The Drake Six

by JNKing

Episode 3: Forgiveness

Author's Note:

I finally did it!

After almost six months of making you guys wait, I finally got the next chapter out. Apologies for the long wait; my passion for this went down the drain, and I lost interest in continuing the story, especially when I started publishing my next book, and that took up most of my time.

But, I finally got some inspiration after re-reading this chapter, and while I can't promise that the next chapters will show up as quickly, I do promise to try and make sure that there isn't another six month gap between these chapters.

Thanks for rolling with me, and I hope you enjoy.

Spike had always noticed the dirty looks diamond dogs gave Blaze (or Phoenix, as she preferred to be called now). But their dislike for the older fire dragon reached a head when Diamondback tried to repair Phoenix’s wings.

“Alright now, darling,” Diamondback said, stepping back as she adjusted a fire-launcher on Phoenix’s back. “If this works the way it should…”

She pressed a button… and Phoenix was launched into the sky, her head getting embedded into the roof.

“Oh, my gosh!” Spike yelled. But as Night Fire and Swift moved to help her, the group heard a round of malicious laughter emanating from the dogs.

Spike gave a hard glare to the dogs as they cackled, pointing up at Phoenix as she, Night and Swift struggled to pull her head out from the ceiling. However, they only silenced themselves when Diamondback gave them a withering look.

“It was a first trial run, alright?” Diamondback demanded. “I’ll get the kinks fixed in due…”

“Oh, no your Grace,” Shiva - who seemed to be the eldest of the diamond dogs - said, bowing to her. “We weren’t laughing at you.”

“We were laughing at her,” added one of Shiva’s sons - Kodo, Spike believed he was called - pointing up at Phoenix as she yanked herself loose, and fell screaming back down to the ground. Kodo tittered a bit at Phoenix’s spill.

“But why?” Spike asked. “You guys weren’t part of her horde in the past, were you?”

Shiva sighed. “Unfortunately, they’re friends with someone who was.”

“Myst,” Kodo agreed.

Phoenix visibly tensed up at the mention of Myst. “Oh, no…”

“Yeah,” Kodo growled. “Don’t think we didn’t find out about what you did to her…”

“That’s enough,” Diamondback said. “Is Myst around?”

“No,” Shiva reported. “She’s been keeping to the mines ever since these guys arrived.”

Spike winced. “Well, she shouldn’t just wallow in anger,” he noted. “Whenever the ponies had
problems, we’d try and talk it out.”

Shiva looked doubtful, while Kodo laughed and stormed off, along with most of the pack.

“Forgive me, Spike,” Diamondback mused. “But I doubt that my dogs are going to be quite as forgiving as your pony friends.”

“We won’t know if we don’t try, right?” Spike asked. “And after all, a dragon looks out for their possessions. If their possessions are sad, then… that’s not really caring for them, yeah?”

Diamondback grimaced, but didn’t protest, as Spike walked over to Phoenix.

“Phoenix,” Spike asked. “You alright?”

Phoenix pulled off her helmet and glared at Spike, indicating a massive knot on her head. Spike winced at the injury.

“So… would this be a bad time to try and help you with your past?”

Phoenix’s gaze turned to confusion. “How would we even do that?”

##

Spike’s hopes began to fade the second they brought Myst out. The diamond dog looked far older than even Shiva, with black fur streaked with gray and white. But the worst part were the scars; long red gashes that showed clear through her fur. A white mask covered the upper part of Myst’s face, and Spike got the impression from the streaks of red underneath that he didn’t want to see what was under them.

He looked to Phoenix, who looked almost sick at the sight of Myst. “Tell me those scars weren’t…”

Phoenix could only stare at Spike in dismay. Spike sighed.

“Of course,” Spike bemoaned.

Just as Spike started to wonder if it was a bad idea to start this, Myst noticed Phoenix.

“What is she doing here?” Myst growled, storming over to Phoenix.

Spike struggled to stand tall, before Diamondback graced him by joining him in keeping Myst away from Phoenix.

“She’s one of my treasures now,” Diamondback said. “She’s not your master anymore, Myst.”

Myst still glared at Phoenix. “You better not expect her to be in the same living space as me or my pack.”

Spike glanced worriedly at Diamondback, before jumping in.

“Wait,” he said. “I saw something in one of my comics.” He winced. “Er, granted, it usually ended badly, but here we could make it work.”

Taking a marker, he drew a straight line on the floor.

“There; you’ll both have your own space,” Spike offered.

Myst chuckled. “Is this kid serious?”

Phoenix sighed. “Look, Myst, I know what I did to you was wrong. But it’s different now.” She removed her helmet and let her scars show. “I’ve changed from the dragon you know.”

