Chapters SPIKE UNCHAINED
Near the outskirts of Appleloosa, inside of the San Palomino desert.
A group of five dragons are locked in shackles on the ankles and wrists. None of the dragons have wings, in fact, they’ve been amputated. They are also too weak and restless to be able to use their dragon breath. In the group, is Spike. He along with the other dragons have many whip marks on their backs, and are wearing daft up rags. Their movement is uneasy and tiring. They are being escorted, or forced, by two scruffy earth pony stallions named Lennon and Harrison, who are riding griffons.
The forever expanding desert is covered with hot sand that scalds the bare naked feet of any traveler. The souls of the passing dragon's feet look worse than a vicious hell-hound attack. With the addition of the inferno sun up above, equals a torturous pain that can only be matched by a death march. The entire pack has made hace about 100 miles per day for three days. At the end of the trek, they are going to be re-stationed at a plantation in Las Pegasus.
By the time of dusk on the third night, the traveling posse crosses path with a stage coach trailer. The contraption is noticed by the stallions because of the faint glow emitting from a lantern. The trailer is personalized with stars and other great and powerful decorations. The trailer is being pulled by a griffon. In front of the trailer, sitting on a couch, is a mare wearing a cotton made heavy Inverness cape coat. Unknowing to what they are going to be dealing with, the brother stallions pull out their rifles. They are able to grip them because of custom made handles.
“Who goes there lurking around in the dark?” Lennon shouts at the oncoming pony, mere seconds after priming his rifle. “State your business or prepare to get winged! ”
“Calm down big boy, I mean you no harm.” The mare says right before she comes to a halt. “I am Twilight Sparkle and this is my griffon Susan.”
Susan nods.
“Now tell me, did you acquire these dragons at the Appleloosan slave auction?” Twilight says as she finishes her introduction.
“What’s it to ya?” Asked Lennon snarkly. He then spits on the ground.
Twilight lays back.
“I believe that you possess a dragon here, that is imperative that I discuss urgent matters to.” She claims, then stands up. “Hello good sirs!” She directs to the dragons. “Was there one of you who originated from the Jubilee plantation?” Twilight finishes.
A brief silence goes on.
“Me.” A voice said as loud as Fluttershy would normally speak. “I came from the Jubilee plantation.” The voice concluded.
Twilight gets up and springs off from her seat, levitates a lantern, and walks over to the dragons.
“Sun Tzu said that?” She asks.
Twilight shines the lantern up close into every dragons’ personal space to get a good look at them, all of them look away when they get shined on, but Spike doesn’t even stare at all. He sighs to signal it was him.
“And your name is?” Twilight asks motherly.
“Spike.” He replies, then turning his head to look at Twilight.
“Well then you are just the one I’m looking for.” Twilight states. “Tell me, do you know who the Diamond Dogs are?” Twilight asks calmly.
Spike does a few quick nods.
“Who are they?” She also asks.
“Spot, Rover, and Fido.” Spike concurs. “They resided at the Appleloosan mountains, but I also saw them at the plantation.”
“Not anymore. They left.” Twilight responds to Spikes information.
Spike looks with a slightly dropped jaw, as he wants to know where they are.
“Tell me, if you were to see any of these three dogs would you be able to recognize them?” Twilight adds to the long strain of questions.
“Hey, quit flapping your mouth to him like that.” Harrison says plainly but aggressively.
“Like what?” Twilight gives with a deer in the headlights reaction.
“That." The stallion adds and points his hoof to her. "Now quit and screw off.”
“Mister, I am simply trying to fulfill a transaction with this here dragon.” Twilight tries to reason with the pony with a problem.
“Well he’s not for sale.” Lennon says trying to get Twilight to leave.
“Not for sale? But of course he’s for sale!” Twilight lectures.
“We don’t care whatever your offer is. Now take your rump and get the hell away from those dragons.” Harrison says as he points his rifle at Twilight.
“Are you trying to gesture me to simply leave, or are you pointing your gun at me with lethal intentions?” Twilight questions while becoming a bit nervous.
The stallion doesn’t change his facial reaction or move a muscle outside of his hoof, which he uses to cock his rifle with.
“Last chance Fizz Sparkler.” He gives off his final warning.
“Alright, if you insist.” Twilight says.
