Spike had no idea how he managed to return back to the flat. He barely remembers shutting the door and was pressing up against the door. His hand touched where he was punched. It stings and feels the small bit of blood from her able to break the scales.

If there’s one thing he has to give it to Rachel, she has one hell of a right hook. He was still in shock that it still happened. Pushing Rachel to her breaking point.

He knows he deserved the hit. He deserved that and probably so much more for how much of an idiot he was a being. Possibly ruined his relationship he had with Rachel, the only one that had been on his corner since the day they met… Now he doesn’t know.

“What a fucking idiot.” He muttered to himself, closing his eyes.

The look on her face, the way she looked at him after he threw her past right in his face like a total asshat. He never wanted to hurt her, he just did by doing that.

As he stood and contemplated on what to do next, feeling a whole new wave of guilt, he heard a ringtone go off.

"What now?" He groaned, not wanting to pick the phone up.

Wait a second, I don't have a phone… Spike then remembered.

He listened to the tone for a minute before it stopped. Five seconds later it starts back up again.

He moved from the door to look for that sound. Spike looked around before following the sound to the couch.

Spike dug around the couch cushions before finding Rachel's phone. On the caller ID was a picture of her and Ruby with the caption "Good Twin" as her ID name. Not really wanting to even deal with the sexling twins, he goes to swipe to end the call, but his finger slipped and instead of declining the call, he accidentally accepted it.

For a split second, a small babble was heard. It was black at first but the phone moved to reveal Igneous. The baby had stolen Ruby's phone, from the background he looked like he was in his crib. Causing Spike to gasp in surprise.

Spike silently watched as he saw Iggy waving the phone, cooing and giggling, just playing with it before noticing him. He made baby sounds when he saw Spike was on the other side.

"Uh… hi." Spike spoke, it being the first time he spoke to his child. Seeing him tilting his head curious to the side as his father spoke.

Iggy blew a raspberry at him and laughed. Causing Spike to chuckle at how infectious it was. It was as infectious as his mother’s laugh.

The more Spike watched his son just playing with the phone, waving at him and babbling, the more he did recognize that Iggy looked like him. He could see some facial features and a smile that was his. Though he was mostly yellow with purple scales and spikes, and a bit of a fuzzball, Spike saw himself in his son.

Spike got to thinking, though he loves the ponies that raised him, he never knew his birth parents, not that he counted Sludge who only was using him. Rachel’s experience with her father may have left a bitter taste in her mouth, especially with how Spike had been acting with her and the whole situation.

He didn’t want Igneous to think badly of him. The cycle has to end, for the both of them.

And that meant going home.

Spike's eyes swelled up as emotion consumed him. What darkness he was feeling felt like it was miles away.

He wants to hold his son. He didn’t want to know that his father had run away from his duties. Had run from him.

There was a sound of a door opening on Iggy's end and the baby let out a startled gasp. "There's my phone, you little thieving gremlin!" Ruby shouted with a growl. "Come here you little~"

Iggy let out a shriek and tried to get up and move as Ruby went after him. She managed to catch him before he could jump out of the crib and could hear him crying as the phone was taken out of his hand.

"Now, who are you calling, mister?" Ruby said as she was about to come to view.

Spike immediately hung up on her. Knowing if one of the twins saw him, he was going to get a hell of an earful. His heart hurt so much that he felt like it was going to burst.

“My son…. That's my son,” Spike acknowledged. "I need to make things right… for my family." Spike muttered.

Rachel, Igneous…

She was right, he can't keep running.

It was time to grow the fuck up. First things first; he has to make things up to Rachel and pray to Celestia that she'll give him a second chance.

As he turned to leave, his ears picked up the familiar high pitched sound before he let out a shout as electricity coursed through his body, causing him to convulse and fall to the ground, dropping the phone.

The door to the flat opened and Snowball stood in the doorway with his henchmen, pressing the button on the remote. After a few minutes of making sure he’d stay down, his henchmen went in.

THWAP!

THWAP!

THWAP!

Sound reverberates each time Rachel lets go of her bow, shooting her light arrows and watching it bury itself in a makeshift target. Having to summon her war bow - it wasn't the same one she found in the Temple back on Earth but was given to her when she began her Queendom in Equestria. Making sure they didn't explode as she shot quickly. Being next to the gross looking lake, she continued to shoot.

Face soaked from crying, having a stone cold expression as she fired one arrow after another.

