Luna was proud of Spike. The young dragon had an unyielding determination to save his sister and friends, despite his obvious fear and confusion. Courage such as that was rare, and her nervous anticipation of the dangers he faced was made easier by his honest acceptance of the risks.

“Whenever you are ready Spike,” Luna assured.

“If it’s like you said, we’re on borrowed time, so it’s gotta be now,” Spike said.

“Temper your eagerness with caution,” Luna warned. “Rushing in blindly could get you killed.”

“R-right.” Spike took a deep breath and stepped forward to the portal where one of his friends was trapped. “Here goes nothing.”

Spike exited the portal and stumbled onto the ground.

“Are you okay, Spike?” Luna asked.

“Yeah, I’m… wait. I thought you couldn’t-” Spike looked around but did not see Luna.

“You needn’t be alarmed, Spike. We are communicating through the bond I have in the dream realm.”

“Oh… Ok.” Spike was a little disappointed Luna didn’t say all those things just to test him.

“Where are you right now?” Luna asked.

“It… It looks like… Applejack’s house? But at the same time not?”

Spike looked around the farmhouse-like environment, which was far different than he remembered. This one had a long hallway and a large apple cart overflowing with apples parked to one side. In addition, there were several vaguely disturbing pictures hung on the wall that detailed creepy-looking ponies carving apples.

“It’s bound to look different, Spike. This is the nightmare realm. It distorts what you remember about places,” Luna explained.

Spike got up and walked through the room, and since he was feeling a little snackish, he grabbed an apple out of the cart. He only took one bite out of it before spitting it out moments later.

“Blech! It tastes like Pinkie’s homemade mane conditioner!” Spike gagged

Luna’s voice said thoughtfully, “It makes sense considering the Apple family values quality. The nightmare obviously made their stock taste bad as a result.”

“Great…” Spike moved on, not noticing the pile of apples shifting a little, followed by an orange almost reptilian eye staring at him from there.

At the end of the hallway, Spike turned the corner and saw a large room with a dinner table. The walls around him had several barn doors, and at the back of the room there was an elevator.

“An elevator?” Spike said before remembering Luna’s words on how nightmares work. As Spike approached, the elevator dinged and opened.

Spike froze. The being in the flickering elevator light stood there, it was too dark to see the creature itself but its glowing orange eyes stared right into his soul. Its legs were digitigrade and pointy, its head had an odd oval shape where the mouth was. The creature looked so bizarre but at the same time, it looked vaguely familiar.

“Applejack?” Spike said looking scared

“HOWDY!” The creature said in a creepy mechanical version of AJ’s voice. “Ah’m Ripper Jack. You’re trespassin, partner,” the creature said with clear hostility.

“Applejack, who did this to you?!” Spike said

“Nopony but mah master The Shadow,” the creature called Ripper Jack said.

“Look, AJ. I just need to get your soul back and you’ll return to normal…. I think.”

“Don’t bother reasoning with her. That thing isn’t her, it’s a puppet controlled by the Shadow,” Luna informed him.

“Oh…” Spike said with dread.

“Your princess is blockin mah master from taking over the mortal world. Kindly ask her to undo it and submit to us Spike, or else this could get real ugly,” Ripper Jack warned.

“I can’t do that AJ,” Spike replied.

“Then come and try to take the soul if ya can, but know this, if ya use this here elevator ah’m gonna leave ya in a world of hurt,” The creature said before the door closed.

“...Can I go home now…?” Spike almost begged.

“No.” Luna sighed.

“Dang it…” Spike said as he walked around the table and pressed the button. Suspecting she could be waiting in there he hid under a chair until the door opened revealing an empty elevator.

“Whew,” Spike said before scurrying into the elevator. He went to press a button but saw they were a jumbled mess of shapes.

“What kind of language is this?” Spike said looking confused.

The elevator closed and went up anyways and Spike stood back trembling nervously.

“You’ll be alright, Spike. We believe in you,” Luna assured Spike, sensing his unease.

