Green Eyes in the Night

Chapter 6; Hostel Incarceration

While it would be impractical to think that every one in Ponyville had hear the scream, Twilight certanly did. She and Spike found themselves running threw the town to find it's source and judging by the crown they found it. The crowd was thick and not in too much of a hurry to let Twilight threw, it was diffrent however when Spike made his presents known.

"You!" came the wailling screech of an enraged unicorn. Unlike before when Rarity had only used her hoof to strike at him, this time Spike was sucker punched by a lamp post. Spike hit the ground hard and bearly had time to register the deranged look in her eyes. "I'll kill you!" This time when the post flew at him Spike had the for thought to use his claws to slice it apart.

On Twilight's orders the royal guards restraned to rabid unicorn, who continued to shout obscenities and death threats at the dragon.

Spike was seeing double for a few moments as he attemped to get back to his feet, he had been lucky to see and move well enough to disarm her but he doubted he could do it again, but when he did he was instantly ill.

It was Trenderhoof, there was no doubt about that. The first thing that he noticed was that Trend's horn was torn off, not cut or broken... torn. The next thing was that he was torn open from his chest to his stomach, most of his innards now out and some even wrapped around his hooves to bind them. His throat had been torn out and so had his tounge. His eyes were still wide and glassy, forever full of the fear and pain he was in just before his end.

"You've gone to far this time you monster!" Rarity hissed as tears leaked from her eyes, "Twilight can't protect you this time, I saw you... I saw as you tore him apart!" The crowd gasped at hearing this and so did Twilight. "Tell me Spike, where were you just now?"

Spike felt the eyes of everyone in the crowd but no one more so then Twilight, unlike all the other times she didn't have reasonable doubt to fall back on. When the scream was heard Twilight was reading in her private library and Spike came threw the door to get her with blood in his mouth and on his claws.

"I was alone in the Everfree forest." Spike sighed, wuickly hearing the murmers of anger and disbelief.

Rarity scoffed, "How convenient, all alone in a forest no sane being would step hoof in in the middle of the night. Tell me, just what were you doing in the Everfree?"

Spike steeled himself for what he was about to say. "Hunting." The murmers from earlier quickly turned into fevered shouts and yells of fear and anger. He ignored all of it and the rock that many had started throwing in favor keeping hold of his emotions. Steeling himself again Spike turned his attention to Twilight, and felt his heart shatter.

She didn't want to believe it, not him. Threw out the whole insane ordeal Twilight had been holding on to the faith that she would be able to prove the innocence of the one she consedered a little brother at times, the only thing she did was find more and more evidence to the contrary. With all this and see herself Spike with blood on him she was quickly loosing even that.

Every scale, spine and fin on his body drooped, he didn't even have the will to cry. "I didn't do it Twi," Spike said, "I was hunting a cockatrice. I would never hurt a pony, even one that has hurt me," at this he turned to Rarity and the remains of Trenderhoof, "not even them."

"You can not be falling for this Twilight!" Rarity roared, "I know you cared about him, I know that you love him like a brother but you can't protect him from his actions! He's killed three ponies that we know of, you as a princess have to do something."

"She has done something!" hissed the enraged voice of Applejack, an equally raging Big Mac close behind. "She has been doing everything in her power to fine who and what ever has really been doing this, the only thing you have been doing is brainwashing the whole town, using their fear of dragons to turn them against him!"

"And you have been spending your time trying to convence the town the monster is still that tiny little baby that he used to be!" Rarity hissed back, "Because of that and your selfishness that Spoiled Rich is dead, Stone Runner is a vegetable, and my poor Trenderhoof was mauled in such a way!"

Twilight looked in all directions as she searched for something, anything, that would give her the answer of what to do, an answer that came from Rarity. "Think Twilight, what would Princess Celestia do? What did she do?"

Spike opened his mouth to try and defend himself when he was cut off by Twilight. "Guards... until we can fully sort this out... take Spike to the dungen." Spike's eyes widened as the light began to fade from them, his inner fire dying out.

"Over their dead bodies!" Applejack hiss as she glared at the guards and Mac stomping the ground causing a small fissure, most of whom backed off slightly in fear.

