“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!