Once in the dark...

Kyle awoke to the sound of hooves going back and forth at an anxious pace downstairs and a dank odor choking him. He stood up from his bed as quickly as his coughing and burning eyes allowed him. He, then, made his way down the steps just to see Twilight reading a scroll with a panicked look. He coughed once more and asked her, "what's going on Twilight?"

She set the note down and looked up sadly. "It seems as if we have a dragon sleeping..." she tried saying, but, she just ended up coughing laboriously.

"From the look on your face, this is a big problem. Can you tell me why?" Kyle asked striving to combat his own coughing. He walked up to her inquisitively and began to pat her on her back.

"Thank you Kyle," she stated softly as she took a slow, deep, breath. "The dragon may end up sleeping here in Equestria for at least a century, and this would release enough smog and smoke to coat the entirety of this beautiful nation. Celestia does not believe that we can survive here, should he decide to stay," she continued as a tear leaked out. She wiped it away hurriedly and put on her war face. "Time to take action." She and Spike ran out the door, promptly leaving Kyle alone. He sighed the frog in his throat away for now and went back upstairs to don his shoes. Going back down he followed Twilight out and saw her returning. He raised an eyebrow and tried to question her, sadly this just ended in, "sorry, no time," and her racing back into her home.

"Well, ok then," he said to himself. He saw Fluttershy shivering a bit and made his way over to her, "are you ok?" he asked her quietly.

"N.. no... we.... we have to... to get the drago.. the drag... the dragon to leave... somehow..." she whispered out, her mane cluttering her face as she contemplated the ground below her.

Kyle took a breath, and gripped her chin softly. "We made a promise to support each other in our endeavors, so that is exactly what I am going to do," he said, looking into her eyes. "So, what do you need to do this?" he finished with an inquiry.

"Y... you cou... could convince our fr... friends to leave me here..." she sputtered, trying to free her chin from his grasp.

Unwilling to let go, he marginally tightened his hold of her. "I don't think I can do that, however, I can go with you if need be," he answered just as their friends returned.

"No Kyle, you shouldn't go. It's to danger..." Twighlight stated, before being interrupted as Kyle released Fluttershy.

"Nope, I'm going. No fighting it. You girls are the best friends I have ever had, and if I let you go and you get hurt, I would never forgive myself," Kyle quickly declared, leaving no room for argument. The mares looked at him, their mouths gaping in bewilderment of his statement. "So, are we all ready to go?" he quizzed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash howled with amusement, as Applejack approached him.

"Are ya' sure about this sugar cube? It'll be more dangerous than Granny Smith with no sleep and three growlers a' apple stout," she pointed out.

Kyle cleared his throat, smiled, and answered, "Nothins' more terrifyin' than that hun." Applejack sighed, and smiled. "So, are we going to stop wasting time and head out to extricate Equestria from this chilling dread?" he inquired, with a sticky cough. Then, they were on their way. Unfortunately, when they finally reached the mountain Kyle realized how steep it really was. Applejack and Rainbow had a short conversation that he couldn't exactly hear, and to be honest he was more focused on how Fluttershy had completely stopped moving. "Flutters' what's wrong?" he asked, and placed his hand on her shoulder. She bolted with a start, as her wings and legs locked up, and her breath billowed out harshly. Ok I can do this, I promised, he thought. "Hey you girls go on, I've got her. I would've had to take a different path anyways, I really can't climb something this steep," He pointed out, and tried to get Fluttershy to relax a bit.

"Th... thank you K... Kyle," Fluttershy stammered faintly, and she took a deep breath.

"No prob'. Now, I want you to climb up on my back," he muttered shyly, and bent with his knees, his arms crossed behind him to hold her up.

"N... no, you don't ha... have to do that," she answered, a blush plastered obviously on her face. Kyle took a breath, and motioned for her to climb on. "Ok." she quietly muttered, and climbed upon Kyle's back.

Kyle stood up with a brief grunt, and made his way towards Twilight. "I'm sorry, but, I'm going to need the map," he voiced. Twilight nodded, and handed him the map. The other mares made their way up the cliff, while Kyle toted Fluttershy up a less steep path.

A little less than an hour later Kyle, still carrying Fluttershy, finally reunited with the group. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, and sighed. Kyle let Fluttershy down, as she had finally calmed down, and they continued forward. However suddenly they came up to a drop-off. Twilight, Kyle and the others made it across with no problems, but Fluttershy was having a panic attack once more. Rainbow Dash grunted, and declared with an irked tone, "you could just fly across, you have wings remember." Fluttershy nodded, and gulped. She spread her wings out, began to flap them, floated up slightly, and the dragon snored loudly, letting out a huge puff of soot and smoke. Fluttershy's wings and limbs stiffened close to her body and she fell to the ground, shivering with trepidation. Pinkie smiled and did a little skit about a hop, a skip, and a jump. Back and forth she crossed to the opposite sides of the precipice, while Fluttershy watched her and gained some confidence. She made her way to the crag, and tried a hop, a skip, and a jump.

"That's great just don't lo..." Twilight started, but Kyle quickly covered her mouth, and cut her off. He shook his head, as Fluttershy finally made her way across.

Pinkie Pie giggled, and said excitedly, "I knew you could do it." She hugged her happily, and Fluttershy tittered. Kyle released Twilight, and got a short glare from her. He snickered as they resumed their forward momentum.

Soon they neared the end of their journey, when Twilight breathed out, "now we are in an avalanche zone so we need to be very, very quiet."

Kyle heard this, his eyes bulged out, and he screamed out, "a what!!" The cliff, and the ground, shook perilously, releasing its load unto the friends below. They dodged back and forth, as they attempted to avoid the falling stones and rubble. Rainbow had to rescue Kyle from his doom twice, and Applejack had to save Twilight.

"Is everypony alright?" Applejack probed.

"I am thanks to you," Twilight answered to her.

"Yeah, thank you Rainbow, and sorry for my panic earlier," Kyle stated to Rainbow Dash, and the group.

"It'll be fine, we just have to," Twilight sighed and broke up her statement, "climb up it." She looked up at the large pile of dirt and rubble. Kyle coughed and looked down.

"It's ok, if you hadn't done it... I probably would of screamed." Fluttershy muttered to him, in an attempt to cheer him up a bit. He smiled weakly, and sighed, as they continued forward.

After hours of climbing they finally made it to the cave where the smog was billowing out from. Twilight explained what her plan for the dragon was, however, they had one tiny problem. Fluttershy was unable, and unwilling to enter a cave with a full grown dragon in it. Kyle took a breath, and declared, "I'll talk to her, please just see what you girls can do." He quizzed Flutters about why she feared dragons, and when she finished telling him why, he more than understood, "I can understand truthfully, but..." he got interrupted as Rainbow Dash and the other mares smashed into him, from his left side. Pain pulsed through his arm and an ear-piercing, thunderous, snap was heard. Kyle screamed out, and breathed heavily, as he held his left arm close to him. He heard Fluttershy scream furiously, but could not make out the words as the pain coursed through his body. Then, darkness took him once again.