The bartender sighed as he wiped down another glass, the bright light from the sun had long since died and the softer shade of moonlight now seeped in. There were a few stranglers that he knew would stay until he forced them out. Stallions that were trying to avoid their wives, ones that were low on luck and just needed something to dull their pain, and others that just wanted to hopefully get lucky with the mares that were still out and needed a bit of liquid courage. The bartender rolled his eyes as he had seen enough to know what a pony needed by a glance and as long as they were paying then he didn’t much care about their problems. Something that caught his eye was the stranger that pushed open his door this late at night.
The stranger was a bit shorter than himself when he was on his hind legs and walked on two legs. A dragon by the look of the long scaly tail and large green spikes that protruded from his head and ran down his back. He wore a large hood that did a horrible job at hiding the spikes and was dyed a dark purple, almost black. A green cloth covered most of his face, except for the deep emerald eyes that glanced around before looking down. His coat was little more than a collection of rags that he must have sewn together and dyed the same purple shade as the hood. A collection of belts and packs hung over his chest and at his side. He had worn boots and thin gloves that hid most of his dragon heritage. He sat at the bar and tapped on it for attention.
“Sorry boy but there’s no law that I have to serve some fire-breather so you best just walking the rest of the way to Canterlot, those nobles have no care for dignity and only care for the money.“ The dragon sighed with smoke coming out of his nose.
“Look I’m not trying to screw you over or make a scene but I have been walking for a long time and all I want is a drink.”
“Your kind isn’t known for their care for words so I think you should just leave.”
“You really don’t want to piss me off pal.”
“Same to you buddy. I've dealt with your kind before and I didn't like what I saw back then and looking at you, things haven't changed.” The dragon cursed and clawed the bar before walking away and calming himself a bit before he really got mad.
‘Ponies like that are always the same but you know how the old saying goes right? Don’t go trying to burn a dragon, they tend to burn back.’ The dragon smirked as he thought back to those words and the one that taught him them…
. . .
A young dragon groaned as he was kicked to the ground and glared at the guard that did it. “On your feet scaleback!”
“Well, I would stay on them longer if you stopped being so pushy.” He muttered through the muzzle that was connected over his mouth before being pulled to his feet again by magic.
“When I want your opinion then I’ll force it out of you!” The dragon was walked to a large cell and the guard opened the door. “Get in.”
“Why I didn’t even do anything but snatch a few bits. I think you’re only mad because it’s more than you get paid in a whole day. Ha!” The guard hit him in the stomach forcing him to his knees and he coughed while grabbing onto the guard's side.
“Get in there, you rotten thief.” He used his magic to throw the dragon in the cell. “Ponies should know better than to walk next to your kind anyway.” The guard left as the dragon cursed and blew a raspberry in the guard’s direction.
“Jerk.”
“Heh yeah, old Ten Four is the most rotten guard they have in the city when it comes to non-pony races. He hates creatures like you and me.” The dragon turned to see a figure in the shadows of the cell, laying against the wall while blowing on a pipe. “So what’s your name, flame boy?”
“...Spike and yours?” The figure moved into the light, showing a tall orange cat with a torn red coat. He bowed and smirked at the small dragon.
“Very creative name you got there kid. I’m Capper Dapperpaws, a pleasure to meet ya though I wish it was under other circumstances.”
“Why they got you locked up here?” Capper stretched and sat next to the dragon while picking at lint that was on his coat.
“I’m a runaway aristocratic who found taking things from the richer and worst creatures of this world was far more fun than sitting around being one of them. Of course, my family couldn’t very well have their son making a mockery of their good name so they have sent everything they could buy after me.”
“And they finally caught up to you here?”
“Oh no, those mercenaries and bounty hunters are useless. I got arrested here when I got drunk and tried to hit on the local sheriff’s daughter. Though I think they figured who I was and are planning to take me home soon if I don’t escape soon.”
“Hmm… you need an extra hand to help you out?” Capper smirked and chuckled.
“Anyone could always use one of those, you have one in mind?” Spike smiled a bit at the joke and flexed his fingers.
