Spike Has Been Found!

“Alright everypony fall in!” Twilight sparkle yelled as she found a suitably tall rock to stand on.

The other five mares grumbled and did as ordered, standing shoulder to shoulder as they waited patiently for the alicorn to situate herself better on her perch. Once in a perfect position the princess of friendship puffed out her chest as intimidatingly as possible and raised herself to her full height. All the while ignorant to the fact that the deep bags under her eyes and lackluster chest fluff did little to help her ‘powerful’ stance.

Rainbow Dash snorted with barely contained laughter, only a sharp jab by Applejack kept her quiet. Now with no interruptions the alicorn cleared her throat and launched into her rousing speech- if Rainbow Dash didn't interrupt her that is.

“Why did you drag us all the way out into the middle of nowhere? I had important stuff to do ya know Twi.”

The alicorn shot the pegasus a stern glare for being interrupting. “Reorganizing your collection of skin mags doesn't count as important.”

“Hey I wasn't gonna…” One look around the pegasi revealed the rest of their group was either looking away embarrassed or whistling to themselves nonchalantly. With the jig up Rainbow dash withered and looked down in defeat.

“Anyway, as i was about to say.” Twilight stopped and glared at the still guilty looking pegasus. “I have brought you all out here for one reason, to right the most dastardly wrong ever committed against us! But to right this terrible wrong we might have to stare death in the face and laugh, to wrestle defeat from the jaws of victory! AND-”

A tiny “Eep.” was all the warning they got before Fluttershy run away, her tail between her legs and panic written across her face. Which took some of the wind from Twilight’s sails and with a roll of her eyes she teleported the flighty pegasi back beside her friends.

Headless to her sudden change in location, fluttershy continued sprinting in the same direction.

“Augh.” Twilight’s horn lit up once more, bringing Fluttershy back to the same spot, this time holding her in place with her magic. “Fine i'll skip the rest of my speech.” Twilight puffed her chest back out and stood up tall and extended a hoof up towards a distant pillar of smoke on the horizon. “Today we save Spike!”

“Oh um, yay?”

“You found Spikey wikey? Great work darling.”

“Hmmm what kind of cake goes well with a welcome home party for two dragons?”

“It's not like ahm not excited or nothing but where abouts is the little feller anyway?”

Twilight stood a little prouder, her disheveled mane contrasting further with the air of confidence she hoped to exude. “You see Applejack, all i had to do was find an old scale of his and use it to track him all the way here to this gorge!”

“That's not what ah asked but okay.” Clearly Twilight was only half paying attention to what her friends actually said.

“Why hasn't our darling Spike come back to us if he was here in the everfree? Wasn't he all the way up north with the rest of those dragons last we heard?”

“I don't know why he's here in the middle of the everfree forest but i do know why he hasn't come home.” She leaned in conspiratorially, “Because he's been… kidnapped!”

Rainbow leaped up beside Twilight, a fierce look in her eye. “What kind monster is it this time? Changelings, tirek, bugbear?” She threw a few punches at the non existent monsters and flared her nostrils in anger.

Twilight’s face darkened and she looked off in the distance, above the treetops surrounding them. “Worse, far worse. He's being held by a huge dragon for unknown reasons and we have to save him.” She pointed at the pillar of smoke in the distance. “That is our target and where Spike is being held now come on we have no time to waste!”

With a flap of her wings Twilight glided down from her perch and walked towards their target, ignoring the general feelings of unease running through her friends. Only Rainbow Dash and Applejack seemed unconcerned with the strange situation.

Fluttershy looked over at Rarity nervously, not sure what to do. A fact the unicorn took notice of instantly. “Go on dear.” Rarity gave the shaking mare a confidant smile and tipped her nose towards the source of Fluttershy’s concern.

The shy mare trotted nervously up to Twilight and whispered. “But Twilight that smoke says-” A furious alicorn spinning and glaring at the shy pegasus stopped whatever she was going to say.

