Chapter Sixty-Eight: On the Run

The sun was peaking over the horizon, its rays filtering through the windows by the time Smokey was putting the finishing touches on all seven dozen cupcakes. Each batch had different colored cream cheese frosting according to who they were for. Twilight Sparkle's cupcakes were topped with purple icing, Spike's were green, Pinkie Pie's pink, Rarity's white, Rainbow Dash's blue, Applejack's orange, and Fluttershy and Chenoa's yellow and white respectively.

After applying the heart-shaped sprinkles, he took a step back to admire his work. Having been up all night, the dragon still wasn't tired. He was too concerned with what will happen when the authorities will arrive to take him away.

Suddenly, a soft tapping at the door disrupted Smokey's thoughts. Striding over to the door, he pulled it open a crack to see who it was…

It was Pendulum.

Opening the door wide enough for him to slip through, the draconian shut it behind him.

"Pendulum? W-what are-"

"'ush, my booy. We doon't want to alert anypoony," the stallion interrupted, taking stock of their surroundings to make sure no one else was around. "Coome with me."

"What? Come with you? But… I bit you…! Why would you-"

The unicorn cut him off again.

"I 'andle large, beastly creatures all the time, laddie. You woould be noo different. I'm willin' to droop all charges against you, if you coome aloong."

Smokey's eyes slid down to his bandaged foreleg, then lifted them back up to meet the equine's.

"Why would you want me to come with you? What if I bite somepony else?"

"Because, I believe I can tame you're inner beast."

As he said this, Smokey felt a sliver of hope rising within him. Pendulum believed he could actually tame his newfound vicious tendencies? Maybe he wouldn't have to be put down after all!

"When do we leave?" the reptilian asked, his mind racing and his breast aflutter with a flurry of emotions. While he was eager to have this stallion suppress what ever wild animal was inside of him, he was reluctant to leave, his parental instincts and attachment to his friends a heavy anchor.

"Immediately. Quickly gather what you want and we'll be oof."

Smokey pressed his back against the door. They were leaving NOW? That would not even grant him the opportunity to bid everyone farewell…

"A… alright… Just… give me a few minutes."

Turning around, Smokey re-entered the cottage, his eyes searching for anything he might want to take with him… As soon as his vision caught the scrapbook on a table near Fluttershy, he approached it, his sea green pools welling up as they settled upon his dear friend.

Tucking the scrapbook underneath his arm, he bent over to softly kiss the mare on the forehead and whispered a goodbye. Drawing back from her, he quickly fetched a blank sheet of parchment and a quill to scribble a heartfelt message…

Dear Everypony,

I'm sure you will be wondering where I am. To answer that, I'm leaving with Pendulum. He claims he can tame me. I am hoping he can, so I can remain alive. I really wish I didn't have to leave you all. I will deeply miss each and every one of you, especially Miss Fluttershy, Chenoa, and the animals.

Miss Fluttershy, please take good care of Chenoa, Ross, and the others. I only hope that we will be reunited someday.

Love,

Smokey

Dropping the quill and posting the note on the refrigerator, Smokey took one last look at Fluttershy. He would have written a much longer letter, but considering the urgency Pendulum had displayed, he surmised he didn't have much time. Exhaling a melancholic sigh as he exited the cottage, he followed the awaiting unicorn.

Pendulum regarded the misery inscribed upon the dragon's face and felt remorse tug at him. He had considered changing his mind and just leaving the dragon there, but what would he say? What would he do to keep himself out of trouble and prevent suspicion? He rationalized that it was too late now, and led Smokey away.

Fluttershy rolled over and stretched out all four legs, yawning as she parted her droopy eyelids. She noticed it seemed… quieter than normal. When Smokey spent the night, he usually would be located in the kitchen by now, kitchenware rattling and drawers opening and closing while tea would be brewing and the scent of breakfast would permeate the air. Such sounds and smells did not occupy her ears nor waft through the air, and the pink-maned pegasus sat up to blearily blink her eyes a few times.

The kitchen was empty… and though there was a scent of baked goods coming from there, suggesting it had been used recently, there did not seem to be any signs of life. She rolled off the sofa and trotted into the kitchen.

