//------------------------------//
// 1: Strange Dreams 
// Story: Spike The Keyblade Master 
// by Dragonfan101 
//------------------------------//

It's been around a month since Twilight had become a princess, and saved everyone in Equestria, and everyone's been handling they're roles the best they could. Since Tirek's defeat, they've had to repair a lot of what was destroyed during  the battle, while it was sad that Spike and Twilight's old home the Tree Library was destroyed, they had a brand new castle that was made for them and Twilight to start training to become a princess.

The rest of the mane 6 have been doing they're jobs as the Elements of Harmony whenever it calls for it, whenever there's a friendship problem, one of them is always there to help solve it. And while Spike was glad that everything's been at peace again, he's only wished there was something more he could do.

While they've been living in the castle now, Spike's just been doing what he's normally done again, helping Twilight out as an assistant, doing whatever tasks that she needs, and while Spike's okay with it, he just feels like there could be more to help Twilight and the others out during they're adventures, even if he's 12, he still feels like there's something he could do to help more.

But.. if there's one thing Spike's been feeling lately, it's these strange thoughts that he's felt since Tirek's defeat, he doesn't know what they mean, sometimes when he sleeps, he has obscure dreams of Twilight's battles against former villains, and he only saw himself on the sidelines, but that's when he started seeing strange monsters he's never seen before start to come in, strange monsters of shadow that emerge from the darkness, but they all were aimed at Spike, and Spike often felt himself being scared of what these creatures are. But when Spike least expected it.. he found himself falling through a dark void, unable to call for help, and not able to save himself.

It's a strange feeling of fear Spike hasn't felt before, no matter what it is, it all ties directly to what's happening with him now.
"I've been having these.. weird thoughts lately.." Spike tells himself as he looks back on all he's been seeing so recently.
"Like.. is any of this.. for real... or not?" Spike asks himself as he feels himself falling through a void of darkness. 

Spike felt his body floating through the abyss he's found himself in whenever he sleeps, Spike's body feels weightless, like it's floating around nothing more then an endless sea, but as Spike opens his eyes, he feels himself finally landing down on something. Spike groans and holds his head in pain, and wonders what the heck he's experiencing.

Spike looks around the void he's found himself in, there's nothing to be seen, nothing more then darkness, and the feeling of loneliness.
"Where.. where am I?" Spike asks himself while he looked around the place. Spike didn't know what to do, so he tried taking a single step forward, but once that happened, a blinding light appeared below Spike's feat which blinded him.
"Agh!" Spike screams as the light surrounds the ground it's on, it begins spreading out into a strange platform of sorts and Spike could feel something forming around him. Spike opens up his eyes and he has a look of amazement of what he sees.

Spike finds himself on a strange platform of sorts surrounded by the whole void, but what's interesting, is that it's a depiction of Celestia, it's mainly depicted of the sun symbol and the people she values, from Twilight, Luna, and even himself, Spike didn't know what this was, but it felt so strange looking around it, but he didn't know what to do. But as he was pondering on where to go, he began to hear a strange voice.
"So much to do... so little time... take your time.. and don't be afraid..." The voice explains simply which confuses him, he doesn't know who this voice is, he can't properly describe what it sounds like, he can just.. hear it.
"Who.. who's there? What is this place?" Spike asked while he looked around the void, but the voice simply shone a light directly at the center.
"The door is starting to open.. but can you step forward into the light?" The voice asks which could be obvious to answer. 

Spike didn't know what to do, and he simply followed the voices instructions, he didn't know what it meant when the door is starting to open, but it sounded important. None the less, Spike only took a few steps forward before the light before him vanished suddenly.
"What the heck is going on here?" Spike asked really confused with what's happening. But as he kept looking around, 3 strange pillars began appearing around him..
"Power sleeps within you..." The voice says calmly as a shield appears in front of him. 
"if you give it form.." The voice says while a strange magical staff appears next.
"It will give you strength..." The voice finishes while a sword appears next..
"Choose well..." The voice instructs while Spike looks around them confused.

Spike didn't know what was going on, but this voice was wanting him to pick one of these weapons, each one may help him in different situations, but if there's one thing Spike wishes to do when he can't, it's to protect his friends. So making his choice, Spike turns to the shield and walks over to it.
"This shield may do.." Spike tells himself while he picks it up, he feels such a strange magic coming from it, like it's giving him a newfound power he hasn't felt before, it's such a strange feeling in ways he's never felt before..
"The power of the Guardian.. kindness to aid friends, a shield to propel all. Is this what you seek?" The voice asks while Spike takes a close look at it, Spike feels like this power could help him in the future, if it even matters when he figures out what's going on, but it's this shield he finds the most comfortable with.
"I do." Spike answered honestly before the shield suddenly vanished into him and Spike felt a new power enter him.
"Your path is set, but now.. what will you give up in exchange?" The voice asks while there are two weapons left. 