Twilight makes everypony assume that she is complying. She however, drops her lantern, then quickdraws out a silver pistol and fires a bullet at the blink of an eye. The bullet impacts into Harrisons’ forehead and forces him onto the ground, blood spits out, but acts like a type of Jell-O. His griffon McCartney, then sprints away in fear of the blast.
Before the other stallion can react, Twilight does the same she did to his brother, but directed into the head of Ringo, the griffon of which he is sitting on top of. The griffon experiences an aftershock and keels over by twisting from the shot so that when he lands, he lands on top of the stallion riding him. Lennon has half of his body and one of his legs trapped under the late griffon. Twilight levitates her lantern again and trots over to the stuck and in peril pony.
“I’m sorry to kill your griffon, but I didn’t want you to do anything you’d regret before you came to your senses.” Twilight says to make the fallen stallion feel better about the situation.
“You rotten son of a bitch! You shot Ringo, and Harrison!” Lennon yells in screaming pain.
“Yes, but, I only shot your brother once he threatened to shoot me.” Twilight confesses. “It was an act of self-defense, and I do believe that I have, 1,2,3,4, 5, witnesses to testify with that.” Twilight sasses. “Now if you’d be so kind as to keep it down, I’d like to finish my quandary with Spike here.”
Twilight walks back over to Spike. Lennon resumes releasing sounds of which are not pleasant to ears.
“As I said before. If you were to see any of these dogs would you be able to recognize them?” Twilight asks once again.
“Yeah.” Spike gives out staccato.
“Hey Mister! How much for young Spike over here!” Twilight over exaggerates, stretching this conversation out longer than it needs to.
Lennon doesn't respond, but instead keeps quivering in pain. Twilight loots the stallion by emptying his pockets until she retrieves the key to the shackles, and unchains Spike. Twilight then takes out a coin purse.
“Now if I were you, I’d go take that winter coat off of that poor guy.” Twilight tells Spike.
Spike strips off his rags and walks over to the corpse.
“Dragon! Don’t you dare touch my brothers coat.” A mourning Lennon cries.
Spike ceases the opportunity to go over and stomp onto Ringo, putting more antagonizing pressure onto the pony’s lower torso and leg. Spike then swiftly skips over and loots the coat off of the deceased brother. Twilight counts bits up to 120, she drops the coin purse onto the suffering pony’s head.
“And since he won’t be needing it anymore, here’s for the coat.” Twilight flicks over an extra bit. “Now mister, I require a bill of sale, do you have a bill of sale?"
“You go to hell you bitch!” Lennon screams, then tries spitting at Twilight, but horribly misses because of the bad position he is in.
Twilight instead sighs.
"Thought so." Twilight retrieves parchment and a quill from a saddlebag and starts writing. "No worries. This will suffice as a bill of sale. Come along Spike."
The two sit on the couch attached to in front of the trailer. Twilight looks over at the glaring dragons just standing still in the cold.
“Now the way I see it of what to do next, you all have two options. Either you drag that poor gentlepony back to Town about 100 miles back the way you came, to which you’d still be slaves and still treated the same way. Or, two. You could unshackle yourselves.” Twilight throws the key to the chains. “Take this rifle.” Twilight levitates the dropped rifle from one of the Stallions and puts in one of the dragons claws. “Put a bullet in that sour soul, bury the corpses, and go on your merry way free.”
Twilight turns to face the path, but then remembered something she wanted to say.
“Oh, and if any of you are into astronomy like I am, it would be great to note that the North Star is, that one.” Twilight points up to the prominent North Star, which is impossible to tell from the other stars. “Tallyho.”
Twilight takes handle at the rope tied to the horse connected to the trailer and whips it. The trailer moves off into the darkness, and the remaining four dragons strip out of their rags. They walk up to the in need of assistance stallion. He attempts to reason with them.
“Now, come on. Wait a minute. I know that I’ve been awful to y’all, but, if you drag me back into Town, I’ll let all of you go free.” The dragons continue to walk with their negative grudge. “It doesn’t have to be like this!” He starts screaming as he knows he is going to die.
Spike looks back and sees the dragons stomp onto the pony’s hoofs and uncovered chest. They fire dead square in his face, he dies like a Beatle .
Author's Note
Originally, the griffons were going to be horses. But having ponies riding horses would be silly. So Gallant Adventure came along and told me they should be griffons.
