Chapter 2: Whispers in the Wind
Hearths Warming Eve Eve - 1pm
(12 hours ago)
"Spike, where are you off too?" Shouted Scoot-a-loo as she rode down the street on her scooter with Sweetie-Belle piggybacking behin her. Spike was too focused on what had just occurred back the library to hear her and carried on his way, the little dragon trudged through Ponyville with his head bowed in shame, thinking to himself 'why do I always in one way or another let Twilight down, its not like I do these things on purpose. But all I end up doing is messing everything up, I really am useless after all'. Remembering back all the times he had been clumsy in one way or another, flooding his mind, his feelings of uselessness pervading even his vision and without realizing, walked deep into the Everfree forest.
Sometime later he sees a path up ahead, where there was a large tree that separated the path into two, the path to the right was clear of danger, but overgrown with dense spiky sharp thorns. But to the path on the left, about 10 meters down Spike could see what looked like these strange lightly coloured flying strings. All swirling around each other, it was quite a pretty sight to behold as they gently carried up flakes of snow up from the ground into a light swirl. As if they were dancing with the flakes in the soft breeze, all in a perfectly synchronized fashion. This really calmed Spike down and alleviated distress, something about their playfulness changed his focus away from what was bad, as if some angelic spirits had sensed his toil. Upon closer inspection Spike could see that these creatures were like little water dragons, except without wings. But could some how fly through the air, still he didn't question the physicality, he simply thought this was cool. There were about a dozen of them, all forming a larger cylindrical structure that appeared as if it was its own entity. It began to move along the path, ever whisping and swirling as it went along, Spike followed it eagerly, 'Maybe it's going to help me find the best firewood! That would certainly please Twilight', he thought.
Hearths Warming Eve - 1am
(Current Time)
Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow-Dash were all sat waiting by the forest clearing, all of their teeth chattering in the bitter cold. "Alright girls, ima go fetch some firewood, this is getting too chilly for my liking" Said Applejack who was getting increasingly fed up with being stood in the cold. She was a very practical pony at heart, and when something needed doing it got done!
"Ill help you get some firewood" Said Rainbow-Dash. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were huddled up together trying their best to stay warm, sometime later the other two return with some wood they collected from around the forest edges, but they had nothing to light it with. "God dang it, I forgot to bring my matches!" said Applejack.
"Well that's useful" Rainbow remarked.
"Hey don't go blaming me, if your younger sister hadn't stopped spike I wouldn't be needing to loose my matches now would I?" said Applejack,
"Well if Twilight hadn't of been so mean to Spike, then he would't have run away!" said Rainbow-Dash,
"erm excuse me, girls" said Fluttershy, but the two ponies continued to argue, "girls.." "GIRLS!!" screeched Fluttershy. "Stop fighting, we shouldn't be blaming each other at a time like this, you should all no better, and Twilight, Spike and Rarity need us right now" she said in an angry tone, "Now shall we just be nice and all huddle together until they return?" her voice now lowering to a more pleasant and gentle tone. The other two settled down and they all huddled together, the pegasi using their wings to shelter the earth ponies.
It seemed like hours and hours went by, but still no sign of Rarity or Twilight. "Guys I'm getting real worried here, Im gunna go check out above the clouds to see the position of the stars, we get taught over at Cloudsdale how to tell the time by doing this", the rainbow pony swooped up at high speed into the sky. Souring higher and higher, she punched her way through the clouds, they were harder than usual. 'This is the sign that the storm is only hours away, we were told the storm would be here in two days, well that's tomorrow!' Rainbow thought as she began to feel the pressure of the situation. As she got through the dense cloud bank, he looked up into the clear moonlit sky, It was 6am! This was the last thing she wanted to see, within seconds of being up there, she was back on the ground with the others. "Guys its been over 6 hours since we last saw the others, theyv'e gone!" The other ponies stomachs sank, the feeling of dread that kicks in when your mind thinks, there's a definite possibility things could get worse now. And its true, but that's probability for you! Suddenly Pinkie Pie starts jumping up and down, that springy sound jolting as she takes every leap, peering through the dense forest undergrowth "Lookie, lookie, over there" Said Pinkie Pie.