“Easy for you to say,” Spike said, trying not to be harsh.

“We are sorry,” Luna said sadly.

The door slid open and Spike found himself in some kind of mini lobby with boards up on the exits.

What caught Spike's notice was a strange orange sphere floating about.

“Is that Applejack's soul?” Spike asked.

“Yes,” Luna confirmed, without missing a beat. Spike tried to run up and grab it only to bounce off of a barrier.

“Ow…” Spike said, getting up.

“We told you, you must collect soul shards to strengthen your soul enough to breach the barrier and claim the trapped soul.” Spike was about to reply when a loud crash echoed through the lobby and he turned to see a figure tearing its way through the boards.

“AH WARNED YA, YA FILTHY VARMINT!” the unmistakable voice of Ripper Jack roared.

“Ah! Wh-what do I do?!” Spike said, panicking.

“RUN!” Luna called out and Spike took off, narrowly avoiding a swipe of what he could see was a metal blade attached to her limb.

“AH’M MAKIN APPLE DRAGON PIE TONIGHT!” Ripper Jack said as she tore through the boards and charged at Spike. Spike dove at the bottom set of boards on the other side of the upper lobby but his spines got caught on the wood. Spike strained with everything he had and managed to squeeze through just as Ripper Jack drove her bladed legs right where Spike was a moment ago.

“Stay away from me!” Spike yelled, running away from the monster as it shredded at the boards with her large triangular teeth.

Spike rounded a corner and collapsed panting “Whew…. I think I lost her..” Spike said.

“Spiiiiiiiiike” her creepy voice echoed about.

“Uh oh.” Spike whimpered as he looked around the corner and saw her walking into view.

“If y'all let me kill you ah’ll make it painless. Ah don’t lie, remember?” the monster snarled.

Spike continued down his hallway at a good clip, but paused when he found a floating purple crystal.

“Is that a soul shard?” Spike asked.

“Yes, collect them all quickly!” Luna urged him and Spike got to it, running through the crystals, making them vanish as he did so. Spike was making good progress when he heard a startling screech and looked to see her running for him.

“Oh no!” Spike yelled running as fast as his legs could carry him.

“Get back here, Spike!” The creature swiped its blades at him.

“Not a chance!” Spike yelled back as he rounded a corner… and stopped right where he was.

“Wh-what the?” Spike said, seeing her in front of him. “How did you get ahead of me?” Spike demanded.

“Did ya think ah was the only one?” Ripper Jack said from behind him, he looked back to see another behind him and a shadow around a corner meant there was more.

“Uh oh…” Spike said crumpling into a defensive ball as the two descended on him.

“TIME TO DIE!” they shouted in unison.

Spike waited for a painful death but when it didn’t come, he looked up to see he was back in the lobby.

“Huh? How did I-”

“We saved you, Spike,” Luna said.

“Luna?” Spike looked around for her when he remembered she was in his head.

“We told you we can save you a few times should you be caught, but not every time. Be careful,” Luna assured the shaken dragon.

“You never said there was more than one of them!” Spike complained.

“We know, and we humbly apologize,” Luna said, sounding embarrassed.

Spike was about to scold her some more when he heard metallic shrieks elsewhere.

“FIND THAT VARMINT!” Ripper Jack yelled to her fellow Jacks.

“You must get moving, Spike!” Luna shouted to him.

“Alright,” Spike sighed exasperatedly, running out of the lobby and searching for more shards.

Spike rounded a corner and saw some more shards. He began to collect them when he heard the sound of bladed legs skittering across the carpeted floor and he bolted down another hallway to avoid an encounter.

“Keep calm Spike! Keep calm!” Spike repeated to himself as he rounded a corner and collected more shards. He paused when he heard a growl and he dove behind a nightstand and held his breath as a Ripper Jack came around the corner and stared down the hall for a few seconds before leaving. Spike let a long exhale out and got up and ran down the other way only to run right into a solid figure. Looking up he saw a Ripper Jack smiling down at him with its wide mouth before she spun on her blades and bucked out.

