Chapter 1 - Leaving

A long list of task's and duty's dropped down in front of the three fillies hoofs and their jaws dropped to the floor as they glared at the animals they had to take care of for Fluttershy.
"Now are you girls sure, you can do all this on your own?" Said Fluttershy a bit anxious.
"Don’t worry Fluttershy! Will' take care of your friends, besides you’re only gone for five days.
Fluttershy smiled at them, but they all knew she wasn’t very safe about the idea of the mane six going for a vacation to Canterlot.
"Maybe the hotel have some facilities for pets and such, maybe I could bring some-"
"Fluttershy..." Scootaloo interrupted and looked at her with judging eyes.
"I know, I know..." Said Fluttershy and frowned.
"Oh, maybe if! Maybe..." Said Fluttershy with a sudden smile and a glimpse of hope in her eye.
The three ponies stared at Fluttershy with a slight irritation
"I’m sorry girls, I’m just so nervous. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a vacation without my pets.
"Fluttershy! Why are you taking so long?" The piercing ring of the voice and the sort of British accent, could not be mistaken. It was the elegant unicorn pony, Rarity.
"Come on Fluttershy!" yelled Rarity once again.
"Sorry Rarity, be right there" Fluttershy frowned once again now knowing she had to depart with her friends.
Fluttershy said goodbye to all her pets, then the girls, and then finally left out the door.
Yes, Fluttershy and the gang were going for a vacation to the glamorous and sophisticated capital, Canterlot.
Where in Canterlot? Who knows...?
Why? They wouldn’t tell. Some say its royal matters. Oh though, Twilight did receive a scroll with a red stamp and golden amulet, which is the royal signature.
Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Mr. and Mrs. Cake were all gathered at the Ponyville railroad station, to say goodbye to the ponies going on a vacation. Spike was also there, but not to join them on their journey. Just to say goodbye. He was supposed to take care of Twilight and Rarity's houses and help the girls with the animals and other duties. He was a little disappointed that he couldn’t come with them but he knew he was needed in Ponyville. But he quickly got over it and turned his mind on cleaning Rarity's house, to impress her, of course.
The train slowly disappeared in the horizon and the family's head home, and so were The Cutie Mark Crusaders. They arrived at Fluttershy's house and found out they had forgot all about the list they had left on the table. They then decided to read it.
Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, looked at the list of tasks and sighed in despair.
--------------------------------
The Rabbits and Bunnys
Will only eat carrots and other forms of salad
Need fresh water everyday

The Chickens and Hens
Check every booth for eggs
Put out fresh hay

The Birds
Are very shy, nio sudden movements
Must be fed one pack at a time
Special bird seeds found in shed behind house

1/8
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"Seven pages! We can’t do all of that!" Sweetie Belle said and sighed again.
"Yeah, can’t we just mix together some vegies and place them in a big bowl for all the animals?" Added Scootaloo.
"Come on guys" Applebloom said benignly.
"We promised Fluttershy that we would do it. We have got to show her that we are able to take on a responsibility and take care of her friends..."
The two ponies were against it in the start, but eventually agreed. Besides they had just talked to Fluttershy and promised her that everything was going to be fine, and that they would take care of her pets.
After a long struggle, of getting all of Fluttershy’s requests done. The girls decided to visit Sugar Cube Corner, for an evening treat.
They got a bag of 10 cupcakes and then went back to Sweet Apple Acres. three each for the girls and one for Granny Smith. Granny Smith had agreed to take care of the girls, now where they're sisters were all gone.