Fucking Spike, she outta just up and leave this place without him. She was able to get by without him all this time, she didn't need him. Fucking asshole.

She had a feeling that something wrong was happening, like a sixth sense when it comes to her mate. Something she can't shake but she chooses to ignore it. He can either handle it himself or run away, as it's his new favorite thing to do nowadays.

She hits the target repeatedly, keeping the arrows group together in the center of it.

Rachel didn't stop shooting when she smelt and heard Capper and Tempest eventually finding her.

The cat and unicorn quickly discussed with each other before Tempest volunteered to go talk to the Queen.

Tempest approached her cautiously, watching her shoot and never missed. She let out a low whistle. "You're a good shot. Seems your skills with the bow were true." She commented.

After a couple of hits, Rachel responded. "Thanks… the only skill my father ever gave me… filthy bastard." She shot several times.

"What's… what's the story there? How did he teach you?" Tempest asked, knowing what she's doing.

Rachel rolled her eyes but didn't stop. "I was a young kid, seven or eight I think. As a psychological torture for my mom, dad took me out bow hunting. Gave me a bow that wasn't beginner and made me practice." She explained. "When I missed, he would punch me in the head. By the time where I finally managed to hit the bulls-eye, I was disoriented. He then sends me out in the forest. 'You have twenty-four hours to come back to the site with a good game or otherwise I'll leave you here.' Father of the fucking year right there."

"Did you get anything? "

"Ironically, it was a large wild boar. I was already tall for a little girl but this thing was larger. Something was wrong with it because it was actively fighting me, not running away like normal animals, rabies probably. Took most of the arrows and me stabbing it with a broken arrow multiple times to finally kill it. The look on Dad's face when I dragged it back was priceless, like he never thought I'd actually come back with something, and the fact I was covered head to toe in the thing's blood and covered in dirt and grime."

"Was he proud?"

Rachel snorted. "Fuck no. He got pissed that I ruined parts of the pig that he was going to sell off. Couple of days later it turns out that that boar was causing problems in the nearby neighborhood. When others asked who did it, Dad claimed it was he who slaughtered it." She lets go one more arrow, it makes contact before snarling, shaking her head. "He took nearly everything I cared about. People of my life either abandoned me, died or fucking both." She tossed the bow in the pocket dimension along with the Staff.

Tempest studied her for a moment. "Which one was Justine?"

"What?" Rachel looked at her confused.

"Which one was your friend?" Tempest asked her, crossing her arms. "You've stared at me sometimes as if you know me, I see you catch yourself when you talk to me and you nearly let something slip. What's her story? Did she abandon you, die or both?"

Rachel shook her head. "Justine was the final chapter of the shitty life I had on Earth. I don't see why bringing her up will~" she stopped when Tempest didn't waiver from the look on her face.

She sighed deeply, shaking her head. "She was you, Tempest. Justine was your human variant, I knew immediately when we met."

Tempest waved her hand, motioning her to continue.

Rachel brushed her bangs out of her face. "Justine was my best friend, my only friend I had before the Settlement Trials. I met her when I was fourteen, months after my mom was killed. Back then, I was dark, my sense of humor, my attitude. I got picked on at school for my height and the clothes I wore, either by kids or entitled parents who don't know the difference between a minor or a potential kidnapper since they see me at the building. I had shit at home, I made sure I didn't get shit on at school or on the streets so I basically became the bully. I got into a fight with a local gang when Justine showed up out of nowhere and saved my ass."

"What was she like?"

"Like you. We bonded over the fact that we had shitty parents. My dad was an abusive piece of shit and her mom not giving shit. A local prostitute and junkie that brought her clients home. As a young kid, she saw things she should have never seen, rumors were that she was used in her mother's practice. We just clicked…. She was the first thing I loved after my mom, so I would have done anything for her. We planned on running away after gathering enough money. So to get the funds, we committed robberies, since I was a minor, I was the look out, she did most of the stealing."

"So you clinged on the first thing that gave you affection."

"I was a kid, starving for that kind of attention. I wasn't used because her love was genuine." Rachel said softly. Memorizing the moments she had with her. "The last night I had with her, We had just completed a robbery, it was meant to be the last one due to her finding her was to this mob boss. She leaves to make last minute arrangements, Dad found me and dragged me back home the following morning… A couple of days later, the news came on and her face was plastered. She had became murder victim, her body left in an alleyway." She saw the look on Tempest's face changed.

