It had been a few days since Spike had come back to town. He had managed to quell a few incidents and Bloody's men had quieted down considerably. The denizens of Ponyville had lost all fear of Spike, most still remembered when he was little. Slowly they were also losing fear in Bloody. All of the good the town has been doing mixed with the wonderful sunshine made it such a good day.
Spike was escorting Rarity into town for food and supplies. They were laughing and joking, having just a good time, when they heard fighting.
He put a claw on Rarity's shoulder. "Stay close but away from the fight." With that said, Spike sprinted away on all fours. Four of Bloody's thugs had backed a young pegasus mare into a wall. The light blue coated mare was an old friend, and Spike's rage built at the sight. "Get away from her!" He slammed into the first with his shoulder. His tail lashed out and wrapped around the second's neck, before flinging him at the third. Seeing her chance, as the last was distracted by the sudden sight of the drakos, she tackled him to the ground before slamming her hooves into his head.
With the thugs running while dragging away their companion, Spike turned to Rainbow Dash before finding a hoof slammed into his jaw. "Ow. What was that for?" He rubbed his jaw as he glared at the now crying mare.
She jammed her hoof in his face, letting all her rage out on her old friend. "What was that for! Let me guess. Was it the three years of worry? How about abandoning your friends? Oh, oh, I think I know, is it because you didn't even write to us? You left, no goodbye, no letter saying 'hey guys I'm alive', no nothin. Now get away from me before I get mad." She turned around so fast, her tail slapped him across the face.
Grinning like a mad man, Spike pounced on her. He tickled her until she wad roaring with laughter, than he tickled harder. She finally managed to push him off and stand back up. "I missed you too Dash."
"Well I have never seen such a more undignified display in public. Shame on you two."
The two turned around to find Rarity looking on with disapproval. Rainbow Dash nudged Spike. "I'm sure our scaly friend wouldn't mind being undignified with you as well. What do ya say big guy, on three?"
Rarity just rolled her eyes. "Do it and you will make me angry. Our precious little Spike would not like that, would he?" She glared playfully at Spike as she hugged Rainbow Dash. "I am just glad that we do not have to bandage you up today dear. Maybe we can even enjoy a quick lunch together."
She shook her head. "Nah, too much to do. Plus I'm still mad at scaly over here." She turned to Spike, a glare in her eyes. "You're not off the hook yet fire boy. But I did miss you and still wanna be friends." With that said, she took off.
Spike smiled as Rainbow Dash vanished from view. "Same old Dash. I missed you guys so much."
Rarity placed a hoof on his side, sorrow in her eyes. "Than why did you leave us?"
A small bit of anger, and large amount depression, entered his eyes. "Nothing you can say or do will get me to tell. You're better not knowing." Spike walked slowly away from her. The sky still shone, all of the other ponies were still happier, but for Rarity, the world seemed a little grey.
Bloody sat at the end of his large dining table. The table was covered with bowls and plates filled with food of all kinds, most untouched. He sat there nibbling on a carrot when the two griffin bodyguards came in.
One of them was big and burly with a mean look about him. The other was more interesting. His feathers had a red tint to them instead of his brothers brown. He was smaller but his muscles were harder. Unlike his larger but younger brother, who had quite a lot of small scares, he had no blemish on his body save one scar that ran from his shoulder to his hip.
The bigger one, Zeem, saluted. "Sir. We have your report from about."
Skrilla, the older and smaller one, slapped his brother's hand down. "He's a client, not a superior officer. Be respectful but remembered to treat him like an equal. Clientele that feel superior tend to mistreat and back stab." He raised a folder in his hand. "We've got your reports. I've taken the liberty to highlight the sections where my men were used and figured out an appropriate sum for our services."
Bloody motioned for one of the servant ponies at the table. "Dispose of the rest. Do not let those begging scum get a hold of it. I would not like to get rid of another servant for inviting more trash near my new home." As the servant fearfully cleared away the table, Bloody turned to the two griffins. "Leave the reports on my desk. As for your pay, that is for me to decide."
Skrilla growled. "Yes, and it's my decision on wether or not to pull my men out and let you rot. All you have are a bunch of thugs who couldn't even kill a puppy. I provide the soldiers that allow you to be in charge."
Bloody snarled. "You mercenaries are all the same, pay me, pay me. If you do not do a satisfactory job, no pay. I decide what is satisfactory."
"And I decide wether or not to kill you. We can work together, or make new enemies. We don't need this job, we have customers in the drakos nobility. This job is just safer for my new recruits."
"Fine, but do not think for a moment that this is over."
"Before you leave, what about the drakos here in town. He means business and I don't think we have the ponies or the equipment to take him on. Plus the ponies in town trust him and soon I think they will riot. I believe-"
Bloody slammed his hooves down on the table, scarring the servants. "I am not worried about one simple dragon wanna be! As for the ponies, well." He wore an evil smile. "I think it ir about time they knew just what I will do to disobedience, crush it."