Myst glared up at her scars, though Spike hoped he saw a bit of sympathy in Myst’s eyes. “Physically, sure,” Myst noted. “Mentally’s harder to gauge.”

Diamondback grimaced. “She’s right on that, Spike,” she noted. “Words are just wind at the end of the day. It’s action that will really matter.”

Spike hummed, before nodding. “You’re right,” he said. “So… if you guys need anything,” he pointed to Phoenix. “Phoenix is your dragoness.”

Myst and the other diamond dogs cocked eyebrows at Phoenix. “Does the boy really speak for you, ‘Master Blaze?’” Myst sneered.

Phoenix bristled at the use of ‘master,’ but bent her head. “Whatever you guys need,” she promised. “I’m not your master anymore.”

Myst hummed. “Well, in that case…”

##

When Spike found Phoenix next, she was in the tunnels underneath Diamondback’s encampment. Though the tunnels were far too small for a dragon - even one Phoenix’s size - she was forcing her way in, chipping apart rocks and searching for diamonds while several other dogs - looked after by Myst - relaxed and watched her.

“Careful on that next ridge, Blazey,” one of the dogs - Kodo - noted. “Rocks almost caved in on us; wouldn’t want your skull getting crushed before you got the last of those diamonds out.”

Phoenix squirmed in the tight spacing. “That would be tragic, wouldn’t it?” she deadpanned.

Spike winced at the way Kodo laughed and even how Myst was smirking. He edged as close to Phoenix as he could.

“Uh, Phoenix?” he asked. “Are you alright?”

Phoenix pulled her head out, covered with soot. She sighed. “”You said it yourself, Spike,” she said. “I need to make up for what I did to these guys. If this helps…” she shrugged before taking a breath and digging back into the tunnels.

Uncertain, Spike nodded before heading back. However, he barely got halfway when…

CRASH!

A scream sounded, fighting against the sound of laughter. Spike spun back and ran, finding Phoenix kicking and screaming under a pile of rocks. Kodo and Myst sat nearby, laughing their tails off.

“What’s wrong with you two?!” Spike demanded, trying to pull rocks off the screaming dragoness. “Help her!”

“Hey, didn’t we warn her?” Kodo asked, glancing at Myst, who shrugged with a grin.

Luckily, Shiva showed up. Glowering at both of them, she let loose with a howl. And a few seconds later, Diamondback was arriving. With her strength, Spike managed to pull Phoenix free, though the dogs continued to laugh at her as she shook herself off.

“I’m alright,” Phoenix said, even as her scars had reopened and blood dripped across her cracked scales. “I’m okay.”

“You’re not okay, darling, let me get you back,” Diamondback said, Spike helping her carry the dragoness back.

As they returned, Spike glared at Myst and Kodo, who were rolling their eyes as Shiva lectured them.

“This doesn’t feel right, DB,” Spike noted. “I’ve always been for forgiveness, but this doesn’t feel right.”

Diamondback checked over Phoenix’s wounds with a grimace. “We weren’t the ones that were affected, Spike,” she said. “This conflict is between Myst and Blaze. They need to sort it out themselves.”

##

Despite Diamondback’s words, Spike continued to see Phoenix get treated as a servant to the diamond dogs. He watched as she got gems they couldn’t normally get themselves, took the fall for actions that they did, and even actually dressed up in a maid’s outfit and served them.

All the while, he felt his patience wearing thinner and thinner. Until one day, he woke up and found Phoenix and Myst gone.

Enlisting Lizzie as a tracker, Spike tracked Myst down to a mountain, where she saw Phoenix struggling to climb with the faulty jet pack Diamondback had been making for her.

“What are you doing this time?” Spike demanded, as Myst shushed him with a grin.

“Dear ‘Master Phoenix’ is going to retrieve a Roc feather for me,” Myst replied. “I’ve always been curious in how Rocs will react to adult dragons.”

Spike paused, remembering what he had read about Rocs. How they…?

He gasped. “But Rocs feed on dragons!”

Myst shrugged. “That’s her problem. Not mine.”

Spike seethed, before suddenly roaring out. “Okay, you know what, THAT’S IT!”

Myst spun back as Spike felt himself growing, but was too angry to comment on it.

“I GET THAT YOU SUFFERED UNDER BLAZE, BUT SHE’S TRYING TO CHANGE!” Spike boomed at the dog. “ALL YOU’RE DOING IS HANGING THE PAST OVER HER AND FORCING HER TO DO DANGEROUS THINGS! AND FOR WHAT? IT’S OBVIOUS YOU’RE NOT FORGIVING HER! YOU’RE JUST MAKING HER SUFFER OUT OF SOME PRETENTIOUS DELUSION OF JUSTICE! LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, DOG, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN THE VICTIM ONCE, BUT RIGHT NOW, YOU’RE JUST AS BAD AS BLAZE WAS!”

