//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6: Fading Hope 
// Story: Oh Spike We Hardly Knew Thee 
// by 5u0myn0n4 
//------------------------------//

Originally published on September 24th, 2017





Last time we saw Spike back in chapter 4, he was being dragged by sinister dragon tamer Henry to an unknown part of the facility.





"Let me go! When I get loose, I'm going to claw you to shreds!" Spike said.

Henry said not a word, as to not entertain Spike. He just kept dragging Spike deeper into the cold, dark, metal facility. Finally they had arrived at their destination. Henry flung Spike into a small cell, and slammed the door, trapping Spike inside.

"Let me out!" he pleaded.
"You won't have to wait long." Henry said.
"Wait long for wha-" the floor from underneath Spike's feet opened up, and he fell into a large circular arena looking area.
"What's going on here?" Spike asked.

Spike was in the middle of a circular arena.
A gate on the other side opened, and something emerged.

"Garble?" Spike asked.
"That's right pipsqueak. It's me." he said.

Indeed it was Garble. That jerk red dragon who teased Spike in the previous episodes 'Dragon Quest', and 'Gauntlet of Fire'.
Garble walked slowly from his entrance, he had a muzzle on his face, probably to stop fire breathing, and his wings are bound down. Otherwise his limbs were unbound.

"Heh, this is what I'm up against? This little pipsqueak? This'll be a piece of cake." Garble said.
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Spike asked.
"Put 'em up!" Garble said.
"Put up wha-" Garble punched Spike and knocked him over.
"Don't you get it? This is a fight! So fight!" Garble said.
"Wait, I don't want to fight!" Spike pleaded.
"But I do!" Garble said.
"Aaahh!" Spike screamed.

Garble continued to pummel Spike right there, while Henry and his henchponies watched from the side, safely outside the arena.

"I think you've totally lost it Henry." said a henchpony.
"Yeah, you've trained many fierce dragons, and now you're training this runt?" asked the other henchpony.
"Hmm hmm hmm. You underestimate his capabilities Sawtooth." Henry said.
"What do you mean boss?" asked the first henchpony.
"It's simple Jeff, it's called hidden potential. Never underestimate based on appearance. He make look useless, and believe me he is at the moment. But this dragon has an incredible amount of power deep within. It's only a matter of accessing it." Henry said.
And just like that, Henry's two henchponies names have been introduced as Jeff and Sawtooth.
"Whatever you say so boss." Jeff said.
"You should just cut him open right now. We'll get more use outta him." Sawtooth said.
"But that'd be such a waste now wouldn't it?" Henry said.

Spike continued to get pummeled, until a bell rang.

"Victory!" Garble exclaimed.
"The winner is Garble!" yelled a loudspeaker.

Gems showered down on Garble as a reward. Spike got zilch. Spike was an unrecognizable pile on the ground. He was alive, but he had been injured quite a bit.

"I suppose I better clean up the mess. You two put Garble back in captivity." Henry requested.
"Dang Henry, you used to tame some of the strongest of dragons, often dozens at a time, and apprehend them. I don't see what you see in this little dunce." said Sawtooth.
"You will see. You will all see." Henry said.
"You think you ought ease up? I mean, you don't want to kill the dragon before we get any use from him do you?" Jeff asked.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Every step necessary, and believe me, the payoff will be huge." Henry said.

Henry got up to retrieve Spike. Jeff and Sawtooth put Garble back in captivity using their advance tools. Dragons may be strong, but they were no match for their futuristic tools. One of which was a muzzle preventing them from breathing fire, not so high tech. More futuristic tools included the shock collars. Made controlling dragons possible.





Henry retrieved Spike and dragged him using a rope tied to him.

