Dragon Vein or Sugarcube?

Sugarcube ran as fast as her hooves could carry her in the dark evening. Except her muscles were starting to cramp, and her jolt of adrenaline was quickly fading away. Ahead of her Fang ran with small growls of fear, She had to protect her friend at all costs. Making up her mind the mare skidded to a stop and turned to face their chaser. A stallion in a dark suit, and innocent pony blood staining the suit's dark material. Holding down her fear the mare held her head high and stood her ground against the fiend.

The stallion circled around Sugarcube, hesitating to attack her. At least that's what the mare thought, until another stallion appeared out of the dark, taller than any she has ever seen before. He narrowed his eyes upon her, "Such courage for a sweet mare." Suddenly everything vanished, and the mare fell to the ground, her mane strewn across the filthy ground. "Bring her" he demanded of the first stallion.

Sugarcube awoke to find herself within a cage, beside many other ponies in other cages. They all stared at her with fear and hopelessness, every eye sullen, and every tail dragged upon the dirt. The mare leaned against the bars, pushing at them with all her strength; she stopped to rest and was momentarily forced to watch a colt get taken from a cage and dragged into another room. Moments later, a shriek resounded and every pony cringed while others cried.

Choking on a stray sob the mare slammed harder into the bars of her prison, "No...NO!" The other ponies didn't take much notice to her struggles, and almost ignored her completly after their first initial interest. Sugarcube knew something bad was going on in the bottom of this volcano gorge; with ponies going missing, and then the guards never saw them leave Prosperity Town. The town lived in the peak valley of a long dead volcano, which thrived as one of the richest towns in Equestria.

She still wasn't sure what was happening to the ponies exactly, but it was definitly terrible; the colt's cry was enough proof of that, plus all the terror in everyponies eyes. There was no way out of these cages though, not even doors or locks on her own. Everypony else had them, Sugarcube was stuck inside without knowing how she possibly could have gotten in. Hanging her head she cringed as she lay her head against her cage, trying to think of anything to do.

The mare must have fallen asleep, because she was awoken violently by a stallion dragging her by the tail into an almost empty room. "You wont be processed like the other ponies we have... I know what your going to do for us" The leader of the factory stated matter of fact. He was the same tall stallion from before, his mark was a burning candle; his mane and tail a dark red, his fur gray, and his eyes violet. "My name is Fire Vein, and my factory produces the towns local candles; but mainly creates the purple haze in the air that protects the town from any intruders. Without the help of the ponies it wouldn't be so... they become bled out and their blood is evaporated and to the smog, and the bodies are melted down and hardened for Prosperities best candle wax-"

"STOP, I can't take it anymore...," Sugarcube sobbed her snout in her hooves. She couldn't take the horror of the news she was given, it was so much worse than what she suspected; and there was nothing she could do about it anymore.

Fire Vein paused and looked over her curiously before giving a smirk. "I guess I can skip the rest... Your job my dear is to start bringing me other ponies, if I use any more from Prosperity Town not just any pony will become curious." Looking horrified Sugarcube shook her hear outraged that the stallion would think she would do such a thing. "You have no choice Sugarcube... You won't even know that your doing it!" he laughed.

The mare backed up towards the door, only to be pushed back towards the leader viciously. Fear sang through her veins, and she felt her courage falling at his stare and determination.

"Don't worry it'll be like your a whole new pony... ," he grinned and headbutted her suddenly. She screeched in pain, and a feeling like her mind was being emptied out invaded her. "Now you'll be... Dragon Vein, which is much more fitting..." Fire Vein stated lightly before stepping on her wing, forcing her down and bashing her head with his other hoof, knocking her unconscious for a third time.