Spike looks at the remaining two weapons, the sword and the staff, possibly for magic and strength, Spike was never too good with either of these, but Spike especially would like to win fights with ways, other then brute strength. So, turning his head to the sword, Spike makes his way over to the sword and picks it up.
"The power of the Warrior, invisible courage, a sword of terrible destruction, do you give up this power?" The voice asks while Spike looks over it, he values his friends safety over all else, despite how much they can handle themselves, Spike always wishes to help in a way, he always hopes to help out in some way, and he doesn't wish to make things worse if he does.
"I hope this doesn't backfire on me.. but.. I give up this power.." Spike answers just before the sword vanishes and nothing is felt from losing it.
"You've chosen the power of the Guardian, but you've given up the power of the Warrior, is this the path you seek?" The voice asks waiting for a clear answer, Spike's already made his choices, and it wouldn't be too much to say no to this.
"This is what I choose." Spike answers honestly. 

But as soon as he answered that, that's when the pillars around him suddenly began sinking back into the platform, and Spike has a look of fear as the entire thing begins to break.
"Wait.. no no no!" Spike screams before the ground breaks below him, and Spike screams as he finds himself falling into the abyss..

Spike didn't think anything would happen after falling like that, but a faint light started to appear in front of him, and he started to see what looks like a portrait of Luna appear next, Spike's body slows down a bit and he gently lands down on it while looking around, he doesn't know what this all means, but it feels really weird just being here.
"What's going on?" Spike asks himself again and hoped something would happen, but a faint light started to appear in Spike's hand, and the shield Spike chose appeared in it suddenly which shocked him.
"Whoa! How.. how did I do that?!" Spike asked amazed with seeing that.
"You've gained the ability to fight. While there will be times you have to face alone, don't be afraid." The voice instructs which confuses him.
"Afraid of what?" Spike asked curious just as a strange monsterous shadow begins to form behind him.
"Behind you!" The voice warns which made Spike quickly turn around and he saw one of the monsters he's seen in his  dreams.
"What the?!" Spike askes with fear just as he rolled out of a slash from the creature.

A few more of these creatures begin to appear below the platform, and Spike has a look of fear as he's surrounded by them all.
"I should've gone with the sword.." Spike told himself as he had no choice but to fight back. Spike held the shield tightly as one of the monsters lunged at him, Spike quickly rolled out of the way and slashed his shield at the monster a few more times before it was defeated, two more of the monsters lunged at him at once, one tried slashing at him, but Spike parried the shield at the right moment which weakened it's defense, Spike quickly slashed the shield at the both of them and took them both down pretty quickly. Spike looked at himself with shock and looked at his shield with awe, this was the first time he ever felt himself push through a fight, and it felt.. good.
"How.. how did I do that?" Spike asked amazed with what he's just done. But when he thought he had a moment of relief, the pillar he's on suddenly began to be shrouded by a dark void, Spike's eyes widened in fear and the entire thing began covering up Luna's entire being which may mean something bad, but that's when it touched him, and he began sinking into it..
"No.. no! Someone help!!" Spike begged just as he had sunken into it and vanished once again.

Spike felt himself trying to escape the void the best he could, he felt his body falling all over the place until he finally landed on something, Spike gasped for air and took heavy breaths as he found himself on another column, but this one didn't resemble any of his friends, it was completely white, and at least half of it was fractured.. like something had broken it apart..
"What... happened with this one?" Spike asked with worry while he was clutching his chest, something felt off about this one in particular, and it feels like this one ties into him in some way..
"Your still not whole.. there are things you question about yourself, things that break your perspective on life.. things that you fear can never be answered..." The voice said calmly which got Spike's attention, he looked around the place and didn't feel anything here, and looking back on what's happened in the past, he's still been through things that he wishes to help out more in..
"Is it.. because of how I feel? With my friends being able to go without my help? I know it's strong of them to go without me.. but.. where does it leave me?" Spike asked regretfully as he looked over the edge, and he didn't see anything within the void.

