with the fear we have created. It pains me that our breakout didn't release all prisoners from Tartarus, but it was enough to set panic throughout Equestria. But what good is all that terror if the princesses are safe behind their walls? They tremble and quake, yet they remain safe. True, fear may rule this land now, but as every scared soul breathes behind barriers and shields, they know nothing of the dread that roams outside their homes."
"What are you getting at?" The Hunter questioned, in no mood for guessing.
"What we do next isn't my decision, but Chrysalis'," Fright slightly rasped at her name. "She grows impatient with a piece of her desire and I've come to suspect that'll she break our alliance with the changelings if she isn't gratified. But I know her fears of failing is halting her from doing that as well, but it's only a matter of time before her impatience blinds her fears."
"In other words, she's at your throat." He bluntly expressed.
Fright wore composure and did well to hide any trace of acrimony from before. Collected, he turned to The Hunter and continued, "You and Chrysalis both share a similar desire, to see Twilight and her friends suffer, but the changeling queen wants a little more. She wants the capital of Equestria for her own."
"Canterlot," The Hunter whispered.
"The Diamond Dogs have informed me that the wretched town Ponyville had been abandoned hours after the breakout, meaning the town's residents must have fled in fear. I'm sure the Diamond Dogs' authority over the barren village will keep them satisfied but as for you and Chrysalis..."
"What about me and that horrid wretch?" The Hunter asked with a gruff voice.
Eerily, the stitches that confined Fright's mouth stretched as he painted a discomforting, devilish smile, "Tonight, if we are to achieve our objective, you and Chrysalis must operate closely."
Simply, the darkling titled his head, "I see no reason to assist Chrysalis," The Hunter's voice was quick to grip extreme dislike upon mentioning the changeling's name. "Isn't the queen and her army capable of doing this on their own?"
"Perhaps. But you are gifted when it comes to infiltration," Fright praised. "This is your chance, Hunter. When Canterlot is taken, there will be no more delays," Fright promised with a crooked smile. "When Twilight is in our grasp, you won't have to wait a moment longer. You will get your reward, you will watch her suffer and you will hear her scream along with the rest. Then she will be yours to dispose of."
With the cogs turning in his mind, The Hunter thought for a moment and turned back to Fright, "Fine. I'll aid Chrysalis in her twisted, little game, but stay true to your word! No more setbacks, no more distractions and no more delays! When you have Twilight, you break her! You make her friends watch, you make the whole world watch! Show everyone the coward she really is and make her scream!"
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Fright kept his disgusting smile, pleased that he convinced his instrument of fear.
Returning to his normal stance and letting go of Fright, he turned away and aimed himself to the exit, "And after that, she'll be no more," The Hunter growled. "I'll make sure she's forgotten."
"But know this, Hunter." The deranged alchemist's voice crept. "When you rid her of this world, you'll be doing her a favour."
"Why's that?"
"Death is her only escape from fear."
Whirling himself back around, The Hunter argued, "It's not her escape, it's her punishment! I'm done waiting, Fright, I'm done with delaying the inevitable. Keeping her alive will only give her an opening to rise above the terror you have planned, she always finds a way which is why we must-"
Suddenly, the sound of buzzing clamoured through the halls of the airship and hovered into the ears of both Fright and The Hunter. It was only brief, lasting for a second as if something had fired magic.
Looking upwards, The Hunter took more time to investigate while Fright simply looked apathetic to the sudden noise.
Directing his lifeless eyes back down to the horrible, stitched face of the alchemist, The Hunter released a growl under his breath as he uttered, "Where's Chrysalis?"
Simply, Fright didn't answer, not that The Hunter needed it. He only stared back at him with his vacant, grey eyes supporting his uncaring expression.
Quick to exit the lab, the darkling twisted himself around and left, aware of what the treacherous queen had planned.
Alone, watching his instrument depart from the room and into the shadows, Fright's smile faded, still irked that his plans needed to take a different direction. The Hunter had proven to be difficult to work with, as well as Chrysalis. However, he remained patient, something which his colleagues did not possess.
Hearing the screams of the princesses, watching them break and witnessing true dread take over their eyes would be worth it. With a small smile slithering over his disarrayed face, he ambled to the exit of the dark, unsettling room, following The Hunter as he walked with anticipation hidden in his steps.
Face to face with the queen of all changelings, Starlight's heart kept banging against her chest, wanting break free in its panicked state. Trembling, fearing to move, the unicorn thought she was free from her nightmares when Princess Luna showed up, however, no princess would be able to save her from this changeling.
In this dreary, damp dungeon, there was nothing protective about the darkness that lingered around the two. It almost felt comforting to the changing queen, but threatening towards the captured pony.
Beaming, grinning widely from ear to ear, her teeth keen and stained with hunger, Chrysalis stared down at the scared unicorn. Slowly, her sinister, wide smile drawn to a slight smirk, beginning to speak with a foul chuckle.
"Well, well, well." The queen began, blinking once and bestowing her nasty, wide eyes upon her victim. "If it isn't Twilight's precious protégé. How I've longed for this day, a day where I'll make you scream and suffer!"
Finally, Starlight spoke, she wanted her voice to come across as audacious and bold, but it crumpled to a soft whimper, "Chrysalis, please-"
Suddenly, the whole of the unicorn's body was consumed in a green aura, being lifted into the air and chucked onto the ground, sliding across the floor. Upon making contact with the colourless, cold ground, Starlight clenched her teeth and promptly, whirled herself around, failing to get her up as she watched Chrysalis stride towards her.
"Begging won't get you anywhere, Glimmer!" She howled a disgusting laugh. "Are you impressed with my new changelings? My new, strong, obedient and loyal army. Not a single one has gone against my order, not a single one has betrayed me, unlike that treacherous fool Thorax who managed to convince the rest of my old, pathetic soldiers into living a new, miserable life! Your life!"
Lowering herself down, a few inches away from the distressed unicorn, Chrysalis bared her teeth like a wolf, "Do you remember that day? The day where I almost won, the day where you ruined and took everything from me! My home, my servants, my title!" She growled. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to construct another hive, isolated while being hunted down!"
"We offered you peace!" Starlight forced out, still on the floor, backing herself away from the queen. "We offered you harmony, friendship and a better life! But you denied us, you ran from us!"
"Because your 'better life' is wrong!" Chrysalis hissed. "You have disgraced my former changelings, you and that traitorous Thorax! The princesses! They ruined everything, and I'll make them pay with what I have planned! When that pathetic psycho is done with his potions and making them scream in agony, the world will know of my new empire and they'll face my wrath!"
Starlight backed away, but offered sympathy, "You don't have to do this just to prove a point. I'm sorry we took everything from you, we wanted to make things better and we still can." She held out a hoof towards the changeling queen and hoped for the best. "Please."
Furiously, the changeling queen slapped the unicorn's hoof away and barked, "You are in no position to make negotiations. You're weak! You, Twilight, Thorax, the rest of the princesses! You make others change, but do you truly change yourself?!"
"Of course we do! Everypony changes!" Starlight argued. "I changed."