II | It's okay, I have a warrant
SPIKE UNCHAINED
CHAPTER II, IT'S OKAY, I HAVE A WARRANT
At least a day has passed following Twilight and Spike's departure from the barren wasteland, known as the San Palomino desert. Twilight and Spike pull up into Ponyville. While going along the dirt roads, Spike looks up at all the ponies watching them from windows and balcony’s. They have their full attention giving a death glare at the incoming travelers. Nurse Redheart exits the Hospital with Screwloose, she is holding a prescription drug container.
“Now I want you to take two of these in the night, and in the morning...” Redheart cuts herself off after noticing the dragon. “That’s a dragon, and he’s riding along side with a Unicorn.”
Twilight notices all of the observers. More and more ponies start coming out.
“What’s eveypony starring at?” She asks Spike.
“I guess they’ve never seen a dragon riding with a pony before.” Spike answers.
Continuing on the dirt road, Twilight parks the cart in front of the local pub, the Berry Punch Saloon. Twilight shuffles around some papers and notes, then the two walk inside from the main entrance. It has no occupants outside of Twilight, Spike, and the bartender Berry Punch, as it isn’t opening time yet. Berry is trying to fix the ceiling fan.
“Hello bartender, two cups of cider for two weary travelers.” Twilight connotates to the oblivious mare.
“Sorry, it's still a bit early, we won’t be open for at least another hour.” Berry Punch replies while the rest of her attention is paid at the fan. “And by then we’ll be serving breakfast.”
She turns around and notices Spike. Her shock reaction causes her jump back which knocks her head into the fan. “Whoa whoa whoa, what the hell is he doing here?”
* * *
Berry Punch gaits out and yells “dragon”, followed by a short spawn series of “help”. Twilight runs out after her but doesn’t continue following her.
“Bartender! Make sure to get the Mayor, and not the Royal Guard.”
Twilight walks back into the Saloon. Berry Punch is heard yelling for the mayor. Twilight takes off her overcoat and her hat and puts then down on a table.
“Drinks up.” Twilight tells Spike.
Twilight and Spike sit down. Twilight rests her legs on the table. Using levitation magic, Twilight takes two cider mugs and overfills them both with delicious grade-A top-notch five-star blow-your-horseshoes-off one-of-a-kind cider. She moves them over to the table and plants them down on it. A small quantity spills out onto the table. Twilight starts taking big gulps.
“So, what are you exactly?” Spike asks the self-intoxicating mare.
Twilight stops drinking and looks Spike in the eyes.
“From observation, you could assume that I’m a show pony. But actually, I like to associate myself with the title of bounty-hunter.” Twilight lectures. “Do you know what a bounty-hunter is?”
Spike stares blank, and then shakes his head slowly.
“No.” He says.
“Well. You know how dragons are transaction figures for cash?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, a bounty-hunter is exactly like that. Except with corpses.”
The two drink. Spike takes small sips, as cider is new to him.
“Now when Equestria places a bounty on another pony’s head, I track that pony, I find that pony, I kill that pony, after I kill the pony I bring his body back to the corporate overlords, I then show his corpse to them to thus conclude that I have indeed killed this pony, at which point they pay me the bounty.” Twilight finishes.
“Now, what’s a bounty?” Spike asks.
Twilight doesn’t immediately respond because she’s trying to swallow more cider. She starts moving her hoof around in a spinning gesture.
“A reward.” She finally says.
“How much?”
“It varies. It depends on what they’ve done. The bigger crime they’ve done, the larger the bounty.” Twilight puts her legs onto the floor. “Which leads me to you, Spike. On one hoof, I despise help. On the other, I need it. So I’d like the two of us to enter on an agreement.” Twilight gets closer to Spike. “I’m looking for the Diamond Dogs.”
Spike moves closer.
“I’m at a disadvantage because, I’m afraid I haven’t the foggiest of what they look like. But you do. Do you?”
“I most certainly do.” Spike says monotonously.
“So, here’s our agreement. You travel with me.”
“Where we going?” Spike interrupts.
“I have no clue. But I hear at least two of them are up in Trottingham. We’re going to go around to every surrounding plantation in Trottingham until we find them. And when we do, you point them out. And I kill them. If you agree to do that, I’ll agree to give you your freedom.” Twilight goes deep into detail.
