When Discord Calls (Name pending)

Chapters

Prologue: A History of Equine Affinities
Chapter 1: When Duty Calls
Chapter 2: The Morning After
Chapter 3: Wait Watchers (Part 1 - Twilight)
Chapter 4: Wait Watchers (Part 2- Applejack)
Chapter 5: A little R&RD
Tour de Fluttershy (Part 1)
Tour de Fluttershy (Part 2)

Prologue: A History of Equine Affinities

The Art of Balance:

by Time Turner Whooves, PhD

Chapter 7: A History of Equine Affinities

In our modern society, there exist a powerful arcane magic capable of moving the tallest of mountains, shifting the largest of oceans, and leveling the most fortified of cities. It is a magic that has been all but lost to time. Most who hear such a claim are filled with skepticism. "If such a power exists," they deduce, "then why don't we see it every day?" Such a claim is reasonable; surely one would have knowledge of at least a single occurrence of a massive energy in their lifetime. It is this dogma that clouds the minds of ponies everywhere. One obvious example lies at the tip of one's muzzle, metaphorically speaking. By analyzing the incident here within dubbed "The Nightmare Moon Incident", one would understand the relevance.

For one thousand moons, fillies and colts were told the legend of the Mare in the Moon. The story began with the appearance of a pair of alicorn sisters. Together, they banished the chaotic Discord and brought order to Equestria and were considered royal deities in the eyes of the once captive ponies. During this peaceful time, the sisters helped keep the ponies in a rhythmic, orderly life. The elder sister brought the light of the sun every morning. With the solar light, ponies lived a productive and meaningful life during the day. At dusk, however, the younger sister reigned over the land, bathing Equestria in the soft, reflected light of the moon. Few creatures were awake during the night, so the younger sister felt unappreciated. Soon, she decided she that if she could not earn the ponies appreciation, she would claim it by force. Reluctant to fight her sibling, the elder alicorn tried to use reason, but the younger alicorn's ambitions and emotions blinded her sense of logic. Seeing no other choice, the elder sister banished her younger sister to the moon, sentencing her to a one-thousand-moon time out of sorts.

During the time of her banishment, the young princess was forgotten in the minds of her former subjects, written off as mere legend. Few believed that she existed and fewer still believed that she would return. It was not until the Summer Sun Celebration's one thousandth anniversary in Ponyville that everypony realized the truth to the tale. Nightmare Moon descended upon the world, capturing our fair princess and cast the world into perpetual darkness.

Few know the full ending to the event, but there is some evidence that points to another legend. Moments before the eternal night was ended, residents of Ponyville mentioned feeling or seeing a strange magical force emanating from the old castle in the Everfree Forest. Those with a strong enough control over magic described it as not one force, but multiple. Further research into the matter turned up an interesting result: The Elements of Harmony, the ancient force used to defeat Discord and banish the lunar princess all those moons ago.

The elements themselves are quite fascinating as they all are different yet intertwining. The element of Honesty is a trait that many desire, but few have the integrity to maintain. Kindness is a trait that is difficult to reinforce, especially when dealing with less...honorable...ponies. Loyalty is consistently tested in the face of adversity, and few are willing to place others before themselves. The element of Generosity is rather rare in our modern society, ponies place success on how one does for themselves, so few take the time to give back to those around them. The penultimate element, Laughter, is one that life severely lacks at times; carefree cheer can make light of even the most precarious of disasters. By combining those five elements, the sixth element, Magic, manifests and Harmony is restored. Such magic is said to be very powerful, it has recently been reported on a copious amount of occasions ranging from the Canterlot Royal Wedding to the banishing of the foul Tirek. Each time, the story seems to revolve around the same six ponies, as if they were born to harness such an arcane ability. Such a thought leads to a viable hypothesis: what if everypony is born with a disposition to certain powers?

In such a thought process, research was conducted to find the validity of such a claim. One document that turned up was an early journal entry by a young Starswirl the Bearded. The entry was written as followed:

"Each of the four races of ponies seem to have an affinity for an element.
Earth Ponies are hardworking and loyal much like the strong, supportive
Earth itself
Pegasus Ponies are independent and carefree much like the whimsical,
flowing Wind
Unicorn Ponies are well versed in magic, which is elegant, yet dangerous,
much like an open Fire
Alicorn Ponies are adaptive and nurturing, filled to the brim with life, much
like the calm Waters of the world
Such is the way of Equestria."

Starswirl then goes on to describe the concept that elemental magic also contains a slight moral alignment at times.

"Though the Earth is strong and supportive, it at times has a tendency to
resist change and remains stuck to its own devices
Wind, although independent and carefree, tends to shift and change to match its
desires and even gentle breezes have been know to blow the world over
The elegant, yet dangerous Fire has been known to bring change both good and
bad; when used irresponsibly, one can cause serious damage
Nuturing and adaptive, Water at times may seem to have no faults, but it, too, can
be clouded and shaped, changing it to be unable to help those that need it."

The clear point that can be drawn from his early musings is that Starswirl recognized the affinities that ponies have for magic. How one uses it is also important, however. One's intentions and control can be the difference between Order and Chaos. In seeing these basic affinities, one is open to the argument that one's own cutie mark is an iconic symbol for their affinity. If such is true, can someone unlock their true potential and harness their untapped natural magic reserves? Only time will tell.

Chapter 1: When Duty Calls

Closing the magic with her book, a young, purple mare sat pondering. Her straight, highlighted, sapphire mane rested casually on the bed she lay on. In deep reflection, her entire body lay still, from her horn to her wings. Eyes shut, the alicorn seemed to be considering the plausibility of the information she had just read. Several moments passed, until a sudden, high pitched voiced echoed across the room.

"Gee, that Doctor Whooves sure can write a good book!"

Startled, the purple mare jolted off of her previous resting place and landed on the cold, crystalline floor beside it. Looking behind her, it was quite clear what caused the ruckus. A pair of cerulean eyes and a wide grin staring into her face, the purple mare inched backwards to obtain a clearer view. In front of her stood a pink earth pony with a trio of balloons adorning her flank. She seemed to be brimming with energy; even her curly, raspberry mane seemed to be grinning with joy. The purple alicorn knew it could only be one pony whom could be standing before her.

"Pinkie Pie, you really shouldn't sneak up on me like that. You scared me half to death. At least KNOCK before you barge in here. Speaking of which, when did you-"

"Sorry, Twilight! I didn't want to bother you while you were reading so I figured that I'd just sit and wait until you were finished so that I can talk to you and now your done so I can talk to you about-"

"Whoa, Pinkie. Slow down. First of all, how long have you been in here?"