"Eeyup." Big mac growled out before feeling a tap on his shoulder. Realizing it was Spike tapping him he leaned over and Spike began to whisper into his ear, his eyes slowly widening with every word. Soon what ever Spike was saying to him got to be too much and, rearing up in a flash, punched him and sent him flying. "HOW DARE YOU!" Big Mac yelled, "We trusted you, treated you like family and you go and have the gal to say that to me!" Looking like he was about to lunge at Spike again Twilight quickly used her magic to restrain him until he finally just snorted, spit in his direction and stormed off.

Applejack, who up to this point was in a stunned silence, came to her senses and quickly help Spike back on to his feet while also keeping anyone else from attacking him in the mean time. She felt her heart breaking as she saw the resined look in his eyes, all his hope and will gone. "Oh Spike..." she cried, not even attempting to hold back her tears.

Twilight quickly realized the folly of her earlier choice, even the guards had turned against Spike and she needed someone impartial, or baring that someone that wasn't against him at the very least, to do this the right way. "Applejack... Fluttershy... please take Spike." Applejack shot her a look that said everything she was thinking, none of it nice, "It's just as much for his good as it is for the town Applejack. I con't choose anyone else, after today I doubt anybody will be on his side but you."

Looking like she wanted to say something Applejack bit her tounge and walked over to Spike. "Come on Sugar... lets go..." Fluttershy joined her and layed a wing over the drake who said nothing as he walked threw the jeering crowd.

A single tear fell from Twilights eyes as she looked down and whispered, "I'm so sorry Spike..."

Applejack kicked in the door to her home, "Big Mac," She said in a frighteningly calm voice, "I'd like to have a word with you..." Turning the corner Applejack spotted her brother but before she had a chance to pounce she noticed the rage and pain in his eyes, she could tell it was directed at himself. Regaining her earlier anger, "Big Mac, what the hell was that all about in town, why did you hit Spike like that? Just what the hell did he tell you?"

Big Mac, in an uncharacteristically vocal moment, turned to his sister with fire in his eyes. "YOU THINK I WANTED TO DO THAT?!" he yelled, tears streaming from his eyes, "We have a family to take care of AJ, I have a foal on the way, we have to do what's right for them."

"Spike is a member of this family," Applejack hissed back, "what could have possibly gotten into your head that you thought this was a good idea? Spike-"

"I was Spike's idea Applejack!" Mac snapped, "He told me to say that and to hit him. He knew no one in the town would buy from use if they thought we were protecting him." Tears began strreaming down his eyes as he contenued, "I didn't want to AJ, lord knows I didn't, but we can't lose the farm, not when a new little apple is on the way."

Applejack sat in a stunned silence for a moment before walking over to her brother and wrapping him in a hug. In her outrage she had overlooked a very inportant detail, Big Mac and Spike were as close as two ponies could be. For Mac it was like killing your brother so your child could live.

Spike lay curled up in a ball on the cold dungen floor, eyes closed and waiting for what he knew was to come. He didn't have to wait long. Across the room a large door opened and Twilight walked in, along with Fluttershy Rainbow Dash and two guards; One a white unicorn with a black mane the other a black pegasis with blue mane.

"Hello Spike." Twilight began nerviously, "How are you adjusting?" Spike didn't answer. Twilight bit her lip as she pulled out what she had in her sadddle bags, "Are you cold? I brought you a blanket." Again this was met with silence. "Spike please... just talk to me..."

This time the cold shoulder was met with anger from Rainbow, "Dude just answer her! She's trying here, don't you care?!"

"If given the chance the two guards you brought would kill me in my sleep. You yourself are only here because you don't want me attacking your friend. The entire town, the ponies I grew up with, now hate my guts. And as much as Twilight and Fluttershy don't want to they are starting to become convenced I did do it even though I didn't. Forgive me if I'm not in the chatting mood right now."

The room fell silent after Spikes little speach. Both guards held their controled but angry faces while the one on the right, Dark Wing, held his spear just a little tighter. The moment Spike began speaking Rainbow subconsciously moved infront of Twilight and Fluttershy. Said mares were unable to look anywhere but the floor under their hooves.