Meanwhile outside, ponyvillians are walking up to the Saloon along with the Mayor.
“You’ll get 25 bits per dog, which will mean 75 bits in total. And as expected, here comes the Mayor.” Twilight smirks then takes one final drink.
Spike gets up and backs up a little, but Twilight stays seated. The Mayor enters and looks at the two trouble makers.
“Okay you two. You’ve had your fun. Come on out.” Mayor Mare scoffs.
The Mayor exits the Pub and cuts through the exerting chatter from outside.
“All right everypony, calm down. These jokers will be gone soon, just go about your business.”
Twilight and Spike exit the Saloon and face the Mayor.
“Now why have the two of you entered our fair town just to cause trouble? Scarring all the good citizens? Have you got nothing better to do, then to come into Ponyville and show off your scaleback?” The Mayor speeches to Twilight.
Twilight slowly lost her smirky face during that statement and turned it into a frown. She gets close up to the Mayor and pulls the same silver pistol which she killed Harrison with, this time, she shoots the Mayor, but in the chest instead. Mayor Mare takes in the bullet, then falls over on her back. A select few of ponies scream.
“What in the hell did you just do to our Mayor‽” Shouts a light brilliant gamboge coated pony with a stetson from the crowd.
Twilight walks over by the Mayor’s side, standing in front of the entire town. She turns her back from them and then fires into the Mayor’s head. Lily Blossom faints, while everypony else runs away and screams except for Berry Punch. Who is still in shock that the Mayor got shot.
“Now, you can get the Royal Guard.” Twilight says with a smile.
Berry Punch books it, this time screaming for the guard. Twilight walks back into the Saloon. Spike stands there trying to get Twilight’s attention.
“Should we wait inside?” Twilight asks.
“Um, shouldn’t we just leave?” Spike says but with a freighted voice.
Twilight wraps her hoof around Spike and the two reenter the pub and settle back down.
* * *
Shining Armor is ambling up the gravel road with a company of Royal Guards who are trotting behind him.
“I want you to move that blackboard behind the Saloon, get six guards, with six rifles behind it.” Shining Armor commands.
“Yes sir!”
“And I want two guards, with two rifles up on that roof.”
“Right away sir.”
“Everypony’s barrel pointed at the entrance." Shining Armor pauses. "And somepony get poor Mayor Mare out of the damn road.”
Spike looks out the pub window, he notices guards and other ponies hiding on the rooftops and behind barrels. All of them armed with rifles pointed at the front door. Shining Armor is standing in front of the army.
“You in the Saloon! We’ve got over one hundred rifles pointed at every possible way out of the building. You’ve got only one way that you’ll get out of this quarrel alive. And that's if you and your dragon step outside right now with all of your weapons disarmed and your hoofs behind your head. If you can that is.” Shining Armor enforces.
“Is this the Captain of the Royal Guard I have the pleasure of addressing?” Twilight voice emits from inside the pub.
“Yes.” Shining Armor says promptly. “This is Captain Shining Armor of the Canterlot Royal Guard.”
“How wonderful. Just as you said, I have relieved myself of all weapons.” Twilight complies.
Twilight is inside assembling and doing a final check for all of her papers.
“And I am ready to go outside, with my hoofs raised above my head. And I trust you as the Captain of the Royal Guards, and use diplomacy, to not, have me shot down by you or your peers, before I have a fair trial.” Twilight gambles.
“You mean like you did the Mayor?” Shining Armor juxtaposes the gravity of Twilight being shot like the Mayor. “Shot down like a mule in the street.”
“YES, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.” Twilight canterlocks. “Do I have your word as a diplomat, to not have me shot down like a mule in the street?”
Shining Armor looks back at his affiliates. He notices a mule has taken offense. He looks back to the barn.
“Now, as much as everypony would enjoy to see that. Ain't nopony here is going to escape clean free away for his crimes with his life in a public execution.” Shining Armor slurs.
“Okay fair enough.” Twilight wittily says. “Here we come.”
Twilight walks over to Spike and wraps her hoof around him again.
“Everypony is a little tense out there because of their Mayor, but just let me do all the talking, and we’ll get to see through this.” Twilight whispers to Spike.
The two finally exit from the Saloon. Their two front hoofs/claws are raised above their heads. Spike has a piece of paper hanging out from his mouth.