"I've been here the whole time."

"Oh, okay... Wait, what?"

"I was walking through Ponyville on my way back to Sugarcube Corner after going shopping for Mr. and Mrs. Cake when all of a sudden my cutie mark was all glowie and it went like 'Wooo! Woooooo-'"

Thoroughly confused and slightly annoyed, Twilight placed her hoof in the chatterbox's mouth. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, the Princess of Friendship gave her overzealous friend a strained response.

"Pinkie Pie, breathe. Then continue SLOWLY."

After Twilight removed her hoof, the pink bundle of energy simmered down from her unusually high state.

"All done?"

Pinkie nodded and continued her story.

"First off, Mrs. Cake asked me to go pick up some ingredients from the market. I had just bought the 50 pound bag of flower when I saw you through the window of your castle. You looked sad so I decided to plan you a surprise party. I rushed back to Sugarcube Corner after I finished the rest of the shopping. The weird thing is, when I was hopping my way here, my cutie mark started glowing and stuff. I galloped my way here to tell you, but-"

"You're cutie mark was glowing? That must mean the map wants you to go someplace. Why'd you wait for something so important? Also, how did you get in if the door was locked?"

"Hehe, that's easy, Twilight. Remember when I said I was gonna give you a surprise party?"

"Yeah..." Twilight hesitated but reluctantly responded.

"Well that's when I decided that if I was going to surprise you, I really needed to surprise you, so I grabbed a few balloons and floated up and climbed through the window." With this, Pinkie gestures towards the open window near the bed before continuing. "I saw you reading, so I decided to wait until you finished." Satisfied, the pink earth pony grinned from ear to ear.

". . ."

Finally tired of the silence, the purple mare asked a question. "Pinkie?"

"Yes, Twilight?"

"Aren't you going to go see where the map wants you to go?"

"Oh, yeah! Heeheehee~"

With that, the pink hurricane bolted out of the room and out of sight. Giving a sigh of relief, Twilight prepared to head out as well, curious of the destination set for the party pony.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Trotting into the map room, Twilight was greeted by the most bizarre of sights. Pinkie stood in front of her beloved party cannon, loading it for Celestia knows what. The real oddity, however, was what was being shoved down the barrel.

"Uh...Pinkie? I don't think that elephant will fit."

"Of course it will fit, silly. This baby can hold parties of any size! Besides, what's an animal party without an African elephant?"

Confused and unwilling to delve further, the purple princess glanced towards the map table in the center of the room. Sure enough, Three balloons circled a location on the map. On further inspection, the location was somewhat surprising.

"Fluttershy's cottage? That doesn't make any sense. Fluttershy's out with Spike for the annual dragon migration. Why is the map sending you there?"

"Beats me. Maybe I've got to throw Fluttershy an amazing welcome back party?"

After several moments of thought, an idea pops into Twilight's head, which she quickly dismisses. "Hmm...No, it couldn't be."

"Couldn't be what?"

"Well, it's just that- Pinkie did your voice change?"

"It wasn't me, Twilight. I thought YOU said it"

"Both of you are wrong. I'm over here."

Looking towards the source of the voice, both mares were greeted by a familiar face. A scientific impossiblity, the creature that hovered before them was a mix and match of body parts of different animals. His long snake-like body was equipped with all sorts accessories: an eagle claw, a deer antler, a pegasus wing, and a goat beard on his pony face, among other things. A creature such as that can only be describe as the unnatural draconequus. Twilight, however, knew him by another name.

"Discord." Gritting her teeth, Twilight steeled her body in a battle-ready pose, unsure of what awaited her.

Giving an unnervingly deceptive grin, the draconequus slithered between his pony friends. "Really Twilight, is that any way to greet a friend? I mean, I simply stopped by to say hello. That is what friends do, isn't it?"

"Sorry, force of habit." Twilight, remembering the events of the past few months, recalled their unsteady friendship and relaxed her stance, albeit slightly. "After all, your idea of 'hello' usually comes with some unexpected...surprise."

With that, a small explosion came from the ceiling as confetti rained down. Pinkie, brimming with joy, couldn't contain herself and burst into her trademark laughter. "Hee hee hee~"

Annoyed, Twilight stared into her friends eyes with an intense disdain. "Now is not the time, Pinkie."

"It wasn't me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I tried to do it, but the confetti was already there."

Grinning from ear to ear, Discord had a look of triumph on his face like no other. Warping to Pinkie's party cannon and resting his eagle claw on the barrel, he spoke about the strange event. "Why, it was me who set off the confetti, after all, what's a surprise without confetti?

"That's what I was telling Fluttershy last week. She was too scared to listen, though."

Both of the kindred souls shared a hardy giggle while their "guest of honor" sat with a look of disbelief. Shrugging the moment aside, the princess cleared her throat and proceeded to the task at hand. "What is it you that you want, Discord? No offense, but we were kinda in the middle of something."

Discord seemed to ponder this for a moment wile stroking his goat beard. "What was it? Oh yes, I remember now!" Warping to Pinkie Pie, he clasped his paw and claw around her right hoof. "Miss Pie, I am planning a party for all of Ponyville and I was hoping that you would help me with the preparations. Surely you would be able to help a friend in their time of need?"

Staring into his puppy-like eyes, Pinkie had an uncharacteristically serious expression on my face. After a moment of silent staring, Pinkie's face softened as she gleefully proclaimed, "Of course I will! You had me when you said party, I mean a party is so much fun! I even love the word party, it's more fun than a soiree but it can be crazier than a shindig. Honestly who doesn't lo-"

Placing a hoof in the party pony's mouth, Twilight took charge of the conversation while Pinkie obliviously mumbled with her mouth full. "I'm terribly sorry, but Pinkie here's got other things to do today. Just look at the map over there." As she motioned to the map with her other hoof, she quickly needed to double take to make sure she had seen correctly. Mortified, she rushed over to the map, speaking with a rather rushed, distressed tone. "Ohmygosh, whereisit?Imeanitwasjustrighttherebutwherecoulditbeit'snotlikeitwouldjustgetupandgosomewhere."

"Could you be looking for THIS, by chance?"

Quickly snapping her focus towards the voice, her worst fears were realized. There, above Discord's head, three brightly colored balloons circled, as if to indicate something. "No," she continued, "it couldn't be."

"Oh, it is."

"The map..."