“Two actually and I have something you may like.” Spike pulled a hand from behind his back and jingled a key on it that he had snatched from the guard when he had hit him in the stomach.
“Heh you sneaky little bastard, I think this calls for a feast of the needy.” Capper unlocked the door and led the dragon towards a window and carefully showed him how to carve glass with their claws without making a sound or shattering the glass. He made a hole and unlocked the window before they snuck out.
. . .
Spike found himself smiling while he thought back to his old friend and mentor, knowing the smirk the cat would have if he knew his thoughts. ‘What’s wrong Spikey? You missing your old friend? Cat got your tongue?’ Spike nearly snorted as he rolled his eyes, having heard that joke at least a hundred times. He walked around the town he found himself in, it was small but had a cozy air about it that only a place like that could have. Not for the first time, Spike wondered if this could be a place where he could settle down, but as blissful as the thought was, it shattered as he remembered he didn’t have the bits for something like that.
“Like you always said right Cap? All we need is one big score to establish our legacy, to finally put this behind us, and open the door to a new life where we aren’t treated like rats. Just one big score… well, I won’t find it in a place like this but before I leave.” Spike slunk his way back to the bar seeing a group of drunk ponies leaving and the bartender locking up before leaving himself. The dragon went to the lock and prepared a lungful of fire before releasing it on the lock, melting the insides enough for him to unlock it easily and entered. He took several bottles for himself and started drinking another before leaving and looking back at the bar.
‘Equestria deserves a better kind of crook, doesn’t it? One who sees the fun and challenge in what we do, we shouldn’t give in to hate and stoop to their level.’
“Sorry Cap… but I’m not you and I give back what rotten ponies like that gave me…” He thought about the ponies words and threw the bottle back into the bar before blowing a bit of fire on it. He sighed and walked out of town, ignoring the screams of fire and looked ahead at the two signs in front of him. One led to the capital city of Canterlot and the other to Maresaw. “Maresaw, where the rich live high and the poor are lower than dirt. Sure sounds like my type of place. Canterlot has a lot more stuff yeah but that place is more secure than anywhere else in Equestria and the princesses are there. Best I take from their foolish kin than from them themselves."
Author's Note
A rather short beginning to a short story. Spike came off as kinda a dick in this but seeing that he was treated like this growing up so I think he would get sick of it. This story will only have like five chapters and all will be kinda short as it really only shows his backstory and a single real theft. This is a much more traditional fantasy world but there will be things we see soon that are very mlp. I have other short stories showing the other characters and what their place is in this world.
Guilt, it was the first thing that any thief worth his name would have to deal with and it was one of the sensations that would always return with every theft. At least, that is what Capper told Spike should happen as feeling that small prick at your heart proves that you still have one.
“Being a thief opens many doors to you, Spike, basically the world is yours to take from and plunder as you wish. However, being a good thief means giving yourself some rules, some limits that you aren’t willing to cross.”
“We’re already breaking the law, what’s the point of putting laws on ourselves?” Capper rolled his eyes before knocking Spike on the head with his tail. “Hey!”
“You’re talking like some two-bit crook, you’re better than that. I’m saying that doing this shouldn’t make you indifferent to the world around you or to the troubles of others. Look at the pregnant mare over there now if I told you to go and rob their last bit would you?”
“...no”
“Exactly because you still have a heart, because you are still you even if we broke out of jail a day ago. I’m not saying to go on and be a hero, to be a good guy all the time because frankly, I found that good is overrated. I’m saying to do what you must but not to lose sight of who you are. We may be criminals but we’re not the monsters that they say we are.”
‘You may not have been Cap but me… I don’t know what I am…’ Spike sighed and walked along his path to Maresaw, his stomach rumbling for nourishment but he only rolled his eyes. “Oh well you just shut up? Do you see any jewels around here? Celestia, I’ve been on my own way too damn long if I’m talking to my stomach now.” He rubbed his head and sighed before looking over his equipment and making sure he had all his tools and weapons. The last thing he wanted was to try and break into the home of the nephew of the princesses and find he had forgotten something, that could spell his end.