"By your meaning of change, you and everypony grow soft and weak by the second." She growled, using her magic to levitate the helpless unicorn towards her eye level. "Twilight and her friends couldn't even stop the breakout, despite their heroic efforts. Even when so much was on the line, they still failed. I'm winning and it feels good!"
"We can still have a future," Starlight tried to reason. "But that's only if you let go of the past and move forward, that's how I moved on. Join Thorax, help your new changelings and work together, that's how we win. Just stop this chaos."
Chrysalis threw back her head and then laughed in Starlight's face, "I've had enough of your mindless blabbering. I had fun hurting Celestia back in that hellhole of a prison, but I'm going to enjoy this so much more." She said with a nightmarish grin. "After I'm done with you, nopony, not even Twilight will be able to remove the stains of failure from you!"
Abruptly, the queen's crooked horn illuminated dark green, glowing brightly and producing a crackling sound, ready to unleash pain upon the immobilized unicorn.
Starlight tried to break free from Chrysalis' grasp, flailing and struggling, but it was hopeless. Terrified, her pupils wobbling from left to right in this state of fear, she could only stare at the changeling queen's face. Her green eyes showed no remorse and her demented smile presented horror, she was going to make every second of Starlight's suffering as agonising as possible.
Powerless, the unicorn clenched her eyes shut and braced herself for the worst, hoping that Chrysalis' wrath would be short.
The wrathful queen's eyes brimmed with delight, filling her with a disgusting type of joy. Fueled with vengeance and hatred, her horn was sparking, ready to hurt the unfortunate soul before her.
When Starlight forced her eyes shut, sealing her vision in darkness, she chose not to open them until the pain was over, preparing herself for the worst Chrysalis had to offer. However, she heard a shriek that was not her own, it echoed through the unicorn's ears as it was recognised to be the queen's.
Unexpectedly, she felt herself drop to the floor without any warning, released from Chrysalis' grasp as she regained control over her body, no longer being held like a puppet in the air. Baffled, Starlight quickly reopened her eyes and took in the scene, looking up towards her the changeling queen and her surprising saviour.
Abruptly, Chrysalis felt a firm grip secure around her horn, her gaze being disconnected from her prisoner as she was brought face to face with the intruder. The cold claw took hold of her crooked horn, cutting off her magic which irked the queen as she hissed and growled in annoyance, baring her teeth.
Standing tall, holding the changeling queen in place as she struggled and flailed her forelegs, wanting to break free from his grasp, The Hunter interrupted her use of magic and restricted her from performing any spells. Due to the mask, he looked dispassionate, focusing more on the queen than Starlight.
"Ah!" Chrysalis growled in frustration, struggling to break free her horn from his claw. "Let me go, you masked dimwit!"
The Hunter whirled himself around and heaved Chrysalis across the room, sliding to the other end on her hooves as she narrowed her gaze towards the masked vandal.
Enraged, she let out a disgusting hiss, "How dare you lay your filthy, little claw on me! Remove yourself from my sight this instant!"
"No."
As if his response was an attack, the changeling queen winced, filled with shock and rage.
"What was that?!" She barked. "I will not be denied, certainly not on my own ship!"
"Get out, Chrysalis," The Hunter ordered with a quiet growl, pointing to the door. "She's mine to deal with."
Upon hearing this, Starlight's worriment crashed back down on her. Anxious, the trepidation in her eyes darted back and forth to The Hunter and Chrysalis.
"Who are you to order me!" Chrysalis shouted in aggravation, throwing her head forwards with the snap of her keen teeth. "I control this vessel and the army that swarms the halls! Now, I won't say it again. Remove yourself from my sight so I can tend to our special guest here..." She leaned her gaze past him and towards the unnerved unicorn, still crouching down.
"...Or you will suffer as well." The changeling queen threatened, glancing back up at The Hunter's emotion-barren mask.
He didn't back down, he kept silent which only irked the queen further. Fortunately, this dispute hadn't escalated into a battle and Starlight thought desperately about making her escape until a third voice entered the room.
"There will be no such violence between allies," Fright wandered in, only bringing further dismay to the captured unicorn.
Refusing to depart her gaze away from The Hunter's own, she hissed, "We are not allies!"
"The feeling's mutual." The masked vandal huffed back.
"As much as I am dying to hear a few screams..." The deranged alchemist stopped himself between the two vengeful darklings, disrupting the standoff. "We've come too far to tear each other apart. Especially over a dispute."
"This is more than just a dispute!" Chrysalis barked with the snap of her teeth. "This is about vengeance! This traitor protects the one who humiliated me!"
With a bark of his own, The Hunter took a step forth accompanied with the rattling of his spikes, "I am no traitor, I tend to see Twilight suffer just like you and that will come tonight!"
Drawing back from her position by a step, she arched a brow and turned to Fright.
"With the capture of Twilight's disciple, there's been a change of plan." The alchemist simply said. "You'll be paying the princesses a visit real soon."
"You mean..."
"I'll assist you in your little scheme," The Hunter responded to the queen with the rise of his claw, smoke dancing around his dagger-like fingers. "But do not let it go unnoticed that Twilight is mine to deal with."
"As if I need your help to take the capital of Equestria!" Chrysalis snapped.
"Canterlot..." Starlight whispered, horrified by what they had planned.
"I'm your key to unlocking the barrier," The Hunter stated. "Do you really want me to change my mind?"
With a frustrated growl, Chrysalis regained her composure and stood tall, "I suppose I should save my energy for the big surprise. Besides, it'd be fun to make Princess Twilight watch as I make her precious student suffer!" She howled a horrid laugh. "When the time comes for her punishment, Hunter!" She snapped. "You won't stand in the way."
Simply, The Hunter remained silent as Chrysalis left the dark room, a stride in each step as she lifted an eerie smile, eager to begin her invasion, anticipating her victory.
Beyond the armoured furnace that was The Hunter, Fright's drab eyes raised a little when he took notice to the shocked Starlight, still crouched down with broad, fearful eyes, her voice shackled at the sight of her enemies. Truth be told, she felt somewhat relieved that Chrysalis had left her sight, but terror began to boil back in her blood.
"Ah, Starlight..." His voice calmly, yet ominously clawed at her ears. "I almost forgot about you."
Just as he took one step towards the terrified unicorn, readying his syringe, The Hunter placed his hand against the alchemist's shoulder, blocking him from moving any further.
Through the mask, a whisper crept, "I didn't."
Denied to move any closer towards the captured unicorn, Fright remembered well of The Hunter's words, still irked that his plans needed to take a different direction.
Quietly, he left The Hunter and Starlight alone, departing from the lifeless, cold room, gripping his wrist and ready to move on with his new plan. When Fright left Starlight's sight, she could only feel pinned down by the emotionless, lost and voidness eyes of her abductor. The white, pale mask refused to move an inch away from her position.
Finally, The Hunter took a step forth, his clawed feet colliding with the cold floor. Slowly, he approached the anxious unicorn who held herself together, frightened to even acknowledge his presence.
Starlight cowered and trembled, hearing him getting closer and finally feeling his sharp finger brush under her chin. His voice failed to carry the same cold, rough tone. He sounded soft and somewhat welcoming.