Spike just looked around the pillar, he felt just sad being here, like it connected to him in a way he doesn't know.
"All of them have found your own path, but now you must find your own..." The voice said softly which Spike found a bit confusing.
"How.. how can I do that?" Spike asked worried on what to do. As if his question was answered, he saw a large special door appear in front of him, it looked very ancient, but it was like it led somewhere important. 
"Where does this go?" Spike asked himself while he was walking to it, the door itself began to open, and a blinding light began to appear from it, Spike was partially blinded from seeing it, but he didn't let that stop him, and he kept pushing through it to keep on moving and the light covered the screen as he entered it..

Spike's vision was coming into focus again, and he suddenly found himself in what looked like Ponyville again, but something was off, there were barely any people here at all, there was only 3 people he's met before, one of them was Twilight, the other is Rarity, and the last one is... Garble?
"What are they doing here?" Spike asked confused as he walked up to Twilight first, she had a stern look and didn't seem to say anything from seeing him, which made Spike worried a bit.
"Twilight.. are you okay?" Spike asked while he walked up to her, but that only resulted in her asking him something.
"What the most important thing to you?" Twilight suddenly asked which confused him, being asked that suddenly just made him think back on what it means.. but after looking closely into it.. there's just one thing that he values most
"It's my friends, you.. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Celestia and Luna, and everyone else.. but with all you've been able to do.. just.. what does that make me?" Spike asked himself while he looked at his claw and wondered what this is meaning.
"Spike, if it means that much to you, then you should be glad for what they've done, what lies for you is unknown, but you should just keep your mood up, and maybe one day, you'll find it.." Twilight encouraged with a smile which Spike found was good advise.

While Spike didn't know it was this dream that was telling him this, it did feel like a good response to help him. But after being asked that, Spike turned to Rarity next, she was waiting for him next, and wasn't wanting to waste time here.
"Rarity? Are you alright? What's going on?" Spike asked coming up to her too, but she only asked another question that was like the other one.
"What do you want out of life? What do you wanna do the most?" Rarity asked suddenly which surprised him again, but this was making Spike feel like he was being tested in something, and he wanted to answer completely honestly.
"I guess.. it's to expand my horizons, to see what more I'm capable of then being more then just an.. assistant, I wanna be able to fight alongside others, help stop bad people from harming innocent lives.. I just.. wanna find my full calling.." Spike answered honestly which interested her.
"A good goal for anyone to have, there's more then just one thing you can do, and if you feel like there's something more to you, then go out and find it." Rarity advised which Spike really took in, that meant a lot coming from her, even if it wasn't the real one.

But lastly, Spike turned to Garble who was just crossing his arms, he didn't look upset or was looking to make fun of him in the slightest, instead he looked like he had another question, and knowing he's the only one left, Spike made his way to him to ask something.
"Why are you here Garble? Why would you be in this place and not Rainbow Dash or something?" Spike asked confused why he is here of all people. But Garble only had asked him another question like all the rest, and it was something that felt tied to him and Garble alone.
"What are you so afraid of?" Garble asked again which made Spike sigh hearing that, there was a lot he was afraid of, but he's just had so much on his mind lately, he doesn't know what to properly tell, but if there's one thing that he can tell him..
"I guess.. being insensitive, not being able to follow along with anyone else, or just being able to respond to something like this.. I don't know how I can handle such a situation if I don't know what's happening, like this one right now.." Spike answered honestly which Garble found interesting.
"Then find what makes you the most comfortable, find what helps you make your choices, what helps you get through tough problems, and what makes you feel confident in yourself." Garble replied with a smile, Spike found that really surprising coming from Garble, even if this was a dream, he felt like it may be something Garble would say if he really did know him, if it wasn't for him being a jerk with his crew that is.

Spike took in all those answers to find what all of this means, why is he being asked this? Is something important about to happen? Just what reason is there for him to be here?
"You want friendship, you want to expand your horizons and see what more you can do, and your afraid of being insensitive. Your adventure will begin at midday, keep a steady pace, and you'll come through fine." The voice advised which really interested Spike from what he was hearing.
"Okay then..." Spike replied a bit unsure of what that meant still, but that's when he felt something else happening again..
"The day your journey begins is both far off, and very near, it will begin when you least expect it.. but it will only guide you on the path.. to opening the door.." The voice said in a wise tone before Spike's vision suddenly faded to white once again.

Spike suddenly found himself on another pillar once again, although this one was a depiction of Twilight, there were many books around the area, as well as pictures of people like Spike, Rainbow Dash and Celestia, with the Elements of Harmony on it, Spike didn't know what was going on, but he felt something important was happening.
"What is the meaning of all this? Why am I hear?" Spike asked himself again while he looked around the place.