Spike rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding a double puncture through his abdomen, and ran for it.

“I’m not going to be anypony’s lunch!” Spike yelled as he ran before a lasso suddenly wound itself around his waist and he felt himself get yanked back.

“AAAAH!” Spike yelled as he looked back and to his shock saw that the lasso had come from the Ripper Jack's mouth.

“Surprised?” The monster gave a laugh as it dragged its meal back towards it.

“NO! LET GO OF ME!” Spike flailed, spouting flame in an attempt to keep the creature back. Luckily his flames burned the rope and it snapped, allowing him to get up and run.

Spike’s victory was cut short however when he ran headlong into another Ripper who pounced on him before he could get up…

Spike woke up next to the elevator again.

“Ugh… not again…” Spike groaned.

“My power wanes, Spike. You must be more careful,” Luna worriedly said.

“What am I supposed to do?! These things are crazy!” Spike said, throwing his hands up.

“Try this, Spike. Keep them lined up,” Luna instructed.

“Lined up? Why?” Spike asked.

“So you know where they are and can avoid them,” Luna said.

Before Spike could ask another question, the sound of steps could be heard. Spike knew he had to try it so he ran down the hallway as a Ripper Jack rounded a corner to pursue him.

“YOUR PRINCESS CAN’T SAVE YA EVERYTIME!” Ripper Jack bellowed.

“I'M OVER HERE!” Spike yelled as he ran through some more soul gems. This worked as some Rippers came from other hallways to pursue him.

“This better not backfire, Luna!” Spike panted as he ran with everything he had, collecting shards as the monsters charged behind him, Spike panted heavily as he ran for his life, occasionally knocking objects over to trip them up. However, the Ripper Jacks simply cut them up or scaled the walls to avoid them.

Spike turned another corner and collected more shards. As he ran past another hallway, he narrowly avoided a Ripper Jack who tried to cut him off.

“I gotta lose them eventually!” Spike shouted as he ran around another corner.

A clank could be heard and Spike narrowly dodged down a hallway to his left as several lasso’s flew by.

“Close shave!” Spike said as he dove behind a door. Holding his breath he listened to the creatures run past his hiding spot.

“A-are they gone?” Spike wondered exiting the door when a voice startled him.

“Spike!” Luna called to him.

“Agh! Geeze gave me a heart attack…” Spike said, taking a breath.

“We are sorry, but we have some good news. There are only a few more soul shards nearby and you can collect the soul.

“Thank goodness…” Spike said.

“It’s in a kitchen area. Just turn the corner and you’ll find it.

“Okay,” Spike said, doing just that. Spike came to a pair of sliding doors and he pushed his way in.

The smell was immediate and horrible.

Spike gagged and took a step back. Looking at the countertops, he saw something that made his stomach turn.

“By the moon…” Luna said while audibly gagging.

“I’m gonna be sick…” Spike said.

Meat, PONY meat was stacked in bloody piles on the counters.

“Press on, Spike. The last couple of shards should be here somewhere,” Luna assured Spike through her disgust.

Spike walked into the kitchen and found a few more shards by looking in cubbies and drawers.

“Did I get them all?” Spike asked with hope.

“No, there is one more,” Luna said.

“Where?” Spike asked.

“We do not know. Keep looking,” Luna said.

“Ah wouldn’t do that, partner…” a chilling but familiar male voice growled from behind Spike.

“Don’t tell me.” Spike turned around. “Big Mac?”

Looking behind him he found Big Mac… dressed as a chef?

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said, though his tone lacked more emotion than usual.

“Please tell me you're not one of those Ripper Jack things,” Spike pleaded.

“Eenope,” Mac said, coming out from behind the counter he was standing behind and Spike could see he had normal legs.