"But sir, I can tell he is a soldier and the Traitorous King is the only pony loving drakos warrior. If that is him, we need a lot more than we have just to scratch him. Maybe a more docile approach to the town would be appropriate?"
"My dear Skrilla, I did not know you believed such fairytales. Sure he is real, but not to the extent they make him out to be." He waved of the mercenaries worries.
"But-"
"No buts, you work for me. Like you said, you can leave if you are scared. If he bothers you so much, kill him tomorrow at noon. I will be dealing with the ponies then and have no need of you."
Stomping away angrily, Bloody left the room. The griffin brothers stared at each other with different looks.
Zeem grinned mischievously. "He told you, huh."
Skrilla on the other hand looked sad, as if he was just given his death warrant. "After tomorrow, we leave Ponyville, with all of our men. Send out the message, we no longer work for this idiot of a pony."
Zeem was shocked. "We going to work with the drakos? You said that you were never going back to those guys."
Skrilla shook his head sadly. "I'll ask Celestia if maybe she'll take us. If not, than we tell the boys to start pinching bits."
"You would put all of our men out of work because of one drakos scaring you, or is it that Bloody hurt your pride?"
Skrilla shook his head as he started to leave. "One day when you have my experience, you'll understand. It's because this is not our fight and I don't wanna die because of a pony's silly revenge or lack of caution."
After he left the room, his brother snorted. "Easy money, simple work, I don't see the problem. Just because the war scared him doesn't me it scares me." He walked out, with plans of a change in leadership of the Poison Wings mercenaries.
Spike looked lovingly at the rose he held. Memories filled his mind from before his departure from Ponyville. He usually thought of his home at night, nights like this where the stars shone bright and the wind blew softly. The only difference was on this night he sat under, he was happy because he was home. The longing was gone. He still missed his missing friends, and wished for his home to return to its original state, but when Macintosh got there, it would be.
"If I did not know better, I would think you would kiss that flower. Only it would hurt your tough guy exterior, and you would not like that."
Brought out of his thoughts, Spike turned to the beautiful voice. "Why dear Rarity, haven't seen you since we got home. For a second there I thought the water turned back on and you decided that a long bath was necessary."
She sat next to the young drakos. "I wish it had. I dearly need a bath, not to mention you and my father who have the stench of sweat following you. It was amusing for awhile but my nose can only take so much torture."
"Aww, you don't like my smell?" He raised his arm and sniffed himself, cringing. "Actually you may be right. I guess I'll take a dip in the river tomorrow."
She waved a hoof in front of her nose. "Please do, that was horrendous."
They laughed for a while, just happy to be back with old friends. When they settled down, Spike turned to the mare. "How's your dad?"
She sighed heavily. "He is getting better everyday, but now he speaks such nonsense."
"Like?"
"Well, he said that good guys that do bad things for good reasons, and hate themselves tend to laugh and smile. Also that they make good fathers."
Spike seemed to choke on the air in his lungs. "What!?"
Rarity did not notice his reaction as she continued. "Yes, weird that he would say such things. He also said, and I quote. 'Nopony is good enough for my baby. Do not marry anypony, but I would love to walk you down the isle of your wedding.' You have any clue what he means, it just does not make any sense."
He looked over at her beauty as she wrinkled her nose and rubbed her chin. He found the scene both amusing and cute. He was falling for her harder than ever. That was when he started to feel worst. "Why not?"
She looked over at his grinning face. Puzzlement all over hers. "How can I marry anypony if I can not marry anypony?"
He laughed but his heart sank even further at her unknowing stab. "He doesn't have to agree with it, just that he wants to be there."
She shook her head. "He did not sound like that was what he ment. He sounded more like I would never marry anypony, than he would not let me marry anypony."
Spike hung his head. "Maybe he's just loopy from pain."
"Maybe." She stared at her companion, a wishful look in her eyes. "There is a chill in the air. Are you not cold?"
He reached his arm around her and pulled her close. She realized that he was burning hot, and that his warmth was now keeping her quite warm. "Most reptiles with fire of some sort tend to have a heater of sorts on the inside."
She smiled as she leaned into his was scales. "So other drakos and dragons do not mind the winter than."
Anger crossed his face, surprising her. "Nah, just me and dragons. The drakos are land dragons, if you will. I'm special though. My fire is actually magical, not natural like a dragon's. That's why it's green."
Rarity felt herself getting drowsy and shook her head in an attempt to keep awake. "So you are like the drakos version of Twilight? Have you ever tried to learn to do more than burn things and send letters?"
Spike tensed as he thought of it. "Yeah, but sending letters is what we need to leave as all I do with it. Nothing comes out pretty."
She was having more and more trouble keeping her eyes open. "Nonsense, my little Spiky Wikey is smart enough to find some other uses."
Spike looked down at her and realized that she had fallen asleep next to him. He smiled sadly. "Thanks wittle Wawity, but some tools are just for breaking. It's a miracle I even found a good use for it at all." With that he picked her up and brought her inside, but not before yelling out softly. "Night Rainbow Dash." A light blue streak zoomed away from the tree and off into the clouds.