"Assuming another predator hasn't already clamed the carcus you'll find the cockatrice just inside the edge of the southern bourder of the Everfree, I didn't get more than a bite when I heard the scream. Please leave."

"S-Spike," Twilight said.

"I said go."

Tears filled Twilight and Fluttershy's eyes as they flew up the stairs, Rainbow following shortly after to check on them while also covering her own. The guards remained for a moment and eyed the dragon who still had his back to them. Dark Wing growled slightly and pointed the spear at his back. Before he could strike his partner, Star Watcher, held him back, shook his head and lead Dark back up stairs.

So lost in is own thoughts was he that Spike didn't notice the approach of another set of hooves several hours later. A calm silence hung in the air as the figure simply watched the drake and waited to be acknowledged. Eventually the scent wafted over to Spike and when he inhailed his eyes widdened. "Applejack?"

Getting up and turning around Spike found himself staring at the golden haired beauty before him. "Hey sugar. How ya holding up?" she asked, not that she really had to. It was obvious just by looking at him that the last few hours had been hard on him, almost as hard as it had been on Twilight.

Spike let out a small humorless laugh. "About as well as someone in my situation can be I guess... Twilight was just down here... With Fluttershy and Dash..."

"I guessed that," Applejack said. "I don't suppose you'd like to tell me about it?"

When Applejack had come to see Spike and tear into Twilight it once again only took a single look to kill the fire of her rage. She was openly crying in the middle of her room with Rainbow Dash doing what she could to calm her down. Fluttershy was just sitting in the corner with a hollow look in her eyes as she held a stuffed phoenix doll, a gift she had given to Spike several birthdays ago that he had kept in perfect condition. From the few intelligible words Applejack was able to get from Twilight wailling and Dash's attempt at comforting her she was able to guess what was said to some degree. Spike may not have told her and the others off like she would have wanted but what he did do just might have been worse.

Any simbalance of joy left Spike as he let out a tired sigh and fell into a crumpled heep on the floor. "Not really... don't suppose we could have a topic change?"

Applejack's features harddend in a flash as she said, "Fine by me. Why don't you tell me all about how you turning by family into liars" Spike visibly flinched at this. "Just so you know I am going along with it for now but only because Mac begged me to."

"If you didn't I would be begging now." Spike said with a small laugh. The hard look in Applejack's eyes told him now wasn't the time for jokes. "No doubt Mac already told you what I told him right?"

"Every word," Applejack said as she tried to hold a stern face, instead of swooning in both admiration and guilt. "All I want to know is why?"

Spike curled himself into a ball again as he spoke, "Because it needed to be done. I know full well that if you don't sell your apples you could loose the farm. Filthy is still on my side to some degree and wouldn't buy you out or run the farm into the ground but I doubt any of the other partners the Apple clan has will share the sentiment. You could loose everything because of me. The public turning was so that Ponyville will begin to see that the Apple family has joined in with them."

"Not me," Applejack said quickly, "I cut ties with them for now..."

"YOU WHAT?!" Spike said in shock as he grabbed the bars, bending one of them. "Applejack how could you do that? They're your family, you're all about family!"

"You're right Spike," Applejack said with a confident smirk, "I am, even now. After what Big Mac told me I knew that if I tried to join in with them I'd end up spilling the beans, even more so because I'd still defend you if I heard someone being a smart mouth. So I just took a page out of your book and had a falling out with Granny in the middle of town square, nasty but effective. Once all this blows over I can head home with no pony any the wiser.."

"Cleaver," Spike said with a small smile before it faded, "but I seriously doubt any of this blows over. Even if it does with the way the whole town has been acting I'm not sure I will be welcome even if you do prove it wasn't me. Even... even Twilight doesn't really believe it wasn't me..."

Not liking the turn the conversation was heading Applejack decided to cut it off at the head. "I ain't so sure about that Sugar." she said with a small smile, "I know you may not wanna hear this but when I walked in, Twi was crying her eyes out and Fluttershy looked... well the best I could describe it would be just gone."