Hearth's Warming Eve eve - 5pm
(Previous day)
Spike continued along the path when suddenly the creatures vanished, but in front of him made him almost faint with happiness. The trees were covered in gems, beautiful sparkly, ruby, amethyst, sapphire, gems of different golden and platinum like textures. It was like the very dreams he used to have, even the ones when he was day dreaming, this was all of those dreams wrapped up into one, and then a little extra! Spikes mouth began to Salivate, as he picked up on the scent from the trees, these gems were edible! How could this be, how could gems that are edible, be growing on a tree? Although Spike didn't question the technicalities of the matter, he was more amused that his sentence rhymed.
He began to pick the gems of the lower branches, they were delicious! It was like every bite was endowed with a hundred flavours, he was tantalised by them. He was stripping away the gems now from the branches, ripping off some of the bark as a sort of frenzy began to take place. As he continued down the path, a clearing began to emerge, but he didn't notice the house as he was too busy scoffing his face with the delicious gems. He was comfort feeding more than anything, and for Spike gem sweets are always his best distraction against unpleasant goings on. What was strange was no matter how many he ate, he was no more hungrier than he already was. 'The gems themselves are so full of taste, how can they not be filling me up', he thought as he took the few more bites from off a top branch. There were about three trees left that were covered with gems, as he ran up to it his mouth foaming for more, they disappeared. As if the whole thing had been a mirage, had it? One thing was for sure, he needed more of those gems. He desperately searched around the edges of the path and into the undergrowth, nothing. He veered back onto the path and turned around to face the forest clearing. In the middle stood an old wooden house, rounded in shape. But there, stuck on the door was a big bright red ruby. Spike raced up to it in excitement, but screeched to a halt as he approached the door. As his sense of sensibility kicked back in, he wasn't sure of whether to go inside. But the wind was now colder than it had ever been, and the chills was nipping at Spikes tail. The door was arched shaped, an elegant design which looked very well carved. The handle itself was the red ruby Spike had seen from the edge of the clearing. 'If I knock on the door there might be more gems inside, he though. But then again I could just take this one and be gone'. Spike couldn't resist and wrapped on the red ruby door knocker, moments later her heard hoofsteps approaching. 'It must be a pony, thank goodness, I'll be alright' he thought. Just as the footsteps stopped behind the door, a voice appeared. "Come on in my dear" said the female pony, 'wait a moment, I know that voice'.
Hearths Warming Eve eve - 5pm
(At the start of the Search)
The mane six split up and started to scan around the forest, Twilight went deep into the forest when it suddenly dawned on her that she left Owlicious back at home, she was too far away to warn the others. 'It wont take me more than 20 minutes to reach home, I could make it in time' She thought and flew back home, as she ran through Ponyville, the houses and shops had been boarded up and the streets looked deserted. She burst through the front door to the Tree-house " Owlicious, Owlicious are you there!?". No hoot came back to greet her, this bothered Twilight to no end, first Spike and now him. 'Had he gone with Spike?' Questions breamed in her mind as to what could have happened and no sooner had she began to Ponder, there was a loud knocking at the door. Two warden ponies stood in the entrance. "Er Princess, you know that there was a severe weather warning issued only a couple of hours ago, please stay in doors and board up your house!"
"No, I can't my friend is missing and I can't afford to do that now, please could you help, have you seen my dragon Spike??".
"Er no mam, havent seen any dragon, but if you are in a hurry then you better get going and find him before the storm blows in, if you like we can stay back here and board it up for you" offered the warden now empathising with her situation.
"Oh thankgoodness, yes please if you could, I would be ever greatful! Thankyou!!". Before she left, she took out a book on 'A-Z of Creatures in the Everfree Forest' just in case she needed to reffer back to it for any reason.