"Mhmm."

"The map that tells us where we're needed..."

"Yeah."

"Is telling us..."

"Indeed."

"To help YOU?"

"It would sure seem that way. Friends ARE supposed to help their friends when they are in trouble. Fluttershy taught me that. Yet ponies call YOU the Princess of Friendship."

Seething with rage, Twilight's cheek turned a deep shade of red. She could not believe that Discord was the one in need. Realizing she had no say in the matter, she reluctantly closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly downwards. "I guess you're right," she mumbled under her breath. "I'm sorry."

Satisfied, Discord teleported under Twilight's muzzle and gave as heartfelt a reply as he could give. "I forgive you, after all, friends fight. It's a sign that they care." Directing his focus to the other mare, who just so happened to still be chatting away, he spoke in a cheerful tone, eager to get things going. "Shall we be off my pink party pony friend?"

"...and then I said, 'Gummy, dresses aren't for eating.'" Realizing that no one was paying attention, Pinkie shyly blushed and nodded.

Sweeping Pinkie up and onto his back, Discord shifted his attention back to the purple mare. Resolved in the matter, he cleared his throat and proceeded to speak, despite Twilight's lingering disapproval. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, Twilight. I promise that I will make Miss Pie's safety my number one priority." Moving towards the window, Discord seemed to remember something and turned back towards Twilight. "Oh, and one more thing..."

Staring impatiently, the purple alicorn waited to hear what her house guest had to say.

"The party will be ready ten days from now at town hall. It starts at exactly midnight, so be sure to tell your friends in advance. Toodles~" With that he snapped his lion's paw and both he and his traveling companion turned to smoke and flew out of the window.

Frustrated, Twilight sat and mumbled under her breath for several moments before she came to a sudden realization. "Ten days? That's the day of the Summer Sun Celebration!"

Author's Note

Oh boy, I'm going to love writing Discord in. There's so much potential for him that just about anything I write could be something he would probably do. I'm so nervouscited just thinking about it. xD

On another note, the map just gave Pinkie a solo mission. Will she handle it with grace like she did with the yaks, or will this be an emotional roller coaster like when Cheese Sandwich came to time?

The future holds the answer. <3

Chapter 2: The Morning After

"I just don't get it. It all happened so fast. One minute I was enjoying my book, then Pinkie ran off to help Discord to plan a party. It's not that I don't think she can handle it, I'm just worried that Discord has something planned."

"Other than the party, ya mean?"

"Yes. Discord hasn't been the most...trustworthy of friends."

"Well, I for one think that it is an excellent opportunity for Pinkie to spread her wings. I mean, don't get me wrong, Discord can be a bit...rowdy at times, but I don't think that he'll try anything too brash."

"Speak for yourself, I say we swoop and bust him. Somepony needs to stop him, and I think we're just the ones to do it."

"Woah there, no need to go all fired up on the count of a party. Pinkie's a tough cookie. Why she's probably as fit as a fiddle and rearing to go throw the best party this side of the Everfree Forest."

"She is quite right, dear. You can't just charge in and solve all of life's problems. Sometimes you just need a little faith."

"Why, thank you kindly."

"Don't thank me, I'm just telling the truth."

"Eugh, fine. Just don't say I didn't tell you so when we're fighting a giant - whatever the heck Discord is - when this is all through."

A unnerving silence filled the room. Twilight Sparkle was deeply affected by yesterday's events. She hardly slept worrying about where and when she would be able to see her friend again. When morning came, she decided that she had to tell somepony about her concerns. Perhaps they would be able to provide some insight and help plan the next action taken. Gathered in the castle's central hall were 4 mares, each with a different background and opinion on the whole situation. Twilight, the alicorn, having firsthand witnessed the whole thing, was in a state of deep shock. She knew what had happened and why, but still had her worries about the chaotic draconequus's intentions. In the throne to her left sat Applejack, a strong, well-toned, orange earth pony. Her dialect and the trademark stetson hat atop her blonde mane symbolized her farm lifestyle, which was represented on her flank by a trio of red apples. She seemed to have her reserves on the situation, but she had enough trust in her friend to see how the events would play out. Continuing around the room, Rarity, the graceful, white unicorn sat on her throne. Despite the rush this morning, her indigo mane maintained its gentle curls, emanating a confidence that matched her calm, refined manner of speech and the three gems that adorned her flank. While her words indicated that she had the utmost encouragement for the party pony, she, too, felt that not everything was as it seemed. Across from her, the last mare sat with a scowl on her face. Born a pegasus, Rainbow Dash was itching to spread her wings and fly off, leaving a rainbow trail that matched her unique mane. Her cerulean body practically screaming out to the sky, she had a love for action like no other, represented by the cloud and three color lighting bolt emblazoned on her flank. She openly distrusted Discord and was ready to act on her gut instinct, regardless of discretion or evidence.

As the four friends pondered, they soon realized that silence would be of no help, so a voice cut its way into the tense atmosphere. "I reckon we oughta wait for Fluttershy to come back. If anypony knows what goes on in ol' Discord's head, it's her." Applejack paused, waiting for her friend's reactions.

"But we don't have TIME to wait, AJ! Discord can do just about anything. If we go look for him now, maybe we can convince Pinkie that he's up to no good," Rainbow Dash blurted out.

"But what if he ain't plottin' anything? What then, ya just gonna go and snatch up Pinkie without even thinkin'?"

"Seriously?!? He's Discord, the king of Chaos! He tried to make Equestria his playground THREE TIMES!"

Tired of the bickering, Twilight spoke her mind on the matter. "We stopped him before, and if it comes to it, we'll stop him again. Until then, we need to calm down and wait until Fluttershy returns. We need all the help we can get."

"Twilight, dear, I hate to interrupt, but have you tried contacting any of the other princesses yet? Perhaps they can shed some light on our predicament."

"I appreciate the idea, Rarity, but I've already tried. Princess Cadence and my brother are off negotiating trade with Yakyakistan, so they're busy. Princess Luna is still recoiling from the whole Tantabus thing, so she's in no condition to help."

"But what about Celestia? Surely SHE can help," Rainbow Dash inquired.

Shaking her head, Twilight look to the floor and responded. "Nope, she's busy with the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. She doesn't exactly think that Discord has it in him."

"You'd reckon that she'd remember what happened last time."

