Sorry for the long delay, but here's the next chapter of the fanfic. Hope you like it.

Ch.5: Garble's Payment

A short while later, Garble and Spike arrived at the ruins. Landing before the doors, they saw that Kaa and Hiss were waiting for them just outside said entrance. They smiled when they saw the little dragon on the older dragon's back.

"I sssee that Dissscord kept hisss word," Kaa stated with a flash of color in his eye. Garble shuddered at the sight of it. It just creeps him out when that snake does that.

"The othersss are waiting for you inssside, little one," Hiss then said, holding his wing out to the open door as Spike climbed off of Garble's back. Spike didn't say a word but just walked in. Garble then turned to Kaa.

"I guess Discord really did keep his word," he said.

"Yesss, he hasss," the green python replied with a nod. "And he expectsss you to keep yoursss asss well."

"Yeah, yeah," the red dragon grumbled. "I hear ya." He then went into the ruins where he found the other dragons welcoming Spike back into the gang.

"Hey, little dude!" Rad said, ruffling the smaller dragon's head-spines. "We missed ya!"

"Yeah, you're a sight for sore eyes, chico," Haze said with a laugh. Spike didn't smile, despite all the attention he's getting. Garble noticed this and frowned. Another thing he's starting to worry about this new Spike. Dai immediately noticed this as well.

"What's up with our lil' Rookie Dragon?" he asked the leader.

"I don't know," the red dragon answered, "but whatever it is, I don't like it. Somehow, I get the feeling Discord did something to him. Ya noticed his scales?"

"Yeah, they seem a lil'…gray."

"And that's why I'm worried," he explained to him. "I've a bad feeling it's gonna affect him with…you know what." The albino turned to him with wide eyes.

"No way, mate! That's only a dragon myth!"

"That's what I thought until I heard about Knux's sister."

"But…that only happened when she was twelve," Dai stated. "And when she got dumped." He shuddered before he finished. "I still had nightmares just thinking about what she did to her ex after that."

"I know," Garble stated. "I'm just hoping he didn't get…heartbroken."

"Let's hope not," Dai concurred. "Otherwise, there might not be anyway of saving him from…it." There was a flash of light from the corner of their eye, and they turned to see that Discord had appeared before the seven dragons.

"You see, Garble," he said to the red dragon. "I brought Spike back to you as I have promised."

"I can see that," Garble grumbled with a suspicious glare, "but what exactly did you do to him?"

"Oh, you mean the color change?" he replied. "Oh, it's just a slight side effect. No harm really; just a little attitude adjustment to make himself more mature." The red dragon still wasn't convinced but didn't say anything, not wanting him to do anything else to Spike until he has figured out what really happened to the little guy.

"Now then," Discord then said with a smile, "I believe there is an agreement about payment for my services to you."

"Yeah, there is," the red dragon replied with a reluctant frown. "What is it you want?"

"The thing is," he explained, "I want Princess Celestia to come to me, but I need someone to convince her to come…someone like Spike." Garble was about to reply, but Spike spoke up before he could say a word.

"I'll bring her over here." The other dragons turned to him with surprise at his volunteering.

"Whoa, dawg," Smokes said to him. "Ya sure ya wanna do that? I mean, we know that ya got connections with the head lady, but—"

"I want to do it!" They stepped back with shock at his outburst.

"Uh, you okay there, buddy?" asked Bulldoze.

"I'll be fine," he answered coldly, "once she's here." Now all the dragons are worried about him. They couldn't even stop him as he took the quill and pen that Discord had brought out for him.

"What should I say in the letter?" he asked firmly.

"Just tell her that Twilight wants to see her at a cave just at the outskirts of Winsome Falls," the Draconequus answered him with a smile. "Add that she had found something that she finds rather intriguing, but she must also come alone."

"Got it," Spike replied, writing the letter down as he would for Twilight. Garble stepped forward in protest.

"Now wait just a minute," he said firmly. "This is crazy! You can't just go luring a princess into a trap like that. I mean, sure, ya got it bad for this girl, but still!" Discord simply turned to him with a look that the teenage dragon didn't like.

"You do owe me one, Garble," he said, "so don't you forget that…unless you want Twilight and her friends to come after you and get your Rookie Dragon back." Spike looked up at him harshly, his eyes suddenly glowing red with anger…literally!

"I'm not going back to them!" he roared. The other dragons stepped back with surprise; not from his outburst but from what happened when he did. He grew a little…taller, and at a fast rate. And two odd bumps appeared on his back, right where his shoulder blades are. As that happened, his scales became grayer that they're close to loosing their color.

Oh, no, Garble thought to himself wit shock. No, don't tell me that it happened to him. Don't tell me it's…Dragonheart Broken! Discord only smiled at Spike as he continued writing the letter, as if unaware of his sudden condition.