Long ago in a galaxy far far away.

A young Alicorn named Twilight Sparkle went on a journey given to her by her aunt, to protect an ancient powerful relic capable of bringing peace harmony, and magic to the Galaxy or destroy and cause chaos. She only had a shard of that great power, and with the evil empire on her tail, she ran to go find Starswirl in hopes of being trained as a Knight of Harmony.

She did not go alone however, not only was she accompanied by her owl droid, she also had her best friend, who was like a little brother to her, Spike the dragon. Who turned out to also be able to use magic.

On their journey, they met friends who were willing to help defeat the Lord of Chaos and his empire. But when she came face to face with one of his shadows of chaos known as Nightmare and learned that she was her mother, she felt conflicted about what to do, but when her mother was nearly struck down by Star Swirl, Darkness another shadow offered to save her if she fell into chaos.

Three years since that faithful day Spike and her friends keep hope in their hearts for her return to the light, while on the run of the empire.

Chapter I

As a shooting star flew past the window, its light shined into the room making a rainbow of colors dance across the walls as it slowly passed by.

The room was rather empty, It had a few bunk beds lighted into the walls and a few doors that led to a small closet. An empty chair in the corner, by its side small table.

He took in a deep breath and exhaled as he opened his green eyes, staring out at the window. Spike sat in the middle of the room on the floor. Legs crossed his claws together as if he was meditating, an ancient book sat in front of him.

He watched the shooting star go by slowly. Strange he thought. They look so fast when down on the planet. Yet here in space, they seemed so slow as they burned through the atmosphere.

Spike remembered the last time he saw a shooting star. It was the night, technically morning of the empire attack that sent him on this crazy journey with his friend Princess Twilight. A small tinge of pain came to his heart as he thought of her and her.

He was supposed to protect her. He was tasked with that by her aunt, the queen, and he failed. He failed to keep her safe, and now she was who knows where, doing who knows what, working for the empire they were supposed to defeat. Another memory came to his mind. One that felt so long ago.

When he was seven years old he woke up, not being able to sleep one night, he ran upstairs to Twilight, his caretaker and best friend to ask her if she could help him get back to sleep. She was looking at a telescope, keeping an eye out for the Empire. She was a teenager at the time and the two were like brother and sister.

Her ear twitched with the sound of him coming up the stairs. "Spike," she said slowly, with a smirk. "You're supposed to be asleep."

"I can't sleep. Can you tell me a story or something?" He asked her.

She chuckled and looked back into the telescope. "Oh, oh, come hear," she said excitedly and walked out onto the balcony.

Spike followed her, confused at what was going on.

She then picked him up and wrapped her wings around him. Look there she pointed. See that, He looked up and saw what looked to be a star moving across the sky, in a few moments it was gone.

"That is a shooting star, Ancient archives say if you make a wish on a shooting star it could come true. Close your eyes and make a wish," she told him.

He closed his eyes as the wind blew past his scales. "I wish I could sleep." He said out loud making her chuckle.

"That's your wish, you're supposed to make one from your heart, silly"

"From your heart?" He repeated as a question.

"Yes one full of magic and wonder," she hugged him. "I know what I'd wish for," she told him.

"What's that," he asked.

"My Mother."

Spike nodded at the time as he yawned.

Although Spike and Twilight were alone, they had each other. It was them against the world, it was them against the Galaxy. Them against the empire. Both were orphans yet they stood together as friends, as family for so long. Now, now Spike sat alone in his quarters on board the golden phoenix, in the middle of space.

He used to dream about flying off his home world and following the shooting stars to a happy place. Never realizing how lonely it would be without her, he's big sister.

As the light of the shooting star diminished Spike closed his eyes as he made a wish. Before he would wish for the family he never knew. Now he wished for the only family he did know, as he whispered "Twilight where are you?"

Shortly after there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he called back.

He heard the door slide open and he could tell who it was by the sound of her glass slippers.

"There you are, Spike. Jacky was looking for you we need your help to go over the inventory before we make our trip back to Sweet Archersrs."

Sweet Archers was the name of Jacky's home world, where Spike was supposed to train.

"Alright, I'll be there in a second." He sighed.

Rarity looked at him. She knew him for three years now yet he seemed so down. She bit her lip as she thought about what to say. "Umm, Spike."

"I know Rarity," he said in a mellow tone. His voice was deeper now. His height was twice that of what he was when they first met. Tho that wasn't saying much, he still was shorter than her.

He stretched as he got up. Revealing his wings, They were small and not strong enough to carry his weight for flight yet, but they were growing. He picked up the book and set it on the table by the chair before he turned to her. A smile on his face.

"I'm ok alright," he said falsely cheerfully.

Rarity knew he was faking but she decided to let it go and return the smile as he walked past her. She remembered how she was kicked by a shadow bolt, and when she opened her eyes, it was Spike who came to her side. Though he was young he showed such bravery, as he stood against the forces of the empire alongside his friends. Now she was gone and it seemed like he stood alone.

"Spike," she said before he walked out of the room. He paused for a moment waiting for her response.

"Spike, your not alone, you have us." She told him.

Spike chuckled, "I know, you don't have to remind me every time you see me". He said still holding his facade.

Her eyes softened. Spike.

"Come on before Jacky yells at us again." He laughed.

The golden phoenix descended from the skies till it landed in a field not too far away from the entrance of a cave. As it did the little ones now a bit older ran to the ship.

"Jacky!" shouted a Yong teenage mare.

Jacky smiled as she hugged her. "Hay how have things been around here?"

