Chapter 4: A Soul in Sorrow

A/N "Earth is a part of hell and we humans are demons, but Earth is also part of heaven and we are the angels guarding it." - Anonymous

Chains rattled with each movement Spike made. His captor's eyes never stopping to leave him, thinking that he will use that opportunity to escape her; evade her, and tell her newest sins to the world. Sure enough her crimes would warrant being hunted and punished. The thoughts of what could happen to her never seemed to get any better. The dragon dug into the ground, his sharp claws ripped the dirt with ease throwing a load of soil to one side and then to another. No doubt he would find many gems covering such a large area, but the thought of if it would truly be enough kept passing through his mind.

"Can I take these off, please?" Spike wiggled his chains showing a face of discomfort to Trixie; dragon skin or not, the cold steel was becoming unbearable and beginning to cut into his little wrists.

"Do you think The Great and Powerful Trixie is stupid dragon?" Trixie didn't even consider looking at his numbed body, and with a swift hoof, she hit the purple dragon in the abdomen just reminding the drake that this was not a field trip, he was subjugated.

"But they itch!" Spike pleaded, having not lost much breath from the blow. Mercilessly, Trixie used her magic and the chains tightened; earning a hard groan of pain from the young dragon. Trixie was offering the dragon no chances, and absolutely no amount of pleasantry was going to change that.

Spike remained strong, an image of Twilight flashed in his mind; empowering him and his determination "Twi-Twilight please wait for me. Soon we will be together again," Spike smiled, those thoughts helped him to remain strong, and soon enough he resumed his digging.

"Hurry it up dragon we don't have all day!"

"Yes mam!"

-Meanwhile with Twilight-

All Twilight could see was the blackness; darkness polluted the atmosphere, and not a single light was visible. It was as close to desolation of spirit that she could imagine, a place who ponies like her deserved to be punished by their own sadness.

"Am I in hell?" She asked herself, sighing deeply she did. "Why not," she thought, she violated her best friend and there was no way in all of Equestria she would she be forgiven by it. Tears again formed in her already blood-shot eyes. Sadness of both regret and guilt stabbed at her once again. She wished she could not just travel back, but turn back time; she wished that she could go back and stop herself from raping the one she truly loved.

She didn't deserve him anymore, she thought; a pure soul of gentleness which was now tainted by her untamed lust. Desire, had destroyed their lifelong friendship, which she hoped would have blossomed into a wonderful flower of romance; now it would be a miracle if their friendship wouldn't wither away forever and be change into hate. Her body fell quickly to the dark cold ground, her tears falling with her. She felt like a monster, a monster that didn't a pure soul like Spike, and she didn't even deserve to live. This hell was her prison now, a prison that would torment her eternally for a crime she committed against the greatest friend and dragon she had ever known, Spike.

A shadow appeared above Twilight's frame, it was a shape she was familiarized with, a shape of a teenage dragon. His color was of purple and his eyes shone green as the most pristinely cut emeralds. She quickly stood up, eyeing the dragon and without a doubt it is Spike. A smile escaped Twilight's face and a stray of hope beat in her heart. Without actually thinking, Twilight lunged at him spreading her hooves apart, wanting nothing more but to bring him close to her in a deep and wanted hug her soul desired…but her hug never came.

In a swift motion, Twilight saw a pair of claws in Spike's hand swing toward her and land in her face. The blow was harsh, it was very strong punch filled with malice. Her body was thrown back to the ground. Looking back, Twilight looked upon her best friend's eyes, and what she saw stabbed her heart more with the consuming sorrow she was experiencing before. Spike was crying as much as she was, but they were tears of betrayal; tears of a trust that she broke, and most of all, tears of hatred. His claws were extended in front of him and he slowly reached out and grasped onto the neck of Twilight.

"Sp... Spike..." Twilight sputtered, she could barely speak, as her tears flowed out more from her weakening frame. She knew why Spike would be doing this, and it was her to blame.

Spike gripped Twilight's neck, strangling her. She retaliated weakly, but the grip was stronger than she had anticipated possible."How could you Twilight?!" His voice boomed it the darkness around them and strait to Twilight's heart as well. "I TRUSTED YOU! AND WHAT DID YOU DO! YOU TREATED ME LIKE I WAS YOUR TOY! YOU SICK BUCK!"

The words were more painful than the dragon's grip in her neck; while his power was surprising, the words he spoke were what hurt Twilight the most. Twilight could only float in his grasp though, knowing full well that the drake's rage and wrath was entirely justified against her. Instinctively though, Twilight's horn glowed, her body thinking what's only left to do and that is to survive. Her heart and soul feel differently. She deserved to die her soul screamed while her body wanted only to be free of the suffocating grip.