The lavender pony glided back in the direction of the forest, gaining speed, not realizing what was following behind her she felt a cold chill on the back of her mane. She turned around just as she reached the edge of the forest, but what ever it was had moved from out from her vision. It swept past her into the dense undergrowth, she could see something glimmering in the bushes, she slowly and quietly trotted over to get a better look, using large tree-stump for cover, she peered over the top. She din't recognise these creatures, 'good thing I brought my book I guess' she thought as she reached for the book in her saddlebag, frantically turning the pages, looking again and again. No documentation of such a thing was in this book, she checked again, then again and a third time. Still nothing, she had gone over every inch of this book thoroughly and accurately, although Twilight was a fast reader after all, this didn't take her very long. As she glanced up, the flying things were now directly above her head. They started swirling around gaining a bit more speed, but kept their position, 'what is that', she thought, they continued to fly around, she was transfixed by the beautiful display. After some time Twilight snapped herself out of it, the day suddenly felt different 'what time is it I wonder'? She knew of Rainbows method of flying up into the clouds to get a view of the stars, souring high up into the clouds, up up into the night sky, she gazed up in horror as she the truth was revealed. It was nearing 5am! 'Iv'e been stood there for almost 12 hours!' as she thought on, deducing through the information she realized 'Only magic could be the result of this, but it was powerful enough to transfix even me?' It suddenly dawned upon her that she failed to make the rondevous point she had set with the others before, she raced back down to the forest floor running in the direction of where the others would have been, but there was no pony there. She ran back through the forest, tearing through the thick thorns and dense bushes, not caring about the minor cuts the was enduring. When suddenly she spotted the two paths, down the one to the left in the distance she could see a clearing. Flying over she spots the round wooden house, 'I must be careful not to let the owners i'm checking it out'. Twilight sneaked up to the window and peered in.
Hearths Warming Eve - 7am
(Current Time)
The four ponies stood in awe as they watched ahead through the trees, in the distance was a glimmering white light. "What d'ya rekon that is" Applejack said questioning this phenomenon,
"lets go see" said Pinkie Pie impetuously.
"Wait, what if its dangerous?", "What if those things are what's to do with Twilight and Rarity's disappearance" Applejack replied.
"Actually girls the more dangerous creatures of the forest hibernate during the winter months, so it shouldn't be dangerous" Fluttershy said in a reassuring voice the others. The four ponies ventured in to the forest, onto the path where these Whispy creatures were playing. "Oh my aren't they pretty" she said.
"Well don't be going too close to them, sugercube, I don't trust em". Said Applejack
"Oh come on, they look like harmless bits of string to me, and I bet they couldn't out fly me!" Rainbow remarked with confidence and pride. Pinkie Pie began to dance around with them, laughing and giggling as she pranced along. "Woah be careful there hun, don't be gettin too close now" Said Applejack.
"Oh they're fine, they are only dancing!" replied Pinkie Pie bouncing and twirling around and around.
Suddenly a look came over Pinkie, as if her gave was fixed on one spot, "Pinkie Pie, I think its time to come out now" said Rainbow-Dash edging forwards, but Pinkie didn't respond.
"Hey Pinkie!" Said Applejack, "Come on out now", as the two ponies stepped in the Whisps began to encircle them. Fluttershy stepped into the circle and the three of them were desperately trying to pull Pinkie away. But the Whisps started to gain speed, and a fierce speed too, swirling around and around, growing faster and faster. Rainbow dash started to fly over them, but the swarm was now swirling violently creating a vortex that kept the ponies within the eye, the pegasi tried to fly against the current of the high speed winds, to try and break the current of this icey tornado. Applejack tried to run through but was swept up into it. Within seconds all four of them had been whipped up and were now being carried by the violent tundra of the wind. The vortex began to move along the path, twisting and twirling as it followed the contours of the windy narrow forest path. Up ahead was a clearing, but the four ponies could not see it or what direction they were travelling due to the sheer speed they were spinning at. Suddenly the wind stopped and the four plummeted to the ground. Now in a dazed heap on the grassy floor, they tried to stand up but couldn't muster it for the life of them. Their vision was so impaired by the spinning that the world was spinning with them.