"I know." Sighing, the young alicorn struggled to get her next few words out. "Sometimes I wonder if Princess Celestia takes me seriously. I mean, after I left Canterlot, I slowly saw less and less of her. Now that I've got these wings and this castle, it feels as though we've really grown apart." A single tear escaped her closed eyelids and streamed down her purple face. "I wonder if she even still has time for me anymore." After opening her eyes, she saw two sets of hooves on the ground in front of her.

"Darling, we understand you feeling upset, but know this: you are Princess Celestia's prized student. You've grown far beyond the young, studious unicorn you once were. You are a princess, so you should now understand that sometimes duty gets in the way of your life. I'm sure she feels the same way. Why, if she weren't preparing the Summer Sun Celebration, she'd be here now, consoling the mare she treated like a daughter."

"Rarity's right, sugarcube. Ya gotta realize that even though you're far apart, you two are always like family. Family sticks together no matter what. I'm sure if she could she'd loved to stop by and chat with ya to catch up on old times. Ain't that right, Rainbow?"

"But I..."

Glaring at the pegasus with her green eyes, the farm pony spoke through gritted teeth. "Ain't. That. Right. RAINBOW?"

"I mean, yeah, she's like a second mom, so of course she'd come!"

Calming down, Twilight looked at each of her friends with appreciation. "Thanks girls, that really means a lot to me. I don't know what came over me." Standing up proud, the alicorn found new resolve and spoke with a reinvigorated, powerful voice. "WE SHALL WORK TOGETHER TO SAVE THE DAY! WE BELIEVE IN PINKIE PIE!"

"Now we're talking, now let's go find Discord!"

"Hold on a sec, Rai-" Applejack motioned to stop the blue blur, but she had already zoomed out the window and out of sight. "Shoot, I guess we'll have to catch up ta her later."

"It's fine, Applejack. This IS Rainbow Dash we're talking about. 'Danger' is her middle name, although she'd probably tell you that it's 'Awesome'."

"Wow, I must say, Twilight, it seems as though all that voice training has finally brought out your royal Canterlot voice."

"Grinning for the first time that morning, Twilight was practically bouncing with joy. "Really? It worked? YES YES YES! WE KNEW WE COULD DO IT!" Suddenly realizing her outburst, she quickly calmed down. "I mean...great."

The remaining trio shared a hearty laugh for several moments, an excellent, much needed distraction from the stressful situation. They decided that it would be best to go about their days normally, Fluttershy would return soon enough. Seeing as how they had nine days remaining, the only thing they could do was wait in discomfort. Was Discord's intent completely above board, or does he have something hectic planned for his equine friends? No pony knew for sure, but they hoped that they would at least get a clue at some point. At a loss for words, the ponies headed out to resume their daily schedules.

Author's Note

Day 1 of preparations are underway. Time for the plot's preparations to unfold as well. See ya next chapter~ :D

(I think I'll start listing a synopsis of character locations at the end of each chapter for the sake of memory, mostly mine. Lol)

Character Locations:

Twilight Sparkle: Her castle
Applejack: Sweet Apple Acres
Rarity: Carousel Boutique
Pinkie Pie: With Discord (M.I.A.)
Fluttershy: With Spike on the dragon migration
Rainbow Dash: Looking for Discord (M.I.A.)
Discord: ???

Chapter 3: Wait Watchers (Part 1 - Twilight)

Having just departed, each pony had lots of time on their hooves. They tried their best to keep their minds off of Discord's party and the disappearance of their beloved Pinkie Pie.

Sitting in the dark unknown, Discord watched each of the mares in their futile attempts at everyday life. "My, this is upsetting. They don't trust me, and here I thought we were friends."

"Well don'tcha worry, Discord, we're gonna make this the bestest party in all of Equestria. That way they'll realize how silly they were. Hee hee~"

"Thanks for the support, at least I have two TRUE friends. Speaking of which, where is Fluttershy?"

"Isn't she still out with all of the dragons?"

"Ah, of course. How silly of me to forget."

"I wonder what the others are up to right now. I'm hope they're super excited for the party like me!"

"Why don't we check?"

"Okie dokie, Loki~"

Both the draconequus and the pink earth pony peered into the crystalline orb in the center of the darkness. Slowly, an image rose to the surface.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Walking towards the Everfree forest, Twilight seemed to be lost in heavy thought. If she didn't have the answers to her problem, maybe she knew somepony who did. She had reached her wits end when I certain friend came to mind. Somepony well versed in more cryptic magic. A zebra of enormous knowledge of all things "dark magic", if she couldn't help, no pony could. Stepping over the vines and roots in the ground, the purple alicorn navigated the treacherous Everfree forest floor, checking for any danger along the way. At one point in the trail, she stopped abruptly. There on the ground immediately in front of her lay a bed of flowers. Marked by their blue leaves and petals, the princess instantly recognized the plant and used her magic to grab a stray branch. Making a path through the flower bed, Twilight gingerly walked through. "It's a good thing I saw this poison joke," Twilight said aloud. "I wouldn't want my horn to go all floppy again." Reflecting back on past experience, she realized how truly foolish she had been. "I just wish I had listened back then," she stated.

After walking for another hour, Twilight had finally reached her destination. A rather peculiar tree, it stood out among those around it. It's roots, much like the rest of the tree, was a winding, twisted mess, rising in and out of the ground. Adorned by strange hanging fixtures and wooden masks, it was hard to believe something like it existed unless one saw it for themselves. Stranger still was the fact that not only was it a tree, it was some pony's home. Pausing for a moment in front of the door, the purple alicorn prepared herself for speaking with the friend that lie beyond it. Knocking with her right hoof, she called out. "Hello? Is anypony home?"

"I hear a knocking, what's it for? Is that somepony at my door?"

"It's me Twilight."

"Ah, Twilight, I thought it might be you. Come on in and join us two.

The princess opened the door using the magic from her horn. Afterwards, she stepped inside and shut it behind her.

"Heya Twilight!"

There gathered around the hut's central cauldron stood a zebra and a filly. The filly was an olive-colored earth pony with a medium-length red mane. Although her flank was bare, her determination to discover her destiny was visible in her attitude.

"Hi, Apple Bloom. Working with Zecora on another potion, I see," Twilight responded.

"Yep! Granny said there's nothin' for me to help with at Sweet Apple Acres, so I thought I might come on down and earn mah cutie mark."

"Well, I don't know if your cutie mark will be potion making, but you sure are getting better at it."

"Really? I guess ya were right, Zecora. All that practice IS payin' off."

Quickly replying to the filly's words, the zebra spoke. "Yes, Apple Bloom, it's exactly like I told you. All it takes is hard work, dedication, and patience, too."