“Smoke can't talk Fluttershy, why just the mere notion of such a thing is ridiculous.” Twilight leaned in closer, her breath hot against the already frightened mare’s face. “Spike could be in danger right now so we have to move!” Twilight spun back around and without waiting for her friends began to trot towards the quickly approaching pillar of smoke.

“Yeah come on Flutters, I know yer scared but we gotta buck up. For Spike.”

“It's not like we haven’t fought dragons before Fluttershy just be ready to use your stare and we will be fiiine.” Rainbow Dash added as she flew past.

Rarity rolled her eyes, being the only other pony beside Twilight that heard the shy pegasus. “But darling, what if it's all a misunderstanding-”

“What is there to misunderstand Rarity? Giant pillar of smoke made by what is most likely a dragon, Spike has not moved from beside pillar of smoke. Thus this mystery dragon has kidnapped my son.”

Rarity and Fluttershy exchanged concerned glances at the emotional outburst. Their less than fearless leader was clearly on the brink of exhaustion and mad with guilt. Neither were sure if they could talk her out of this plan so they resigned to at least catching her when she inevitably collapsed from fatigue.

“Now i know yall don't want to get dirty but sometimes you gotta in order to do the right thing.” Applejack nodded grimly at the fashionista as she trotted past.

“Yeah what she said!” Rainbow added as she flew past to catch up with Twilight and Applejack.

A second later Fluttershy and Pinkie pie were beside her and Rarity reluctantly picked up the pace and followed their princess at a distance. Rarity blew a stray hair out of her eye and glanced over at Fluttershy. “Why i just suggested that… hmmph.” Admitting defeat Rarity sighed. “Now i know you feel darling.”

“At least somepony gets it…” Fluttershy replied.

Pinkie suddenly gasped, making Rarity and Fluttershy eye her cautiously, as if the pink party pony was about to explode. “Hey girls which sounds better H.A.E.R or H.W.S.Y.F.N.B.C?”

“The first one but also what are you talking about? You know what nevermind everypony is crazy today, first Im pulled out of my boutique at some ungodly early hour and dragged halfway through the everfree by a crazy alicorn. Im sorry darling but i don't have any patience for you today Pinkie.” An exasperated Rarity harrumphed and tossed her troublesome bangs from her eyes.

Pinkie however didn't seem to notice and was mumbling something about rock cakes. Fluttershy smiled weakly. “Well at least she found Spike, right?”

Rarity sighed. “Yes i suppose that's true, and it has been almost a year. I hope hes alright.”

The three stragglers all looked up towards the suddenly more ominous pillar of smoke rising above the everfree. A sense of dread creeping up their spines, well except Pinkie she bounced along as if she was hopping towards a party. All the while mumbling something about acronyms.

Far from the atmosphere of dread Twilight and Rainbow Dash were busy forming their game plan.

“Yeah then i'll drop down and go in low.” Rainbow swung her back hoof around in a great kick to an invisible dragon’s groin. “And drop the big jerk.”

Twilight’s face lit up. “Perfect, that should give me enough time to-”

A thought occurred to Applejack and she couldn't help but interrupt Twilight’s masterful plan. “Hey where is Starlight Glimmer at? Isn't she Spike’s friend too?”

Twilight snorted angrily. “Princess Glimmer was too busy to help her dear teacher. Something about changelings and some such nonsense about a stripped gear.” The alicorn waved a hoof angrily as she spoke.

Rainbow smirked, nudging Applejack with an elbow as she whispered in her ear. “Lovers tiff.”

Twilight’s face scrunched up in rage, her sunken bag covered eyes making her look far more intimidating than the chest fluff she was so proud of. “IT WAS NOT A TIFF.”

She whipped her head back forwards, further messing up her already destroyed mane and stomped off a little faster into the woods.

Rainbow Dash laughed and nudged Applejack again. “Toldja.”

In the distance the sound of a cry of annoyance could be heard echoing into the forest.