What sounded like a door opening swung open near to them, and they could feel themselves being lifted up from the ground. The world still spinning, the outside world disappeared, and a rather wooden one now emerging in front of them. It was warm in this place, which added some temporary comfort to the lost and dizzy ponies, but no sooner had they got inside, where ever they were. They could feel a cold like stringy material binding their hoofs together, It was the Whisps they had seen before, they were what had brought them there, they must be part of it.
Rainbow-Dash's vision was the first to return, she looked across the room and gasped in horror. There by the cauldron, was Twilight and Spike.
Both of them were tied up just like they had been, they couldn't speak as their mouths had a strange silvery ball covering them. But through the muffled noises they could make, they hinted up across the room towards the front door as it closed. A pony appeared in front of them, Twilight and Spike were quivering in fear, tears of utter fear streaming from down their faces, the four ponies now all with looks of horror upon their faces as they looked upon what they could now see was a unicorn. However they could see that the unicorn was not tied up and bound like they were, not under duress or held without will. But of its own accord, willing and calculated, with it, it carried a menacingly hungry look upon her face. All of them dumbfounded and lost for all logical thought, they wondered what had happened to the magic friendship, as they saw Rarity stood before them.
Chapter 1: Hearth's Warming Eve Eve
Hearths Warming Eve Eve - 12:15pm
"Spike!" Twilight shouted for him as she struggled with the tree out of the cellar, 'Where has he gotten too now' she didn't like it when he disappeared, as she depended on him around the library it would often make her worry about him and the current task at hand, especially at a stressful time of year like this. Although this wasn't entirety through being over controlling, this was as ever, her natural way of over worrying in place of getting everything as it should be.
The tree-house was nicely stocked up for the winter, enough to last three moons at least! The pantry was filled with all the basic necessities as well as a delightful array of festive foods; cakes, mince pies, muled wines, cheeses, scrumptious styles of bread, jars of jams and cranberry sauces, sacks of potatoes and varied vegetables. Great jars of lentil beans, herbs and conglomerations of spices stacked along the upper shelves and a small rack containing a few bottles of port and sherries. On another shelf were cake decorating kits, tins of tiny coloured pieces and boxes of icing. Below were large sacks of flour and draws containing every type of culinary item a pony would need for good cooking session! On the mantelpiece above the fireplace stood a bottle Twilight received from Applejack, a special Hearth's Warming blend of cinamon-apple cider brewed personally by the apple family. The fire burned quietly underneath, with the odd soft crackle as the tinder broke under the embers and the flames, although it was bitterly cold outside, it provided enough heat to warm up the whole house to a comfortable and adequate temperature.
She began heaving the tree up from the steps below, tugging at the very top branches with a firm grip, while trying not to tear any of the foliage off. Suddenly footsteps appear from just outside the front door. "Coming!" Spike burst through the door making Twilight jump thus loosing her grip with the tree, and it slid back down to the cellar quicker than she had dragged it up. "Spike" be careful, you scared me!" She exclaimed,
"Oh sorry Twilight, I was just over at Rarity's, she gave me this bag of gems, wanna try one?" said Spike In between mouthfuls of gems
"Er no thanks, I need to get this tree up. Can you help me?" She said in a husk voice as she regained her strength at another attempt on the tree.
"Sure, ill be right with you, I just need to write a quick Christmas card to thank Rarity, she is so kind to me, maybe she'll even kiss me under the mistletoe this year". Spike said as he walked up the stairs, hearts appearing from out of the top of his head while scoffing his face with gem after gem.
"But Spike!" he was gone, Twilight was not best pleased, but she none the less went back down the cellar and began to pull it back up to the living room. With a final, yet calculatedly careful heave, she managed to pull it out without damaging it. 'Phew that went without a hitch, now to put it up' she thought.
