(2) Bird Choir

"I don't understand how the Princess expects us to find this pony," Twilight said, dropping to the ground to rest her legs.

Spike grabbed the checklist from Twilight's magic-grip and sat down in the grass next to her. In neat print was written "Music Maker- Southwest of Everfree".

"Is there a reason why the Princess didn't give us a name?" Spike asked, cocking his head as he read and hoping another word might suddenly appear.

"I didn't ask, I figured that it wouldn't be so hard. But we've skirted the edge of the Everfree Forest like- what, three times now?" Twilight held a hoof over her eyes, the sunlight making her headache worse.

"Maybe we just can't see their house? Think we can ask that pegasus who blow-dried your hair?" Spike suggested.

"I think I'd rather just take another look and save myself half the trouble," Twilight said matter-of-factly, standing to her hooves as she did so.

"Come on, only a few more hours until sundown,"

Spike sighed and stood to his feet, allowing Twilight to levitate the checklist back.

"Just keep your ears open," Twilight said as she shaded her eyes with her hoof. Spike scratched at the spines on the side of his head lightly, wondering momentarily why he didn't actually have any ears.

Another forty minutes passed and the afternoon was well on its way to sundown, making Twilight all the more nervous. Twenty minutes and her walk had turned into a canter, then progressively into sprinting.

"*huff* You've gotta *wheeze* be kidding me!" Twilight crumpled down on her legs and allowed herself to breathe. Spike trotted behind her, much less out of breath but equally as agitated.

"I say we just get help Twilight, we're not going to find them like this," Spike said, sitting down beside the mare.

"Ugh, I just don't want to have another run in with those ponies again......," Twilight said, her mouth muffled by her legs where she had laid her head.

Spike sat back, stretching his toes and taking a deep breath. All in all, Ponyville hadn't been so bad by his standards, despite his current frustrations. Twilight on the other hand didn't seem content with the beautiful day.

"At least it's nice here right?" Spike said, running a claw through her mane.

"I'd much rather be home," she said, closing her eyes as she allowed the dragon to scratch behind her ears.

"But we never have things like this in Canterlot. The air is fresh, the forest is beautiful, heck even the birds sing better than the ones... back...home," Spike trailed off as realization dawned on him. Apparently the same realization hit Twilight, seeing that she had sat up to stare at Spike with her mouth open.

Simultaneously, the mare and the dragon leapt to their feet and sprinted into the forest. They did their best to avoid any limbs or branches in their path and gradually slowed down as they neared the singing.

Twilight signaled to Spike to remain quiet as they hid just outside a clearing in the trees. Spike leaned and looked about in the treetops, not seeing any birds.

"I think they're just ahead of us Spike, stay quiet," Twilight said as she crept forward. Spike stepped up behind her, staying out of sight. The singing of the birds had become louder, and the unison was starting to spook him a bit.

Peeking beyond a rather thick tree trunk, Twilight spotted her mark. It was a Pegasus mare, directing the chorus of birds with her hooves. There were perhaps fifty birds at least, all different and brightly colored. Twilight briefly wondered if some form of magic was at play here, after all she had never seen a bird be cooperative without a bit of magical reinforcement.

"Its ok Spike, I think I found her," Twilight said as she glanced back at the dragon. He simply nodded back at her.

Twilight took a few steps into the clearing, a loud but beautiful verse from the birds meeting her. The unicorn knew she would have to stop the director eventually, but she knew she would probably not be heard. Clearing her throat and swallowing, Twilight readied a shout.

"HELLO!" she cried, as friendly as the decibel would allow. Unfortunately she had chosen to shout right at a decresendo, and several birds shot away from their branches.

"Oh oh I'm so sorry I was just here to-AUUUHH!" The unicorn cried out as the frightened birds rushed at her. They squawked angrily as they pecked at her mane, giving the unicorn no choice but to fall backward into her assistant.

Spike didn't see the birds until they were upon Twilight, and he didn't manage to step out of the way before Twilight fell back upon him. Her weight slammed him roughly down into the grass, her rump bouncing up from his chest to rest squarely on his face.

As Twilight fell, the birds scattered back to their nests feeling that the threat had been felled. The director rushed forward, pulling Twilight up to her hooves.

"Oh my goodness! I-I'm so sorry, they were just so startled a-and their nests were right here so they panicked," the pink maned pegasus said, her voice sounding as if she were ready to cry.

"Its ok, they just surprised me," Twilight said with a shaky voice, trying to hide the fact that she had nearly wet herself trying to get away.

"I was just here to check up on the music director for the celebration, would you happen to be her?" Twilight asked, trying to make her voice sound professional again. The director did not respond in the same manner though.

"Am I not allowing to come anymore?" she asked in a small voice, hiding one eye behind her long mane.

"Oh gosh, don't cry! It's fine, I swear," Twilight, never having dealt with open emotions, tried to comfort the poor pegasus. But as she leaned forward she felt a weight tugging at the end of her tail. Upon inspection, she found a rather dazed looking Spike.

The dragon's teeth, for whatever reason, had been latched into her tail. Without a second thought, Twilight squeaked and yanked her tail away from the dragon's mouth. Said dragon was yanked up from the ground, probably suffering some mild form of whiplash, and tried his best to regain his balance.

"Now, as I was saying," Twilight said with a glare at what she perceived to be a very perverted little dragon, "it's perfectly fine. I just need to verify that you'll be attending-"

"IS THAT A BABY DRAGON!?" the once timid mare squealed. Her hooves rose to clutch her cheeks and her wings pushed her from the ground. Instantly forgetting that she had been talking to Twilight, she lunged for the dragon, cradling him like a newborn foal.

"How did you manage to find him? Oh goodness, I bet he's lost!" she said softly stroking Spike's head scales.

"Hey, hey! What gi...." Spike trailed off as he stared up at the mare that was babying him. It was like he was looking at an angel. It had to be! Her voice was soft and charming, her eyes the most delicate shade of green, and oh that fur!

Spike smiled lazily as he caught the scent of her fur. Lavender, no doubt a scent the mare herself was fond of.

"I can be your assistant if you want," the dragon suggested quietly.

"Oh-- he talks! I didn't know dragons could talk! What's your name?" the pegasus stared down at Spike, her curiosity making her forget the business at hand.

"I'm Spike," he answered, flashing his best smile.

"Oh hello Spike, my name's Fluttershy. I'd love it ever so much if you told me about yourself. I've never met a dragon before," Fluttershy loosened her grip on the dragon just in time for Twilight's magic to snatch him up and deposit the baby dragon on her back.

"He's my assistant on the summer sun celebration, which by the way I still need your verification for," Twilight said a bit snootily.

"Oh come on Twi, she's just asking," Spike turned back around to face Fluttershy. "What do you wanna know?"

"Everything you can think of," Fluttershy smiled as she flew closer to Twilight to hear.

"Wwwwweeeellllll, I started out as an egg...."

Twilight sighed, starting a slow trot back into town, knowing full well the pegasus would follow her. Well, her assistant at least.

Author's Note

Ok so that was a short chapter, but I figured it was necessary to get this in. So what's next on the gameplan?
The party of course!

Damn....we have you people been?

Anyway, like, comment, flame, you know the drill!!