Myst stepped back, cowed by Spike’s appearance. But at that moment, the cry of the Roc sounded.

Spike looked up as the Roc burst from it’s lair, knocking Phoenix away. Phoenix struggled to use her jet pack, as the roc shot down towards her.

“PHOENIX!” Spike roared, blasting a fireball at the Roc.

The Roc dodged his blast, but it gave Phoenix time to spark her jet pack. She soared back to Spike, the Roc on her tail, as Spike prepared another blast.

However, just before the roc could try to snatch at Spike, Myst jumped over Phoenix and drove into the Roc’s face, her teeth sinking into it’s eye. The Roc shrieked in anger and shook his head, dislodging Myst, only to get another face-full of flames from Spike, and a boulder to the wing from Phoenix.

Shrieking in pain, the roc spiraled away, flapping back to its lair, as Phoenix, Spike, and Myst caught their breath.

Phoenix withdrew a feather from the roc and threw it at Myst’s feet. “There’s your stupid feather,” she hissed, her voice cracking with anger.

For a moment, Spike feared that Phoenix was about to give Myst far worse than a feather. Evidently, Myst did as well. But Phoenix ultimately turned away and stomped off. Glancing at Myst briefly, Spike went after Phoenix, as the dragon collapsed next to a cliff, choking back sobs.

“Phoenix?” he asked.

“I’m trying, Spike,” she whispered. “I’m trying… so hard. But she…” she shook her head. “I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”

“Hey-hey,” Spike hushed, hugging her. “It’s okay…”

“Phoenix?” a voice asked.

Phoenix glared back at Myst, as she set the feather down before her.

“I…” Myst sighed and lowered her head. “I’m sorry.”

Phoenix’s gaze turned to confusion. “What?”

“I let being a victim become a way of life,” Myst admitted. “If you always make yourself the victim… you can justify being awful all the time. Even when others have gone beyond the point of deserving it.” She lowered her head in regret. “I should never have pushed you so far. What I did… was unforgivable. But all the same… I’ll accept whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

Phoenix and Spike shared a look, before Phoenix sighed and looked back at Myst.

“Myst,” she said gently. “I won’t deny what you did was wrong. And it hurt me a lot. But…” she looked away. “I still did wrong by you. I don’t want to be that person anymore.” She sighed. “So… just stay away from me, okay? I won’t bother you or yours anymore… if you’ll stop holding what I did over my head.”

Myst looked up nervously, but Phoenix’s glare dissuaded protest. She nodded.

Spike grimaced. “This… was a little more heartwarming in my head.”

Phoenix gazed at Spike with tired eyes. “Not every story has a happy ending, Spike. What happened between Myst and I… it can’t be solved with a couple of speeches and nice acts.” She gave a small grin. “But we can make progress, even if it’s in tiny steps.” She nuzzled Spike’s head. “Thanks for convincing me to take the first step.”

She then headed back home, Myst giving her some space before following after her. Spike watched them go with a ponderous expression.

##

Dear Twilight and Princess Celestia,

Ponies often enjoy the benefits of harmony; when conflict arises, especially between friends, it’s easier for us to bury the hatchet and move on. Not so much for the Outskirts; when conflicts or grudges are made, they can be much harder to overcome, especially when one side is not fully ready to forgive. My friend Blazing Phoenix showed me this when she sought forgiveness from one she had hurt in the past. The one she had hurt, Myst, used her pain to inflict suffering on Phoenix, justifying it by claiming she had been the victim. But in exploiting the pity one should have for a victim, Myst became just as bad as Phoenix had been.

Forgiveness is a two-way street; in order for true peace to be achieved, both sides must be willing to move on from the pain of the past. And not even victims should be allowed to use their pain to inflict suffering on others.

Your dragon friend,

Spike

Comments

[Comickook]

Great job on this next chapter. Took a while, but was certainly worth the wait. Definitely appreciated the work that went into the exchanges, characterizations, action, general wrap-up and future chapter set-up. Definitely appreciated the showing that past actions DO have consequences, the fact that going too far in getting payback can make the victim just as bad as the original violator and how, sometimes, the best we can hope for is small, continued steps in the right direction.

REALLY looking forward to more of this.

[JNKing]

11503865
Thank you very much for your feedback.

I appreciate your patience, and hope to have the next chapter out by next Saturday.

I look forward to sharing more. Until then. 👍

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

This was a grand chapter you wrote.

[JNKing]

11504323
Thank you.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. 👍