"That was the most pathetic display I've ever seen. You should be ashamed to call yourself a dragon." Henry said with most displeasure. He flung Spike into his room.
"I don't care what I may look like on the outside, or what you may think I am, but I know one thing for sure. I am Spike, and I would never fight another dragon for the amusement of others!" Spike said.
"You speak with such nobility, and just, we'll have to fix that over time." Henry said.
"And for the last time, I am not your pet! I am not your slave! You don't own me at all! You have no authority over me and I refuse to take orders from you!" Spike exclaimed.
"Well I think you ought to rethink your stance, you're not leaving anytime soon." Henry said.
"Twilight is probably looking for me now, and when she find this place, she's going to blow you to literal pieces!" Spike said.
Henry chuckled. "You think that that princess pony Twilight is looking for you. How sad. She's a pony, and you're a dragon, why would any pony care about a dragon?" Henry said.
"You're wrong! Twilight's my friend, and she'd do anything for me!" Spike said.

"Impossible. Dragons are feared and hated by ponies of Equestria. You're no different. You may be small, and live among ponies, but you'll never be one of them. Ponies will always look twice when they see you, try not to sit near you on the train, and you're more likely to be pulled by authorities while over driving a carriage. You think you have friends, but no matter what, Equestria will look down upon you for what you are. That's why you should side with me, I'm on your side. Do what I say, I can show you how to take revenge on those ponies. You're better than them, so why should they oppress you? Together we can destroy pony kind and rule Equestria for ourselves." Henry's long speech concluded.

Spike was about to cry, he tried not to succumb to Henry's words. Could he be right? Was it true ponies of Ponyville were biased against Spike just because he was a dragon?
"No, no, you're wrong! You're wrong about everything, and I'll never join you for as long as I live!" Spike said, standing tall in resentment.
"For as long as you live? So be it. Either join me, or die resisting." Henry said.
"Never." Spike said.
"Well then, I'll just let you think for a while, when I come back, you better have changed your mind." Henry said, and he exited the room slamming the door.

Spike held back his feelings, but after Henry had left, he immediately collapsed to his knees, put his hands to his face and started to cry. He eventually gripped his tail, curled up and continued to cry. This was the worst situation imaginable. Spike wished this were just a bad dream, and that when he closed his eyes, he would appear in Twilight's hooves, but no, this was all too real.

"Twilight... *sniff* I'm scared." Spike said stuffed up.  "Where ever you are, I hope you find me soon."





Spike laid down for what felt like an eternity ,until something knocked on the door.

*knock knock*

"Whoever's behind that door just go away!" Spike screamed.

The door opened anyway. On the other side was a cloaked figure that walked in with two legs.

"Go away! I mean it!" Spike yelled.

The figure walked up to Spike, and knelt down, and put its arm on Spike.
"Don't cry, it's okay. You poor poor little thing, not only physically harmed, but mentally too I can tell." it said, in a soft comforting voice.
Spike was still mad, he couldn't think strait, but the voice oddly soothed him.
"Wh-wh-wh-who... are you?" Spike said under his own breath. Spike looked up and saw what this mystery creature looked like, sort of. They wore a black cloak that covered their entire body, face concealed by a hood. The mystery creature spoke. 

"I'm a friend, I mean no harm, I just want to help." it said. Spike sat up, and tried to wipe some tears away.
"Reveal yourself." Spike requested.
"I really shouldn't." it said.
"I said reveal yourself!" Spike demanded.
"Okay okay, just keep quiet." it said.
They rolled back their hood revealing themselves to be none other than Princess Ember!

"Spike... it's me." Ember said.
"...Ember?" Spike couldn't believe his eyes.
"Yes Spike, it's really me, Ember. I'm here to help." she said.
"When did you get all sympathetic? You're a dragon, you're rough, and not sympathetic at all." Spike asked.
"Normally that's true, but these are dire times, and us dragons have to stick together." Ember said.

"Okay... then can you please get me out of here?" Spike asked.
"I... can't." Ember said.
"Okay then... anything you can do?" Spike was getting impatient.
"Not... really... yet." Ember said.

