Cat and Mouse

by Zephyr Spark

Chapter 2 Threats

Two and a half days ago, Spike left Ponyville. Now, he entered a hole leading directly into the dormant volcano. He made his way across stone bridges suspended over pools of magma. The heat rising from the floor barely registered against his flame resistant scales. Soon, he entered a cavern. Ember told him this volcano existed for centuries and held sacred to dragonkind, who loved swimming in its magma. To any other creature it was torrid, but to Spike it was simply a hot tub with memories.

He remembered running through this volcano when he fought to become Dragon Lord not long ago. Back then he had support from his friends. They would risk their lives to keep him safe and he them. Today he betrayed their trust to protect them. Thirty minutes of walking, and the tunnels began widening to an open space that branched off into several smaller tunnels. A shallow river of magma surged around the room. Spike’s eyes immediately went to a delicate white figure suspended in a cage over the red bubbling river. Even though he knew she couldn’t have been well after nearly three days of imprisonment, nothing could have prepared him for the sight a ragged Rarity muzzled and bound. She saw him and her eyes revealed a mixture of gratitude and fear. Conflicting emotion raged within him; anger at the fiends who did this, fear for her condition, and relief to find her alive. The cage’s chain connected to a podium with a single lever and a button. Spike assumed this held the key to freeing Rarity.

He took five steps towards her when three figures dropped from the ceiling, their wings catching the air as they descended to the ground. Two purple and brown dragons flanked a tall crimson dragon with orange frills. The purple and brown dragons wore smirks as they growled at the intruder, but the red dragon simply folded his arms. Spike remembered them all too well: Matchstick, Boiler, and Garble. He met this trio during the dragon migration when he went out on a quest of self-discovery. They tried to make him something he wasn’t, to tell him that being a dragon meant being a brute. Ironically, they made him see how to be his own dragon. Now they stood between him and Rarity.

“Glad you could make it, pony-lover,” Garble taunted. “I’m sure you’re wondering how we took your pony friend without any one knowing.” He smirked. Spike decided to stall and find out whatever he could.

“Yes, yes,” Matchstick chanted, “tell him how we got her.” Boiler chuckled along until Garble swiftly turned around and jabbed at the purple dragon’s face sending him flying into the wall. Matchstick rose on shaking legs before taking his place by Garble’s side with a bowed head. Spike’s body trembled as he witnessed Garble’s strength and realized Rarity had been this monster’s prisoner.

“Well, I’m not going to waste time explaining.” Garble continued.

Spike growled. “I came here just like you asked. Now let her go.” Spike’s voice cracked at the worst time, causing the dragons to chortle.

“Did I ever say we’d let her go?” Garble sneered as Matchstick and Boiler joined him cackling. Spike glanced at Rarity, who to her credit, hadn’t shed a single tear or shown any outward display of fright. Beads of sweat rolled down her face but Spike couldn’t tell if this was from the magma or fear. If anything, she looked defiant in the face of danger. Garble stopped jeering, “After all, we have a score to settle.”

“So revenge? That’s it?” He turned back to the dragons, hoping to provoke them and make a mad dash to Rarity before escaping. “Come on. I’m the one you want. Come and get me!”

Boiler pointed at him and snarled, “You’re gonna eat those words, punk!” The brown dragon leapt at him and Spike prepared to jump aside. With a flick from Garble’s tail, Boiler fell face first into the dirt.

“As much as I’d love to pound him into the dust, that’ll have to wait.” Garble pinned Boiler beneath his heel until the dragon nodded. Then Garble removed his foot and let Boiler take his place before turning to Spike.

“What do you want, Garble?” Spike spat out the name.

“You’re going to bring me the Dragon Lord Staff from Princess Ember and then I’ll let her go. You can get close to Ember and take that staff easily.”

“The staff for my friend?” Spike widened his eyes

Garble sneered. “Bring it to me in three days or,” he pulled a lever dropping the cage feet above the bubbling magma, “she takes a dive.” Rarity shook her head at Spike, eyes clearly saying no but her tears betrayed fear.

Spike bit his lip, “If you have the Dragon Lord Staff, you’ll be the new Dragon Lord, right? How do I know you won’t turn on us and attack Ponyville?”

“Oh I will,” he nodded his head. “Gotta teach your friends a lesson for messing with me.”

“Give me your word you won’t harm her or my friends,” Spike said, “or I’ll – “

“You’ll what? Make me sorry? A pipsqueak like you couldn’t scratch me.”

“If you harm her in any way,” Spike narrowed his eyes, “I’ll throw the staff into the magma and make sure you never see it.”

“Alright,” Garble shrugged with amusement, “I swear we won’t hurt her so long as you keep up your end of the bargain.”

Garble smirked, “And don’t even think about running to one of your friends. We’ll be watching.”