His ear frill twitched as he heard an unfamiliar sound, a sniffling of sorts nearby. He put up his mask and clawed up a tree before jumping from tree to tree until he was above a ruined wagon where a blue pegasus in a cape and hat was sniffling and trying to put her wagon back together.
“Need some help little pony?” The mare jumped and looked up at the dragon before wiping her eyes and putting her nose in the air.
“The great and powerful Trixie needs no assistance! Especially not from a rogue dragon! How do I know you won’t rob me?” Spike quirked an eyebrow and pointed at the ruined wagon which he now noticed had deep claw marks on it.
“Maybe I would have, but somepony else got it before I did now didn’t they? Look I’m hungry and if you got food then I would be willing to hear your story and see if I could help any.” Trixie seemed to maul over this for a minute before lowering her head and digging through her wagon and pulling out a small ruby.
“Here, you firebreathers eat rocks right?”
“That is a gem and we eat those yes.” Spike jumped down and reached out for the gem but Trixie held it away with her magic.
“First listen and then eat,” Spike growled but sat on the remains of her wagon, making her frown at him but began to tell her story. “The great and powerful Trixie-”
“Are you going to keep referring to yourself that way because it’s rather annoying.”
“Yes now shut up and let Trixie tell her story of woe! Now, The great and powerful Trixie is a wandering magician and she was leaving the town of Trottingham not too far from here when somepony had been murdered in the town and Trixie decided it was time to leave before she could even perform one of her shows. Trixie was leaving on low bits and supplies when a group of nobles approached with a job for Trixie, confusing Trixie for a mercenary instead of a magician. They hired Trixie to get them safely back to Canterlot and they would pay Trixie handsomely. Trixie agreed and we started on our way but as you can see we hit a stag.”
“Yeah looks like somepony really bucked you all good.” Spike interrupted with a small smirk.
“It wasn’t a pony, it was a local gang of bandits calling themselves the Diamond Dogs. A fitting name really. The brutes all attacked at once by digging under Trixie and attacking her when her guard was down. Her wagon was destroyed and Trixie landed in the woods while the dogs took the nobles and stole all Trixie’s valuables.”
“A riveting tale,” Spike said as he leaned back on the wagon and finished licking his fingers as he had stolen the gem as Trixie was talking and ate it.
“What?! Hey! That was mine!”
“Not anymore. Well, I should be on my way.”
“You can’t just leave Trixie here!”
“I can, maybe I’ll send somepony over once I get to Maresaw. I’m a busy drake and I don’t have time to- oh buck me…” Spike cursed as the ground began to shake and he shushed Trixie as she kept yelling at him and grabbed her muzzle to make her be quiet. “They’re coming... move!” He grabbed her around the waist and held her close to himself as he jumped away and the two looked down to see hands grab where they had been standing and three of the Diamond Dogs pop out of the ground.
“Damn, I know that I felt something here! You boys told me that you grabbed every pony!”
“W-we did boss honest!”
“Yeah, we got all five… or was it six?”
“You idiots forgot one.” The boss of the three pointed at the wagon where Trixie’s picture had been painted. “Okay, I know you can hear me little pony! Know that your friends have become part of something great and if you wish to join them there is a mineshaft not too far from here and if you try to save them, well somepony could get hurt.” The boss scratched the picture of Trixie, destroying it, and making the magician groan a bit in sadness before they vanished back into the ground.
“What is Trixie suppose to do now…”
“If we don’t save them quick then they could get in real danger... “
“We?”
“Yeah, bastards can mess with you all they want but no great thief like me could resist such a challenge. Come on, we have ponies to save.
Author's Note
A very short chapter I know but I only had an hour and I like small buildup, anyway I know it's moving slow but it all is getting to it's climax and I think this small part of the story ends at chapters six or seven
“You know dragon boy when you said that we were going to save these ponies Trixie expected you to be able to actually lead us without getting lost! Why are these mines so long? Trixie’s cape and hat better not get dirty or somepony will feel a firework to the face! Are you even listening, dragon boy?” Trixie asked while poking Spike’s back which made him stop and slam his face into the wall of the mine.