"Okay so if you can't help me, then, not to sound rude, but why are you here?" Spike asked.
"To... to check up on you." Ember answered.
"No I mean, why are you here? Why are you wandering around in a cloak and not chained up like the other dragons? Why are other dragons here?" asked Spike.
"I can not say too much, but basically Henry's captured many dragons from Equestria, and locked them all up here." Ember said.
"Where is here?" Spike asked.
"I can't tell you yet." Ember said.
"So why aren't you in captivity like the rest of the dragons?" Spike asked.
"I'll tell you later, it's too long a story to tell right now." Ember said.
"Well that's just dandy." Spike said.

"How are you feeling Spike?" Ember asked.
"How am I doing? Let's see, the diagnosis reads; Spike is in a lot of physical and mental pain! That's how I am!" Spike said.
"I'm so sorry to hear." Ember said.
"You're sorry? That's great! Apology accepted! Now how about instead of talking, how about doing?" Spike was a bit more pushy than he normally would be.
"I told you I can't!" Ember said.
"Why not?!" Spike asked.
"Because... Henry he... he..." Ember said.

"That's the other thing I've been wondering, who exactly is this Henry. Why did he kidnap me? How did he find me? And what's he trying to do with me?" Spike asked.
"I'm not able to tell you anything about who Henry is, nor can I disclose his plans. To be honest I'm still figuring out those details." Ember said.
"Some help you're turning out to me." Spike said rudely.
"Look, I'm trying as hard as I can to help!" Ember said.
"Doesn't seem like it." Spike replied with sass.
"The thing is, I could get in serious trouble for telling you anything. I've said too much as it is, I really shouldn't even be here." Ember tried very hard not to raise her voice, as to not give away her location.

"So why'd you even drop by in the first place?" Spike asked.
"Because I want to help." Ember said.
"Then help, by doing something." Spike said.
"I can't..." Ember said.
"Here we go again." Spike rolled his eyes.
"...yet. I want to help you escape, along with the rest of the dragons. I'm working on a plan. So just hang in there while I come up with something." Ember said.
"So is that it? Today has been awful. And you're just going to let me suffer through many more hoping you actually develop a plan?!" Spike asked in tears.
"I know you're in a lot of distress Spike, and even that's an understatement. But the longer I stay, the bigger chance of me getting caught, and getting in a lot of trouble." Ember said.
"We're up against a threat like no other. Henry's technology is years ahead of anything that exists Equestria, and he is very dangerous." Ember said.

"Well isn't that just great..." Spike said in a slump.
"Don't worry, I'll visit frequently to help keep your moral up." Ember said.
"Thank Celestia for that. As harsh as I've been, I'm kind of glad you're here. Not glad that we're both prisoners, but glad I have you to talk to. If you weren't here, and without a single friend here, I think I would just... not continue on." Spike said.
"Spike, don't say that. You've got to keep going. For me, for your friends. For Twilight. I promise, there's light at the end of this... very dark tunnel." Ember said.
"Yeah right, Twilight probably doesn't even notice I'm gone." Spike said.
"Listen Spike, don't believe a word Henry has to say. He is lying to you, and manipulating you. He's telling lies so you do as he says. Don't let him win." Ember said.
"I'll try." Spike said.

"Anyway, good night Spike." Ember said hesitantly walking away. She didn't want to leave Spike, but there was little else she could do.
"Any last words you want to say?" Spike asked.
"Just remember who you are Spike, you're a wonderful creature who puts the needs of his friends before his own. You are wonderful, and do not ever forget out doubt that, no matter what Henry says. Adieu Spike." Ember said.
"...Adieu... Ember." Spike said.

Ember walked out of the room and quietly closed the door. There was a glimmer of hope, but not much, but it was better than nothing, I suppose. Spike curled up and cried himself to sleep.





Well then, there you have it. What happens next? Does Ember come up with a decent plan for rescuing Spike and thwarting Henry's evil plan? Whatever his plan is. Does Spike ever reunite with his pony friends? Didn't Starlight say she was going to try to write a letter to Spike and send it via dragon mail? How does that pan out? Keep reading and find out. See you in chapter 7. And if don't like this fic because it's too mean to Spike, well... though luck. The fic is what it is. If you don't like it, here's a secret, you don't have to read it. Although keep reading if you want to know what happens next.