“Are the two of you unarmed?” Shining Armor’s final question.
“Yes we most certainly are.” Twilight spits out. “Now, Shining Armor, may I address you and your colleges, and the entire town of Ponyville as to the incident that has just occurred not to long ago?”
Shining Armor thinks for a moment. Then concurs with Twilight's decision.
“We're all ears.”
“My name is Twilight Sparkle, and this is Spike. Now the pony lying dead in the dirt, who the good ponies of Ponyville saw fit to elect as their Mayor, who went by the name of Mayor Stubbs, was as actually a wanted outlaw whose real name is Mayor Mare. With a bounty of 200 bits. And that 200 bits is for dead or alive.” Twilight projects to the townsponies.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Shining Armor demands answers.
“Now, I'm willing to bet that Mayor Mare was elected sometime around 15 years ago?" Twilight gambles.
And Shining Armor says "That's right."
"Just saying. Now, she was a wanted criminal, for murder, and the robbery of the Pine City stage." Twilight informs. "In this dragon’s mouth, contains a warrant for the arrest, dead or alive, of Mayor Mare. It was issued by the Alicron, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of The Crystal Empire. You’re more than welcome to write to her. She’ll back up who I am, and who our recently parting Mayor was.” Twilight says to reinforce her case.
Every Royal Guard starts uncocking their rifles. Twilight then lowers her hoofs, and wipes her hair back a bit. Spike then lowers his hands. Every other pony is just standing around dumbstruck as to what just happened.
“In other words Captain, you owe me 200 bits.” Twilight smiles.
Author's Note
I had one of my friends come up with a ethnic slur for dragons, he came up with "scaleback".
Berry Punch was originally Applejack, and the Saloon was originally Sweet Apple Acres. It made more sense to be Berry Punch because of her fandom personality of drinking. I'm not sure if it was the best idea, because Sweet Apple Acres runs the cider business.
Royal Guards now act as Marshals.
SPIKE UNCHAINED
It has been at least a week since the Ponyville fiasco. Twilight and Spike have been traveling through the empty plains of Equestria, been to two plantations in search of the Diamond Dogs, and have now set up a camp in the middle of a magnanimous rock formation. Twilight is tying down Susan so he doesn’t run off. Twilight has stripped off most of her uniform. Spike is sitting down on a small rock, it appears he is eating cake.
“After this Diamond Dog charade is over, you’ll be free, with 75 bits to spend, and some nice funnel cake.” Twilight said. “What do you plan to do after that?”
“Find my wife. Then settle down with her, and live out our lives together.” Spike said while drifting off into a day dream.
“Spike, aren't you a little too young to be married?" Twilight asks.
Spike displays a hostile glare.
"Well I had no idea you were married.” Twilight said while putting her uniform back on. “I actually don’t even recall there being female dragons.”
“Oh, she’s not a dragon.” Spike confused Twilight. “She’s a pony like you.”
Twilight goes back to the deer in the headlights face.
“Now hold on now, if she’s a pony, then she’s not a slave, so how did you end up being a slave then?” Twilight asked. “I don't understand since she’s a pony, technically, she would own you."
“Well, it went around like this.” Spike started story time. “She was with me before I was at the Jubilee plantation. I was doing some yard work with her outside, when some group of bandits came along and snatched me up cause they saw that I was a dragon, so I could have been put to “good” use. Before I knew it, I was a slave at Miss Cheery Jubilee’s cheery orchid. Now don't get me started on what happened there."
* * *
Spike remembers back when he was being confronted by Miss Cheery Jubilee, she was wearing these strange looking yellow sunglasses. Right behind her were the Diamond Dogs. Spike was armored down in chains, practically from head to toe.
“Spike.” Miss Jubilee said. “Oh Spike, you’ve got sand. And I ain’t got any use for any dragon with sand.”
The only thing that Spike can do to them is watch, and sigh.
“I want you to engrave an “r” on his cheek for being a runaway.” She points her hoof to her right cheek. “And then I want you to take him to the Appleloosan Slave auction, and sell him. And you shall sell him cheap.”
Spike dropped his head in shame.
* * *
Twilight has gotten her full suit back on. She walks over to sits down next to Spike, and fills up a cup of cider for Spike and herself.
“So you wouldn’t have any idea where she would be now?” Twilight asked.