“Oh my gods, can you be quiet?! Gosh, I’ve heard you rant for the last twenty minutes and I’d rather get locked up! Screw a challenge, if I find the exit I’m going to the nearest bar and drown myself in the nearest rum I see.”
“Well, aren’t you rude?”
“I’m a dragon.” Leaving it at that, Trixie tried to stay quiet she really did but she tapped him again.
“Can you carry Trixie?” Spike groaned loudly and blew out some fire in anger before slowly cooling off. The entire mine shook as it recovered from his flame attack. “Trixie thinks dragon boy has to relax or he’ll bring down the house on us!”
“If I do this will you please keep your mouth shut?” Trixie agreed before Spike shook his head, taking a knee for her to climb on his back. She excitedly climbed on before they started on their path again. As they walked and it got darker, Spike came to actually appreciate Trixie’s relative lack of fashion as her cape and hat began to glow in the dark. “Wow… those are the loudest clothes I’ve ever seen and I’ve met those snobs from Canterlot before.”
“What would you know about clothes? You barely wear anything!” The two’s arguing was interrupted as they heard voices from ahead. They found they were on a level higher than the Diamond Dogs as they seemed to be planning something. There were three of them standing at attention as a fourth spoke from a chair made of jewels they must have stolen.
“You three are idiots! You let one of those ponies escape?! This was exactly what brought that damned captain to our last hideout! We capture or kill any pony or creature, but I suppose you three are too dumb even to do that simple job! We may have a day at most so question those ponies tonight and find which ones are the most valuable before getting rid of the rest.”
“Rover? By get rid of them, does that mean I can-”
“Yes Fido eat them if you want, I don’t care! Rex! You and Spot make sure the idiot doesn’t make a mess this time, I don’t want murder charges added on to everything else in case that captain ever does catch us.” The three dogs left, leaving Rover on his throne alone. Spike slowly began to move back but found Trixie was staring with wide frightened eyes. He grabbed her hoof and gently pulled her with him until they were out of earshot of the dogs.
“Well… that was-”
“I’m scared…” Spike turned in shock at the tiny frightened voice that came from the pompous and loud unicorn who he had been with all day. “I don’t know what to do… we’re not heroes. We can’t save those ponies… I was such a fool for ever accepting this stupid job and thinking I could protect them when all I have are illusions. Now I got you involved also… I-I ruin everything.” Trixie began to sob quietly and Spike slowly put an arm around her, pulling her close and sighing.
“You didn’t force me to do anything and… I was doing this for myself. I didn’t care about the ponies or you, I thought only of what I had to gain from this. You put up a front, show off what ponies want you to be and try to be what you want but here… I think the real Trixie is actually someone I’d like to call a friend.” Trixie giggled a bit and wiped her eyes and nose.
“You have awful tastes…” That managed to get a laugh from the dragon.
“Maybe but you can bore me to death later, I know we aren’t heroes and maybe we are both just a bunch of liars but right now there are ponies in danger. You’re scared and so am I but maybe this moment here is our chance to make a single good choice in our lives. To prove to them… no, to prove to ourselves that… we aren’t the monsters we think we are…” Trixie stared at Spike and gave him a small smile before taking off her hat and pulling a few smoke bombs out from inside it.
“I like the sound of that… being able to die and not feel useless. How about we give them some hell?”
“Sounds like fun to me, but I say we put on a show that will knock them dead.” The two planned out their attack before running to finish this.
. . .
“I still can’t believe that we let that pony escape, ever since that runt became a captain the whole underworld has been forced to run and hide like rats. We’ll make him pay someday.”
“Don’t go getting a big head Rex, Rover calls the shots and decides if we go after the captain besides, how would we get to him with that princess around?” A scream broke their conversation and the two rolled their eyes as they walked to the cages and found Fido trying to eat one of the ponies raw. “Hey! Rover said no mess if you have to eat at least cook them first! Stupid idiot.” Fido grumbled and spit the pony out before the mine shook and the dogs looked at the ponies but they seemed to just be scared.
“Wasn’t them, so what made that-” Rex was cut off as the cave shook again and the three ran to the tunnel connecting the cavern to the rest of the mine. A bright light was at the end.
