Spike was seeing dancing stars. His splitting headache drummed, Right now he could hear snails scream.

He had seen better days. Mumbling has to be a good thing ,For now it was the only thing he could do.

"Can you get the number of that carriage that hit me?" He grunted.

Spike rolled over onto his back looking up.

He saw smooth stone walls that circled up further than he could jump.

It was dark where he was . Gray stones accented with browns and black. He thought it could use a bit

of slate to break up the mood what a fashionable nightmare. He face clawed for the moment of dumb,

I must be hanging out with rarity too much.

He was in the bottom of a pit with no light below only from the hole above did torch light

reflecting from the cave roof high above show the vague shadows his environment.

Looking in the dark Spike rubbed the bruise on his head and squeaked "Rarity?"

...

Rarity awoke in a noisy arena . The torches were shielded so only the center area was illuminated.

The chaotic din flowed. Her head spinning as the assault of her senses grew. Noise, dirt ,smoke and B.O.

She could see glowing eyes watching her from the shadows of the cavern . Eyes of anger,

Eyes of hate. Eyes of greed. Eyes of lust.

The noise settled a little when a set of red eyes to her left hushed the crowd .

"Who are you , What are you doing here?" The red eyes questioned with a profane tone.

Rarity gathered her wits and took a breath, "Please, I need help finding my friend"

The red eyes rolled with no reply.

Her eyes pleaded "I'm Miss Rarity, Please help me find Spike" ,

"YOU LIE" a set of yellow eyes jabbed sniffing the air loudly.

She turned her head to see the yellow eyes repeat "You LIE"

Rarity stood upright saying "Why should you doubt me?"

Yellow eyes quizzed her "Where's your mate?" Miss Blue eyes answered "I have no mate"

Yellow sniffs again "Is that so?"

...

Rarirys eyes looked around at the multicolored eyes in the shadows of the cavern ,Little eyes ,

Big eyes, Blood shot eyes All uncaring.

Yellow eyes broke the silence "Who do you think you are to ask of anything!"

Rarity then pleads to the wall of eyes. "I need help finding my friend, Please"

Red eyes answer "Your friends are of no concern to us, Why are you in our territory?".

She asked again "Please can..."

"Help your self !" Red said "We do not approve of your transgression"

Rarity looked at her hooves" We didn't intend on disturbing anyone"

Yellow piped up " You are disturbing us, Where's your consort?"

Rarity raised her head batting her eye lashes "I told you before ,I have no pony"

The yellow eyes glared at her.

"I CAN SMELL HIM!"

Rarity cocked her head in confusion "I don't understand"

...

Rarity trembled and wanted if she could to shrink into her own shadow "What is it you want from me?"

The voices in the arena increased from all over, A cascade of harsh hungry noises.

"I need a slave" "She would make a fine meal" "It would make a nice pet" "I'm all for a snack"

"A slave first, Then eat it" "I've got other ideas" "A slave" "A snack" "A toy for my child"

"ENOUGH" A feminine voice rang out. "Can't you see that you're scaring her"

The riot of noise faded to a low virulent grumbling in the shadows of the gallery.

The feminine voice spoke through the thorns "Father, Is she what my mother looked like?"

A faint whispering flowed through the crowd like blood dripping from a sponge. "freak" "That one"

Voices in the dark. " It's her" "Such a monster" " A mockery of our race" "Hideous half breed" "gross"

...

A commanding voice rang out through the dark "ENOUGH, I will have none of that! Order, I tell you ORDER!"

The new voice eyed the White unicorn in the lit center of the chaos." Will the gallery please vacate... NOW!"

Quiet returned to the cavern as the assortment of colored eyes left leaving the little echo.

"Father? Is she what my mother looked like?"

His voice now had a gentle royal tone "No, Not exactly dear, Your mothers fur was as dark

as Lunas night. And she was Not a unicorn"

Rarity sat in the circle of light she was still in the dark Would it be prudent to interrupt the voices?.

Rarity took a slight nervous breath and asked her question "Who are you may I ask?"

"I am ambassador Kull" He said from the safety of the dark with the glint of spears at his side.

Raritys mouth and heart opened up. 'At last resemblance of a civil society !'

She took a deep breath "If I may introduce myself I am Miss Rarity from Ponyvi..."

Kull continued "Yes. you are one of the powerful ones, Who have the resources to take over my world"

...

Rarity gasped and got off her plot to face her accuser in the dark "I assure you we have no such plans ."

Kull interrupted her to continue "Miss Rarity ,Here in the bad lands survival is not measured in bits.

I've been witness to it's harsh requirements, Raw power is respected and often abus..."

Kull was now interrupted . "Father?" she asked "May I take a closer look, Please?"