“No, she’s probably gone.” Spike replied.
“She must have a name, tell me, what was her name?”
“Rarity.”
Twilight spits out her cider which splashes a little in Spike’s face. He’s just left with a frown.
“What?” Twilight asks.
“Rare-it-e.” Spike pronounces.
“Rarity?”
“Yeah.”
“So let me get this straight, your wife, not only is not but of a dragon, but the Unicorn fashion designer Rarity?”
“Yep, you’ve got it.”
Twilight just sits on the rock with her vibe thrown off, and questioning all of reality.
* * *
Twilight and Spike drive into Trottingham during an almost over purple-orange sunset. Just about everything except the sky is in a Slender -ish contrast and barely visible. They settle down in a Motel Six, where they rest until morning.
Sometime after breakfast, Twilight and Spike are in a prop and costume backroom. Twilight is sitting down near a window, while Spike is trying on newer clothes that weren’t stolen off the back of a stallion.
“Once we get to the plantation, we’ll make it seem like we’re going to be making a business deal.” Twilight said. “You shall be acting as assistant.”
Spike picks up a fez and tries it on. He looks at Twilight for her opinion. She just shakes her head. Spike puts the fez back down.
“During the deal, you must never break character. Do you understand?”
“Yeah yeah, don’t break character.” Spike responded. “What’s an assistant?”
“It’s a bigger word for servant, it’s not a slave. It’s like a partner, totally different thing.” Twilight said to break the ice. “We are going to make it seem like we are there to make a deal, and cause no harm. Once we find the Diamond Dogs, if we find them, then we’ll have to take them out and run like hell.”
“Wait, so are we making a deal?” Spike confused.
“No, we’re going to make it seem like we are Twilight corrected. “And now you can choose your costume.”
“I can choose?”
“Of course!” Twilight exclaimed Bison like.
Spike stands idly for a few seconds. And then gets an idea.
* * *
Spike is now wearing a more puffy purple Hamlet inspired outfit, however, the suit looks too tight for him. The duo has entered Flim Flam Fields, and are traveling up a orchid full of apple trees. Most of the trees stand at 9.144 meters (Or 30 feet). There are dragons who are being forced to pick them, and carry the apples to the central hub, in front of the plantation house. Some stallions are also working on the plantation as affiliates/guards, they follow the two in.
Many of the dragons stop working just to stare down Spike. It could be, perhaps, that his suit was too tight. Or it could be that his cap wasn't put on just right. But I think that the most likely reason of all, may have been that his ego, was two sizes, too broad.
After noticing the two waltz right into their plantation, the brothers Flim and Flam exit from the main house, and confront Twilight and Spike. The salesponies aren’t wearing barbershop attire, they have on instead, a Sanders white suit and black western string tie. Their hats are just a white version of their original selves, with a black stripe. When Twilight and Spike get up to the house, they stop and lock eyes with the brothers.
“Whoa, now hold on there miss. What is he doing?” Flim pointed at the travelers with his hoof, which isn't a good identifier because of it not being a hand.
Twilight looks at the brothers, and then points to Susan.
“His name is Susan and he wants you to respect his life choices.” Twilight takes it their referring to her griffon.
“Not the griffon!” Flam drawled. “I don’t think you know this, but we don’t allow dragons to ride on vehicles.”
“His name is Spike, and he is a free dragon, which means he can ride whatever he pleases.” Twilight swaggers.
“Not around here he can’t.” The both of the shout.
“Apologies for the deflated introduction, I am Twilight Sparkle, and this is my assistant Spike.” Twilight stood and tipped her hat. “And this is my griffon Susan.”
Susan nods once again.
“Mr. Flim, Mr. Flam, I’ve heard that the two of you are not only gentleponies, but also Businessponies.” Twilight states. “And for that reason, is why Spike and I have traveled through the thin and thick to negotiate with the both of you.”
“Well, what did you have in mind?” Flim asked.
“I have slightly less than 9000 things that I could say, that might change your opinion.” Twilight bargains.
The brothers wink at each other, then open up with hospitality.
“Well why don’t the two of you settle down, and have a drink inside.” Flam insisted.
Twilight smiles, then ties down Susan and the cart to a pole. She walks over to the brothers.