"Don't forget Zecora, you ARE the best potion maker in Equestria."

"Oh, Princess Sparkle, not you, too. I appreciate your flattery but that's just untrue. I only dabble in potions, this much you can see. Plenty of ponies in Equestria know much more than me. Please do not take offense, and do not pout, but what did you come here to talk about?"

"Oh, right." Twilight paused, taking a large breath. "I need to tell you something, but first things first," she quickly glanced at Apple Bloom, "I'd rather talk about it in private."

"Don't worry about me none, Twilight. I'm just gonna git back to fixin' mah potion."

"But..."

"Do not worry your head, it is okay, Princess Twilight. We can talk alone right outside, it is quite alright."

Zecora and Twilight opened the door and stepped outside into the forest. Apple Bloom tried to get back to her work at the cauldron, but she quickly lost focus. "Why can't they just trust me? I AIN'T no little foal anymore." Looking at the window, a sinister smile crept onto the young filly's face. "But, if I 'overhear' them, they can't say nothin' about it." Walking over to the window, Apple Bloom crouched just out of sight, eavesdropping on the two outside.

"Discord. . . . .Pinkie. . . . . .Party. . . . .Town Hall. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Summer Sun Celebration. . . . . . . . .Friends."

"Pinkie Pie and Discord are throwing a party at the town hall? What's so bad about that?" Hearing the sound of hooves, Apple Bloom quickly returned to her cauldron, and not a moment too soon. Just as she returned to her position, the door slowly opened.

"I understand you worry and how you missed her, now here you are, your baby sister."

"Thanks Zecora, I hope Apple Bloom didn't cause ya too much trouble."

"It was quite fine, we both shared quite the laugh. It was no trouble, she was quite the company to have."

Turning around, the young earth pony filly realized that there was one other mare entering the door. Applejack was right behind the zebra and the alicorn. She had a slight look of worry on her face.

"Sis, what're ya doin' here?"

"I've been plumb worried about ya, Apple Bloom. I thought I'd come along and bring ya on back to Sweet Apple Acres before dark."

"I'm not a little foal anymore," the filly protested.

"Fret not little filly, there's always time for more, but your sister is right; it is half past four."

Reluctantly, Apple Bloom started for the door with her earth pony sister.

"I'll be seein' y'all around. First, I better get back home. Bye for now."

Both the alicorn and the zebra nodded in response to the sisters's departure. Once the door was shut, Twilight proceeded to restart the conversation from earlier. "Do you think we can trust Discord? I know the map told Pinkie to help him, but what if something is wrong? What should we do?"

Zecora paused, seeming to ponder the matter at hand. She opened her mouth, but only air escaped. At a loss for words, she gave the best answer she knew. "In truth, I know not what the future has in store, but I know that, other than you, it will take four. Chaos is no thing to take light, try your hardest, but do not fight. Friendship is key to aid your quest, that's all I know, you have the rest."

"Well, thanks for everything, Zecora. If anything comes up, I'll be sure to try to fill you in."

"Farewell, and safe journey, Princess Twilight, may you find peace in sleep tonight."

With that, the Princess of Friendship stepped out of the door and into the evening air. There was nothing left to today but go home. Although Twilight was sure that she might be able to find peace, she was unsure if she would be able to sleep tonight. Her mind still weighed heavy, but she found a sort of new found resolve with her conversation with Zecora. Perhaps, things would not be so bad. Maybe she was exaggerating, and Pinkie was just throwing a normal party. If only she knew now what the future held in store for her friends...

Author's Note

Gosh, it was a little tough writing for Zecora. I guess practice makes perfect, because the more I wrote, the easier it came.

Also, I hope you didn't mind the title for the chapter, there are a lot more puns in the future. xD

Chapter 4: Wait Watchers (Part 2- Applejack)

Darkness is a quite unsettling place, the lack of activity is enough to make a grown mare go insane. Days on end without clear surroundings can be quite desolate and lonely. It is the stuff of nightmares, yet it is in this emptiness that King of Chaos watches over everypony, observing their daily lives.

"My, Twilight really doesn't trust me, does she? She thinks I'll try to end the world or something. Can't I just have a normal party every once in a while?"

Just then, off in the distance, a small explosion erupted from the otherwise pitch-black realm. Slowly, shreds of paper and latex rain from the source, displaying the otherwise unnoticed gravity within the darkness.

"Oops, hee hee~. I guessed I used too much flour."

"That's quite alright, Pinkie, my dear. You can never use too much flour. I want this party to be EXTRA special, so use anything you need. Just ask for it, and I'll be happy to provide it. After all, that's what friends are for."

"Thank you so much, Discord, old buddy, old pal! I mean, a whole world where anything you think of just goes -POOF- and appears out of nowhere is amazingly terrific! I can just think of cherries, tortillas, cooking oil, a stove, and a skillet and -POOF-! Instant chimicherry...or is it cherrychonga? Maybe Applejack'll know!"

"We can save that question for...later. It wouldn't be such a bad idea to check up on the Apple family mare-triarch-in-training."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Mornin' Granny!"

"Good mornin' Applejack."

"Mornin' Apple Bloom"

"Don't ya think it's a little early for yellin'?"

"Nonsense! It's a bee-yoo-ti-ful mornin', ain't it Big Mac?"

"Nope."

"See, Big Mac understa-. Wait, did I jus' hear ya'll say 'nope'?"

"Eeyup."

"Look outside sis, the rain's comin' faster than Pinkie for somepony's birthday."

The young filly, Apple Bloom pointed one of her hooves toward the kitchen window with an annoyed look on her face. Outside the window, Sweet Apple Acres was covered in a huge downpour. It was so bad, in fact, that several of the trees outside had actually broken from the rain and lightning.

Staring gloomily at the table, Applejack pulled her Stetson hat lower down her head before opening her mouth to speak. "Oh, I see. I musta been dreamin'. Sorry about that, everypony."

Her family stood around her with a look of concern on their faces. In addition to her sister, Apple Bloom, there were two others. Big McIntosh, a tall, rugged, red earth pony stallion with a straight, orange mane and cropped tail, stood giving his silent, steady support for his sister. The other, Granny Smith, was an elderly, lime green earth pony. The evidence of her age and wisdom lie in her wrinkles and slightly unkempt, light grey mane and tail, which she always kept in a bun. She stood for a moment before imparting a few words of wisdom.