Before her magic saved her from the dragon; Spike had placed his two muscular arms around her neck, and with a motion so fluid, he snapped the mare's head from its body. Decapitated, Twilight's tears stopped; what was only coming out now was her blood. "Is this a fate she deserved," she began to ask herself, "to be beheaded by the dragon she sinned upon? Is this a punishment that fits her crimes?"

As her fate seemed to be sealed, the darkness of the illusion she had created began to fade. Slowly she returned to what we would call consciousness, but not before experiencing a sickening falling experience before being thrown back into the world she so wanted to leave behind.

Twilight's eyes reopened in surprise. She couldn't believe it after all that Spike was thought to have just done to her, but what amazed her most was that she was now in a white bed. Tools of medication surrounded her, along with the rest of the Elements of Harmony, asleep by the room's corner. She eyed her left leg, it was now bandaged. It was all the dream, what she saw earlier was but a nightmare she had in her mind. Now she's in the hospital, she must have passed out after Applejack and Rainbow Dash found her, and they must have taken her here, she concluded.

She let out a sigh of relief before putting her head back to the soft pillow; resting her back to the comfortable bed, but inside, still felt her guilt eating her out again. She wasn't afraid of the nightmare anymore, but it wouldn't change the fact that she felt she deserved to die. No, death would be too good for her, she deserved to suffer. Putting her hooves to her face she began to sob. Hot tears fell to the pillow, wetting it with her despair while pleading with anything that would hear her, "Spike, please forgive me."

-Back with Spike-

It had been hours since Spike remembered when he started digging. For him, time seemed to slow down, or maybe he was just too exhausted to even know what time it really was. He had been digging nonstop, gathering as many gems as possible to satisfy his captor. Looking at the sack, he saw it was full, just a few more and it would be enough for Rarity's dresses tenfold. He let out a grin; the thought of him and Twilight together again was enough to bring joy to his heart.

Taking his tail, he impaled the soft soil, excavating a huge chunk of dirt out and tossing it away. Looking at the whole, Spike gasped, the floor was littered with countless gems. Luck might just be smiling on him today. Wasting to time, he grabbed the expensive stones and tossed them to Trixie's side. No doubt she would be happy with all this, she had to be!

Spike jumped out of the hole with new vigor and energy only discovered with the prospects of freedom.

"You don't seem tired," Trixie stated, taking notice to the spring in the drake's step.

"Yup I'm used to helping many ponies in the town, so doing this digging is simple for me," Spike said unable to contain his joy.

Trixie just put on a very sly looking grin. She peered at the sack, filled with gems; it would be more than enough to pay for her debts. Looking again at the dragon, the prideful pony let out a small chuckle trying not to expose her deceit to him. "I hope you're used to slavery. Soon dragon it will be your only and eternal fate." Trixie thought.

Walking back to Trixie's wagon, Spike was forced to carry the large sack of gems he dug up while Trixie held the end of his chain with her magic. "You still don't trust me do you?" Spike asked.

"Just making sure dragon. Trixie cannot afford a mistake after getting this far!"

"Please, call me Spike."

Trixie gripped Spike chains once more, using her magic to squeeze the chains. It didn't hurt, but for Spike, it was a bit more uncomfortable.

"You're not my friend." Trixie looked away. For her, Spike was just a pawn she could use for her gain, and soon would just be an object she would sell.

Spike leaned towards her and flatly asked, "If you want, we could become friends Trixie." That had taken Trixie by surprise. Nopony ever offered her to be her friend. "NO!" she mentally screamed, this would be some sort of trick the dragon had planned out just to make her release him, and when he gained his freedom, she was sure that he would run to Twilight and tell her about her crimes. Trixie knew what would happen next, a prison cell would be the best case scenario for her. She looked at the dragon, he had to be faking that kindness; nopony would be this kind to her, especially after all the problems she had just put him through.

Spike stopped his walking; dragons always had senses far beyond that of a pony's. He tried to focus his hearing and he heard nothing, nothing at all. It would be strange as the path they took should be filled with either woodland creatures or at least buzzing insects, yet he couldn't hear a thing. Silence was all that met his keen ears; this of course was a real problem. Quiet surroundings are as much a pleasantry as a warning of what may be around.

There is a shark in this sea, an apex predator, a beast much more fearsome than those of what's already there, being a baby dragon and an incompetent magician. Spike shivered once more, this was bad this was very bad. Trixie noticed Spike's change of emotion; "had he figured out that she had no intention of releasing him and now he was trying to devise a plan for his escape," were the thoughts that filled her mind. Taking a small step back, she starred at a nearby branch. It was big enough to be called a club or at least a melee weapon. She slowly levitated it using her body she hid it; ready to knock the dragon out once more if he made a move to escape.

