Equestrian Adventure 2!

by DerpyHooves320

3: Trouble

The two played catch up while snacking on a few sandwiches of varying flavors and ingredients. Spike went over how he started a small horde, just so he could grow big enough to protect himself and anyone he had yet to come across, which in itself explained why he was so tall and buff now. Too buff... But Spike didn't hold back the details on anything involving the villains, sharing all that they've done and what they will more than likely do.

"So, let me get this straight," Zach said, before swallowing the rest of his sandwich, "they are forcing a crystal necklace on everyone they capture, that turns them into crystal slaves?" Zach asked in disbelief, before munching on yet another sandwich and got a quick nod from Spike. "And these necklaces allow them to look normal until they run into any pony that is not a slave themselves?" He continued after his first bite, before taking another one like a hog and getting another nod from Spike.

"What makes it hard to find out if they're friend or foe is the fact that each necklace is unique to the individual they put it on, making it blend with their natural color and neck size, alongside magical abilities and unique characteristics," Spike said, finishing off the conversation about the unfortunate fate of the citizens of Equestria. "But, if we get the necklace off of them, they are free. Simple as that," he finished with a sad smile.

"Alright, but how hard is it to get them off? I'm sure it's pretty hard if whatever you told me is accurate," Zach asked, before finishing his sandwich and grabbing the other one he hoarded away from Spike. With a loud knock coming from the door, Spike stood up, flames licking the sides of his mouth instantly.

"Obviously it's hard," the dragon responded, before preparing for whatever was to come.

"Spiiiiiike~! come out to plaaaaay~!" Three young sounding voices said from the door, causing Zach's eyes to widen.

"Don't tell me those are who I think they are," Zach said in dread, not wanting an answer to that half question half request, because the thought of those three fillies being forced into fighting brought even more dread to his mind. Never being one for violence being forced onto kids himself, since it wasn't good for children to be exposed to that at younger ages. With the sound of the door breaking down, Spike turned and grabbed Zach around the waist before jumping straight through the window. The sandwich in Zach's hand was unfortunately lost at that moment.

"You can't run forever Spiiiiike," Sweetie Belle called out, her voice echoing in a creepy way, like she was in a cave.

"We'll get ya eventually," Applebloom also called out, before all three of them smashed through the wall where the window was with terrifying ease.

"Your little friend isn't getting away either," Scootaloo finished, as the three of them started sprinting at high speeds towards their fleeing prey.

"Why would they force the crusaders to do this? Or any child for that matter? That's just too evil, even for Frank!" Zach yelled, pulling his leg in closer to avoid it being grabbed, causing the three to slow down from missing his foot. "We have to help them at least," he declared, looking up to Spike.

"What do you think I've been trying to do?" Spike asked him the obvious, hoping he would catch on. Before getting an answer, he used his free hand to pull down a barrel they were passing by which tripped Scootaloo, but the others were still hot on them. Not wanting to see the crusaders like this, Zach wiggled out and fell to the ground. "What are you doing?!" Spike called back, before he watched the crusaders slow down and look at the human. The stupid smile on his face explained it all.

"You shouldn't have done that" they said in unison, sending a chill down Zach's spine.

"Yes, I should've," he said while getting up, his smile struggling to stay a calm smile as he started on his plan, before picking up a rock and bringing it into a wide swing, smacking all three in the face while leaving a noticeable crack on all of them. They all threw him a glare of anger, before making a hissing sound. "Alright, maybe this was a bad idea" he said, giving off a nervous chuckle and letting the smile fall somewhat, before receiving a combined punch from all three, which sent him flying right back to Spike and flopping straight onto the ground.

"Having fun there?" Spike asked as he walked up to him, before picking him up and earning a groan from him.

"Shut up, I should get an 'A' for effort," Zach grumbled, before grabbing a rock they were passing by. With a grunt, he threw the stone as hard as he could, just barely hitting Sweetie Belle in the face and causing her to fall. It didn't last long, as she was back on her feet rather quickly and brought a hand up to feel the big crack that was now showing the void in the center of her. With an angry shout from her, she was back at full speed. Since he was too busy watching Sweetie Belle coming straight back at full speed with a scary cracked face, he failed to notice Scootaloo and Applebloom grabbing at his feet, before turning his body into the rope for a game of tug of war when Spike turned to help him.

"Let him go!" Spike yelled, pulling at his arms, earning a loud pop from Zach's arms.

"It's too late for him now," the two of them said, as they dug their nails into his legs while pulling, earning a few more pops from his legs.

"N-not cool," Zach wheezed out, doing his best to not be torn in two. Which was very hard. Who would have thought?

"Oh spiiiiike~" Sweetie Belle called, as she came flying in with a fist balled up and aimed at his face. This caused Spike to let go as he was sent backwards, sending Zach straight into his captors as they started dragging him away from the two who were now fighting. Spike threw a punch, but Sweetie dodged, throwing a punch of her own that connected. Now quite clearly angry, he began breathing out a long stream of fire, causing her to scream in pain and agony. Disturbing! It didn't last for much longer, as she jumped out of the flames, revealing that some of the crystals that formed her face melted over her mouth and silencing her. Spike hesitated when he heard some slight whimpering from her.

"I'm sorry," Spike apologized, before throwing a wide punch, connecting with her face, shattering her into tiny pieces. With her upper half shattered like a window, her bottom half wobbled about for a few seconds for comedic effects, before falling to the ground with a satisfying 'plop'.

"Spiiiiike!" Zach's now very quiet voice echoed from down the street, causing him to turn in that directing, watching Zach get carted away by the other two as he did his best to smack at them, causing them to divert from their path slightly. But only slightly.

"Hold still," Scootaloo hissed, before throwing a punch into his side, causing him to groan and fall silent. While Spike was watching, Sweetie had silently reformed behind him - but her face was still somewhat distorted - before she promptly jumped onto his back, pulling out a crystal chain that she then put around his neck.

"Time to be a good dragon," she said with a wicked smile that looked horrifying while slightly melted, all the while pulling on it harder and harder. Now struggling to get her off and to breath in general, Spike found himself in a rather tight spot. With a quick thought, a plan was formed and thrown into action, but it would prove to be tough with the kind of hold Sweetie was giving him. Doing a high jump forward, he started rotating mid air which forced Sweetie underneath him and slamming her into the ground, shattering all of her instantly. Getting up, he felt a few crystals sticking into his scales in the back, but ignored them as he started sprinting down the street, intent on getting Zach back.

"Deal with the wimp, I've got this," Scootaloo said to Applebloom, before releasing her grasp and running at Spike. Applebloom hoisted him over her shoulder with ease, before she turned on the dime and ran away. With Applebloom running as fast as she was before, Spike watched her disappear around a corner and probably away from him forever. With a frustrated roar, he threw his fist forward and connected with his oncoming attacker, sending her into crystal bits. Feeling a sudden pulling from his neck again, he looked up to see Sweetie Belle on his back again, leaving him baffled as to how she got there so quick. Bringing his claws to his neck, he tried ripping the chain off, but found it to be rather hard. It had been enchanted while she was down, blast!

"Resistance is futile," Scootaloo said, reforming in front of the now kneeling dragon, "you've given us quite the trouble," she giggled, before throwing a punch of her own at his face. It didn't connect, as Spike caught it in his mouth, before biting down and ripping it off. With the screaming coming from her now, he found his ears under the strain from the loud sound. Was he really that weak right now? Sound was causing problems? Slowly, his vision faded to black as he passed out.