"Hey. Are you okay?"
Losing the strength in her eyelids, Starlight opened them and stared into the darkness that was his eyes, the pale mask offering no emotion, however, he did sound concerned for her.
"Chrysalis... She didn't hurt you, did she?" The Hunter asked.
Oddly enough, he motioned his hand towards the unicorn's mane and fixed its curl back into its original place. At first, it almost made Starlight flinch as if he was going to scratch her, but she was lost for words when noticing how he treated her. This was the same creature that tried to steal Cadence's child.
Puzzled, Starlight shook her head and gazed at The Hunter, slowly regaining her words, "No... I'm... I'm fine." Although his act of kindness wasn't enough to lift her up with a cheer, she narrowed her eyes down and refused to buy into his deceitful act. "Why do you care anyway?" She asked, raising herself up from the ground and slightly backing away from him.
"Why do I care..." The Hunter repeated with a chortle. "Despite appearances, I guess some things never change."
In response, she arched a brow.
"Look, I'm not the monster you think I am."
"For real?" Starlight said, looking unconvinced. "You broke into the Crystal Palace and tried to steal Flurry Heart! You've helped Chrysalis and Fright with Tartarus' breakout and now you've taken me here! What are you going to do to me?" She questioned.
Noticing how she was acting up, with her breathing growing shaky, The Hunter threw up both claws and eased her, "Calm down, calm down." His voice grew gentle, ridding the venom he usually carried. "I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to talk."
Starlight was a little confused upon hearing this. "You just want to talk?"
"Of course," The Hunter acknowledged. "After all, it has been a while."
"We only met last night." The unicorn grumbled in annoyance.
"Moving on." Her abductor murmured. "What you did last night, back at the empire, that was really brave of you. Putting your life on the line so you could keep a family safe, even when you were unaware of the dangers ahead. I know a lot will compare you to Twilight, but if I'm honest... You're better than her. Anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend."
"Is this a joke?" Starlight asked, growing irked. "First you break into the Crystal Palace and try to steal Flurry Heart, then you end up taking me and not only do you save me from Chrysalis, but you throw compliments my way. Don't act as if you know me!" She growled. "Don't act like you know anything about Twilight."
The Hunter quietly laughed, "This is no joke, I assure you and I know a lot more than you think." He relieved a soft whisper. "But you need to understand that I'm not the bad guy here. I was against taking Flurry Heart from the start, but I couldn't return empty handed. When you offered yourself to me, it made things a lot easier."
"As I said." He continued. "I'm not going to hurt you, Chrysalis isn't going to hurt you and Fright isn't either. You're safe here."
"Seriously?!" She fired back in disbelief. "I'm in an airship filled with changelings! I'm anywhere but safe and I find it hard to believe that when it's coming from the one who abducted me!"
"Look, just please, keep calm," The Hunter breathed. "I've made it clear that Fright isn't going anywhere near you and Chrysalis will be too preoccupied with what's coming next."
"You mean invading Canterlot?" Starlight barked. "You may have infiltrated the Crystal Empire, but you won't be able to succeed in taking the capital of Equestria. Not with the princesses there." As if courage had found her, she raised herself up, inches away from The Hunter's lifeless mask. "Twilight and her friends will stop you."
Again, The Hunter set free a chuckle and pulled himself back up from his crouched position, "You really believe that Twilight's going to rescue you?"
"What's that suppose to mean?" She sharply asked, feeling insulted by his question.
"Listen to me very carefully," The Hunter whispered. "You may claim to know the Princess of Friendship and you're not wrong, but I know the real her. I know that behind her intelligence, her bravery and resilience is a coward, a neglectful, frightened mare who abandons her friends when things get tough... I just wish I knew it sooner."
"No, you're wrong!" Starlight protested with the stomp of her hoof. "I know what you're trying to do! You're trying to fill my head with lies and it's not working. You say Twilight is a coward but she's helped so many lives in order to make the world a better place. She rehabilitated Princess Luna and Discord, even me! She always sticks by her friends, no matter the circumstances, to help those in need!"
"Her friends, yes," The Hunter agreed. "She needs them to survive, to do good. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack. But you, you're just as expendable as me. She'll abandon you, all you have to do is just wait and see."
"What are you talking about?! What you're saying about Twilight isn't true!" The unicorn denied with an irked look. "Back at the Crystal Empire, you said you wanted to make her pay, to hurt her. If Twilight hurt you, it couldn't have been on purpose. She's not a tyrant. She doesn't just abandon her friends. She's the Princess of Friendship!"
Simply, The Hunter averted his gaze away from her, "I wish I could believe that." He calmly said. "I was in denial as well. But soon, you'll see the traitorous coward she really is. The whole world will see it."
"Why do you hate her so much?" Starlight asked, feeling question after question bottling up inside of her. "There has to be a reason."
With a light, but disappointed chuckle, "Here I thought you'd actually understand." He sighed, turning away from her and placing his claw against the chamber's colourless, grim wall.
His tone, his words and the way he acted... Despite that he hid his emotions behind a mask, he looked hurt, maybe not physically but emotionally and Starlight could see that. She locked away her confusion, calming herself and looking past his evil.
"I know she'll come rallying through the streets to try and find you, but when things get tough, she'll give up and just leave you in the dark to rot. You should know this, how it feels to be left in the dirt, to be forgotten."
The Hunter kept being cryptic towards Starlight. As she watched him walk away to the other end of the room, her pupils wobbled at the sight of his sharp tail smoothly swaying left to right. Despite his gentle approach, she still felt uneasy towards the masked creature.
"Why should I?" The unicorn asked.
"Because you've felt it before," The Hunter told. "The feeling of being abandoned. I remember how heartbroken you were when you told us about Sunburst." He quietly brought up, refusing to look at her.
"What?" Starlight became muddled, tied up in confusion as her voice weakened a little, she never informed him of her friends, especially Sunburst. "How do you know about-"
"I remember when he just up and left you without saying goodbye." He quickly cut off. "I remember how scared and furious you were. How you focused your rage on cutie marks and blamed it for the way he just vanished from your life, and when Twilight and her friends came along, it only added more fuel to the hate burning inside you. How you wanted to ruin their bond by changing time when she took everything from you." The Hunter breathed.
For some reason, Starlight felt herself freezing still, her anger fading the more The Hunter talked, the more he brought up about the past, the past that he somehow knew of. The unicorn felt a single shiver journey through her body as she stared at him.
"Wait..." She trembled, her eyes failing to move an inch away from him.
His spikes rattled, but his voice kept low, shattering into confusion as well as heartache, emotions mixing within him, "She was supposed to find me, Starlight." He muttered. "But look at what's become of me, all because Twilight chose to forget than to forgive." The mask that hid his face averted her shocked gaze. "Assistant, friend, family... It didn't matter and it still doesn't. I mean nothing to her."
She didn't know how to feel towards the masked creature. It was out of her control to feel shocked as her eyes widened in disbelief. It was all clear now. She didn't want to believe it and hopefully, it wasn't true, but now, she needed to be sure. No longer angered, all signs of resentment was quick to abandon her as she felt aghast. Her eyes remained fixed on The Hunter's position, although, lowering her head as she battled herself to speak, she wanted her thoughts to be wrong.
