Days after the last

Whatever the medicine Discord gave us was, it worked like a charm. Fluttershy made a full recovery, although the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with Fluttershy in the first place. The medicine still made Fluttershy spit out blood every time she took it, but it caused no permanent damage, and all of us had agreed it was a small price to pay for her health.

Despite the Protests of Fluttershy herself, she was kept in the hospital for observation until the doctor can be sure she won’t fall into a coma once again. During Fluttershy’s absent, AJ was tasked to take care of the animals.

The next day, when AJ and I went to check on the Animals, we found the cottage door back in place, and the door still locked. After exchanging a curious look, AJ once again knocked the door down. As the door hits the ground, we were shocked by what we saw. We found corpses of dead animals littered inside the cottage, and at the center of the room were Fluttershy's pet, Angel bunny. The sight made me sick in the stomach, and I quickly lost my breakfast to the flowers outside of the cottage.

“Did you forgot to mention all the critters were dead?” AJ turned her glance to me.

“Maybe?” I replied, not sure what to say since I honest can’t recall if those animals were there the day before. When we saw Fluttershy laying on the floor, we were too busy rushing her to the hospital to really think about anything else. AJ clearly did not believe my word and raised an eyebrow. I tried desperately to convince AJ I really don’t remember, but it was no use.

“No point in worrying about it now, they are deader than apples sucked up by vampire fruit bats,” AJ while still doubts my words, decided it was not worth the trouble of confronting me further. She told me to go find a shovel so we could bury the corpses as she tries to come up with a story to break the news to Fluttershy gently. Finding a shovel proved to be a difficult task, Fluttershy usually just ask her animal friends for help if she needed anything dug, because of that she never saw a reason to get a shovel. After failing to find a shovel for another ten minutes, I decided it would be easier to just dig with my claws. As I worked at ripping the ground apart, I suddenly felt a burning sensation rising from my stomach. Expecting to lose the rest of my breakfast, I move to the side and let out what was pushing up against my throat. Then a letter appeared.

I pushed open the castle door, holding a letter with the seal of a crescent moon in my claw.

“Twilight!” I yelled. My voice echoes through the empty castle. While I hated the emptiness of the castle, I had to admit the silence help me find Twilight much quicker, since the echoes usually reach Twilight no matter which room she was in. Moments later, Twilight appeared right in front of me.

“Spike? I thought you were going to help Apple Jack with the animals,” Twilight looked at me. I looked away for a moment, trying to think of a way to tell Twilight what I saw, but then I remembered I came back for a reason. I handed Twilight the letter, as she looked at the seal with confusion.

“It is from Princess Luna, why would she send me a letter?” Twilight took the letter as she looked to me for an answer. I shrugged. Twilight quickly open the letter and read it out loud.

Dear Princess Twilight.

It appears that there is an urgent matter that requires our attention immediately. We ask that you will come to Canterlot at once. We have already informed Cadence and she will be joining us also. Make haste at once, we do not wish to be kept waiting.

The Princess of the Night, Luna

“Oh, it sounds bad.” I looked to Twilight, really don’t like how the letter sounds. Twilight, however, appear to have another matter that is preoccupying her thoughts.

“What should I do? I know Princess Luna had summoned me, but I can’t just leave Prince AoBing alone in Ponyvile.” Twilight looks to me for advice.

“Oh don’t worry about me, I won’t perish from you leaving my side. Although the hours unable to look upon your cute face would be very hard to bare, but I’ll survive.” The Prince who has been eavesdropping entered the room with a smile that sure to have charmed many mares in the past. I rolled my eyes at his words but was grateful he was so reasonable with this situation.

Twilight had left for nearly a week now. While the daily letter Twilight sent me lets me know she is safe, I am beginning to wondering what is keeping Twilight from coming home. During Twilight’s absent, Prince AoBing has become well acquainted with our local Pink party mare and has been spending a lot of time in sugar cube corner. AJ and Rarity had told Fluttershy what happened at the cottage, and Fluttershy is not taking the news well. Aside from Discord’s potion, Fluttershy hasn’t eaten anything for the past few days. Despite the attempts from Pinkie to cheered her up, Fluttershy remains depressed over the loss of her pet and animal friends.