"Now, I know you're worried about Pinkie, but ya gotta realized that she's a full grown mare. She don't need yer fillysittin', she can handle herself. Most importantly, it's a PARTY. Why, if there's one thing I know, it's that there ain't no party that Pinkie can't handle."

Staring towards the floor, Applejack responded in a hushed tone. "It ain't Pinkie that I'm worried 'bout. I mean, what if Discord's just usin' her for Celestia knows what?"

"Hush now, ya hear? If ya have time to worry, then ya should be doin' some work, missy."

"Yes, Granny," Apple Jack responded, almost automatically.

Just then, Apple Bloom gasped and exclaimed loudly, "Well, I'll be! It stopped rainin'!"

Sure enough, the clouds had disappeared, leaving a clear, sunny Equestrian morning. Then, a dark grey pegasus with a cyanish-grey mohawk popped his head in the window.

"Sorry folks, one of the pegasi got..." He glanced off above him with a look of disapproval. "...distracted. One of our clouds got loose and floated over here. We just came by to get it back."

"I said I was sorry. I was too hungry to work."

"You had 20 muffins this morning!"

". . ."

"Anyway," the stallion said to the residents, "We'll just be getting out of the way. Enjoy the rest of your day." He then proceeded to fly away with his grey pegasus coworker.

Apple Jack then had a realization. "Ya'll know what this means?"

"We can go back to sleep?" The olive filly retorted.

"It means I was right about tha mornin' being great!" Applejack exclaimed.

"No, it means we can get back to work on the farm."

"Okay, Granny," both sisters groaned.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Out in the field, Applejack and Big Mac were hard at work bucking the apple trees before the big storm next week. They worked like a machine bucking trees left and right. Apple Bloom struggled to collect the steadily dropping apples so that they could be brought to Granny Smith for quality checking. As time went on, the young filly struggled harder and harder to keep up with her older siblings, the fatigue finally setting in.

Struggling to catch her breath, the olive filly slowly cried out for help. "I don't. . . mean to. . . complain, but. . . could ya'll slow down. . . jus'. . .a tad?"

"Nope."

"No can do, sis. We've got to keep this pace if we're ever gonna git to the southern field by tomorrow."

"But. . ."

The orange mare, appalled by her sister's lack of stamina, quickly cut her off. "No buts. I promised Granny that we'd be done by the end of the week an' that's what I'm gonna do."

"Well now hold on, young'un," the elderly pony inserted, "what good is it to be done if yer workin' yer help to death? Ya'll gone ahead an' rest, Apple Bloom, ya are a growin' filly, after all."

"Thanks Granny." Sighing in relief, the filly dropped to the ground in fatigue, ready to sleep.

"I'll take the young'un in to rest, meanwhile, ya'll should take a break, too. Good for the bones." With that, the lime green mare returned to the barn with Apple Bloom resting on her back.

"Granny's right, Big Mac. Go on an' git yer rest. I can take it from here."

"But..."

"Don't ya worry none, I'm as fit as a fiddle." Applejack struck a proud pose, displaying her willingness to get back to work. She stepped up to the closest tree and turned around. "I've got plenty o' energy left in me. Just watch." She lifted up her hind hooves in preparation. Then, she forced the forward to the tree in preparation for the buck underway. She never felt her hooves touch the bark.

Chapter 5: A little R&RD

"Good heavens, what happened to her?"

"I don't know, Apple Bloom just burst through my door, telling me to come here."

"Gee, sorry 'bout that."

"Will she be alright?"

"Eeyup."

"Yeah, the nurse says she jus' needs some rest."

"Well that's good."

"Um...girls, I don't mean to trouble you, but it seems that she is um...waking up."

Opening her eyes, Applejack was subjected to unfamiliar surroundings. Jolting up, she glanced across the foreign backgroud, trying to discern her location. The bright lighting of the room allowed her to clearly see the dark green ceiling and teal wallpaper. Other than that, there was not much to find. After another moment of taking in the situation, the farm mare's eyes met with an oddly familiar white unicorn.

"Applejack, are you alright, darling?"

Rubbing her hooves over her eyes, the unicorn's face came into focus. "Rarity," she asked, "is that really you?"

"It is I. Enough about me, though. How are you? You had us all pretty worried."

"Yeah, Applejack. You really should learn when to take a break."

"Eeyup."

Glancing to her right, Applejack saw another of her best friends, as well as her brother. "Twilight and Big Mac? Ya'll're here, too?"

"Of course we are, silly. Big Mac came here with you, and I can running as soon as I heard the news."

"Yeah, sis! We really do care 'bout ya.

Liquid emotion welling in her eyes, the farm mare tried to tilt her Stetson hat over her face, only to realize that it was nowhere to be found. She frantically scanned the room, looking for a sign of her favorite article of clothing.

"I believe that you are looking for this," a voice uttered coyly. Looking to the pony, Applejack noticed Rarity playfully holding the brown Stetson with her magic. "You know, this hat has really been through a lot, you should let me design you a new one. It would certainly add new flair."

Snatching the hat from its suspended state, Applejack quickly placed it atop her head, covering her watering eyes. "No deal Rarity. That hat an' I have been through thick 'n' thin together. I reckon I'll wear it 'til the day I croak."

Slightly upset, the white mare conceded to her friends wishes. "I understand. Sentiment takes priority over fashion; that is just like you."

Twilight stared at her orange friend with the face of a mother: concerned, yet disappointed. "What were you thinking, Applejack? You can't possibly have expected to buck that entire orchard in one day. Don't get me wrong, you're a strong pony, but you're still just ONE pony. One pony and hundreds of apple trees just don't add up. Isn't that right, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup," the red stallion chimed in.

Silence filled the room as the words resonated within the farm mare. She had heard her brother say the same thing before, to a similar effect. Her fatigue got the better of her last time, and her friends were there to help. It looked as though this time was no different. "If only I weren't so darn stubborn, this wouldn't've happened. I'm such a fool."

"What's with all boring sob story? The Applejack I know would get up and say she's fine!"

"Huh? Who was that?" Applejack looked up and around trying to find that familiar voice.

"Umm...Hello! I'm over here!"

Just then, a rainbow colored blur entered through the door. It's sheer presence made a mess of the hospital room, skewing everything out of place and throwing it to the floor. After it abruptly stopped, the dust cloud it left slowly began to dissipate. There stood a sky blue pegasus with her signature rainbow-colored mane.

Surprised by the identity of her new visitor, Applejack quickly blurted out her greeting. "Why if it ain't Rainbow Dash! It's about time ya showed up."

