//------------------------------// // Bye Bye Baby ( Dragon) // Story: Sweet Remedies // by Ratchetgreen //------------------------------// Sweet Remedies By Ratchetgreen Chapter Four: Bye Bye Baby (Dragon) / A Hoofull of Bits Spike spent his morning dreaming of that dance when he helped Sweetie, when they danced together, and her smile. He would have continued thinking about that day, but he was interrupted by a very loud crash. He turned to find it was only Ditzy Doo delivering mail. To whom, you may ask? Why -to Spike, of course! "Ditzy are you alright?" Spike asked, concerned for the mailmare. "Yep! Just another letter, Spike! It's not like letters hurt me, silly" Ditzy smiled as she flew away. "I meant about the- nevermind, she's gone" Spike ended with a sigh. He opened the letter with a claw. Inside was a piece of worn out parchment. Spike read the letter, it said only this: "IM WATCHING YOU". Along with it, a feather dipped in a black ink that glowed rainbow's in the light. He saw Rarity and Sweetie Belle coming his way. Quickly, he hid the message and waved hello. "Spike, I do hope you have a wonderful time. I’ve been talking to Applejack, and she told me that you work yourself too hard" Rarity said to Spike, making him blush slightly. "Don't worry sis, I'll make it his JOB to have fun" Sweetie said to Rarity, then turning to Spike "And you gotta have fun, I'm your boss" Said Sweetie, a mischievous grin spread across her face. Spike just stood knowing he was defeated, until finally the carriage arrived. As they both boarded, Spike looked at Ponyville one last time before he left. The door closed, and Spike took his seat. This is really happening, he thought to himself. The carriage was large enough to hold several ponies, but most avoided sitting next to him. Spike didn't care, though, as this was the norm. As was sleeping, so he took the opportunity to slumber off till they landed. Several hours into the flight, Spike was woken up by a pink earth pony. "Please tell me I'm dead or in Tartarus" Spike said with frustration in his voice. "Whatever’s best for you, dragon-boy" the pink pony responded. "What are you even doing here? This is supposed to be a private flight" Spike was getting more agitated, his stomach was rumbling. He would never in his entire life imagine HER tagging along with someone like Sweetie Belle. "Diamond Tiara, I'm going to ask you again: Why in the hay are you here?" He swore to never strike a mare, he learned that the hard way his first time in Las Pegasus, so he was not sure what he could do, his stomach still rumbling with some strange feeling. "Lighten up, dragon-boy. I'm her agent, I got her this gig" she said, feeling accomplished with herself catching the dragon off guard. Spike could not believe what he was hearing. Did Sweetie Belle really hire that pain in the flank who tormented her all her life? "She's too busy right now, so you’ll just have to deal with me for the duration of this flight" Diamond tiara said quite frankly, her attitude was more to the point. The two did not speak to each-other until the captain announced that they are nearing Reno Neighvada. "Spike, before we get off, here's a warning: Watch out for a pony in a poncho" Diamond tiara finally spoke after a while of waiting. "Is that it? A pony in a poncho? That doesn't seem like trouble" Spike said as if Diamond was trying to scare him. "He's the horse with no name. Ain't nopony who don't know him, dragon boy" one of the griffin's said "Heard he travels round with the settler pony, lookin for any chance ta make some bits" Spike thought about what Diamond and the griffin had said, and put together that this pony with no name is probably right here in Reno. "Well, I’ve got some fire power myself" Spike said patting his two guns "He shouldn't be a problem for you all" The staff looked at Spike as if he was crazy. Finally, Diamond spoke up. "Rumor says that he can't be killed. He once took a bullet to the chest and survived" "Well, maybe he had a metal plate under his chest" Spike said, trying to apply logic to these rumors. "Besides we're only here for a day, lets just head to the hotel and get to the concert". As the crew headed to the hotel, another pony roamed the town, holding only a hooffull of bits and a sidearm on his flank. *** *** *** That night, the buffalo stampeded while the campfire crackled in the glimmering moonlight. "Tell me stranger, why would you help us? We ain't important pony folk" An old earth pony spoke, breaking the silent tranquility. The strange pony didn't reply. He instead lowered his hat, covering his face. "Well I figure ya ain't the talkin' type, so I'll leave ya be" The old pony finally gave up. The stranger pulled out a harmonica and played a tune that echoed throughout ol' Reno. It was a tune that spoke of heartache and past deeds, sometimes we gotta walk that lonesome trail alone. The old coot looked up, whistling with the pony with no name. *** *** *** Spike could have sworn he heard something, it was music. Must be somepony out on the trail. He listened, and memorized the tune. He lost his train of thought when a knock came at his door. As he opened the door he saw Diamond Tiara with a panicked expression on her face. "Spike! hurry! I saw some shady ponies walk towards Sweetie Belle's suite!" "Come Diamond Tiara, it's probably some adoring fans" Spike said never wanting to trust her and certainly not starting now. "What kind of adoring fans carry rifles and burlap sacks, Dragon-boy?" Diamond said swiftly smacking her hoof against Spike’s face. This time without question, Spike nodded and grabbed Luna45, leaving the ammunition. If Spike was correct, then he wouldn't need them. The two ran up the stairs to Sweetie's palatial quarters, and saw what nopony should ever witness. All the griffon staff were shot twice in the head and plucked of most of their feathers. "They just killed them like they weren't anything but trash!" without time to mourn Diamond Tiara and Spike blurted out “Sweetie Belle!” and rushed towards the room, where they found two pegasai. One of them held a lumpy sack in a cart hitched to his back, the other holding a rifle by his side. "Kids, jus turn round an’ we won' hurt ya's" The riflepony said, pointing at Diamond. "Yea' we knos dat bullets can't hoit a dragon, but you's don want ya marefriend hurt, do ya's? Spike wanted to barf at that notion, but he knew that Sweetie was in peril, and this was no time to have standards. He pointed Luna45 at the bandits. "Diamond, you may want to cover your ears!" and eyes, he mentally added, as he pulled the trigger. A loud BOOM echoed through the room, shattering the windows and stunning the bandits. Spike took the opportunity to knock out the riflepony with his tail, and that left him with just the kidnapper. He grabbed the pony by the throat. "WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU KIDNAPPING SWEETIE BELLE" Spike said with an amplified echo, similar to the royal Canterlot Voice. The pegasus saw he was beat and began to form words is his mouth, but no words were spoke as a bullet shot through his skull, ending Spike’s chance to find out more about this craziness. Spike took out his letter, noticing the feathers on these pegasai were stained just like the one he’d been sent. As far as Spike gathered, someone wanted Sweetie Belle dead or worse, but who would have the motive to do that? As far as he knew, Sweetie had only one enemy, and she was standing right next to him. Authors notes: I'm sorry this one took forever. School can keep you busy, and I needed to make this chapter longer as a result. The title is a song by Marilyn Monroe