Spike curled back into a ball as he said, "I didn't want to hurt them... I just couldn't... just..." Spike felt a hoof pat his back as best it could threw the iron bars. "You should probably go... it's getting dark out."

Down in the tarvern Berry Punch set down another mug of ale for another guard, easedropping on the connversation between him and his parnet. " I should have done it." growled Night Wing.

"Sure, then you would be the one in the cell." Star Watcher said as he swerled his drink. The two were silent for a moment as Dark snorted and took a drink. the silence dragged on for a moment before Star broke it, "Do you really think he did it?"

"Who else could it have been?" Dark snorted. It was no secret that Dark Wing was prejudice against dragons having grown up with a father who fought with them on more that one occasion as well as some of the horror stories floating around the barrocks.

Star Watcher, being a vetran soilder, had heard the same stories and even fought against dragons in the past however he wasn't as convenced. The years of service in the corp had taught him that no one species was all bad, that with the fact he had watched Spike grow up in the Canterlot Castle all thoughs years ago stopped him from simply condeming him.

As he took another sip of his drink Star caught the sound of the door slamming open, he turned to see the one and only Rarity walk in, snorting in anger. 'This can't be good.' he thought to himself as he began walking to the door.

"Can you believe it?!" said raging unicorn bellowed, "Princess Twilight has locked the beast under her castle, while this is a start we can not let it stay there. The dragon as already taken three lives that we know of and who knows how many that we don't!" Seeing Star Watcher heading for the door she quickly called on him, "You there, you are one of the royal guard yes? tell me, how many ponies have gone missing in the last year or so?"

Star did not like where this was going at all. He turned over to Dark Wing who was smirking. Knowing that if he left this for him he would twist it and have everyone think Spike was responsible for everything bad in the world. "Too many," Star said calmly, "far too many. They get lost in the woods, fall of cliffs, get mugged to petty cash by foals who take things too far and yes they get attacked my wild animals."

"Exactly, we need to do away with the wild animal that the Princess is trying to keep as a pet!" Rarity said, rallying many of the s.

"Wrong." The whole bar turned back to the vetran guard as he stared down every single one of them, his own partner included. "I watched that young whelp grow up into a fine young drake. Everything I've seen you try and pin on him is at best you reaching for straws."

Applejack walked in just in time to hear the tail end of his speech, she was happy someone else was standing up for Spike. Her attention turned to the angry but speechless unicorn and the fuming pegasis.

"Grasping for straw?!" Dark Wing snapped as he threw his glass on the ground, "Grasping for STRAWS?! He killed Stone, don't you care? He killed one of us and you're trying to defend him?" Unfortunatly the rest of the tavern seemed to be siding with him. "I on't care if you 'watched him grow up', he's a fucking dragon, dragons kill! He as already killed three ponies, everyone of them ponies that crossed him, and you think we're grasping at straws!"

"No one saw this happen and this town is right next to the Everfree forest," Star countered, "The breeding grounds for Timberwolves. Whats to stop one of them form getting into town and..."

"I SAW HIM," Rarity Roared, "I saw him look up at me and hiss before running off like a coward."

"It's dark and hazey out right now bitch," Applejack snapped, "just how in the hell could you have seen him clearly?"

Rarity hassitated for a moment before standing tall and saying, "I know what I saw and it was way to small to be a Timberwolf but bigger than a Pony, It could only be Spike." Jumpping onto a table Rarity once again adressed the crowd. "I for one will not stand for this! I say we storm the castle, drag the beast out and end his as he's ended so many others!"

"That's it!" Applejack snarled, "This time your ass is-" he voice was cut off by the sound of glass shattering on the back of her head. Star turned to find a pegasis stallion holding a broken mug with a smug glare. Before he had the chance to even try and take him down Star felt what had to be a chair break over his head.

Dark Wing turned to Rarity, the shattered remains of the stool still in his hooves. "I'm with you all the way," she said as he pointed to the door, "To the castle, we got a dragon to slay!"

A/N; How is Spike going to get out of this one? The next chapter is going to be the last then I'm going to move on the both finish my other two stories and maybe even start on that other project that has be bouncing around my head for the last few months.

If you liked it please let me know. As always read, Review and I hear form you next time!