Spike eyed the azure pony, now he was hyperventilating in front of her. Readying the weapon, Trixie slowly brought it up, but before she could use it; Spike spoke and it caused her to shiver. "Trixie run!" Spike said it so silently that Trixie could barely hear it. "RUN!" This time he screamed, he whisked the positively shocked unicorn into his arms and had begun pelting through the trees and brush. Amazingly even though his wrists were cuffed with metal, Spike sprinted so fast, Trixie didn't even have time to react. The club instantly fell to the ground and the odd couple continued through the foliage, only Spike aware of the danger they were in.

"Wait! If his trying to get away from me, then why the heck he's carrying me?" Confused is what became of Trixie trying to make sense of the dragon's actions. All she could do was just hold him with her hooves as he continued taking her who knew where. She was never held by anypony, but now a dragon was carrying her bridal style.

The skies turned black, it was like Celestia's sun was covered with Luna's moon, but it was no magic it was a monster. A manticore the size of a small building landed in front of the two, sealing off their path of escape. It was drooling while surveying what was more than likely going to be its next meal. Spike, ever so slowly, put down Trixie. Luckily Spike had read many things about manticores in Twilight's library; most importantly, he learned in those readings that manticores mainly react to sudden movements. "Trixie, DO NOT MOVE," Spike whispered, but unfortunately for him, Trixie had other plans. Taking her hooves she pushed Spike toward the manticore. The beast growled intensely and Trixie ran away from the manticore, leaving Spike to his doom.

Spike quickly stood up preparing to defend himself, but he fell to his butt the moment he saw the manticore. Something seemed entirely off about this beast, sure it prowled and stalked them into a corner, but it was not behaving like a normal manticore should. Spike eyed the beat trying his best to bring forth any and all the courage he had left. He stared directly into the eyes of the beast, attempting to intimidate it being a teenage dragon and all, but there he saw it. The manticore's eyes sparkled with magic, magic that Spike once saw before and he knew exactly what it was. Mind manipulation, changeling mind manipulation!

He quickly brushed off the detail, this was no time to evaluate and animal that seemed souly focused on eating you. Luckily, Spike knew another thing that manticores were weak upon. He didn't like doing this, but the events certainly warranted for him to unleash it. Taking the deepest breath he could take, Spike gathered all the air his lungs could get and with one big huff, he blasted the manticore with the strongest flames he could bring forth. The fire struck the beast right in the face, and was enough to harm and blind the manticore for a short while; enabling Spike to run past the manticore and run toward home, his home Ponyville, where Twilight Sparkle was surely waiting for him.

Spike looked back, he saw the manticore regain its composure, and ready to chase, but it wasn't him who it chased. The animal flew once more and it went directly in Trixie's direction. With the beast on her tail Trixie was as good as dead. Spike felt an uncomfortable feeling in his gut. It's what one may call guilt.

Spike saw in front of him, the road to his home; where all his friends were waiting for him and most of all his love Twilight. He couldn't just leave Trixie to die like that though, he was a better dragon than that, or so he felt. Trixie did take him away, literally stole him and forced him to dig gems for debts she owed to ponies that she alone was responsible for. Spike clenched his fists, if he left now; it would be the same as him killing Trixie. Even though she had done such horrible sins against him, he still felt within his heart that she was not actually evil. Trixie was just confused, misguided and desperate; that was all Spike ever felt while stuck in her presence. Spike looked once more at the road to Ponyville, but he knew it is not the time to return; there was somepony in danger, and he was not about to let her die for no justifiable reason.

Taking the nearby wooden club Trixie planned to hit him, with Spike ignited it with his flame. Within seconds Spike sprinted up to his full speed trailing the manticore's path of deep footprints and bent trees. "Me and my good will," he cursed himself, ready to help the one who humiliated and subjected him just moments before.

MAD: Well that's all for now…

Chapter edited by ShadowofaDemon88…Seriously, check this guy's stuff out. He helps so many authors while writing a story of his own. He keeps looking for someone help him get better, while constantly helping many authors become better themselves. He's a great friend, and an awesome writer. Go talk to him, he would love it.

Author's Note

MAD: Well that's all for now, sorry if my grammar isn't as good as you liked but that is my best when it comes to English and if it does offend you then sorry anyhow the next chapter will take a lot more time than the last for me to type. Me and my relatives are going to the province and the internet there are not as the same quality here in the big cities so all in all thank you for the concern and reviews I'm in your debts and Go Bronies!