“Ooo daytime! Does that mean we get more ponies to eat?”
“Day? But it would be dark by now… wait that light is growing!” The three dogs jumped to the side as a serpent made of fire burst from the tunnel and hissed at them. It ignored the screaming ponies and smashed Fido into the mine wall before circling Spot and biting at him as he backed up and tried to scare the snake away. It raised it’s head high and Spot covered his head as the snake launched and crushed him. Rex began to dig and cover the flaming monster in dirt and rock, putting out the fire as the snake screeched and died.
“Spot! You aren’t dead yet are ya? Rover may take away some of my gems if you are.” Spot coughed and walked out of the smoke all burned and in pain.
“Great you lived now we have to find what had sent that snake and warn Rover.” Before any of the dogs could leave, a flash blinded them and blue smoke began to flood the room. “What is this!? Show yourself, coward!!”
“Coward? I am the Great and Powerful Trixie! The greatest magician in all of Equestria and I fear nothing!” Trixie faced the three as she walked from the smoke as if appearing from nowhere.
“Rex! That is the pony on the wood outside!”
“So you did come to save them? That was a foolish mistake.”
“Hmm was it? Trixie would beg to differ and for my next trick Trixie calls upon dark magic to summon the beast of your imminent defeat!” Trixie shouted and raised a hoof as flames surrounded her. Rex launched at her with a swipe of his claws but was taken down as a dragon emerged from the flames and tacked him to the ground. Spot and Fido were taken off guard before Spike grabbed Rex and threw him into Spot. He spared a moment to look at Trixie and nod as she ran to the ponies and freed them one after another.
“NOOO, they taking my food!” Fido ran at Trixie before being blasted with fire and punched into the wall again. Spike smiled before falling to the ground as a boulder was smashed on his back. He glared and dodged as Spot was swiping and stabbing at him. Rex had gone after Trixie but she yelped and flipped her cape at him, making him tear it off but giving her the time to grab a vial of glitter and blow it into his face and eyes. He roared as he scratched at his face as Trixie looked around and saw her ripped cape on the ground before focusing her magic on it and making the stars come off it and shot them at Rex. He dodged the first two but was stuck in the stomach and then the rest hit him in the face and chest.
“Ouch, that looked like it hurt dirt eater!” Trixie untied the rest of the ponies and showed them the exit but looked back to see Spike kick Spot’s legs from under him and land a punch right between his eyes. Spike smirked and dusted himself off before Fido tackled him and smashed him into a wall. The mine shook again and Trixie held the roof from crushing them both as the wrestled and ended on the ground. She let the ceiling fall and saw a bit of sunlight shining in and got an idea. Spike landed several more punches on the dog’s chest and face but Fido was much bigger and headbutted him before biting him on the arm as Spike tried to block. He yelled in pain and punched Fido’s head over and over trying to get him off but the teeth had broken his scales and tiny trails of blood leaked down his arm. “Spike, jump!”
He heard Trixie’s voice and grunted as he jumped as high as he could and dug his claws into the ceiling holding Fido’s head up straight as he kept trying to keep his hold on the dragon. The bite ended when he felt something spin around his feet and looked down to see a rainbow spinning around him and making him spin faster and faster. After a minute, it ended and Spike dropped before smirking and elbowing the dog’s jaw with a crunch being echoed as it connected and Fido fell.
“Nice trick, next time do it before he treats me like a chew toy.”
“Oh just be honored that the Great and Powerful Trixie didn’t leave you here with your friend there.” The two smiled and started to head out when the mine shook again and several boulders fell covering their exit and they turned to see Rover. The leader of the Diamond Dogs was lean and tall but wore a red vest and had a gash over his face.
“You two have caused me enough trouble and no one just leaves in one piece after they caused me trouble.” Spike looked at the boulders and then at his injured arm before taking a step towards Rover.
“Trixie, get those boulders out of our way and I’ll hold him off.”
“Are you insane?! Trixie has never moved anything that big and you’re injured!!”
