Day three

Spike awoke in a daze and drenched in sweat. Spike was unusually comfortable; he was in a bed. “Oh…it was all just a dream.” He lied back down so he was looking up at the ceiling, but it wasn’t the ceiling of the library. Where was he? He looked down at his hands to see they were bandaged up; it wasn’t a dream. While he was looking around the room a familiar face walked in that did not change. “Hey Spike, feeling any better?” Twilight walked in with a bright smile that did not make him feel any better. Spike stayed silent and continued to look at his hands. “Spike, are you okay?” Spike kept his head down but decided to answer her. “Ya I’m fine; Twilight are you the one that found me?” “No, actually it was Mr. and Mrs. Cake who found you they called me in Canterlot while I was at my parents’ house.” Spike felt terribly guilty he couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Twilight I’ve got to tell you something.” Twilight was ready to listen “Oh wait before I forget I ran into someone when I was leaving Canterlot and she said she wants to see you.”

On cue Rarity walked into the room holding a few balloons. Spike quickly looked down. It took a while for him to summon up the courage to tell Twilight let alone Twilight and Rarity. How am I supposed to tell Rarity I let her little sister get kidnaped? “Spike, did you hear me?” Spike looked up, but didn’t look Rarity in the eyes. “Whu…?” “I asked how you’re doing.” Rarity tried to lock eyes with Spike but he kept avoiding her gaze. “I’m doing fine…uh, Rarity?” This time Spike locked eyes with her. “Yes, Spike?” Spike swallowed the lump and began to speak. “Twilight, would you mind giving us a minute alone?” Twilight was surprised and a little bit disappointed; what could he tell Rarity that he couldn’t tell her? But she did as she was asked and left the room only to be ambushed by four other ponies that all wanted to see how Spike was feeling.

Before Spike could start his explanation four other ponies rushed into the room and surrounded Spike’s bed. They all attacked him with questions like: what happened, who did this, and are you okay. Spike had noticed a dazed and trampled Twilight stumble into the room and lean on the doorway for support. Spike no other option; he had to tell them all what had happened no matter how disappointed they were going to be in him. “Shut up!” They had all quieted down to hear Spike’s announcement. “I’m sorry I just had to find a way to get you guys to be quite.” Rarity was about to flip her chair in anticipation. Spike was on the edge of tears trying to stay as strong as he could. “Rarity…I…I have some terrible news.” This statement made Rarity and Twilight join the others by the bed. Spike couldn’t take it anymore; he broke down and started crying. “Rarity I’m so sorry there was nothing I could do they got her…they got her.” All six ponies had a confused look on their face. “What are you talking about, Spike.” Rarity feared the worst.

Spike explained everything including the morning Sweetie Belle had her nightmare. By now Spike, Rarity, and Fluttershy were all crying, but surprisingly Spike was crying more than Rarity. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were furious that someone out there had Sweetie Belle and Celestia knows what they’re doing to her. Pinkie Pie was hugging and trying to comfort a crying Fluttershy and Twilight was trying to make the guilt, that she obviously saw, in Spike deplete. “Spike, it’s not your fault.” But Spike refused to believe that it was anybody’s fault except his own. “No, it is my fault if I was only stronger I could have saved her.” Rarity walked up to Spike still teary eyed and did the one thing Spike didn’t need right now.

Rarity lifted her hoof up and brought it down across Spike’s face. She grabbed both of Spike’s shoulders and said “now you listen to me it is not your fault; it’s nobody’s fault, so stop feeling that there’s something wrong with you.” She pulled Spike into a hug and whispered “it’s not your fault”. Twilight didn’t know what to make of the situation, so she went over to Applejack and Rainbow Dash who were planning what to do with the guy that took Sweetie Belle when they get him. Rarity let go of Spike and gathered the girl’s attention. “Girls please settle down and listen.” As soon as she got all the attention in the room she spoke again. “Now girls this situation calls for immediate action, so Spike where was the last place you saw them?” “Down by the park, follow me I can show you where.” Spike attempted to get up but winced when he did; he was in too much pain to go anywhere. Rarity put her hoof on Spike and sat him back down. “Spike, I know you want to help, but leave this to us you’ve done enough already.” Spike didn’t like it, but he did what he was told and stayed in bed as he watched his friends leave the room. He looked out the window and saw all six of them running towards the park and felt completely helpless that he wasn’t there.

After about thirty minutes Spike tried to get up again. He didn’t feel as bad as he did, but he was still in pretty poor condition. No time to dwell on aches and pains though he had to get out there and help in the search and rescue. He went to the window and opened it; he spread his wings ready to take flight. His wings were a little stiff because he normally walks around the town instead of flies. He grew his wings around the age of thirteen but he couldn’t fly around Ponyville or else it would send everyone into a panic. He hoped that not using his wings for a while didn’t affect with his flying skills; unfortunately he was wrong. When he jumped out of the window his wings did not start flapping. He hit the ground with a smack and landed flat on his face. Everything was fine except for his pride and self-esteem “just like riding a bike.” He stretched his wings and took flight hot on the trail of his friends.

