Learning to Cope

Chapter 3

Insanity Spreads

"Spike, y-you did this?" Twilight asked dumbstruck, "How could you" she said barely above a whisper.

"No, Twi, I didn't do this." Spike paused, obviously shaken. "I came here last night, hoping Zecora could explain about what was happening to me, but when I got here, I had found that a pack of Timberwolves had found their way into her hut and killed her, I managed to drive them off, but…" Spike paused, holding up the head. "This is all that was left." He broke down into tears, burying his snout into the ground.

"Spike I," she paused. Normally, she'd have no reason not to trust the words of her assistant, but based on recent events, she was doubtful. "You're lying Spike," she said with a determined voice. "How could you do something like this?"

Spike's face darkened when she said that, he began walking towards her. "I'm sorry Twilight looks like you found me out, although you won't realize that this really happened. Right, you can't comprehend what I am telling you as you do not speak the dragon language, I suppose I can I can be charitable enough to translate it for you," he stopped, inches away from her face; his breath reeked of blood and decay. "You're dead Twi," He hit her over the head with the disembodied head he's been holding and she passed out.

"Yes unfortunately, but I'll make sure it's nothing but a dream."


"SPIKE NO!" Twilight yelled jolting up from bed. She was in the library. "That couldn't have been just a dream, it was too real." Twilight looked around her room, making sure everything's in order. She saw Spike's silhouette in the dimly lit room. "Spike? Is that you?" she asked seeing the dragon's smaller frame on his bed. She heard no noise coming from the figure though, not even movement. "Are you okay? Answer me please!" she yelled jumping out of bed.

The light in the room turned on, Twilight turned to see a larger-framed spike standing in the doorway. He resembled what he looked like when he was stealing Applejack's apples during his last birthday only with a more angled face and small wings that she doubted served any function yet. His scales were blacked with ash and he was carrying small woodland creatures who looked like they were sustaining burn wounds. "Twilight!" Spike began in the deeper voice she remembered from her dream, "Hurry, there's a fire in the Everfree Forest and everypony needs your help," he turned around and started running toward the door. "I'm helping Fluttershy collect the hurt animals, the rest of the town needs you to help put it out, hurry!" he called as he ran out of the library in a hurry.

"Was that just a dream?" Twilight asks to herself. "It seemed so real and the fire." Twilight left her bed and walked to the window, the fire was spreading from the center of the forest. "Isn't Zecora's hut around there?" Twilight wondered aloud before remembering her dream. "Spike was at Zecora's hut when I woke up, and he's going to Fluttershy's," Twilight hesitated for a second at that thought. "Would Spike really kill Fluttershy?" she asked herself, "Even after the incident a week ago, I don't think he'd actually kill anyone." Twilight was wracking her brain on this before she remembered what Princess Celestia had told her. "I need to contact the Princess," Twilight said running off to write a letter.


Fluttershy was stuck under a burning branch, her back hooves and flank her pinned to the ground and her front hooves her covering cowering animals injured from the blaze. The Pegusi's rainclouds hadn't reached her area yet and the blaze was intense. "Fluttershy?" she looked up to see Spike standing in the flames.

"Take the animals Spike, save them… please," Fluttershy wheezed in between coughs.

"Oh I'll help them, and I'll help you too," Spike said, slowly approaching Fluttershy.


A Piercing Scream echoed throughout the burning forest, and although the rain muffled it, Twilight was still able to follow the noise. She arrived in the burning clearing Spike and Fluttershy had just been in. The rain had cleared most of the fire, but her eyes remained locked to a bloody pile of ash. "No, he couldn't have," she muttered to herself. "No Twilight," she said in a maniacal tone. "It's just a bloody pile of ash in a burning forest near one of my best friend's house it means nothing, I bet it's just some random animal or something."

Some of Twilight's mane became frazzled as she began to ramble "Bones don't just turn to ash like that, but Spike's insane isn't he, she decapitated Zecora then started this fire to cover up Fluttershy's murder and he hoarded her bones as a trophy. It's the perfect crime except I'm on to Spike!" she yelled to no one in particular.

"You're on to what exactly?" she heard a voice behind her.

She turned her head to reveal Spike standing not too far from him, drenched and covered in wet ash. Twilight levitated a spear-like branch to his throat. "Where're the trophies madman," she yelled with her eye twitching

"Trophies, Twilight what are you talking about?"

"Where is Fluttershy?" she threatened, pressing the stick to his throat.

Spike sighed and grabbed the stick. He then breathed the spark of flame on the stick and it started to burn. "The hospital," she said dropping the burning stick and walking off. "Maybe Twi," he stopped calling back to her, "you should think about who exactly is the crazy one." With that said he left leaving Twilight alone in the burnt, damp forest.


Twilight warped to the hospital and ran to the front desk. "Fluttershy, where? She asked the receptionist

"Room 312" she said started by Twilight disheveled appearance.

Twilight warped to the room and ran inside. Everyone was already there including Spike and Fluttershy was awake lying in bed. She had severe burn marks and wore an oxygen mask to help her breathing. "What happened?" was all she could ask.

"Not that you'd believe me," Spike started in a monotonous voice. "Her lungs are damaged from all the smoke she inhaled and she has second degree burns on her lower body from the branch she has trapped under," Spike stopped and walked to the window.

"I would have died if he wasn't there," Fluttershy started in a raspy voice. "He saved me and the animals; I am truly in his debt,"

"But I heard her scream, what happened there?"

Spike turned around. The wing membranes were cut and the scales on his back looked chipped. "A tree toppled over on me, I only was able to get out of it because of my recent growth."

"Spike I" Twilight started "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have doubted you," She walked over to the large dragon and embraced him. "You're my closest friend Spike and I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.

Spike returned the embrace "I forgive you Twi, I guess we'll both have to get used to this,"

"Soon, the solitary thing in your conscious will be survival as all you hold dear becomes my trophies," Spike added under his breath in a soothing tone. Ending the embrace he looked into her eyes and smiled "I guess we'll have to get used to that too,"


"Time to go to sleep Fluttershy," Spike said approaching her bedside as she slept. He silently removed the oxygen mask she was wearing and firmly pushed a pillow against her face. Until breath forever left her body. The small white bunny named Angel awoke and saw Spike hovering over Fluttershy. He stirred slightly, running to a nearby shelf to get a better look. Spike noticed this and turned to the rabbit and grinned at the look of horror on the small creature's face. "Don't worry Angel, Fluttershy's asleep," He said slowly walking toward the rabbit. He leaned down to his level. "For Eternity," He finished barely above a whisper as he ended the small creatures life along with his mistress.


Twilight awoke with a jolt, sweat dripping down her face. She looked around the room and noticed that Spike was still asleep in the corner of the room as he cannot fit in his basket anymore. She noticed a scroll on her nightstand. Still shaken from her dream she opens the scroll.

My Faithful Student Twilight,

I was afraid of this sort of thing happening. Dragons, regardless, of their upbringing are prone to extreme fits of violence. I'm afraid it's time for Spike to leave Ponyville as he is a danger to everyone around him. However if you want to take the risk of keeping him and trying to neutralize his violent tendencies then that is your choice as well. I expect to to choose the correct decision.

Your Mentor,

Princess Celestia

"I have to give up Spike?" she whispered to herself looking over at where the adolescent dragon rested. "No, I can't let him go just because of a few dreams. I'll neutralize his violence and prove Celestia wrong." She finished getting out of bed and approaching the sleeping dragon, "You're not going anywhere Spike." Unbeknownst to her, a sinister smile crept over the reptile's face as the unicorn left the room "I guess I'll have my trophies after all."