Spike was up in his room, still eating the gems as he wrote his card. Suddenly one of the gems caught a glimmer of the light through the window, and began to shine different colours. Spike looked at the back of the packaging which said that some of the gems were made to sparkle different colours when held in direct light. 'This must have been why she chose them for me' Spike thought as he leapt out of his chair, running down the stairs he screams "Twilight Twilight, look what these can do!". But he didn't look where he was going as he missed the last step sending him skidding towards Twilight and the tree, sending gems flying all over the room from out of the bag. "Spike watch out!" she said as it all began to take place as if in slow motion in her mind. Spike glided at high speed across the floor just as the lavender pony could get out the way, CRASH! "Spike are you okay?"
"Hmmuuh, huh" "Yeh, im. Uuughh!" He squealed as he saw the aftermath of his blunder. "Twilight I am so sorry", she looked over towards the fireplace, the tree had been snapped in half.
A sort of reaction began to build up in Twilights mind, although she did everything she could to contain it, it was one of those angers that subtlety boils within you, lurking in the shadows unseen from their conscious selves, ready to ensnare their mind in fury. "Spike..." "Why do you always have to be so clumsy?" She thought back to the time she first met spike, he was just a tiny baby dragon back then, they had been through so much together and as close friends they grew together. What was frustrating to Twilight was that these types of things kept happening, despite their growth, and although she gave him the benefit of the doubt most of the time as its really such a minor thing. She also thought that it would help her if he grew up just a little so things like this didn't happen so often, as if she didn't remind him enough already. 'He should know me by now, why is he saying sorry again and again when he just goes the same thing again and again', "Why Spike, couldn't you see what I was doing already and all your concerned with are those sweets!" Her voice began to build up momentum, more and more as she lectured him until finally she was yelling. "Why can't you just grow up and maybe you will be less careless, look at the tree, do you know how long that took to find!??"
"I'm sorry, im sorry, im so sorry". "Well saying sorry over and over again just takes away its meaning", "If you really want to be useful, go and fetch some firewood for me" "And don't let me see you doing that again, you really upset me this time Spike", "now there's some kindling up by sweet apple achres, go up there and fetch some this instant!" The little Dragon walked meekly out of the tree-house, not hearing the last few sentences that were uttered as all that rang through his mind was 'He was useless'. With his head bowed and without realising what direction he was going, the way he felt he might as well never deserve to go back.
It was getting dark in Ponyville, nearing around 4pm on the eve of Hearth's Warming eve, the wardens who patrolled the town were lighting the lanterns in the lantern holders with long candle like torches. Twilight could see one of them illuminating one of the lanterns by the bakery Pinkie Pie works at, she pondered over the recent incident that happened and after some contemplative reflection, felt that maybe she had over stepped the mark. 'I always boss him around, and make him feel like he is useless, I'm supposed to care for him and yet I am ever more careless with my caring than he is with his clumsiness!' She was getting more and more worried as the hours past, it was now nearing 7pm. The lavender pony had had enough, and got her coat from the hanger and headed straight over to Applejacks house. She galloped over to Sweetapple Achres and wrapped on the door, a few moments later. Applebloom showed up to greet Twilight from round the back of the barn, "howdy Twilight, are ya here to see Applejack?" she said as she looked up at her with her usual bright gleaming eyes. The Apple family were having a family dinner as they had all travelled over like they do each from all over Equestria for Hearths Warming, it really reminded Twilight of that sense of family. But only added to her sinking feeling that she hadn't been all that nice to one of hers.
"Yes, please, Spike hasn't returned home, do you know if he swung by here?"
"Erm I'm not sure, but come with me my sister will know more" "Are ya excited for Hearth's Warming?" Twilight wasn't feeling all that ready for small talk given her current grievances, but nevertheless didn't want to panic the little filly
"Yes, certainly me and Spike were just setting up the tree in my house when he kinda accidentally broke it".
Applejack appeared through the opening of the barn, "Heya Twilight, what can I be doing ya for?" said Applejack.