"Rarity , Please excuse my daughter if you may , She's a bit forward as you can hear"

Kull sniffs the air and his green eyes nod the spears in the dark retreat.

Rarity in return curtsied exclaiming " I have no objection if it pleases you"

Two flame orange eyes fixed on Rarity and the form came into the light.

It shimmered and flowed, Scales of emerald green framed in jet black fur.

Fur so black it shined blue in the torch lights glow.

It's hooves ended in small black claws, Her tail was that of reptiles ,

She was topped with a flowing black mane from the top of her head to the tip of her tail.

She walked with a fluid grace unknown to the likes of the fashionesta but for her friend FlutterShy .

Rarity awed in her wake and said "I've never seen such a fashionable creature, Oh Celestia!

By what name do they have for such a breath taking being such as yourself?"

...

The creature smiled a toothy fanged smile. "I am what I am, Those in the peanut gallery call me,

Fuzz ball. Freak, Dork, Kulls half breed, Black sludge..."

"Coaline !" Kull voiced his disapproval .

Rarity looked into the dark asking "Sir? If I may ask, She said I looked like her mother"

Kull took a breath and spoke softly "She, Her mother was a Canterlot mare"

I met her at a royal function years back, We were so different yet it was a happy time"

His voice cracked but he continued.

"I was young and just starting my position as ambassadors assistant,

My precious Coaline arrived shortly there after a surprise for everyone involved".

...

Rarity studied Coaline and wondered out loud "So she's the love child of a pony and..."

As if she didn't know the answer already .

, Kull spoke kindly, Softly " Dragons my dear Rarity" He Paused "A pony and a dragon"

The green eyed form stepped from the dark to the light and Raritys eyes were slammed

with an overload of information. Coalines father stood proud.

....

"SPIKE?" Gasped Rarity his name popped out in an automatic reaction to what she saw.

A small purple dragon, 'Spikes' twin.

Other than the scares and deeper voice. He was the splitting image of her Spikey Wikey in every way.

Kull looked over at Raritys scrunched muzzle . "Spike?"

He came closer to the stunned mare and sniffed "Spike?"

Kull snickered "So that's who marked you, Isn't it?"

Raritys eyes met his and she turned to Coaline "Marked?"

Rarity was clueless "By what ever do you mean?"

Coaline giggled with a toothy grin "No? Father she doesn't know, How Sweet"

Rarity in the torch light was still truly in the dark.

...

Spike stared up to the light above his hole. "Hello, Anypony up there?"

Spike almost spoke his thoughts 'How the heck did I get down here?

'The last thing I can remember is that cold water' "HELLO?"

A voice above calls out "Hay the whelps awake"

A gravely voice answers "What do you want?"

"Out of this hole for starters" Yells Spike.

Voices full of laughter reply "What do you think we are ,Stupid?"

Spike rolled his eyes and crossed his arms "Well Duh.."

The voices collectively answer "Were not the one stuck down a hole, Ha Ha Ha Ha "

Spike sighed " Well if you don't mind , I could use a few gems or an oat burger"

A roar of laughter filled the holes top "Oat burgers? What do you think you are ? A pony?"

Gravely spoke "Hay, Guys we've got a ponyphile in our pit!"

The voices vacillated about "So that's the stink in our pit" "Where's your mane and cutie mark?"

"We got a filly fluffer Boys," " Don't you know it's rude to play with your food?"

Gravely yelled down the hole "Don't you know dragons EAT ponies !"

...

Spikes claws clenched into little balls of rage "Not all dragons eat ponies"

Mr. Gravely taunted "So, So , Next , Next you'll ask us for some ice cream, Ha Ha Ha ,

Here's some left overs Pony boy"

Something lands at Spikes feet. Some bone, meat bloodied with fur, Spike looks at the mess, It's a hoof.

His body goes into dry heaves, His world spins "Nooooo" He holds back a scream,

He kicks the bloody hoof off into a dark corner and he goes to his knees.

His mind and stomach rolling at the thought. "Not all dragons eat ponies"

Spikey laid on the cold stone floor and cried to himself " I could never do that"

His thoughts race and his panic flared

"Gosh ,I hope Rarity's safe." Spike looked up at the light "I hope they didn't find her"

Rarity looked at Kull and Coaline "What's so funny?"

Coaline giggled "Father ,She really doesn't know"

Kull smiled "We dragons mark our family"

Kull held up a claw " It's probably why you didn't end up as you would say 'Drake chow".

Rarity still oblivious to the words. Marked? Drake chow? Family? Kulls smile flattened out.

"Miss Rarity, Do you remember the remarks you heard as you were held here? The unkind remarks and taunts?"

Kull lectured on "Dragons thou a noble race harbor a darker side.

Slaves are made of other species and rouge clans still eat ponies" Rarity gasped "EAT?"

