Chapter Seventy-One: The Journey Begins

Dragging a Chenoa-sized pillow into the chick's crib, Angel pushed it into the center and draped a blanket over it. He prayed that the pegasus would fall for this trick until he could find the baby griffon. With it being so muddy, he assumed he would find tracks, but since she had been hopping from puddle to puddle, any tracks she had left were obscured by muddy water.

As Fluttershy entered her home, she got right to work-her first order of business being to check on Angel and Chenoa.

"Angel? Chenoa?" she called softly, trotting upstairs. Slipping into her room, she spotted the rabbit apparently putting what she presumed to be Chenoa to bed. Smiling warmly, she let out a sigh. "There you are…

"I'm going to be heading out with my friends. We're going to get Smokey back. We hopefully won't be gone for long. Do you think you can watch Chenoa until the Cakes come over?"

Beads of perspiration dotted the rabbit's fur as he whirled around to face the pegasus. Stomach twisting and tiny heart hammering in his ribcage, he nodded and forced a nervous grin.

"I hope we'll be back soon. Hopefully we can catch up to them in the next town," she said, lowering her muzzle to nuzzle Angel. "You're such a good boy, looking after Chenoa."

Pulling away, she leaned over the crib's railing to kiss her baby…

Eyes inflating in size, Angel intercepted. Shaking his head and pushing the mare's face away, he erected his index finger and pressed it to his lips to signify her not to disturb the baby, then made hand signals that she was sleeping.

Pausing, Fluttershy gave a small smile and nodded.

"Ohh. All right. I'll leave her alone," she whispered. "Thank you, Angel. You're such a good bunny."

Turning away, she grabbed her saddlebags and gathered a few things from her room before heading downstairs to assemble more supplies.

Exhaling deeply as the starch tension in his muscles melted away, the rabbit allowed himself to flop back into the crib. He had anticipated Fluttershy to see past his scheme and give him the scolding of a lifetime for losing her baby.

Fluttershy hadn't even stopped to consider anything might be unusual about the situation at all. She was far too concerned about Smokey, and Angel was usually so good about being on top of things and she trusted him implicitly.

Once she thought she had gathered up enough supplies for the trip, she scribbled down a quick note meant for the Cakes. Leaving and quickly stopping at Sugarcube Corner, she saw-like she had predicted-that the couple was out. Stamping the note to the door, she headed back to the cottage to await her friends. However, the Cakes would not be seeing that letter. Wind picking up, the current peeled the parchment off the door and carried it away.

The speedy Rainbow Dash had been the first to arrive, double saddlebags stuffed with food and other supplies. Landing lightly by her fellow pegasus, she couldn't help but exhibit the guilt upon her face.

"Sorry again, Fluttershy. I really thought Smokey bit Pendulum…"

"I understand. If I hadn't known him as well as I do, I would've thought the same… but… when you spend as much time as you do with somepony you really love, you… you just tend to gain a deeper understanding of them."

"How long have you loved him? I thought you two were just friends," the prism-maned pony queried, folding her wings to her sides.

"I only realized I love him the night of… the night right before he left," she answered, chest constricting. "After everything that happened, everything we been through… the shock of it all made me realize I didn't want to lose him-even though I thought for sure we were. I was going to tell him that very morning, but then…"

The mare clenched her eyes shut with a sniffle, then opened them. Rarity and Applejack could be spotted a short distance away, the latter hauling a sizable trunk clearly belonging to the former on wheels.

"Ah really don't see WHY you want to bring ALL this," Applejack grunted in disdain. "It's not like we're going to be on the road fer days at a time!"

It was then Twilight Sparkle came flying in, her own saddlebags packed, followed by Pinkie Pie, who was inexplicably parachuting down from the sky.

"What in tarnation…?" Applejack began as Twilight Sparkle landed, Pinkie Pie touching down beside the princess, the parachute fluttering down behind her.