“I believe, it would be better for Spike to have a tour around the place, to get to know everything a little better, while we discuss more inside.” Said Twilight.
“Uh, why yes!” Flim agreed. “Ryu!” Flam called.
A tan semi taller than Spike dragon, with ripped to shreds white clothes walks closer to the conversation.
“Yes Flim sir?” He responded.
“Go take young Spike here, and show him around the fields.”
“Mr. Flim, just for the sake of knowing, Spike isn’t a slave, so he can’t be treated like one.” Twilight reminded.
“Ryu, Spike here isn’t a slave, so just treat him like you’d treat any other pony around here.” Flim instructed. “Except he’s not.”
* * *
Spike is walking around Flim Flam Fields with Ryu. They are starting from the big house in the center.
“Where we were just at is called the big house.” Ryu started. “Only a select few are lucky to live in there.
“What’s that thing?” Spike pointed at an 'I can't believe-able' peculiar mode of transport.
“Flim and Flam call it, their, Speedy Cider, Squeezy, Super Duper 3000.” Ryu tries to remember the name.
“What’s it do?”
“It takes in apples and turns them into cider." He added. "So is that Petty Pony forcing you to wear that?"
Spike is pushing the other dragon near a tree and gets in his face.
"Alright I need to ask you something."
"What?"
"I'm looking for three guys. You may know them as the Diamond Dogs. You do know them?"
Ryu becomes subject to a pause.
"Who?" He asks.
"Spot, Rover, and Fido." Spike replies.
"Nope. Don't know them."
Spike thinks for a few seconds.
"They may have came here about a year ago?" Spike asks.
Ryu is dumbstruck.
"Come on, you've got to know something." Spike intrigues.
"Wait are you talking about them Bowie brothers?" Ryu finally snaps.
"Bowie brothers? Where are they?" Spike double jeopardies.
"Well, I saw one over there prancing around on a griffon." Ryu points out.
Spike opens a satchel he has attached to his person. He reaches in and pulls out binoculars. Upon looking for 4 seconds, Spike spots Spot. Come along one more second and Spike experiences a flashback.
* * *
Over a year ago, Spike had both of his arms tied by rope to a tree. Spot is whipping at him and the others are laughing. After his torture, Spike is on his knees begging to Rover.
"Please, stop, I won't do it again." Spike cried.
Rover lifts up Spikes head and makes eye contact with him.
"I like the way you beg, dragon!" Rover laughs in an annoying squeal.
* * *
Spike lowers his binoculars and stares over at the speck far away with an unpleasant grin.
"Is that who you were looking for?" Ryu asks.
"Oh yeah, it is." Spike answered. "Where's the other two?"
"Somewhere around the fields, I don't know exactly, but they're here alright."
"Thanks. I'll be on my way." Spike dismissed his courier.
Spike treks off to find Rover and Fido. The two are by a secluded area of the fields. Fido is laying back in a hammock, and Rover is draggin' a beaten' to death dragon over two a similar fashioned tree set to where Spike was whipped. The dragon is relentless, and is squirming in pain.
"Oh shut up you damn scaly green lizard!" Rover whips.
The sound of crackling thunder directs Spike over to the Diamond Dogs poaching behind the trees. Spike marches past many workers and dragons, some paying attention to his parade, others going along their business. With each step, Spike becomes more grouchy, and more persistent. The dragon is now tied up, front facing a large tree. He is unable to see behind him.
"After I'm done with you, let's see if you'll ever disobey us again!"
Rover takes a stand, and becomes imminent to strike his whip. Spike finishes his march over to the brutes.
"Hey! Rover!" Spike yells.
The dog disables his grip, and then slowly turns around. He recalls hearing that voice before. Before his eyes, he notices the purple dragon he smoked a while ago. Some surronding dragons have already stopped what they were doing to look over at the confrontation. Spike walks closer.
"You again!" The dog says with shock.
After he feels close enough, Spike swipes his claw away from his pocket and pulls out a silver pistol. A dragon's breath round fires into the dog's heart. Rover's jaw drops, and he falls to his knees. Fido gets up and falls out from his hammock, surronding dragons are witnesses something they'd never expect.
"I like the way you die, mutt." Spike regards.