"Well excuse me. Somepony had to go find Discord."

". . ."

"Well?" Twilight asked.

"Well, what?"

Rarity finished the question. "Well, did you find him?"

Caught off guard by the sudden question, the pegasus struggled to change the subject. "Well, it's not like it mattered, anyway."

"So in other words," Applejack retorted, "ya didn't find him."

". . ."

"Yep, I reckon I'm right."

"So what I didn't find him? You couldn't have found him either."

"I wasn't the one lookin' for him, now was I?" Giving a slight smirk, the farm mare gave her rival a triumphant glance that ended the conversation in its tracks.

Unwilling to see the pointless conversation flare back up, Twilight Sparkle redirected everypony's attention to the eminent future. "Sorry, girls, but let's not forget that Fluttershy is coming back tomorrow. Also, we've got Discord's party to deal with the day after that."

Letting the gravity of the situation set in, everypony in room stared off into a different direction.

"Gee, I guess yer right, Twi. Let me just git on up outta mah bed an-"

"Oh no you don't!" A voice bellowed from behind the door. "You're going to stay right there until you get your rest."

"Fluttershy is right, you know." The purple mare lectured. She paused for a moment, hoping that her farm pony friend would understand her friends' concerns. Almost as if on cue, the Princess of Friendship blurted out a sudden realization. "Wait, Fluttershy?!?"

The door swung open as a petite, light gold pegasus trotted in, her long, flowing, rose mane reflecting the soft sunlight entering through the window.. Although the three butterflies on her flank represented her kindness, her face was filled with disbelief, disappointment, and concern. "Really, Applejack? You should learn to not do everything with brute force. You're almost as bad as Rainbow Dash."

"Hey! What's that suppo-" Before the cerulean pegasus could finish her complaint, she met the cold, unnerving glare that Fluttershy's cyan eyes were know for. A look that chills through to the bone with its piercing gaze and unwavering conviction, the Stare was enough force to deter an adult dragon let alone her current pegasus receipt. "Nevermind!" The rainbow maned pegasus quickly squealed sinking to the floor.

"Gee, I'm mighty sorry, Fluttershy. Ah won't let it happen again no time soon."

Seeing her friend's apology, the golden pegasus let her teal eyes rest. All of the intense emotions contained within the glare subsided almost instantly. As the rose maned mare settled back down, she quickly realized that they were not alone, quickly causing her to squeak out a quick response. "Uh...I'm sorry everypony."

". . ."

In an effort to reconcile her loud outburst, Fluttershy continued her statement. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I'll just be getting out of the way, I mean...if that's okay."

As the mare made her way towards the exit, every mare and stallion in the room collectively broke the silence that lingered.

"Fluttershy!"

Jumping in reaction to the sudden outburst, the pegasus responded to her friends from her solace on the ceiling. "...Yes...?"

"Good heavens, what are you doing here?" Rarity inquired.

Twilight continued the thought. "Yeah, We thought you were supposed to come back tomorrow. What happened?"

"It's a bit of long story, actually." Fluttershy finally replied, "I don't think you would want to hear it."

"Nonsense, dear. You simply have to tell us all about it. I say we return to the castle and talk about it over lunch."

"Good idea, Rarity. I reckon it'll git our minds off of everythin' else."

"I don't mean to be rude, girls," the meek pegasus uttered, "but where is Pinkie Pie? I thought she would be here throwing some kind of party."

Hearing the name of their beloved friend, the four other mares all looked to the ground with a slightly solemn attitude. Finally, Apple Bloom stepped up to answer the question. "I don't know too much 'bout what's happenin' mahself, but Sis has told me that Pinkie's helpin' Discord with some kinda party. Nopony's seen her in a couple o' days."

"What? I'm sorry I brought it up, everypony."

"It's fine, Fluttershy," Twilight replied, "we were going to have to tell you at some point. We can talk about it at the castle."

"Well, we best be movin' along now. I'm antsier than a barrel of cider in the summer heat." Applejack, ready to leave her current resting place, hopped out of bed and trotted out the door with her friends in tow.

"Oh no you, don't," Big Mac said. "Yer comin' back home with me, young filly." He placed his hoof on Apple Bloom's tail as she tried to leave with her sister.

"But-"

"No buts, missy. Yer comin' home with me this instant. We've still got chores to do." He picked up the young filly and placed her on his back before exiting the hospital and heading back towards Sweet Apple Acres.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"...and that's all that happened."

"So nopony has seen or heard from Pinkie or Discord since?" Flutershy cocked her head sideways, contemplating the situation.

"I'm tellin' ya, somethin' seems off about the hold gosh darned thing."

"I told you already, we should go find Discord!"

"You have tried that already, or have you forgotten so soon?"

"Eugh! Forget it!"

While Rainbow Dash tries to convince her friends to take up action, Twilight spoke to Fluttershy. "So, what happened that made you return so soon. Also, no that I think of it, where is Spike?"

"Well..." the shy pony started, "that's a long story."

Tour de Fluttershy (Part 1)

"Now Fluttershy, it's good that you are going out to see the dragon migration, but do be careful, darling."

"Okay, but-"

"Be sure to enjoy them there apples, too. Wouldn't want ya to starve."

"Thank you, but-"

"If those dragons get in your face, just kick 'em real hard in the face like POW!"

"Gosh, I really-"

"Don't forget to show those dragons how we ponies party~"

"That's great, but I really think-"

"I sure hope Spike won't cause too much trouble for you."

"Hello?!?" an impatient voice called out. "I really think Fluttershy and I should get going. At this rate, it'll be dark before we leave."

The group looked towards the source of the voice and found a very familiar friend. There, not too much taller than any colt or filly, stood Spike. His mulberry scales covered most of his body, save for his light greenish-grey underbelly and his lime green ear tufts. The harlequin green scales that lined his back and the pistachio colored, reptilian eyes on his face displayed his heritage as a dragon, albeit a baby. He stood with his arms folded and tapped his foot, staring at his friends' conversation.

"Sorry, Spike." The lavender alicorn uttered. "I guess we're just all worried about Fluttershy. After all, dragons and ponies don't exactly get along. Couple that with Fluttershy's fear of them, and it's practically a recipe for disaster."

Squeaking in from the background, the golden pegasus finally uttered her first complete sentence that morning. "Thank you so much for the concern, girls, but I'm sure I'll be just fine. I'm going on this trip to get over my fear of dragons. Besides, I've got Spike to protect me if something happens. Isn't that right?"