"No... No, I..." Finally, she took one step towards him. Hesitating to speak, her voice diminishing to a frail whisper.
"Spike."
Abruptly, the claw The Hunter held up to the wall toughened, scraping his knifelike fingers against it in what appeared to be exasperation. He heard the name, his name. The one was that tainted with helplessness.
Starlight flinched upon his reaction, taking a step back with a panicked, but hurt look. Her ears twinged when hearing the disgusting shriek his fingers produced. She raised a hoof up and waited for him to speak.
When the uncomfortable shrieking his fingers produced came to a sudden stop, he wanted nothing more than to stay silent, but the silence only annoyed him. His voice was no longer soft and gentle, it sounded hurt and unsteady, carrying back the venom, the hate.
"Why?" He dug his claw deeper into the wall. "Why does it hurt to be called that?!"
Sadness began to drain the unicorn, heartache skating over her skin as she looked at him with doleful eyes, her lips trembling as she took another step closer to the dragon.
A few seconds died before Starlight's voice began to crumble, words shaking in her throat, "Spike... Is that... really you?" With a sudden snap of realisation and anger, she shook her head and denied any thought of The Hunter's identity being her friend. "No, no it can't be! Spike wouldn't take part in helping the changelings or that psycho, he wouldn't betray his friends, he wouldn't!" Anxiety catching up to her, running out of breath, she breathed, "You can't be him. I... I don't believe it!"
His stillness scared her, it unnerved her. She wanted to say something else, but words died on her tongue, leaving only silence to linger around the both of them.
Finally, his response carried a growl, one that felt irritated, "Seeing is believing."
With caution, Starlight watched as he elevated his hand towards his mask, his dagger-like fingers reaching upwards. He looked hesitant, he was even shaking, but finally, his claw reached his mask and lightly, the darkling took it off. The mask simply disconnected from his face, holding it gently in his hand, but still, he refused to look at her. Bit by bit, he worked up the courage to move his head and slowly, Starlight trembled upon seeing half his face.
Hurt, she watched as the emerald-green eye stared right at her. She could just barely make out his face, hiding in the darkness. It was Spike. Although she could only see his eye, it was all she needed to recognise him.
Before she could even deliver a word, she took notice to his familiar, green eye quickly flashing red, consuming his iris and pupil into a sea of crimson. It frantically looped over and over, from a blanket of red to his normal pupil, they battled. Sadly, this was a sign of Fright's fear-inducing poison dwelling in his system. So much had been infiltrated into his body that it found a way to latch onto him. Voices and visions, they would taunt him.
Stunned, hard to locate any words, Starlight couldn't believe what stood before her, "Spike... " Her pupils darted downwards for a second and then returned upwards, looking at her friend with sorrowful eyes. There were many questions she wanted to ask, but there was only one that trembled out of her mouth. "But why?"
Clenching his teeth and relieving a growl upon hearing his true name again, The Hunter promptly placed his mask back onto his face with a click, pushing himself from the wall as he turned himself around to the unicorn who looked overwhelmed.
Horrified, she didn't know what to say. Spike was standing right in front of her as some sort of creature that was tainted by shadows. He wasn't the short, happy and bright dragon she remembered. Infected with hate, corrupted by fear and moulded into something new. He was different.
Unable to muster any words in response, the unicorn felt pinned by his gaze under the mask. Almost as if life departed from her body, her eyes barely moved an inch, trying so desperately to grip the reality that was before her.
"Why." He repeated, his voice grasping a tone of annoyance and then gesturing to himself. "Look at me, Starlight! Look at what happened to me, look at what they did to me, and Twilight... She just let it happen! I suffered in the dark, screaming for help, but what did she do? Nothing. The Princess of Friendship couldn't even save her first friend. She was meant to prove him wrong, but in the end, she proved me wrong!"
Initially taken aback by his outburst, the unicorn couldn't help but hear a twinge of sadness in his voice.
"I was a fool to think anyone would come looking for me." He consoled with a whisper, shifting his gaze away from his friend.
Unexpectedly, much to his surprise, The Hunter felt a sudden force wrap around him tightly as he hovered his arms up and away from the mare. He motioned his head down slowly and took in the image of Starlight clinging onto him tightly with her forelegs wrapped around him.
She was hugging him. The Hunter could feel her shaking, he could hear her sniffling and sobbing. Finally, she looked up to his emotionless mask with puddled eyes, tears racing down her cheeks as she choked, nuzzling and crying into him.
"We... We searched everywhere for you," Starlight wept with tears twinkling in her eyes. "We thought you were... We didn't know. I'm so sorry, Spike. I'm so sorry."
For a moment, The Hunter felt his arms go limp, gently removing her forelegs back down to the ground. Slowly, he lowered himself down, crouching and staring into her tearful eyes.
His voice returned to a tone of serenity, wiping away her tears with his digit cautiously, hoping not to scratch her. Despite this, Starlight didn't even flinch, she stared at the expressionless mask that trapped the dragon's true self. Her breathing became jumbled, mixed with sniffling as she tried to recover her own breathing.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, none of this is your fault."
Wiping away her tears, breaking away from her friend and recovering her breath, Starlight began with a sniffle, "What... What happened to you?"
The Hunter looked down at his own unsettling, eerie claws and sighed, "It doesn't matter."
"No, it does matter!" She fired back. "All of this, it's wrong! Tell me what happened!" She quietened her voice and gently placed a hoof against his mask, directing his gaze back at her. "Tell me everything, please."
Deafening was the silence as The Hunter looked hesitant to speak, even with the mask on, Starlight could just tell that he was battling with himself to say a word.
"Please, Spike." She softly pleaded, placing her hoof on his hand. "Let me help."
"I don't need help!" The Hunter growled, wincing from Starlight's contact. "I clearly didn't need it before and I certainly don't need it now."
Retreating a few steps back from her position, wide-eyed and still in disbelief, the unicorn inquired, "What did Fright do to you?"
The Hunter began with a sigh, "Fright, he just put the pieces together. Twilight did this."
"I don't understand!" Starlight cried. "Twilight didn't do anything."
"Exactly!" The Hunter shouted in an erratic manner. "She didn't bother to look for me, she just replaced me, forgot about my existence and moved on! She caused this! The mistreatment, the neglect and humiliation! All she had to do was just find me, but she couldn't even get that right! I was just a gift to her, an object to them! One that was used, broken, replaced and forgotten."
"No!" The unicorn denied. "Twilight searched day and night for you, we all did! When you vanished, you didn't see how upset she was. She was depressed without you, a part of her died when you went missing. Each and every night she cried for you, calling for you and wishing for you to come back."
"Then why did she give up the search?!" The Hunter asked. "Why did she replace me? Why did they just leave me?! I meant nothing to her! You and I are both in the same position now, Twilight and the rest of her friends will never find us. She can try, but in the end, she’ll just forget and move on."
Dejection took over Starlight as she took a momentary pause, regaining her breath, "But it wasn’t like that! She thought you were better off without her! She thought you found a new life, a happier life!”