Kull sighed "yes, Eat! Some dragons respect the mark, Rouge dragons respect none.

That's how I lost Coalines mother, How I lost my mate."

Kulls eyes welled up.

...

"That's what some dragons are, Remember not all dragons are.." ."Savage brutes!" Rarity injected.

Kull smiled weakly "Miss Rarity , you have the same spirit much like she had" Kull rambled on

"It's a hard life here in the lands of the dragon. You breed early or your blood line faces oblivion.

Only the few strong or lucky beasts will ever live long lives. Even fewer learn to love outside the

family clan"

Kull waddled to the center of the arena and sat down. "Some dragons have harems ,

Others have hoards of treasure."

He looked up to the ceiling and sighed "I have my precious Coaline and the memories of her mother"

The last words made Rarity blush. Coaline laughed "Rarity? Did your Spike mark you?"

Rarity gasped "Spikey! Oh dearest Spike, I need a little help" She took a pause.

"I've lost Spikey. Please, The last moment I saw him was in the river by the gem fields"

Kull listened and summoned another drake in armor,

He spoke to it and quickly the armored sentry slithered into the dark.

...

Kull raised a brow "You called me 'Spike' when you first saw me, Is your companion a drake?"

Rarity looked down at her hooves and a faint "yes" passed her lips. She thought to herself.

' Why am I answering like Fluttershy?'

Coaline teased her "Do you like your Spikey Poo?"

Rarity in a flustered answer stumbled with her words "He's a wonderful friend and a gentle colt,ah dragon"

Coaline nudged her "Come on now. Just a friend?" Rarity fully blushed as Coline continued with a whisper

" He-Marked-You!" A pause after each word.

...

Raritys eyes popped open her pupils just pricks of blue "My Spikey Wikey marked Oui? How? When?

He's not that type of pony er dragon , ah drake, My Spikey?"

Coaline looked in amazement at Raritys drama , She placed a claw on the white mares withers.

"Even I smell your Spike"

Rarity calmed down. Her head cocked to the side her eyes looking for an answer.

" Coaline ,How do you mark your family?"

The half breed, Pongon , Dracony, what ever answered with a turn "Here's how"

She approached her father ,They came together and rubbed cheek to cheek.

They looked over at a very confused marsh mellow studying the moment .

"Is that it?" Rarity whimpered. What ? Nothing more?

...

Coaline rolled her eyes at the mare and said "No? This is what it is!"

She strutted up to Rarity and spoke softly

"Your Spikey is the lucky one"

Coaline nuzzled Raritys cheek and gave it a hard rub.

The unicorn blushed at her words. Was this a mark? What scent is that? No. . . What do I smell?

She took her hoof across her cheek and took a whiff. "Coaline was that a mark?"

Coaline nodded with amusement and looked at the purple drake sitting in the torch light.

Raritys brain popped into overdrive stripping a few gears 'My Spikey? That scent! I know it !'Nooooo

...

Strawberries ! Spikey? Raritys mind raced back through time... Oh no! The MARECYS Department store!

"I'm returning my Palmare number five for a full refund! This perfume is obviously defective !

My purchase was for vanilla number five and NOT Strawberries number TWO !

The clerk at the counter shook his head and told the irate mare

"All of our products go through the highest standards in quality control".

"But SMELL this!" She huffed. Rarity popped the top and sprayed her defective spritzer .

The clerk was a true agent of the corporation. Gagging on the stink of strawberries and vanilla he said

"Madam , If you PLEASE, All products are to be returned to the main office in Mare-Belle Rue Prance.

We only sell the stuff, I can't help you, It's MARECYS policy with special order foreign products"

Rarity whined on. "This continuing issue you have with defective stock and customer disservice

is such a bothersome affair. Where's your manager in CHARGE ! ,, I insist on...."

...

Rarity snaps back to the scent just seconds ago . "My Spikey? Strawberries!"

Back in the light Coaline looked at Rarity snapping a clawed hoof in front of Raritys eyes"Are you OK?".

Rarity stared back with a blank look of a thousand hooves, All the hugs, All the snuggles.

All the times she was close to him, Her Spikey Wikey of all ponies er ah drakes.

Kulls voice tapped into the silence "Ahem" Rarity snapped out of her trance and breathed once more.

"You are free to go Miss Rarity" Kull continued "I have other business to attend to,

A guard and Coaline will see you out"

Rarity nodded numbly and asked " Have they found Spike?"

Kull laughed "Your Spike IS my other business"

Ambassador Kull bowed his head. "A pleasure to be at your service Miss Rarity ,

I bid you fare thee well and Coaline dinner is in the evening please don't come late"

"Yes , Father" Coaline pointed her clawed hoof to the way out.

Author's Note

[ YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK ]

////////// DANGER FALLING ROCKS \\\\\