"Well, since you guys left a month ago the rebel alliance has grown a lot. We had to extend the landing bay for all the ships we'd been gathering."

"That's good. It's been hard with the empire cracking down on us, but we got those supplies we needed..at least enough for a few weeks."

"That's all?" Her sister whined.

"Afraid so." Rarity replied,

"Rarity!" Shouted Bell and Diamond. The two young mares ran and hugged their sisters.

"Oh, I missed you guys." She cooed. Just then she looked up from the two and saw several ponies and dragons giving her a bad look as they turned and began gossiping.

"Your still popular it seems." Jacky sighed.

She looked away. "I don't blame them, I did lie, I'm just glad they agreed to join the alliance afterward...Luckily they follow you, Jacky."

"Yeah, becoming a leader of a rebellion was not what I had in mind but we have hope," we have Spike.

"I don't know Jacky, I'm worried about him." She replied.

Jacky looked over her shoulder and saw the dragon with a smile on his face bringing out crates of supplies. "He seems fine to me." She shrugged.

"You and I both know he's only acting." Rarity narrowed her eyes.

"I know but there's nothing new can do right now. Just get to work alright, and later on well..." Just then some one called for Jacky. She rolled her eyes, " Welp seems I'm needed," See ya later OK?

Rarity smiled and raised her hoof to her head, saluting her. "Yes general."

Jacky nervously laughed. "Please don't call me that, it's weird coming from you." The two friends laughed before Jacky headed to work leaving Rarity to do hers.

Spike set the crate he was carrying down near a table, as he did a flash of pink jumped up seemingly out of nowhere. "Hi Spike, mission accomplished huh," said a high-pitched and excited voice.

"Oh, Hay Pinky, Yeah we got a few weeks of supplies, We tried to get more but the empires really cracking down."

Pinky grinned," At least we have some. Some are better than nothing." Something Spike quickly learned about Pinky was how she loved looking on the bright side of things. Surprising since she was a former stormtrooper clone. You wouldn't know it looking at her now though. Her once dull pink fur was made bright and shiny thanks to the exposure she got to the sun. Her pink straight hair was now curled and poofy. She no longer wore the cold white armor of the empire. She was now in a camouflage brown suit to match the area of the ground.

"Welp I got to get back to looking out for the empire, make sure Jacky puts away her ship soon alright, it's a big marker of where we're at." She told him before hopping away.

"Will, do." Spike smiled and turned to the other standing there.

"So Fluttershy any memories return." He asked.

She shrugged. "Not really. I mean I have this one with me laughing alongside someone drinking tea but," she shook her head. "I can't remember who."

"That must be terrible not to have your memories."

"Yes, but knowing what I know, I wonder if I really do want to remember." She replied curiously. "So how's training", she smiled.

"What training?" Spike rolled his eyes, as he leaned against the crate.

"Come now, your telling me you've made no progress." Fluttershy narrowed her eyes.

"I memorized at least a hundred spells. There's even one to give you a facial hair, he chuckled. But without the crystal, I can't use any magic. I can belch fire. But I can't get fire spells to work. And he still refuses to teach me anything."

Flutershy softly smiled brightly at him as she gave a little giggle. "Your on your way don't worry, I'm sure Star Swirl has his reasons."

"Yeah, tossing the crystal into an underground lake is such a good idea," He replied a bit frustrated.

"You'll get it," she smirked.

"And how do you do it? Your able to use magic just fine."

"I don't know Spike. I can't remember. I just know," she shrugged. "I think that's what he's trying to teach you. You just have to find it in yourself." She placed a hoof on his shoulder, you will find it, someday. She said before she walked away.

"Someday might be too late," he mumbled under his breath, remembering his so-called first lesson with Star Swirl.

Star Swirl stepped over to the old tree that stood in the cave. The creatures of the cave covered the walls in green blue and purple luminosities. Spike walked on behind him, he was amazed at the sight of the cave. It was a vast cavern with a small lake.

"Spike Sparkle." His master called out his name, as he turned around.

Spike stood as tall as he could with a smile.

"Simply put I will not teach you."

""What?" He asked confused.

"Unless you can answer me this. What is the source of magic?"

"Hmm oh," he pulled out the crystal he had. "It's this," he smiled confident in his answer.

"Ah yes." Star took the star-shaped crystal from his claws and used his magic to make it float mid-air. "The crystal heart. What do you know about it?" He asked his student.

"I know it's a powerful relic that has the power to destroy a planet. I also know it has the power to do good as well if in The right hands. The knights of harmony were created to protect it once, weren't they?"

"Yes." He replied softly." The crystal heart, this is but a single shard, one of seven, if brought together the other pieces it could bring peace I suppose."

Spike smiled excited to learn.

"But you are wrong."

"I am," Spike scratched his head in confusion.

"That is what the people of the Galaxy have always assumed, yet they are always wrong. As are you, Simply put the crystal heart is useless." He then tossed the crystal into the lake.

Spike panicked a bit, hay, he said about to jump after it, but was stopped by Star Swirls magic.

"To become a knight you must unlearn what you have learned. Those crystals hold no threat and are better off at the bottom of that lake as a fancy pebble. You must know who your real threat is. Now tell me what is the source of all magic, if not the crystal?"

"I, I don't know. Aren't you supposed to teach me?"

"Teach you yes, but what kind of teacher would I be if I gave you all the answers?" He began to walk away. "This is something you must figure out yourself, until you do I can not train you."

Spike just sat at the base of the tree watching the last of the ripples fade on the lake until its surface became still once more.