"And look how well that turned out for me," The Hunter leaned forwards with a snarl. "She’s too blind and stuck up in her own happy world! She thinks everything is all about her and her precious friendship with the girls. She thinks everything will be alright, but she never thinks about the feelings of everyone else! I’m not tearing Equestria apart! I’m waking it up, just like how Fright woke me up to the truth!”
Aghast, Twilight's apprentice could only look and feel lost.
"I should be thanking him, despite how cruel and harsh he put things for me. But he crafted me a new name, a new face... A new identity. A hunter, not some pathetic, friendless, blind assistant. It's better to be feared than to be loved, at least I'll be remembered and not forgotten!"
"I don't believe that," Starlight heartily disagreed. "And I don't think you do, either."
He didn't say a word, he just kept silent.
"Spike, please!" She pleaded. "This is wrong and you know it. You don't have to do this." She gently placed a hoof on the hurt dragon.
With The Hunter silent, she continued, hoping she would succeed in reasoning with her lost friend, "Twilight loves you. All of our friends, they still love you and that's why their fighting... To find you."
"And then what?!" He pulled himself away from her contact, hate getting the better of him. "Everything goes back to normal, back to me being afraid and doubtful? Back to me being a pet! I can't go back, too much has happened, they left me to rot with Chrysalis, with Fright! If I let go of everything then I suffered for nothing. Do you really expect all of this to just change?"
Starlight surprisingly kept her composure and spoke softly, "It did for me."
At this moment, she could only hear the sound of her heart beating. The Hunter kept silent, slowly his clawed feet pressed into the ground as he stopped inches away from Starlight.
"After all of this, there is no going back." He growled. "I never wanted this. Twilight made this happen. She had her chance to set things right. They all did."
"Twilight's not the enemy here!" The unicorn shouted. "I'm sorry for what happened to you and I'm sorry we didn't find you. I know you're afraid of being forgotten and I'm sorry you had to endure such a fear, but if you go through with this, helping Fright and Chrysalis, invading Canterlot, it becomes something worse than just vengeance. Is this how you want to be remembered? As a weapon? A tool? A monster?"
"It doesn’t have to be this way! You’re right! I do understand how you're feeling! But I also know that the way you’re going is still wrong! Remember how bad the consequences were because of my actions in the past? This won’t be any different! This isn't you, Spike..." She gently tapped her head against his hand, nuzzling him. "This isn't you."
She resumed with a feeble whisper. "Don't do this. We can fix this, together. They're your friends. They love you."
"Stop..."
Starlight's eyes went round as she slowly motioned herself upwards, studying The Hunter's mask while gently retreating a few steps back. Despite concealing his expressions, she took notice of how he was trembling, curling his claws into fists and how his voice tightened, holding displeasure with a growl.
"Just stop talking." The spikes around his mask rattled in discomfort. "Companions, allies, friends... They're nothing but deplorable hallucinations that toy with your emotions. I know how to fix this. I am done talking and I am done pretending that a future with her or any of them can work."
"Spike..."
"I'm done with it all..." The Hunter stubbornly cut off, his voice quiet, yet exasperation burning in his tone. "Twilight's failed. As a leader, guardian, friend and family."
The masked dragon lowered himself down, his voice quietening as he stared into Starlight's distressed, watery eyes, "I'll find you once this is all over. I promise."
Swiftly, The Hunter raised himself back up and headed to the chamber's exit, a clang in each step and his tail sweeping over the smooth, murky floor.
Distraught, failing to deny the fear that crept over her, Starlight threw a hoof towards him and shouted, "Spike, don't! You're making a mistake! We can still fix this."
"No..." He said lightly, taking one final look at the unicorn. "I can fix it."
Disturbed and at a loss, Starlight could only stare at her damaged friend, horrified to see what he's become, what his fears transformed him into. His pale-white mask and his inky, blank eyes rid any emotion from who he once was. Nausea swirled in her empty stomach and apprehension attacked her mind, her heart sinking in a pool of sorrow for the young dragon who suffered just to become something terrifying.
What felt like an eternity, the connection between the two finally broke when a hefty, unfurnished, silver door slid down with a thud, tearing the gaze off both of them.
"No, Spike!" The unicorn threw a hoof to the door, only to realise it was too late.
With watery eyes, lips slightly parted and trembling at this sudden discovery, Starlight hung her head and gripped her eyes shut. The heartache that took over felt like something gnawing away at her as she forced herself to cower in the dark, alone and upset. She had finally found Spike after so long, but this wasn't the Spike she knew. He was different, he was hurt.
Powerless to do anything, her magic confined to the dark crystals congregating around her horn, the trapped unicorn had absorbed what he said. She took in his hate, his loathing, his anguish. Right now, she felt a mixture of horror, disturbance and sickness storming around her, for Spike and Twilight.
Swiftly, the changeling airship raced through the night sky, en route to its destination. Cloaked in the darkness, the night acted comfort towards the hovering hive, paying no attention to the lingering stars that orchestrated their lights. The changelings were advancing with their plan, preparing for their attack. Swarming the halls, congregating and patrolling, they were a lot more vicious than the queen's previous hive.
The Hunter found himself alone in one of the airship's many rooms and just like the rest of the flying temple, it was dark and grim. Any form of colour or light didn't exist here.
There was no denying it, he felt different after he talked to Starlight or was it because he revealed himself to her. Oddly enough, The Hunter would drift off and just stare at his own claws, sometimes he would feel the mask that secured his face, tapping it as if it was somehow new to him. Despite this feeling, it was nice to talk to an old friend, but his hate for Twilight and the others were still driving him. He knew how to fix this, but why did doubt creep by? Is this really how he wanted to be remembered? As a weapon, a tool... A monster. It broke him a little to see how she would still defend the one who abandoned him.
A lot of thinking had infiltrated The Hunter's mind since he talked to Starlight, but that's only because she was one of the many friends he still cared about. The way she looked at him, how fear took over her eyes nearly reminded him of how scared he was before he put on the mask. He knew for a fact that things couldn't go back and he didn't want them to.
"I trust you're ready for tonight?"
Alarmed, the darkling jolted upwards and turned to the voice that slithered into the room.
Nonchalantly, Fright wandered into the room, hunched over a little as he held his wrist behind his back. Each step he took felt heavy, however, his feet failed to make any sort of noise upon making contact with the floor.
The Hunter watched the alchemist hobble towards him, declaring, "I've been prepared for this the moment you promised me my reward."
"And your reward will come. The Princess of Friendship's suffering is near, but you must understand, Hunter." He gave a cold, quiet laugh through his stitches, "Being ready and being prepared are two different things. I want to know if you're ready to do what's necessary."
"We both know the answer to that."
"Do we?" Fright questioned with an arched brow. "There's no doubt about it, you still care for your friends, at least some of them. That's evident by the way you protected Twilight's disciple from Chrysalis earlier."
The Hunter only responded with a grunt, "Her name's Starlight."
"How will I know you won't disregard my instructions again as you did at the Crystal Empire? How do I know you won't go crawling back to being their scared servant? How do I know you're ready?"
