Firebird sat amongst his fellow gang members - the Heat. He looked like a king to them and they did anything he told them to do. Spike only thought how much power he had in the prison, which meant ill tidings to him and Chems both. Spike rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't seeing this. He nudged Chems with his elbow and began to approach.
"Wait man, I don't know if this is a good idea..."
"You got a better one? I'm all ears."
"Well maybe we can barter with him? Give him something for Dragonkiller's package?"
"And risk getting cut? I don't know." Spike took a deep breath, "Let's see how this plays out first. I'll do the talking."
As Spike and Chems approached the large group of gangbangers, they were immediately stopped and grabbed by four large stallions. They were brought in front of Firebird, sitting at one of the tables in the courtyard. He looked at Spike the way someone would look at an exotic animal. He looked at Chems the way a drug lord would look at a dime bag dealer, which in Spike's own mind, seemed to be the case.
"I know you, Chems. You've been slinging dope and making meth in my territory. What's the big idea?"
Chems didn't say anything.
"And this dragon? I've never seen one up close before... You look more like a gecko to me than a pony eater," he laughed and his whole gang laughed as well.
"Nice shadows," Spike remarked, "do they have minds of their own or just do as their told?"
Spike felt a sharp pain in his arm as one of the stallions began twisting it the opposite way. Unluckily for Spike, he wasn't double jointed, so the pain brought him to his knees in seconds. A lone stream of sweat poured from his scaled forehead as he gnarled his teeth.
"Get the message?" Firebird asked, sarcastically.
"...Yeah," Spike wheezed out, gasping for air.
"And what's the deal with searching through my stuff, eh? I have eyes and ears all over this joint."
Chems skin turned white when he heard that. Firebird took notice an giggled at the sight. Then he said, "Looks like this guy's seen a ghost!"
Firebird stood up and began to walk over to the pair, still shackled down. He walked in a strange way, like he had a limp. Spike looked at Firebird coming towards him and the only thought was of him socking the pegasus in the eye. For a pony with a lot of power, he was an average looking one. Regular build and everything, Twilight could take him on and maybe even win in a hoof fight.
"We are looking for a package somepony told us you stole," Spike said when Firebird reached them face to face.
"Stole is a word I wouldn't use, more like... Repossess? Yes, I repo-ed that box from my old cook, Dragonkiller. That little snake deserved it and I have much more in store for that rat once I get back to Marelem. I'll cut that snakes head off and -"
"I don't think it has to go that way if you just hear us out, Firebird!" Spike said, interrupting Firebird's speech.
"Oh? I don't suppose you even realize what's in this package, do you?" Firebird said, smirking. He signaled one of his homies to retrieve the box they were sent to find and handed it to him.
"No, in all honesty. But Dragonkiller said he knew a way out of this place and if I can get that, he will help us out. Then we have to find a way to get our papers out of the record room so we can disappear," Spike explained.
Firebird held onto the box as he began to trot around the pair, still being held by four stallions.
"Well if it's records you want, I'm your guy. First, however, I want something," he pointed at the both of them, "from you two clowns."
"Oh great, let me guess, you want us to clap Dragonkiller?" Spike guessed.
"Dragonkiller? I don't want him dead, no no no, too gruesome. That would give way to enemies I don't want. But there is a way you can take him out of the picture and get out of here. There is a catch... It will be free, money wise to get you two out, but if I scratch your back, then you'll scratch mine."
"What do you want?" Spike asked, still hurting from his arm.
"I want... You," he said, pointing at Chems.
"... Me? What can I do?" Chems almost wet himself as Firebird approached him.
"I know you and Dragonkiller have a history together. He knows you and you know him. Whether is was past cook buddies, lovers, second cousins twice removed, all three or whatever. Do this one thing for me, Chems, and I'll make sure you are cooking the greatest meth you will ever cook."
"Okay... How do you suppose I do that?"
"Let them go," he shifted to the gang. Once they where free, they began walking and trotting around the yard.
"You see that building over there?" Firebird motioned to the short but long structure on the north side of the prison, "That's the record room. Once you do as you're told, that building will go boom and then you guys can escape out of Dragonkiller's exit."
"How do you know Dragonkiller will help us if we don't give him his package?" Spike asked.
"You are gonna give him the package."
"You're gonna give us it?"
"Sort of," Firebird shaked his hoof, "I'll give you a decoy, almost identically accurate. You give Dragonkiller the decoy, he goes on parol, and we don't hear from him ever again if all goes to plan. I, on the other hand, will be in touch with you two for quite some time. Tell me, how does moving into Marelem for a few weeks sound?"
Spike thought for a second. He definitely could tell Twilight that he had some royal business in Canterlot for a month or two, like the few times he had done before when he went to Stalliongrad to try and become a millionaire because of a bet he had with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Only this time, his pals wouldn't cover for him, which meant loose ends that couldn't be tied up. Then again, he could always lie to them as well...
"Alright... But I still have to throw a bachelor party for -"
"Prince Shining Armor, our humble protector," Firebird smiled and bowed sarcastically. "I know all about your little plan to host that little party for our 'Lordship'. I can help you with that too, but that will cost extra if you are willing to pay the price..."
Spike rubbed his chin, "Continue."
"Outside, I have a big empire. With this little package, I will be at the top of the list. Now, I hope you know that our friend a Chems here used to be the Celestia of all meth cooks that I have ever had the pleasure and displeasure to know. I don't know what happened to him, but somepony told me that he was cooking for Dragonkiller a few times and that didn't fly by me in any good way; so naturally, I demoted him. I don't suppose he mentioned any of this to you before hand..." Firebird smiled.
Spike turned towards Chems who was expressionless, "No, he failed to tell me between getting caught in his meth lab and being thrown in the slammer."
"Well it's all true. After Chems was put in that old shack dealing and cooking to homeless fools, I thought I had seen the last of him for good... But it looks like fate has sent you back into my arms," Firebird announced.
"I told you, Firebrid, a million times. I didn't cook for Dragonkiller, he's a punk that got lucky. I was always true to the Heat," Chems explained, but Firebird was only half listening.
"So, dragon... Can you cook?"
"Twilight says I make the best healing potions in all of Equestria... And some parts of the Gryphon Kingdom."
"Do we have a deal then? Trade Dragonkiller for me and we can do good business."
"The party will be taken care of and we get out of here?"
"You got it."
"Alright, I'll play your game Firebird, but I got my eye on you," Spike shook his hoof.
Firebird began to laugh again while the Heat crowded around him, "And I will certainly have my eye on you, my friend, a lot of eyes."
Firebird shook his shackled wings, "I wish these things were lighter."