"Heh. BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Suddenly a pair of the mares burst into uncontrollable laughter. As they died down, both Applejack and Rainbow Dash met the stone cold glares of everypony around them.

"Are you serious? SPIKE...protecting YOU? You've gotta be joking!"

Agreeing with her rainbow-maned friend, the orange farm mare chimed in. "Don't git me wrong Spike, ya help out a lot, but ya ain't exactly the brave type, ya know? Why jus' the other day, you struggled gettin' outta Sweetie Belle's magic headlock. That filly couldn't even lift an apple wit' that horn o' hers. . . . . No offense, Rarity."

"None taken."

"Grrrrr." Balling his claw into something that resembled a fist, Spike gritted his teeth in contempt. After a moment, he loosened his fist and gave a somewhat level headed response. "Whatever. I'll show you guys. C'mon Fluttershy, we have to get going."

"Okay, Spike." Turning to her friends, the animal loving Fluttershy waved her hoof as she departed. "Goodbye everypony, see you soon."

A unanimous response escaped the mouths of her pony friends. "Goodbye, Fluttershy. Come back soon!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After having flown on Fluttershy's back for an hour, Spike finally got the courage to speak. "So," he began, "what made you join me in this year's Great Dragon Migration. I bet it's going to be great and everything, but aren't you afraid of dragons?"

". . ."

"Sorry I asked," Spike quickly blurted out.

". . ."

"So wait until you see the rest of the guys, they're so-"

"-onger," the mare timidly whispered.

"What was that?"

"I want to be stronger."

Spike tilted his head sideways at his friends sudden declaration. "What do you mean?"

"Everypony else is smart, strong, refined, brave, fun, or helpful. Me? I'm just I big scaredy-cat. I joined you so that I can stand up for myself."

"I thought Iron Will taught you that?"

The golden mare shook her head while still maintaining her current pace. "That was being aggressive, not being assertive. It turned me into a real meanie, don't you remember?"

"Oh, right."

"Anyway, I hope to learn how to be brave by facing one of my biggest fears."

"Pinkie's party cannon?"

"Hehehe, I don't think I'm ready for that just yet."

Both sharing a hearty laugh, they stared out into the horizon. There, where Celestia's sun met the land, a series of volcanic mountains stood. Their brown, rocky surface vastly contrasted the grassy hills leading to it. Large roars emanated from the center volcano, causing the golden pegasus to tense up and begin a swift descent. The only thing left for the dragon-pegasus pair to do was to walk the rest of the way on foot.

Author's Note

Flashback time part 1!

I don't really need to put the location bit for this, do I? Essentially this is Fluttershy recounting her time out for the migration. I hope you will like this multi-part storyline.

Well, ta ta for now~

Tour de Fluttershy (Part 2)

Located in a series of volcanoes, the dragon migration grounds exhumed heat to its surrounding area. The brown stone mountain walls were the only containment for the molten rock within. Although many ponies were familiar with the location, few actually ventured to it. The combination of the altitude, the molten pools, and the annual guests was enough to drive anypony away. Anypony but Fluttershy, that is.

"Hey, Fluttershy, look! We made it."

Turning to look over his shoulder, the adolescent dragon realized that he was by himself. He glanced back and forth over the nearby expanses, looking for a sign of his travelling companion. After several sweeps, his eyes were drawn to a quivering mass of bush further down the slope.

"So much for conquering her fear," Spike muttered under his breath. Before continuing the final stretch of his journey, a wave of emotion overtook the dragon, recollection of his previous visit overtaking him. No, Spike thought as he shook his head, now's not the time to hesitate. I'm going to do this, not for Twilight, not for Fluttershy, not even for Rarity. He balled his claws into a fist of sorts. Now is MY time. The time to prove I'm not a little baby. Taking the next step on his journey, Spike braced himself for the events of the upcoming days.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Long after sunset, a quivering mass of golden feathers emerged from a shrub. The ball seemed to be making some wort of cry, but it was hardly audible, let alone understandable. After a short pause, the golden mass attempted the cry again, slightly louder than the first. Greeted by the same silence, the ball timidly unfurled itself, taking the shape of a pegasus. mare. ". . .Spike. . ." the mare whispered with a raspy voice. ". . .Are you out there?" Disturbed by the silence, Fluttershy gingerly scooted her way up the volcanic mountain, searching every nook and cranny for the baby dragon.

After having finally reached the summit of the volcanic mountain, the pegasus scanned the area, looking for her lost friend. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Hearing a familiar cry, Fluttershy's eyes darted to the source of the sound. There, face down in a pool of lava, lie a small purple dragon. "Spike!" Fluttershy gasped. Just before rushing down to help her friend, the golden pegasus heard another set of voices.

The dragons on the cliff over the pool seemed to be cheering on the flop.

"Ha! I knew he'd flop again."

"You should give up, Spike!"

"Yeah, you've already tried, like, ten times!"

Fluttershy gasped in shock. The teenage dragons weren't cheering him on, she realized. Those meanies! How dare they make fun of Spike? Fluttershy thought. But just as she started to fly over to help the baby dragon, a large screech echoed across the sky. In a flash, a flaming body swooped down and snatched Spike from out of the pool and carried him away.

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

"Good heavens! Is Spikey-wikey okay? Is that why you came back so quickly?"

"Yes, Rarity, it is why I came back." I tried to find him, but he disappeared after that."

"Why did I let him go?" Twilight looked down to the ground as she spoke. "The dragon migration is only once a generation, so why did I believe that their was another one?"

Seeing her friend's dismay, Applejack placed her hoof on the purple alicorn's shoulder. "It wasn't yer fault, Twilight. Sounds like ol' Spike just wanted sum time fer himself."

"But, now he's missing..."

"Gosh Fluttershy, that was a pretty good story, but you are missing one teenie, weenie little detail."

"Thank you, bu-"

Simultaneously, the golden pegasus and her four mare audience looked towards the interjecting voice. There, standing in plain view, was a delightfully cheery pink earth pony, complimented by the small purple dragon sitting square on her back.

"Ta da! Hee hee~ Didya miss me everypony?"

Author's Note

Could it be? Find out next chapter.

Sorry I took so long on this flashback, writing a story about Fluttershy and dragons was a little tough, so I had to carefully abandon the idea. I'll try to revisit it with another flashback later. I mean... if that's okay. :fluttershysad:

Until then, the next few chapters are going back towards Discord's party. See you next time in "AJ's Bizarre Adventure"