"Because of her, I have nothing left to fear," The Hunter's responded, his voice dripped with irritation.
"I would like to test that theory." The alchemist stated with a small smile growing, devious and looking impaired on his poorly crafted face.
"What does-"
Unexpectedly, The Hunter felt something sharp pierce his body. With his breathing jagged, feeling his mind chipping away and freezing, he slowly motioned his head to Fright's wrist, witnessing that he had injected him. Poison flowing with dark magic, fears waiting to be envisioned now infiltrated his system.
Departing, breaking away from The Hunter, he watched him collapse to the ground, desperately trying to stay awake, holding himself together.
"What fears do you have left crawling around? Show me," Fright whispered.
Dizzy and nauseous, The Hunter's vision began to blur and darken, his hearing breaking on him as his claws clasped the ground, struggling to stay conscious. After some resistance, he failed to keep his eyes open, succumbing to the darkness that clouded his vision...
Returning to his world of fears.
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Yay. Another chapter. And it was good.
So I was right all along regarding the Hunter’s identity - very nice!:D But i’m not gonna brag about it. I’m alot more interested in the fact that the tragedy behind his development is far more interesting that Jason’s being the Arkham Knight. Maybe because you put alot more investment in this than the game did. This chapter certainly was emotional, and dark, and we now see the full extent of Spike’s damage in the mind. It really is an unpleasant experience, to be sure.:(
The HUNTER REALLY IS SPIKE!!!!!!
I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!
~ 1 Hour Later.
I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!
~ 2 Hours Later.
I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!
~ 3 hours Later.
Discord - "Could you knock it off! We're running out of time cards!
Called it.
The pearl’s out of the oyster now. What a pity. I do wanted to see the look on Starlight’s face when he relays his memories to her. Including the memory when everyone dumped him in the lake at the end of Winters Wrap Up, as a prank.
And now, we dive into the horrors of Spike. What torturous nightmares now plague the Hunter’s mind. What drives him to this point of insanity? We already know the answers to this particular question, do we not?
Twilight Sparkle - Sending Spike away. She left him out on the street to fend for himself. She cruelly neglects and forgets his birthday in favor of her friendship anniversary and when they got their cutie marks. Spike was right about her. She had her chance to find and save him, but look where her neglect has gotten them. And it only gets better when she can barely find him or recognize his frustration, when he was standing right in front of her nose.
Rarity - Taking advantage of his affection and devotion to make a slave out of him. She even took the little Fire Ruby he meant to save for his birthday snack. All those heavy luggage he had to carry until his bones break. All those feats, all those trials he went to winning her heart. But in the end, they’re all for nothing! Such a heartbreak. And to think, Queen Chrysalis can be so cruel. What would Thorax have to say to this marshmallow mare, I wonder?
He loves her, but she loves him....as her errand boy. Just like Twilight.
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie - Two troublemakers. Pranksters to the extreme. Pinkie Pie m, the self-proclaimed party pony, who failed to remember Spike’s birthday. And she has all her friends’ birthdays memorized? Then what does that make Spike? Not a friend?
And Rainbow Dash. Knowing how most her pranks go, without a doubt, it was her idea to dump freezing waters on Spike as a practical joke. And maybe it was her idea to try and drown him in that freezing lake. Some “care” she showed. Both she and Pinkie even mocked him for his “less” masculine dragon physique. Let’s see how they like the new and improve Spike now. And perhaps next time, they’ll be the ones to take a dip in a freezing cold water.
Applejack and Fluttershy - These last two are difficult to justify any reasons for resentment. Though they did take part in enjoying themselves to the young dragon’s torments.
Applejack considered Spike to be a weak little dragon. Clearly, she neglected the fact he had to carry Rarity’s bags wherever they go. How much did they all weigh together? What? Even Applejack is too weak to carry them all? And let’s not forget, both she and Rainbow Dash did use him for the Iron Hooves Competition. Not as a referee. But as a dummy. And object.
And Fluttershy.....she only sees him as a pet, a little nuisance. She wouldn’t acknowledge him as a friend. But we all know how much she’s afraid of dragons. Let’s see how much she’ll acknowledge him now!
How soon will it be until the next chapter is written? How closer will we be to the final confrontations?
Of course, there’s no need to answer here and now.
But I can just visualize the confrontation between the Mane Six and the Hunter now. I’ve been rehearsing several role-plays for that chapter and the ones that come before it and the next.
That was a major twist to the nipple!
After everything that was done to Hunter, I would think he would want revenge on Fright and Chrissy as well. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate is stronger than fear. Is love stronger than hate?
There are fates worse than death, mind you. But we’ll come back to this later.
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I so called it!
Can’t wait to see everypony else’s reaction.
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No offense to anyone else, but I kind of had it figured out a long time ago. It just made too much sense. Spike disappears, and then this big monster that kind of looks like him just happens to show up.
The author's drawings on his DeviantArt page were the final confirmation.
But still, good chapter.
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How many of them end in reconciliation?
Such a disappointment for Twilight. It took her nearly the entire story to figure out the Hunter, yet all it took for Starlight to figure it out was one chapter.
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Given to the mood and setting of this story. 0.
This is only the appetizer for what is to come next. Imagine the heartbreak when the Mane Six confront the Hunter again, only for karma to stab them really hard in the end.
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Here’s one that is based off another of Joker’s moment. Obviously.
“Let’s not fall out here, Twilight. Fright and Chrysalis might have told you a tiny little lie. But c’mon, look at the boy! You did good, WE did good! You should be proud!”
I'm getting a strong Infinite vibe here:
0:47
This right here is something I've always disliked about these Spike runs away fics, you know the whole Spike gets sick and tired of being treated poorly so he runs away or turns evil, but nearly all of them or at least the ones I've read at the end always have him going back to Twilight, back to his old life as a mere servant, sure everyone might treat him a bit better, but there's just something so unsatisfying about it, it's like what Spike said here, going back after all he's been through would be for nothing, and I'm really hoping this wont end the same way, I don't want Spike to go back to being Twilight's servant after all he's been through like so many other Spike fics have done.
This was awesomely sad
.. it was well worth the wait
I'm glad the Hunter finally revealed his old self to somepony... but damn it! Fright!... that poor Dragon has suffered enough
9561681
Eeyup.
Do you think we can get a date for the next chapter???
Perhaps the blind can be made to see with the eyes of the dragon.
On behalf of every readers that have followed, we've all been prepared for this revelation. Three years overdue perhaps, but worth the wait. Of course, this is still just the beginning for the climatic event.
We will be waiting for the next chapter then. And you know where to find me, if you hit another writer's block.
And in your dark future, you will be "the apocalypse of which legends speak. And for once and for all, Twilight's and friends' executioner."
Hide and Seek
"You may have a new identity. But underneath that mask, you're still the same lost child."
"Pity that Sunset Shimmer is not here to remedy your troubles. But we shall be the firsts to see the fear within."
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Just to pass the time, what are your thoughts on the ponies making amends, or try to, with Spike?