"So to answer, she died." Rachel said.

Tempest let's all that sank in, studying Rachel as she watched her go to a rickety bench and sat.

"Oof." Capper said, watching the interaction.

Tempest approached her again. "So… you think Spike is going to just abandon you and your child?"

Rachel sniffled. "I… I don't know at this point. I'm tempted to leave his ass here, or go ahead and deal with Snowball but let him go. If he doesn't come back with me, I'm done with him." She wipes her snout with her hand.

"You're not going to leave him."

"I'm not going to leave him, but damnit, Spike pisses me the fuck off." Rachel grunted. "It took all my strength to not beat him down to the ground. I decked him in the face because of his fucking mouth and not backing off."

"Sometimes it takes something like that to get it through his skull. He would literally have to be a special kind of stupid to not go home." Tempest said. "Love is commitment, it's painful, willing to do whatever it takes to fight for them. And sometimes with them. The way Spike is around you, he's loyal. Undying. He'll come around."

"I hope so." She said before running her fingers through her hair. "Fuuuuck I want this shit done and over with."

Tempest then put her hand out for her to grab. "Let's kill that pig then."

Rachel looked at her before grinning, grabbing her hand and pulled herself up.

As they said that, they heard someone approaching them.

They turned and saw the henchmen and a couple of the other captive predators followed.

"You three need to come with us, now." One of them grunted.

…..

There was something different in the air. Rachel had a strange sensation as she followed several of the captive fighters down the corridor to the arena. It only grew once she came inside that she saw all the captive predators all sitting down in the seats.

Capper and Tempest followed, the cat leaned close to the unicorn. "You getting this feeling we're walking into a trap?"

"Obviously," she muttered.

"Stay sharp guys," Rachel told them as she marched her way into the ring. Climbing up on the steps and hopping over the rope. The other two took their seats.

After a few moments, the speakers rang and squealed before the pig himself spoke.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to this evening's event!" The crowd forcibly cheered. "I know you my dear were scheduled for three more fights but I decided to change the schedule and make tonight your final night."

Rachel glared at the viewing box before looking around. She noticed Spike wasn't among them. Even though they just had an explosive fight, not seeing him in the stands was nerve-wracking.

Where is he? She thought.

"When I took in the boy after Sombra paid me handsomely, I had no idea you'd be giving me so much trouble. So if you want him… BRING HIM IN! "

Doors from the opposite side of the arena burst open, Aspa hissed as he rapidly slither down, using his arms to propel forward. Something was wrapped inside of his long green body. Though had shed his skin hours ago, his mouth was still blistered and burnt from Rachel burning his mouth and throat.

He slithered around the ring before flinging something out. Hitting the ring floor hard with a pained grunt.

Every fiber in Rachel's body turned ice cold when she saw who it was and was mortified.

Parts of his purple and green scales were a deep bruise color, his lip was split open, right eye blackened and swollen. His right horn looked like someone broke it off. Nothing like how he looked just four hours ago!

"Your final event, if you wish to leave with him, the two of you must fight. My best boy Spike against his little sweetheart! And yes, he is going to fight you. If you, Rachel, win, he's yours, but if he takes you down, you're mine!"

Spike groaned as he pushed himself up on his feet. He shook his head and snarled. "NO!" He turned to look at the viewing box in defiance. "I'm not going to fight her!"

Spike refused to harm Rachel. He refused to lay a hand on her, that was the one thing within their relationship that he has never done.

"If you want me to fight, you're going have to kill me." He snarled.

"Oh, I wasn't asking. Oh Aspa!"

Aspa growled as he shot himself at Spike. He quickly wrapped himself around him, forcing him to turn towards Rachel. He opened his mouth before sinking his fangs into Spike's neck, piercing right in his exposed scarring, injecting the venom.

Spike let out a pained shout, the venom entered his system, causing him to become dizzy and disoriented. Aspa quickly unwraps himself and slithers away fast off the ring, letting Spike fall to his hands and knees.

Rachel shook, her heart pounded as rage consumed her, however, before she could deal with those fuckers. "Spike… ?" Rachel called out.

His groans and moans turned into a feral growl, his head looking up and looking at Rachel. His pupils shrunk paper thin and crouched on all fours.

No one else was in the area with him but her in his sight.

"Oh fuck, not again!" She shouted as Spike lunged at her.

Author's Note

Now we're caught up to the prologue.