"Smokey?" she called out, turning her head to search for him, and her eyes soon landed upon the cupcakes… and the note on the refrigerator.

"… What's this?" she questioned aloud, to nobody in particular, as she walked over to remove it. Scanning the print, her jaw slowly dropped wider and wider, tears beginning to pool.

By the time the others descended downstairs, Fluttershy was curled up into a ball on the floor, openly and bitterly weeping.

"Fluttershy?" came the voice of Rainbow Dash, her ears perked forth at the sound of crying. Forcing back a yawn, the prism-maned pegasus zipped into the kitchen to investigate.

Fluttershy lifted her head, tears streaming down her face. Sobbing heavily, she thrust the letter to Rainbow Dash as the rest of the mares and baby dragon clamored after the cyan equine. Reading over the letter, the mare's magenta eyes went wide and she whirled around to face the others.

"Smokey ran off with that Pendulum guy!"

"He what?" Twilight Sparkle said, surprise stamping itself upon her face and the faces of the ponies and baby dragon standing at her sides.

"He… ran away?" Rarity parroted.

"Feh," Applejack scoffed, furrowing her brows. "Typical. You realize what we gotta do now, don'tcha?"

"The note says Pendulum might be able to tame Smokey," stated Rainbow Dash as she read over the letter a second time. While she was eager for justice, the sounds of Fluttershy's weeping was holding her back from bursting through the door and tracking him down.

"But…" she continued, turning to the other pegasus. "We have to go after him."

All Fluttershy did was cry. She didn't move or seem to register her words.

"Um, girls, Smokey really can't be ALL bad," Pinkie Pie piped up. "I mean, look! He made us cupcakes! Anypony who bakes cupcakes for somepony else can't be all bad. Right?"

"Pinkie." Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath to keep her voice level. "Smokey is on the run, and he's considered dangerous. He still needs to be found, before he possibly hurts Pendulum-or anypony else, again. A cupcake bribe isn't going to buy us off!

The pink-pelted mare went silent for a moment before speaking again.

"He didn't make the cupcakes because he was looking to buy us off. He made them because we're his friends."

"We're not his friends anymore, Pinkie. Not after what he did." Trotting over to Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on her hoof and spoke in a softer tone. "Sorry, Fluttershy. We gotta bring him in."

"He's still my friend…" Pinkie Pie mumbled to herself, her ears drooping.

"No," Fluttershy protested, sniffling. "No, please… Leave him alone."

"Fluttershy, he's-"

"He's not dangerous!" she insisted sternly. "Do you girls even know ANYTHING about him? What he's like? What he's been through?"

"How bad could he have had it? He's a dragon! If anypony messed with him, all he had to do was… what ever dragons do!" said Rainbow Dash, removing her hoof from Fluttershy's shoulder to stamp it against the floor in frustration.

"No, he couldn't. Smokey doesn't know HOW to do what ever dragons do. He wasn't RAISED like a dragon."

"Wasn't… raised like a dragon?" Applejack parroted, arching an eyebrow.

"He was raised by ponies," Fluttershy relayed, her voice shaking. "He was found as an egg, and he grew up in an orphanage. Even then, he was shunned. Feared. Hated. All he ever had for company and companionship were his little animal friends… and now, he doesn't even have that!

"Do you have ANY idea… we were his first friends? His ONLY true friends? And you want to just… throw him under the carriage!?"

Rainbow Dash shared a few stunned glances with the others before returning her eyes to Fluttershy.

"But, Fluttershy… He bit somepony! You can't keep denying this!"

"We can't prove he did that. Nopony actually saw him do it-"

"Sugarcube, we've been over this," the farmer pony interjected. "We have that washcloth! Ain't that enough proof?"

The pale yellow pegasus went silent again, before she burst out sobbing all over again. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack just sighed, exchanging looks with each other and Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Spike.

"Ah'm sorry, we all really want to believe you-"

"I'm with Fluttershy on this!" Pinkie Pie forcefully broke in. "I don't believe Smokey bit Pendulum, either!"

"Wha… Pinkie?"