"Right! Sorry, couldn't decide what to bring." Twilight Sparkle emitted a chuckle, tilting her head at one of her bags. "Wasn't sure what would be more practical, so, I just decided to bring all of it!"

"Same here!" The pink-pelted pony grinned. "Never know when you'll need a parachute!"

"Uh… you got us," Rainbow Dash pointed out, unfolding her wings and gesturing at Fluttershy's wings for emphasis.

"Yeah, but what if you're unconscious?" Pinkie Pie pressed, stuffing her parachute into one of her bags. "Or your wings are broken? Or if we're falling? The two of you can't save us all!"

"Um, hello?" Twilight Sparkle piped up, flapping her own feathery extremities once.

"… Oh. Oh, yeah! I keep forgetting you have wings, too."

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow Dash pumped her wings and lifted herself into the air.

"Are we done here?"

"Yes, let's go," Fluttershy urgently said. "I want Smokey back as soon as possible."

"Sounds good," Rarity affirmed. "But, where should we go? We don't know where they could've gone."

"I'd say these tracks give us a fairly decent clue," Twilight Sparkle stated, her eyes scanning the path below them, as Smokey's footprints left a trail away from the cottage.

A ways into the Everfree Forest, the chick continued to jump from print to print until she was discovered by a cream-colored pegasus who just happened to be employed by Pendulum. The stallion had been ordered to remain behind for a few days to scour the forest for any rare creatures. To his delight at his patience being rewarded, the pony came up to her.

"Aren't you a cute little darling! I'm sure Mr. Pendulum will love you!"

Picking up the stunned child, the equine took to the air and sped off into the direction where the train-carriage had gone.

The six mares started out at a decent pace, though progress quickly slowed mainly due to Rarity's cart being difficult to haul through the mud, which was getting gradually thicker. It had taken Pinkie Pie hitching herself up to it with Applejack and a push from behind from Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash to free it on more than one occasion.

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth in vexation, flapping behind the wagon to push it out of the mud yet again.

"Dang it, Rarity! Why'd ya have to bring all this!?"

"You honestly can't expect me to leave home without my beauty supplies!" Rarity questioned incredulously.

"For Heaven's sakes, girl, you never nearly packed as much stuff with you when we went up to the mountains to face that dragon!" Applejack reasoned.

"Or when we go to Canterlot," Twilight Sparkle added.

"But-"

"Or when we went to look for Applejack," Fluttershy contributed.

"Well, yes, but most of the time we knew how long we were going to be gone. At least we know Smokey is with Pendulum."

"Yes, but we don't know where Pendulum's at," the alicorn said.

"Exactly! We could be out here for days!"

"And your stuff will only slow us down! You gotta get rid of this cart!" Rainbow Dash huffed.

Rarity appeared put off by this suggestion.

"Sugarcube, we just need the essentials," Applejack blatantly said.

"But my-"

"Rarity?" Fluttershy cut in gently.

The addressed mare shifted her attention.

"Hmm?"

"I will buy replacements for everything, if I must," the pegasus urgently offered. "But we really need to get going."

The alabaster unicorn stared for a moment, a small frown pulling at the corners of her lips.

"… Yes, of course. Dreadfully sorry, dear. I'm being selfish." The mare nodded to Pinkie Pie and Applejack as a non-verbal signal to unhitch themselves. "It'll be fine where it is. We're not far from town. I can pick it up later."

"Finally!" Flying away from the cart, the cyan pony returned to her primary place hovering above her friends. "So, what are we gonna do about this Pendulum guy?"

"I'm not sure," Twilight Sparkle answered with a look of contemplation.

"Oooh! Maybe we can arrest him! Bring him to justice," Pinkie Pie excitedly recommended.

"I don't really care what we do to Pendulum," Fluttershy sighed. "I just want my Smokey back…"

"We'll get him back, won't we, girls?" Rainbow Dash knowingly asked, her vision jumping from pony to pony.

"We will," Twilight Sparkle reassured with a nod at Fluttershy, who smiled back. "Don't worry."