"I sent spike here in search of more firewood, but he hasn't returned home yet, have you seen him?" Twilight replied with a worried expression "
Er, no he hasn't been up this way at all, I thought he was with you" She said.
"He was, but we had an argument, well actually I wasn't very nice and shouted at him, ohh I hope he hasn't run away", tears started welling up in her face.
"Oh my Twilight, we better round up the others and see if they have seen him" said Applejack trying to reassure Twilights ever growing concerns. But no sooner had the earth pony finished her sentace, Rainbow-Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie came rushing down from on top of the hill opening to the entrance of the farm. "Twilight, Applejack!" Rainbow-dash cried as she came whooshing towards the barn, Twilight began to feel somewhat comforted to see her friends all together as this would save time in rounding them up. But this also only added to her stress as what could be so urgent that they all knew where she was?
Rainbow-Dash panting, in between breaths managed to utter, "There's.. there's a violent snowstorm... headed for Ponyville...it will be here in the next two days".
"Just take it easy sugercube, deep breaths now" said applejack, "and just tell us what's happening".
"There was an urgent weather meeting at Cloudsdale this afternoon, some of the pegasi who control the clouds to prevent them from over frosting during the winter season had fallen ill, and because there was no pony else qualified enough, less experienced pegasi were charged with looking after it as best they can. Unfortunately the winds drawn down from the north were too strong and have resulted in a blizzard, all residents in Ponyville have been advised to stay at home and barricade the doors and windows." Rainbow-Dash said in a moderately controlled panic.
"That's mighty awful but why do they need to go to all that trouble, wouldn't Princess Celestia and or Luna normally help with this kinda problem?" Applejack contested
"But Applejack that's just it, Celestia and Luna are over in the Crystal empire visiting Cadence, even if we could get a message to them they wouldn't be able to get back here in time to do anything" Twilight said only realising herself the gravity of the situation was far worse than once anticipated.
"Where's Spike, is he okay, he was only with me earlier on this morning!?" Said Rarity.
"Oh my I hope Spike is okay" said Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie was looking over at the hill as Suddenly Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle ran over to the group, "Hi Scootaloo, hi Sweetiebelle, don't suppose you have seen Spike recently?" said Applebloom.
"Spike, er yeh I saw Spike about an hour ago, headed in the direction of the Everfree Forest, we shouted over to him but he didn't hear us" Said Sweetiebelle" Twilight sprang up, the look from her face changing as he gains more control over the assessment of the situation.
"Okay girls, with this storm headed in, time is running out, we can't afford to waste any more, lets head out", "if we split up we can cover much more ground, If no one has found Spike by 10pm, then all meet back at the edge of the Forest side closest to Ponyville". The main six galloped out of the farm headed in the direction of the Everfree forest, the cutie mark crusaders watched at the gang disappeared over the brow top of the hill.
"Spike, Spike, where are ya buddy" Yelled Rainbow as his voice bouncing off the trees and off the dense forest floor" "Can ya see anything Fluttershy?" She asked.
"No, sorry nothing" Fluttershy said feeling disappointed, Pinkie Pie and Applejack where scanning the undergrowth and shouting as loud as they could. Although the forest was a dangerous place to be, especailly when it is dark, however during the winter months the more extreme and dangerous creatures of the forest go into hibernate, and anything that could pose any threat to them could easily be dealt with. But no sign of the little dragon anywhere. Rainbow-Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Applejack all returned to the edge of the forest just on the outskirts of the forest, "Found anythin?" Applejack asked,
"Nothing, just a whole big pile of nada" Pinkie Pie said in her usual alleviated happy go lucky party voice,
"Quit foolin around Pinkie Pie, this aint no time to be pulling jokes" Applejack said to her in a stern voice. "Now where are the others?"
"Well they should be here any moment, if we wait they'll turn up for sure" Pinkie Pie replied. The remaining four waited and waited, the time was getting on for nearly one in the morning, but still no sign of Twilight and Rarity.