"Think about it!" The party mare stared at the befuddled equine, pointing a hoof at the cupcakes displayed upon the table. "Smokey made us cupcakes and-"

"What does makin' cupcakes have to do with anything?" Applejack interrupted.

"I helped him make them! Last night! I was down here for over an hour, and he could've bit me and he didn't! He was sad the whole time! He didn't want to leave us because he still saw us as his best friends! His only friends! He loves us!"

"Pinkie…" Fluttershy breathed lightly, gratification flowing through her knowing that she wasn't alone.

"And, quite frankly," Pinkie Pie continued, narrowing her eyes. "Something about this whole thing is… funny. Not ha-ha-hee-hee funny, but something's-not-right-here funny."

"That doesn't change anything, Pinkie. We can't ignore the evidence! It's our job to make sure Ponyville-and Equestria-is safe. We can't just let Smokey run away!" Rainbow Dash then shifted her attention back to Fluttershy, her face softening significantly. "Sorry, Fluttershy…"

"NO!" Fluttershy exclaimed, practically throwing herself upon the other pegasus. Her voice was unusually loud for her… And cracking. As if she would break at any moment. "Please. Don't go after him! Please! Let him go!"

"Fluttershy-" Twilight Sparkle began, but was cut off.

"I beg you," she sobbed, collapsing on the floor before the group. "I beg you. Please… Leave my Smokey alone…"

With that, she fell apart into sobs, burying her face into her forelegs. Pinkie Pie sighed, plodding over to her side to nuzzle her comfortingly, draping a foreleg over the mare's back.

Rainbow Dash frowned, the sight before her tearing at the seems of her heart. Not knowing what to do, she turned to Twilight Sparkle.

The alicorn sighed, acknowledging the look in her friend's eyes.

"… Alright. We'll do this democratically. We'll take a vote. All those in favor of pursuit?"

Her hoof, as well as Applejack's immediately raised up. Despite Fluttershy's protests, Rainbow Dash, too, lifted her hoof, believing she couldn't be distracted from her duty of keeping Equestria safe.

"No…" Pinkie Pie said mournfully, keeping her hooves firmly to the floor. "I don't think we should go."

With Rarity also voting to not go, they were at a deadlock. Their eyes, save for Fluttershy's, now turned to Spike-the only one remaining in the room.

"… Well, Spike?" the princess pressed. "You're the deciding vote."

The baby dragon stared at each of his friends. His eyes were large, teary, holding a solemn expression on his countenance. Biting his lower lip, he opened his mouth once, closed it, opened it again, closed it a second time, and shook his head.

"I can't," he stated weakly. "Smokey's… like a brother to me. We went after Chenoa together. He risked his life to save her… AND me. I… I can't believe he'd just up and bite somepony like that… I don't want to believe it."

Applejack exhaled on a sigh.

"Now, Spike-"

"If you're going to have to take Smokey in," Spike cut in, "Then you're going to have to take me, too."

"What?" Twilight Sparkle blinked in bewilderment. "Spike, what are you saying?"

"If Smokey went nuts and bit somepony, then, who's to say I won't, either? You're only saying we should go after him because you don't know him like Fluttershy and I do. How would you feel if me and Smokey's positions were reversed?"

"Spike, that's crazy! You're nothing like Smokey!" Rainbow Dash insisted.

"The two of us were raised by ponies. The fact of the matter is, I HAD a family. He didn't, when he was growing up. He never had one, up until just recently. He had a daughter! He had me! He had us!"

He went silent. Fluttershy raised her head at the mention of daughter, and gasped, climbing to her hooves. The mare pushed past the others and hobbled upstairs to check on her baby.

Spike watched her leave, then returned his attention back to Rainbow Dash.

"Now that family, and any hope he may have ever had of having any sort of a peaceful life with them, is gone," the young reptilian resumed. "Put yourself in his place for once, Dash! How would YOU feel if this happened to you!?"

The rainbow-haired pony lowered her gaze to the floor. While Fluttershy had revealed what happened to Smokey, hearing it a second time from Spike caused it to sink in. While she felt bad that the red dragon never had a loving home growing up, that didn't make the evidence disappear.

One more look at Fluttershy as she ascended the staircase and she finally caved in.

"Fine. We'll let him go…"