“I believe in you, you are the Great and Powerful Trixie, right? A few rocks are nothing to you.” Trixie looked at the rocks before nodding and starting to concentrate her magic.
“You’re right… just stay alive.”
“Heh, I still have a trick or two up my sleeve.” Rover had enough of their blabbering and sliced at him, cutting Spike’s arm which he returned with a kick to the chest and a fireball to the face but Rover covered his face with a rock and threw at Spike. The dragon rolled to the side as Rover slid and tried to stab him with his claws but as Spike was holding the claw he fell on his back and put his feet on Rover’s chest before propelling him up to the ceiling. As Rover fell, Spike jumped to his feet and uppercutted him in the chin. Spike rubbed his arm and smiled seeing Trixie unleash a blast of magic the annihilated the rocks. “Not bad.”
“T-that was nothing… behind you!” Spike turned as Rover hit him in the head with a rock and then again and again before breaking it on the dragon and attacking his injured arm with scratches and biting it while pulling. Spike screamed and kneed while holding the arm. Rover smirked as his fangs were tinted red with the blood on them.
“Sorry dragon boy, oh wait no I enjoy this.” He kicked Spike in the face and more in the stomach and chest. Spike groaned and rolled while trying to get up, to warn Trixie but the unicorn was gone. “Where did your little friend go? Did she abandon you here to die?” Rover reached down and grabbed Spike’s neck and lifted him to his feet. “You should never have believed for a moment that she was a friend, news flash kid, Ponies hate Dragons. Every creature hates your kind, sees you all as nothing but thieves and killers. Why try to fight that image if that’s all you’ll ever be seen as? You could save a thousand ponies and nothing would change, you’ll always be a monster just like me.”
“T-t-that’s where… y-you’re wrong… I’m not l-like you because… I have t-trust…” Spike spit a glob of blood into Rover’s eyes and fell looking behind the dog at the cave that went deeper to the throne room. “N-NOW!!” Rover turned to see Trixie was in the cave and his eyes widened as she had the entire stash of jewels that the dogs had collected floating behind her.
“N-no!!” Trixie smirked and bent down a bit.
“Show’s over!” She sent all the precious stones flying at Rover as he shouted and was pushed back. When the dust cleared, all that was left was a pile of gems and Spike crawled over to Trixie as she huffed on the ground.
“Show’s over? That was your best?”
“S-shut… up… T-Trixie should have left you here…” The two looked up as the gem pile shook and Rover stood beaten and bruised by the attack. He limbed forward and fell to his knees and looked up to see Spike and Trixie looking at him.
“Do it then… but my words are true… nothing will change.” Trixie smiled and pulled back a hoof.
“Maybe not but this is going to feel so good.” Spike chuckled before pulling back a fist.
“Hey doggie, magic sure can be a bitch huh?” The two punched him at once and knocked him back on his pile as he fell still.
. . .
Spike punched the entrance to the mine and watched it collapse before dusting his hands off and grabbing the sack he had filled with gems. Trixie nodded and lifted her own bag of gems while leading the way back to her wagon where the ponies were waiting.
“Well, Trixie thinks that was a huge success. Thank you dra-Spike for being my assistant for that little performance.”
“Anytime Trixie but maybe next time there will be less blood and pain?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” They shared a laugh and Spike stopped before reaching the others. Trixie looked back and gave him a sad smile. “You’re not coming are you?”
“You know I can’t… tell the guards in Canterlot about the Diamond Dogs. I’m sure you’ll get a reward for it.” Trixie bit her bottom lip.
“I suppose you don’t want credit?” Spike’s smiled grew hearing her use I again.
“They wouldn’t care and you did pretty well. You deserve a little praise.” Trixie walked and hugged the dragon before she left to the others. “Till the next show Trixie.” Spike whispered before continuing on his way. He still had a job to do.
“Till the next show, Spike.” Trixie smiled to herself and led the group back on the main path and towards Canterlot.
Author's Note
Well, that was a nice chapter with a bit of action. Trixie and Spike are now friends but this story or rather this first part of the overall story is coming to its end. Thank you all for reading and liking and commenting and all that. Till the next show!