Twilight – She forgot so much about him. She forgot his birthday. She neglected to hear what he's been through. And she carelessly called the search off, under the false notion he's found a better life.
Rarity – She hardly reciprocates his feelings for her. And even if she knew, she seems to take advantage of his love just to get some works done.
From Ch.35:
I find this hard to believe.
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie – These two are the pranksters, but also the troublemakers of Ponyville. And though they had no intentions to hurt Spike's feelings from the beginning, their idiocy and inconsiderate antics were the driving forces that fueled the dragon's rage in this story. I wouldn't be surprised if it was one or the other's idea to drop him in that freezing lake at the end of Winter's Wrap Up.
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Pray tell though, what are your thoughts on the seemingly slim chances of redemption and reconciliation?
I'm only asking because I would like to pass the time by looking on the light perspective of hope, forgiveness, and such. I'm getting rather bored with the role-plays as the dark emotions. There should be balance. Yin and yang. And as you already know, my role-plays are too focused on the negative turmoils.
But can you blame me? If I was put in Spike's shoes, during the majority of this story, I'd feel the same way too.
I knew it
I was hoping that somehow it wasn’t him.
9574336
I hope and pray that someway somehow healing between them all can happen.
that the main antagonist doesn’t win
and that Twilight can save Spike, from his fears and from becoming the monster he was never meant to be.
because to me, Spike isn’t half as tormented or abused as people claim him to be. he’s her willing employee and he’s her brother and she cares about him alot, And I hope that there are more out there who agree with me.
9600900
Okay. That's only 1/6 of a chance for a healing, namely Twilight. What about the other 5/6?
How exactly can the other girls make amends with Spike? Especially Rarity, who next to Twilight, is just as cold-hearted to have taken advantage of Spike's love, just to satisfy her own pleasures. And if that's not bad enough, then I'm sure Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are just as guilty for their trickeries.
9600900
9559814
Ch.2
Ch.6
"Brings back memories, doesn't it? Spike was only a child, just like Dinky is. She's very lucky, to have the things that Spike could never have long ago. Freedom, respect, friendship. True friendship. Things were going so well for Twilight and you ponies. Even Rarity herself said she's glad to have days like that. And I presume she means days were Spike isn't anywhere near her."
Rarity: "I-I didn't mean it like that! Really!"
Rainbow: "Look, we get it, alright?! We messed it up really bad with Spike. We haven't been all that nice to him. And I know it was wrong of me and Pinkie to dump that water on him, or that time when we threw him in that lake on Winter's Wrap Up, but we're really trying to find him this time! So will you please stop rubbing salts into our wounds?"
"When and only when you have recovered Spike and healed him, tenfold, will I finally be at peace."
Applejack: "....Uh, if I may, what is it about Spike that's got ya so attached to him so much?"
"IF that had been important detail, then I would've told you earlier, would I not?"
Rainbow: "We just wanted to understand! Why–"
"Then understand the pain and the torments Spike is going through now. And how it's all your fault."
Rainbow: "What?! What are you talking about? We're not the ones who injected those fear spells into him!"
"True. But you did inflict deep wounds into him. Wounds that were made by you! All of you. Wounds that Fright had the honor of – as you put it – rubbed the salts into. And until you realized that, then it would seem your efforts to search and rescue the little dragon is merely a facade to hide your shame from the world."
Rarity: "That's not true! You don't know us well enough! Everyday, every nights, we've been searching nonstop for Spikey-Wikey!"
"That excuse falls short when you ponies ceased your search for only three months, only to resume again after Fright announced his capture of the little dragon."
Applejack: "We only picked it up again because Spike was in trouble and he needed our help!"
"It took you only about a few months to know he's in danger? Imagine how it might've been had you extend the search for a year! But that outcome is only a fantasy now, since you've already considered replacing him with a filly!"
Applejack: "We thought it was for the best! For Twilight! She thought it was best for Spike! She thought he found a better life!"
"Well look where it's gotten him then, and you! All of you! Some life it has become now! How heartbroken he was to see you've all moved on without him! How quick you were to replace him with a child! How easy it was for all of you to deny his plea for help!"
Rainbow: "How were we supposed to know he was in trouble?"
"Correction. He's always been in trouble...with you, his family. The only family he has in the world. The family who only care about themselves as they go off on their heroic deeds while leaving him in the dust! Can you remember the last time in your life, when you and the young dragon bonded on par with each other?"
Rainbow: "Okay! So we left him behind on a lot bonding experiences! It wasn't intentional!"
"Then explain yourself how unintentional it was for all those pranks you've pulled on him? How about that bucket of cold water you dumped on him? I'm sure you and Pinkie loved that one, next to the time you let him drown in that freezing lake on Winter's Wrap Up! Or how about when you teased him for not being masculine enough to be a dragon? Does that make you any better than Garble and his gang?"
Rainbow: "Hey! I teased everybody! It's what I do! I never meant to hurt anybody's feelings. Expect maybe Discord. But still, you don't see Fluttershy attack me for it!"
"Of course not! Fluttershy is too kind to do that, for your sake. But in case you forgot, Spike is NOT Fluttershy!"
Rainbow: "Do I look stupid to you?! I KNOW HE'S NOT FLUTTERSHY! HE'S A DRAGON!"
"So what would you have done if that was Fluttershy taken by Fright then? You tell me."
Rainbow: "I'd search the ends of Equestria for her! Duh!"
"Then why couldn't you have done the same thing for Spike?"
Rainbow: "I...I...I...."
"Then it's obvious, isn't it? You clearly don't care for him, as you claimed you did before!"
Rainbow: "WHAT?! No! It's not like that!"
"Oh, I believe it actually is like that."
Rainbow: "I do care about Spike! I would've done the same for him, but Twilight–"
"It's always about Twilight. You're so good at listening to your friend. But you couldn't answer his cry for help?"
Rainbow: "It hasn't even been a year! I've looked everywhere!"
"What? Even a pony like you wasn't quick enough?"
Rainbow: "Dude! You're taking everything we've done to help Spike and skewing them!"
"SO YOU DROPPED HIM IN THE LAKE TO HELP SPIKE?!"
Rainbow: "NO!.....What about you then? You sound like a good friend to Spike. Maybe even better. If you had wanted Spike to be found, then why aren't you looking for him? Instead, here you are, throwing everything we've done to help in our faces. We don't even know you for so long. You're just some voice who's been berating us for our failures. Why couldn't you just have given us some encouragement? Maybe give us a clue to find Spike? Maybe something useful for a change. We want to help, but we have to understand first. What is about Spike that makes him your whole world? Tell us."
"......Very well then. If you won't understand, then it's clear I've been wasting words on deaf ears. You ponies go find and rescue your friend, Starlight Glimmer."
Rainbow: "So now you want us to save Starlight?"
"Yes....I'll find someone who cares enough for Spike's well-being to find and rescue him. Someone who actually cared enough to hear these words of a dying dragon."
Rainbow: "Dying? What are you–What are you saying? Hey, wait! Like us or not, we'll find Spike! For real! C'mon! You have to trust us on this!"