Rover falls face first onto the Earth and dies. Spike is the only living creature not in shock. Fido runs away from the scene to try and not end up with the same fate. Spike launches out after him and tackles him, or tries to. His size proves ineffective. Fido is practically given the upper hand to fend off Spike. He grabs him in a death lock with both of his hands and hammers him onto the ground.
"You fucking son of a bitch! " Fido yells at Spike. "I should have killed you at the Jubilee plantation if I knew you'd do this!"
With a green flame, Spike scorches Fido's face, and leaves a permanent flesh-wound. Fido lets go of Spike to cry in agony over his face. He resumes running once again. After another effort chasing the dog, Spike cannot keep up. Then he got an idea. An awful idea. Spike got a wonderful, awful idea.
Workers and dragon's alike, experience one of the most brutal ways to exterminate a creature. A steam-whistle starts fluctuating, and an engine revs up. Spike out paces Fido in a matter of seconds. After he caught up, Fido becomes sucked up: his body, mangled and torn into devoured pieces. Blood stained inside the tubes, along with organs and bones. Snapping, crackling, and popping are the sounds made from his fractured being. The spectators either were driven away from the sight, or regurgitated by the horrific display. If the violent dismantlement wasn't enough to bare, the remains of Fido that traveled through the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, were mashed into a barrel, and set down onto the ground.
Trotting in fear towards Spike, comes Twilight. She catches her breath and stands hunched over next to Spike.
"Was that them?" She asks.
"Yeah. It was." Spike replies.
"One, two, Spike I only count two, where's the third?"
"Spot's the one who's fleeing on a griffon over there." Spike directed.
Spike points to the area where he saw Spot. Twilight looks over in the general direction with binoculars and notices a dog riding on a griffon.
"Are you sure that's him?"
Spike takes the binoculars and see's Spot.
"Yes, I'm sure."
Twilight takes the rifle off of her back and wields it. She takes note of distance X wind speed and aims ahead of her target. Twilight fires, the bullet goes through the side of Spot's body, and forces him off the griffon. Blood and some tissue spits out onto the trees and grass. His griffon screeches and runs off.
Flim, Flam, and other stallion guards confront the bounty hunting duo. All of them furious with muskets, ready to kill Twilight and Spike. Twilight notices them, then throws her rifle onto the Earth. She then nudges Spike to raise their hoof's in surrender.
"Alright everypony, calm down! We don't mean anypony else any harm!" Said Twilight.
"So you're not the business pony you told us you were." Flim cocks his weapon. "You invite yourself and this dragon into our home, and this is what you do."
"Drop the act, who are you two?" Flam asks and does the same as his brother.
"I am Twilight Sparkle, a representative from the Canterlot legal system. And to my right is Spike, he's my personal assistant." Twilight straightened out. "I possess a warrant in my pocket, issued by Unicorn Prince Blueblood for the arrest and capture, dead or alive, of."
Twilight then turns around to point at all the recently deceased dogs.
"Rover, Fido, and Spot." Twilight finished.
"Ryu told me they were being called Bowie." Spike told Twilight.
"You may of known them as the Bowie bros., but the poachers are actually named the Diamond Dogs. They were wanted for poaching from behind trees, and also kidnapping of little fillies. I'll say it again, the warrant states, dead or alive, so when my assistant and I executed these dogs, we were doing so under legal boundaries. And if you were to take deadly force on us legal representatives, the penalty is, you'll be killed until you are dead ." Twilight speeches.
Anypony with their rifle up, lowers it, and then start looking and questioning each other.
"Now, if you what to examine the warrant, you are more than welcome to." Twilight says.
Twilight gives the brothers the paper work. The two scan it on both sides to see if it's the truth. The two then are left with a semi-open jaw and a frown. Flim hands the warrant back to Twilight.
"Get the fuck out of our fields." Flim commands.
Twilight puts the warrant back in her pocket.
"Let's wrap up the bodies, and then get the hell out of here." Twilight says to Spike.
Twilight picks up her rifle and then skips over to get the bodies of the Diamond Dogs, Spike follows.
Author's Note
I am so sorry for this Chapter. But you were already warned by the gore tag.
I see that I seem to be mentioning cider, a lot. Actually, more than a lot. It's like the background message of the story.
If you are wondering about the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 being in the Flim Flam Fields, it's that they have it parked near the center, where apples will be deposited into it and then converted into cider. It doesn't collect apples, because the slaves wouldn't have a purpose.