Meanwhile

Sweetie Belle was hanging upside down when she woke up she was in a very dimly lit room the only light source was a few torches hanging along the walls. “Where am I?” She looked around the room staring at the many strange contents that it held. There was a very advanced chemistry set in the middle of the room, on the wall closest to her there was a workbench with just about every tool you could imagine, and the most disturbing thing of all was the creature from her dream she had was standing in the corner. “Oh good you’re awake” she couldn’t see who or where the voice was coming from, so she faced the creature and started talking to it. “Who are you and what do you want?” “It’s very rude to not face the person addressing you madam.” She looked around the room looking for the voice until she saw a pair of yellow eyes looking at her from the shadow. “Who are you?” The figure came out from the shadows to reveal a very well groomed stallion who was wearing a suit and had his hair combed back. “Terribly sorry I haven’t introduced myself.” For a kidnapper he was very well mannered. “My name is Professor Sparkplug. I believe you’ve already met my assistant doctor Wildhooves.” Sweetie Belle was shocked at what she heard. “Doctor?” “That’s right I’m a doctor; got a problem with it?” He may be a doctor, but he had the attitude of a gang member. “No it’s just you seem so savage when I see you.” “Well, your dragon friend pisses me off.” Sweetie Belle’s eyes grew wide remembering the state that they left Spike in. “Is he okay?” “How should we know, he could be dead for all we know.” Sweetie Belle started to tear up at the thought of Spike dying trying to save her. “Wildhooves that’s enough! Now help her down.” Wildhooves did as he was told and went up to the rope that was suspending Sweetie Belle. He tried to cut the rope loss, but Sweetie Belle rejected his help. “Do you want to stay there forever?” Sweetie Belle then gave into letting him help her down.

When she got to the floor it felt good that her blood was no longer flowing towards her brain. She looked over at Sparkplug and then the door; he saw her do this then made a motion to Wildhooves. Wildhooves went towards the door and locked it shut. “Please my dear have a seat.” He made a gesture to a table that had a tea kettle and two cups on it. With hesitation she slowly made her way towards the table and sat down, Sparkplug did the same. “Would you like some tea? I know all of this can be stressful.” Sweetie Belle was very confused by all of this. Why is he being so nice to me? “Wildhooves if you would, go check in on the preparations and report back to me on your findings.” Again Wildhooves did as he was told and left Sweetie Belle and Sparkplug alone. “Why does he do everything you tell him to do?” “Well, he should I programed him that way.” Sweetie Belle wasn’t sure if she heard him right. “I’m sorry did you just say you programed him?” “I did program him he’s a cyborg.”

For a while all they did was talk, but not what they wanted from her. The whole time they talked Sweetie Belle only stared at the creature from her dreams. “Do you like it?” “Whu…oh, I…uh…what is it?” “Another robot, but it’s the prototype I have the completed version in storage.” Sweetie Belle got up from the table and slowly made her way to the machine. She looked at its face and saw that its eyes were dimly lit meaning it was in some kind of hibernation mode. “Why did you make it look like this?” Sparkplug joined her by the machine and told her his story.

“You see I came here after I was forced to leave my home. A long time ago the town I come from was a nice and peaceful town. But that all changed the day he came. It was around the time for elections and I was running for mayor. He came in on a rolling stage and claimed he wanted peace for the town and for a while we believed him. He started running for mayor like me, but we were one week away from determining the winner. He realized he was losing so he decided to seize power. A few days later an army strolled into town and I say strolled I mean forced its way into our town. Our on little militia tried there damn hardest to stop them, but the army was to powerful and well equip. They killed off everyone in the militia and replaced them with their army.” He took time to settle his breathing; he was on the edge of tears.

“The militia’s last stand was in the park while my son and I were there. We heard shouting and gunfire; I called to my son to come to me and he did. Time seamed to slow down while he ran towards me. The thing that happened next changed my life forever.” Sweetie Belle could tell that this was hard to tell her. He was choking up and no matter how much he tried tears eventually started to fall down his cheeks. Even though he did kidnap her she couldn’t help but feel bad for him. “That day I lost my son to one stray bullet; one fucking stray bullet!” He pushed all of the test tubes off of his chemistry desk and sat down with his face in his hooves, but he continued his story anyway. “I stood there lost in time while I watched helplessly as my sons lifeless body fell to the ground. I was taken into custody, but I still watched my son hoping that there were signs of life. What I saw almost made me break loose of the guards that held me. I watched as I saw my son’s dead carcass get tossed into a pile of dead civilians. I was exiled from my home that day. That’s how I ended up here.”

Meanwhile again

All six of the ponies were scattered around the park looking for a clue that could lead them to the low life that took Sweetie Belle. “Did Spike actually tell you which part of the park he lost Sweetie Belle in?” Rainbow Dash was sitting at the top of a tree looking for some trace of Sweetie Belle. She looked into the air as if it was hovering right above her head. She saw a purple dot fly above her; she decided to confront whatever it was. As she got closer to purple dot it became clear that it was Spike. “Spike what are you doing?” Spike looked at Rainbow Dash and continued flying; his face had the look of determination. “Did you hear me? Where are you going?” Spike finally answered her “I’m going to save Sweetie Belle.” “All by yourself?” “If that’s what it takes.”

Rainbow Dash rejoined her friends and pointed out Spike to them. “Where is he going?” “Don’t know, but I think it would be wise to follow him.” All six of them took off trying their best to keep up with Spike. Spike eventually stopped in a clearing looking around for some sort of lead. The six ponies all hid in the bushes wondering what he was going to do next. Spike sat on a log taking a break. I followed the tracks here where else could they have gone. He felt very frustrated that his effort was all for nothing; he could feel that he was going start to cry again. “You girls cane come out now I know you’re there.” Spike’s senses have been enhanced ever since he grew his wings so he could hear Pinkie’s breathing. They all came out from the bushes and stood around him. Spike didn’t look up to meet any of his friend’s faces. A few tears trickled down his face and landed on the log. Everyone saw this and they all had the urge to comfort him, so they all gathered around him and pulled him into a group hug. The weight of six ponies and a dragon was enough to make the log collapse out from under them. They all started laughing until they heard the sound of gears turning and something open. A huge boulder looked as if it front side had been cut out. They all took a look down the corridor that was in front of them. “Do you think is where they took her?” “Only one way to find out.” They all started down the steps into probably the scariest place they will ever encounter.