He was backed away in a corner. Panicked in ways that he could not comprehend. Fearing for his life, Spike clapped his hands, kneeled on his legs, and lowered his head.

“You don’t seriously think praying will save you, right?” Spike’s darker half asked. “I would give up on that if I were you. They were the ones who exiled you, remember?”

Spike didn’t answer. He kept his attention on to the single piece of the gem Rarity gave him.

“Please forgive me for what I’ve done. I try to fight back the darkness within my heart… I’ll break out of this eternal darkness and forgive them should I get the chance but… I will fight it. It’s difficult to forgive somepony for unreasonable accusations... I try to. I really do but when I do even the most minor problem, it all seems to fall onto me and I get blamed for it... I become so angry, so filled with hate… I only wish I could do something about it…” He said with sweat beading from his head.

He then remembers the time spent as a baby dragon with Twilight and all the good times they had. He even remembers the times when Twilight took care of him, raised him and even fed him.

“You’re doing great, Spike. We’re almost there.”

But then he remembered what he saw through the corrupt door back during the crystal empire. The fear of being left alone or being betrayed.

“Twilight… D-Don’t leave me… Please… I-I didn’t want…”

“Spike? Are you okay? I-”

“Try as you might, your heart knows that this is an illusion. I’m the only one who accepted you when your friends didn’t. I was there when your so-called friend picked that Owl over you. I was there when that marshmallowed pony rejected you. I was always there for you,” His darker side said, holding Spike’s head up.

He remembered those events. All too well. It felt like a bad dream. The first time in particular as frightening.

“... Why do you continue to cry out for help? Why do you waste your time begging for their approval?”

“N-No! I-I just… I just want-”

“What do you desire?”

“I-I want to feel important! I want to be strong!”

The demon thought for a moment about what he said. Then he looked at Spike.

“...I see… Fine, I’ll help you. I’ll make sure you get your power, your charisma and become the strongest dragon there is…” It smiled a cruel smile as it added, “Just don’t show your friends any quarter…”

Spike nodded and accepted the darkness, albeit, with hesitation. It had been around since the beginning of his birth. However, he hadn’t been through rough and true hardship before that day. It attempted to get out more and more but could never find the strength to do so. The only way for it to get out… was for him to have nothing else to lose.