"I did trust you. I trusted that you would realize the error of your ways, and act on your promise. I trusted you could make a difference. I trusted that you could prove me wrong. Clearly, it didn't work. And because of that, Spike doesn't have much time left to live."
Rainbow: "What? How do you know about that?"
"Let's just say he and I share a connection, if that answers any of your questions. Now go and find your friend, Starlight. 頑張って (Good luck)."
9601322
i think your blowing Spikes relationships a little out of proportion.
do you really believe Spike leads a miserable downcast life with no happiness or freedom? like even in the main show?
9601585
Not really. I've actually been seeing a lot of improvements for Spike's development, as of late in Season 9.
Like I said earlier, I'm just role-playing to pass the time, and to match the dark mood of the story. Plus, just about every readers following this story, besides us, appeared to enjoy them. But there needs to be balance okay? I'm not disagreeing with you that Spike is as abused or tormented as everyone said he is, even in the show. But I also agree with how you once said:
9601611
I honestly don't recall saying that second one. I don't consider Spike Twilight's servant more like her willing employee and brother.
9602390
Whoops, sorry. My mistake. It was otaku, not you.
9602740
An honest mistake, its cool.
Still, to pass the times, until the next chapters are written:
9602784
What exactly can the ponies, especially Twilight, do to heal Spike and make amends? From the looks of it, Fright's pretty much pushed him pass the point of no return and he's at the edge of losing his sanity as it is. But we'll just wait and see what sort of inflictions Spike's been suffering in the next chapter.
9561681
And yes, I agree with what you've said, about Spike:
Because then it would mean that after all that has happened, Twilight and the girls have learned absolutely nothing in their quest to find him. Pretty soon, the same thing will happen all over again.
9603248
Starlight words seemed to have some kind of an effect on him. He needs to learn the truth that Twilight never ment to hurt him.
That Fright is just using him as a tool. To be used until he's no longer of use to him. My belief is that fright twisted his mind and blackened his heart but the old spike is still in there and Starlights words briefly reached him sure she couldn't convince him to stop pursuing this evil path but I believe he can still be helped.
In the words of a great man "the only thing necessary for evil to win is for good men to do nothing" and Twilight is determined to fix this nightmare. She won't abandon Starlight nor will she abandon the chance to make things right between her and Spike.
9604049
9561681
Of course. But intentional or not, it still doesn't take away all the traumas he had to endure because of her and the girls's ignorance. It was only 3 months after all, and Twilight foolishly believed Spike found a better life, when in reality he was in danger. How come she didn't consider the possibility he could've been hurt?
I know. Clearly, the Mane Six aren't the best options to talk through to him, considering how much his anger and hatred are all focused on them. The only ones left to possess any miracle for him are Starlight, Thorax, and if they had thought about her sooner, Ember.
So true. And I'm not saying it's hopeless or anything, but I doubt it will end with a hug and a kiss. Even if Twilight manages to save Spike from Fright, he'll be less than grateful and would ask her why she didn't just let him go and free him of his misery. Or why she couldn't have prolong the search for a whole year, instead of waiting for only 3 months to give up.
9604678
Of course. But intentional or not, it still doesn't take away all the traumas he had to endure because of her and the girl's ignorance. It was only three months after all, and Twilight foolishly believed Spike found a better life when in reality he was in danger. How come she didn't consider the possibility he could've been hurt?
[how was she supposed to know he was in danger? Fright had him hidden pretty well I bet and even if she searched for two years fright would have found ways to keep Spike hidden from her and convinced Spike of negative things. She didn’t just willingly blow him off and go on with her life she lived with the pain and regret of never being able to find him every day, heck she took in Dinky as her assistant to ease the burden of loneliness she now feels without him. and she stopped looking eventually because she realized from Spikes angry speech that she’s been mistreating him, while it was the wrong decision she most likely thought in the end he doesn’t want to be found and decided to let him make his own decisions with his life, precisely what he repeatedly voice to her he wanted.]
I know. Clearly, the Mane Six aren't the best options to talk through to him, considering how much his anger and hatred are all focused on them. The only ones left to possess any miracle for him are Starlight, Thorax, and if they had thought about her sooner, Ember.
correction, the six are what’s needed to try and communicate with him that what he’s doing is wrong, for if one is angry, sometimes confrontation is necessary to bring one to their senses. best to get both ends of the story out in the open so others will know what needs to be done otherwise he’s going to feel ganged up on by others he’s trusted, thinking they are siding with his assumptions of Twilight, although the others you mentioned would be quite helpful too in getting some of the heat to die down.
So true. And I'm not saying it's hopeless or anything, but I doubt it will end with a hug and a kiss. Even if Twilight manages to save Spike from Fright, he'll be less than grateful and would ask her why she didn't just let him go and free him of his misery. Or why she couldn't have prolonged the search for a whole year, instead of waiting for only 3 months to give up.
that’s for Cipher to type, and i hope he will type it well hopefully things will turn out well
9604926
Let's think for a moment here. He's a little dragon, he hasn't even gotten his wings yet, and he's never once been in a dangerous situation where he's by himself, without Twilight or the ponies for aids.
So I'm sure he wouldn't have gotten very far or find a better life on his own, given to his....corporeal stature. He almost did became dog chow to the timberwolves in the Everfree Forest, had Fright not intervene.
You make a good point.
Okay. So in order to truly resolve the tensions between the two, it must be the Mane Six who confronts him. Thorax is one party they can count on to lend them support, but I'm sure the Changeling King will be just as disappointed as Spike for the ponies mistreatments towards his best friend. Still, why didn't the ponies contact Ember sooner for help is the question?
9604963
I honestly doubt he'll be just as disappointed as Spike considering Spikes a little out of his mind at the moment.
He'll be upset but I doubt he'll end up refusing to help for them pushing him away. He'll understand he needs to help stop Spike before he helps Unleash Terrors that could endanger his hive too.
As for your second question only Cipher can answer that since its his story.
In the words of Alan Rickman:
Ch.20: Twilight's fear
Ch.21: Rainbow Dash's fear
Ch.22: Applejack's fear
Ch.23: Rarity's fear
Ch.24: Pinkie's fear
Ch.25: Fluttershy's fear
Ch.26: Princess Celestia's fear
Next up, Spike's fear
Ch. 32:
“If you want him back, then you need to look harder. You need to think about him. No one knows him better than you do.”
Ch. 40:
“If you really think like that, then you shouldn’t be helping at all. Go home. Join your equally useless brother.”
Ch.43:
"If your friends suffered because of you, then you shouldn't be friends.”
Hammer Heart
“I am losing patience with you Hammer Heart!”
Hammer Heart: “We’re looking! Honestly, is this gonna be a regular with you? I mean—“
“No. MORE. EXCUSES!!!!!”
Random guard: “Whoa! You did not tell us he could do that.”
Hammer Heart: “Ahem. Look, be reasonable! Had you considered—ACK!!”
“You are saying?”
Hammer Heart: “Uh....we’ll keep looking.”
Ch.36:
Imagine the heartbreak increased tenfold, when they’ve finally unmasked the Hunter.
Spider-Ham: “Twilight. The hardest about being a hero is.....you can’t always save everyone.”