Ruble

"Spike... Are you sure?" Twilight asked her number one assistant.

"Pretty sure Twi, I checked it at least five times." Said Spike as he ran through the list one more time.

"But... We haven't been able to finish the weekly bonus checklist sense we moved to Ponyville. In fact, usually  we can barely pull of the weekly checklist." Twilight stated in an amazed tone.

"That's because something always goes wrong and you guy have to fix it," said the dragon as he walked over to a desk to put the checklist away.

It was true. During the previous week, the residents had quite an uneventful time(to their relief). This had allowed Twilight and Spike to finish their mandatory "weekly checklist" and move on to their optional "weekly bonus checklist" which had contained deeds like "file taxes" and "repair squeaky cupboard". With both of those out of the way they felt somewhat accomplished.

"How about we celebrate this occasion at Sugar Cube Corner?" Suggested Twilight with a small grin on her face.

"You better not be pulling my tail Twi," said Spike making sure this was a genuine offer.

"Of course not, Spike. We got a lot done and we haven't been their in a while," Said Twilight.

"Well yeah, that's because Pinkie's been out of town to her parents farm"

"Didn't I tell you this once already. Today is the day she said she was coming back."

"Well in that case, I'll have a topaz cupcake with sapphire frosting," declared the dragon as he hopped onto Twilight's back. But as soon as the started towards the door, it was opened by a certain somepony coming in. It was Mrs. Cake, a light blue coated earth pony with a yellow mane, and she looked quite serious.

"Oh! Hello Mrs. Cake. We where just about to come over," said Twilight looking slightly concerned.

"Well, I hope it wasn't to greet Pinkie back to Ponyville," said Mrs. Cake, "because Instead of getting her back, we got this letter."  She then pulled a letter from her apron and gave it to Twilight. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Cake,

I'm sorry but I can't come back to work yet. Some things have come up and my family needs me to stay a bit longer. I'm not sure how much longer in staying, that all depends on how long it takes to fix this problem. Tell pumpkin and pound that aunt Pinkie is gonna try to get home soon.

With lots of smiles,

Pinkamina Diane Pie

P.S. The letter attached is for Twilight. Pinkie promise me you will only let her read it. I need her help.

___________________________________________________________________________________

"And here is the letter mentioned," said Mrs. Cake taking a smaller grey envelope out and putting it in Spike's outstretched claw. "Whatever she needs, please help her. She might not be our daughter, but she's like and older sister to pound and pumpkin and they miss her."

"Of course Mrs. Cake," said Twilight with a caring smile, "Spike and I will do what ever we can to help her."

"...wait. So does that means we can't get cupcakes?" Asked Spike, earning himself a smack on the back of the head with a levitating book. "Ouch!"

Mrs. Cake just giggled before leaving and said "No, me and my husband are perfectly capable of making your gemstone cupcakes without Pinkie... but, you better see what she wants before making plans."

"Okay Mrs. Cake, we'll let you know what we can tell you." said Twilight waving her goodbye. "Now about this letter..."

________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Twilight,

I have some explaining to do and I can't do it all in writing. I will try my best.

So, I have this pen pal and we've been friends ever sense we could talk, because our parents would read and write the letters for us because, they new each other very well because, they moved on to a neighboring rock farm after my friend was was born, because he broke things on accident all the time, because of a problem that I need your help to fix. This problem is even more complicated than the situation and I defiantly can't explain it in writing.

I know this is a lot to ask you and there really isn't much notice, but that's because he just showed up and I can't leave him here without trying to help. So could you come out to the rock farm for just a few days because this problem is in your area of expertise.

With lots of smiles,

Pinkamina Diane Pie

P.S. The name of the farm is Gravel Pie Rock Emporium, just one mile past the gem fields.

P.P.S. Spike can come too, Ruble would love to meet him.

________________________________________________________________________________________

"Who's Ruble?" asked the dragon standing on Twilight's back, reading over her shoulder.

"Spike! That was a private letter," scolded Twilight, "you shouldn't read over anotherpony's shoulder."

"Well...yeah, but it had my name in it," said Spike, "so that means its okay that I read it."

"No, it means that you got lucky." She muttered before speaking directly to him. "Anyway, it looks like we are going to be out of town for an unforeseeable amount of time. Make a list of-"

"Done."

"What? Done, I haven't even told you what the list is for."

"It's on the bonus weekly checklist. Right above 'stock the emergency pantry'."

"Oh! Right, so first thing on the list is..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour and a half later, Twilight and Spike were walking along a path in the gem fields. Twilight had two sets of saddle bags (filled with instruments of various kinds), a map that lead to Gravel Pie Rock Emporium, a box with a bakers dozen assorted cupcakes, and a half frosted dragon.

"Seriously Spike, you had to eat all six cupcakes at once," sighed Twilight, "you didn't save a single one to have when we get there."

"Oh, come on Twi. You know that topaz tastes best when it's warm. Well, maybe you wouldn't know because you don't eat gems, but it's good trust me." Said Spike.

Unfortunately, Twilight was use to Spikes dragon greed, which made the incident at the bakery even worse. She ordered six of his favorite cupcakes in hopes of him actually saving one, and wasn't disappointed(much) when he didn't. But in his heritage induced greed he spotted the bowl of left over sapphire frosting... and promptly nose dived into it. This made their five minute spot on the way out of town a twenty minute one. Twilight was worried that they might not make it by dark, having started so late in the day.

"I'm just glad you calmed down when I yelled at you. The last thing I want is for you to go full bezerk on me." Said Twilight, "and before you start apologizing(again), I sensed the magical growth in you body so it was not your fault."

"Thanks for understanding, Twi." Said the slightly ashamed dragon before looking up, "Is this the place?"

Just turning around a steep foothill, they find a large, quaint house with a huge front yard filled with rocks and stone of all different sizes and a sign that almost didn't fit the seen. It said "Gravel Pie Rock Emporium -  Strongest Stones in Equestria". It was defiantly the place.

"So this is what rock farms look like." Stated Twilight in an intrigued tone. "Fascinating!"

"You won't say that after thirteen years of it. It gets soooooooooo boooooring. Thats why I moved to Ponyville. Wait, that makes me sound like a jerk. Don't get me wrong I love my family and they love me too, so that's why I moved to Ponyville. Wait, that makes this place look bad. I moved because I wasn't cut out for rock farming and Ponyville is closest. So, I can have a my own life, and not be far from the farm... Yeah that sound way better." Ramble a certain pink earth pony(I'll give you three guesses).

"Wut?" Mumbled a cross eyed Spike.

"I think she's trying to say rock farming is boring." Whisper Twilight into spikes ear.

"Oh!... So Pinkie, how come I've never heard of this place before. I mean, we've lived in Ponyville for what almost three years and this is the first time I've heard of 'Gravel Pie Rock Emporium'."said Spike trying to get a normal conversation going with Pinkie(good luck with that) while they walked up the steps to the Pie's residence.

"Maybe I should ask that why after all these years of tracking her down I wasn't told the princesses protege had a pet dragon?" The voice was dripping with sarcasm and came from stallion  standing in between the others and the door. He had a dark orange mane that was hanging very low, and a coat of a lighter brownish grey. His facial exasperation at the moment was slightly of setting, because of the intensity at which he was furrowing his brow. That plus the small grin he had didn't make him the friendliest of faces.

Then a slight glow appeared from under his bangs and a large bang was heard as the step Spike, Twilight, and Pinkie where on suddenly flipped into the air and made The worlds of all three go blank.