But as he looked around, he noticed the strange monsters beginning to emerge from the shadows again, Spike got in a defensive state and held out his hand to summon the shield once again, Spike got ready to fight as he was surrounded by all of them once more.
"Let's see you take this!" Spike screamed before he leaped forward to one of the monsters, it quickly went into the ground and went underneath him, Spike saw it going behind him and quickly rolled out of one of it's slashes. Spike then blocked another swipe from a few more and parried them away, Spike made a battle cry and slammed the shield against them and took them out with one hit, Spike saw another one jumping in the air and was about to strike again, but Spike did a flip in the air and lunged to it, Spike moved right out of the slash and slashed his own shield against the monster, it went down in one hit and Spike landed back on the ground.
"Bring it on!" Spike said confidently before he blocks more attacks from the monsters and parries them away, he uses that moment to bash at them multiple times to take them down, there was only one left before Spike finished it off by jumping into the air, and delivering a final blow to it. Spike breathed heavily and felt he was getting a lot better with using his new strength.
"Guess I chose right.." Spike said with a proud look while he looked at his shield. 

But before he could fully rest or ask another question again, another shine of light appeared in front of him, it began moving forward and created what looked like a staircase to another pillar, not knowing where else to go, Spike simply ran across it to get to the next area.
"Please let this be the last area." Spike prayed while he ran across it, he made sure not to fall off, the more he ran across it, the more he saw the place he was just at vanish, he didn't know what this all meant, but he felt it means something important.

After he kept on running through the place, Spike found himself on one last pillar. This one depicted a green and purple dragon on the center to it all, but it didn't look like him, the figure had strange key shaped weapons surrounded by it.
"Who.. who is this?" Spike asked with shock while he was making his way closer to the light in front of him, but thats' when he heard a chilling line speak to him again.
"The closer you get to the light.. the greater your shadow becomes.." The voice said with a worried tone which made Spike quickly look down, he suddenly saw his shadow turn to him, and it somehow began moving out of the ground.
"What in Celestia's name..?!" Spike asked with fear while he was backing up. The monster began to grow in size, easily towering over him.
"But don't be afraid..." The voice encourages as the monster shows off huge claws to it, and Spike sees a large empty heart symbol directly in the center.
"And don't forget..." The voice continues while Spike tries to run away from the monster with fear, but his path is blocked off and he's trapped in with the thing, but that's when Spike finally could see what this meant, and Spike summoned his shield and knew there was only one way out.. to fight it.
"If that's how it's gonna be.. then bring it on monster!" Spike screams with anger before he charges at the thing with all his might.

The monster raises it's fist and charges up a dark and powerful punch, Spike barely avoids being hit by the thing while it punches into the column around them, more of those shadow monsters begin to emerge from it, and Spike quickly takes them out before they can do anything to harm him.
"It's only you and me!" Spike screams before he takes a deep breath and breaths fire right against the monsters face, the monster makes a roar of anger and tries pushing through it, but Spike wasn't done yet and began to run up the things legs. Spike makes a battle cry and repeatedly bashes his shield against the monsters face since it looks to be a weak point. Spike quickly flip's over to the other side and bashes against the top of it's head, the monster moves it's body around widely to shake Spike off of it, and it soon did manage too, 

Spike quickly lands  back on the ground and readies himself again, the monster spreads out it's arms and a dark power begins to erupt from it's chest, it starts shooting out strange attacks that homed in on Spike, he quickly raised his shield and parried them all as they kept coming for him, as he did this, Spike quickly ran over to the monster and leaped onto it's arm, Spike carefully balances himself on the thing and runs straight for the head again. And with a growl of anger, Spike jumps in the air and makes a loud scream of rage as he falls directly to it, and delivers a devastating bash to the thing.

This seemingly defeated the thing as it began to fall on it's knees, but once Spike landed back down, his shield suddenly vanished and Spike was left with shock.
"What?! Why does it have to go now?!" Spike asked with great  fear just before he sees the thing fall onto him and darkness begins covering the entire pillar.
"But don't be afraid..." The voice continues as Spike feels his entire body being covered up by darkness.
"No.. no ! Someone! Hel...!" Spike screamed before he was being muffled by all of it.
"And don't forget.." The voice continues even more as Spike feels every bit of his body being covered by the darkness around him, and Spike feels his vision fading to black as he hears one final sentence..
"You are the one who will open the door.." The voice finishes as Spike feels himself fading back into sleep, and back to reality once more..