I jumped, and nearly dropping my bloom, as the front gate of the castle slammed opened. Standing at the door was a white unicorn who has a mane that is mostly dark blue.

“Shining Armor? What are you doing here?” I looked at him with confusion. He looked around, searching for something or some pony. When he could not find what he was looking for, he turned to me.

“Where is Prince AoBing?” he looked at me intensely. I backed off a step and told him that the Prince has been spending a lot of time in Sugar cube corner with Pinkie. Hearing that, Shining Armor walked out of the door and headed towards sugar cube corner.

“And then, she Blasted him with a magical laser beam,” Pinkie jumped into the air gesturing a large explosion. Shining Armor and I walked in, just as Pinkie landed back on the ground. The Prince who is sitting next to Pinkie, seem to be fully absorbed by the story; and the two guards that were with the Prince were sitting at the table next to him, making sure he is safe while enjoying some cupcakes and tea. Shining Armor walked right up to the Prince, which cause the two guard to get up.

“Excuse me, Prince AoBing?” Shining Armor asked politely, seeing their Prince appears to be in no danger, the two guards sat back down.

“Shining Armor! What are you doing here?” Pinkie finally noticed Shining Armor and broke away from her story.

“Yes, I am Prince AoBing. Now what is it that you want?” the Prince turned to Shining Armor clearly seemed a bit annoyed.

“May I have a word with you In private?” Shining Armor asked.

“Sorry, I am busy. Come back later.” the Prince brushed Shining Armor off and turn his attention back to Pinkie. “You were telling me how Twilight shot him with a magical laser, what happen then?”

“But I insist.” Shining Armor places his hoof on the Prince's side and insisted.

“Are you deaf? I said I am busy,” the Prince didn’t move, but the anger in his voice was clear. Before any pony could tell what had happened, Shining Armor were sent flying out of the building leaving a pony size hole in the wall. I ran outside after Shining Armor and was shocked to find Shining Armor went through the walls of five more buildings in a line from sugar cube corner.

“I think you should have left him alone.” I walked up to Shining Armor, who miraculously not only survived but were still conscious.

While Shining Armor survived the encounter, which he credited it to his royal guard training, sadly his bones did not. He was placed in a full body cast, and will be staying in it, for weeks to come.

“I am sorry. I didn’t know my own strength,” the Prince apologized. But despite his apologies, sending a pony to the hospital with nearly every bone in their body broken is not something a pony could just make up for with apologies. Luckily for the Prince, Shining Armor didn’t press charges, and the Prince agreed to pay for all the repairs and hospital bills, along with agreeing to owe Shining Armor an unconditional favor, the incident were swept under the rug.

“Seeing as you sent me to the hospital, can I please have that talk now? Oh, and before you ask, this is not the favor you owed me,” Shining Armor angrily demand. The Prince nodded, although he still do not seem willing. I walked out of the room and left those two to talk.

As I walked out, I ran into Pinkie who was walking down the hall,“one hell of a jealous colt friend you got there Pinkie.” Pinkie paused for a moment, trying to process what I just said. Then her face turned from pink to red when she realize what I was implying.

“We were just Friends,” Pinkie denied. I tried to do the eyebrow raise that AJ was famous for, but was not as effective.

“He nearly lives at Sugar cube corner every day now, and he just sends another stallion flying through five buildings for taking your attention away from him!” When the eyebrow raise didn’t work, I returned to confronting her with facts.

“He just really liked stories of our adventures. He came every day asking me to tell him about adventures we been on. Also, I had tended to other ponies before, both Stallions and mares alike while he was present, and Shining Armor was the first to get send flying,” Pinkie explained.

“Why are you here then, if not waiting for him?” I asked accusingly.

Pinkie pointed to the basket she was carrying, “I am here to visit, Fluttershy, our friend who refused to eat. I thought maybe I could cheer her up with some new cupcakes I made. So if you would stop accusing me of adultery, I should be on my way,” Pinkie replied. Pinkie walked towards Fluttershy’s room, as I followed behind.