“Ok good, so wha-AAH!” Spike yelped, hitting the floor just in time to avoid a buzzsaw attached to a mechanical arm that sprang out of a compartment on Mac’s chest.

“Ah’m Chef Ripper Mac!” Big Mac growled, his pupils turning red. He raised the saw and slashed it at Spike who narrowly tucked his tail to avoid the rotating blade.

Big Mac stepped towards Spike who crawled backwards frantically “Ah’ve been ordered to serve th’ master up a heaping plate of well-done dragon, and the Apple family always delivers.” Mac’s red-pupiled eyes locked onto the scared dragon, who bolted behind a countertop.

“I CAN’T DO THIS!” Spike yelled as Chef Mac was sawing the countertop in half.

“Come on out, Spike! Make this easier on yerself!” Chef Mac said.

“No!” Spike ran in front of a fridge and Chef Mac chased after him. He slashed his buzzsaw at Spike who ducked it, making Mac wind up cutting the door in half, which revealed the soul shard that was hidden in there.

“There it is,'' Spike said, running forward and grabbing the shard before being punched in the side by Chef Mac’s forehoof.

“Ow….” Spike said, lying up against the wall.

“TIME TA DIE!” Chef Mac raised the saw, stalking forward slowly. Despite his terror, Spike had an idea.

“Luna! Pull me out!” Spike yelled.

“But you have only one more left!” Luna shouted back

“Trust me!” Spike yelled as the buzzsaw came down on him. When Spike opened his eyes he saw that he was back at the elevator.

“We….cannot do that again Spike, We are sorry…” Luna said the exhaustion was apparent in her voice.

“It’s alright, I’m almost out of here,” Spike said, approaching the barrier and finding that he could walk through it now, smiling he grabbed AJ’s soul.

The moment he did that…

Metallic shrieks rang out throughout the halls and the sounds of destruction echoed about Spike.

“What the?!” Spike cried

“Oh no! The monsters have entered a frenzy! You must escape Spike! NOW!” Luna panicked.

“NO ARGUMENTS HERE!” Spike yelled as he ran to the elevator and opened it, as it closed; however, a pair of bladed arms drove through the door and pried it open.

“YA’LL WILL NEVER ESCAPE!” Ripper Jack roared, her appearance darkened and her eyes were red as blood.

“SWEET CELESTIA!” Spike yelled, behind the abomination Chef Mac appeared in a similar state.

“DON’T LET EM’ GET AWAY!”

“I promised I'd never do this but…” Spike took a deep breath and unleashed a gout of flame into the Ripper Jack’s face, earning a shriek of pain from the creature. She fell backwards as the door closed and the elevator lowered.

“Whew….” Spike slumped to catch his breath.

“DO NOT RELAX, RUN!” Luna yelled and Spike jumped up seeing the door opening. Without another word, he sprinted through the opening and ran around the table.

As he left the room however, suddenly all the barn doors flew open and a dozen frenzied Ripper Jacks flooded out of them.

“GET HIM!” one of them shouted as they pressed down the hall after him.

“Almost there!” Spike shouted to himself. As he rounded the corner and saw the portal, his hopes that he was home free were dashed when a Ripper Jack burst from the apple cart and blocked his way.

"Goin somewhere?!" the Ripper Jack said, gnashing her teeth.

“ARE YOU SERIOUS!?” Spike said with exasperation, his mind running a mile a minute he knew he had one chance as the Ripper Jack in front of him lunged.

He dove.

His momentum allowed him to slip under the creature, its blades narrowly missing him. The result was the Ripper Jack crashing into the ground behind Spike and causing a pile-up.

“I'm out of here!” Spike yelled, leaping for the portal.

“NO!” The Ripper Jacks yelled as he made it through.

Spike walked back through the portal, took a few steps, and collapsed from exhaustion. Knowing nothing more than seeing Luna running to him, his vision went dark.

Whew, looks like Spike narrowly made it.

He got the first soul, but it's only the beginning...

Stay tuned for our next update.