Chapter 2 - A New Day

The next morning, the three ponies went to Fluttershy’s house and found Spike there, cleaning. Spike had already done most of the tasks, but the girls helped with the few there were left.
The three ponies then went out to the Cutie Mark Crusaders club house, to plan the day.
They had no idea what they were going to do. So they decided to look around town to see if there was something they could help with.
No. Nothing...
"What now?" Said Scootaloo with her head dangling upside down, whilst she’s lying in the bean bag chair in the club house.
"I don’t know" said Apple Bloom quietly tapping the floor rapidly. She always does this. She’s got a restless leg from running around the farm.
Suddenly a whitish grey pegasus pony with a bag around its waist flew by the window.
"Derpy!?" Scootaloo yelled at the obviously confused pegasus pony.
The flying pony stopped and looked around, finally found the shack in the tree hidden behind some branches.
"Oh there you are girls, I’ve been looking for you everywhere!" said Derpy Hooves
The girls were having a really hard time not starring into her confusing cross eyes.
"I’ve got a letter to you two, from your sisters" she said, and looked at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.
Derpy reached into her bag and fished out an envelope with their and Spikes name on it.
"Shouldn’t we wait for Spike to so we could open It together?" asked Sweetie Belle
"He can read it later" said Apple Bloom, already opening the letter.
She opened it read it out loud.
Dear Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Spike
"We are writing to let you know, that we have safely arrived at our destination at the hotel were staying in."
The formal horn writing was Rarity’s, Sweetie Belle could clearly see, but decided to not to share.
"Fluttershy and Pinkie Pies says hi"
"What about Rainbow dash?" Said Scootaloo, now lifting herself up from the bean bag chair and nearing in on the girls so she could read the letter.
"Did she say anything about me? Did she say hi?"
"Actually it says Rainbow Dash is out, watching the Wonder Bolts rehearse for a show..."
"Ahhh how cool" Scootaloo said, and jumped around in the room, and then dropped back down in the bean bag chair where she had lied before, looking up in air.
"The Wonderbolts..." She said, and sighed with a smile.
Following in the steps of Rainbow Dash she has always been a huge fan of The Wonderbolts and dreams of flying with them one day. Of course, Rainbow Dash has already achieved this goal.
The cross eyed pony looked at the girls and then asked Apple Bloom
"Do you know where Big Macintosh and Granny Smith are? I have a letter to them from your sister."
"I think they’re in the barn" Said Apple Bloom, and pointed in the direction of the big red barn.
Derpy turned her head, and said goodbye to the girls and then flew in the direction Apple Bloom was pointing.
"Let’s go find Spike, to give him the letter" Said Sweetie Belle, already leaving out the door.
The three ponies went to Twilights house, and went inside. The light was on, but Spike was nowhere to be found.
"I... guess he’s at Rarity’s..." Apple Bloom said, looking like a giant question mark. It was getting dark and he should be done with cleaning Rarity’s house.
The girls then went to Rarity’s house. But he wasn’t there either. Where could he be? He had cleaned the house, you could easily see that. He had done his best to impress Rarity.
He left nothing behind. Nothing but a piece of paper on the counter next to the cash register.
"What’s this?" Scootaloo asked, and moved closer.
"Looks like a letter" Said Apple Bloom.
She was right. On the counter were an opened envelope and an unfolded note.
----
Spike
We need to speak to each other.
Meet me by the big lake in the Everfree forest, tonight at 6 o' clock.
----
It wasn’t signed. Not even a "goodbye" or "hope to see you there"
"What’s the time?" Asked Apple Bloom.
Sweetie Belle looked at the clock on the wall by the counter, amazed by why Apple Bloom hadn’t noticed it when they walked in.
"Its twelve minutes past seven..." She answered with a perplexed face.
Shouldn’t he be home by now? Who was he meeting? When will he be back? Should we go find him? Is he in trouble?
So many questions were running through the 3 ponies heads.
After a moment, Sweetie Belle finally broke the silence
"Should we go find him?"
"Ehh... I don’t know... It’s getting dark...” Said Scootaloo.
"And I don’t think Granny Smith would like us to go into the Everfree forest at this hour of the day" Added Apple Bloom. She knew how her grandmother would react to this, and was very nervous, but kept on a mask. After all she wouldn’t seem un-cool in front of 2 best friends.

A moment passed.

"I guess we could wait for tomorrow..." Sweetie Belle then said
"But if he has not come back then-"
She gulped
"If he has not come back then we have to go find him in the Everfree forest"
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo look at Sweetie Belle, with surprised faces. Like they didn’t already knew that they had to go find him, but that it was pointed out it seemed a lot more realistic.
They went back to Sweet Apple Acres and tried to fall asleep. Every now and then one of them would get up and look in the direction of town, in hope of some sign that Spike had returned home in his small bed in Twilights house. Though there were no signs, they knew he hadn’t.

Chapter 3 - Facing Fear

The next morning, the girls went immediately after breakfast to town. They stormed into Twilights house without even thinking about knocking. Amazingly they were not surprised of what they saw. The place was cleaned. And there were no sign of Spike.
They knew what they had to do. But none of them wanted to say it. But then...
"The Everfree forest it is" Scootaloo said with that brave, daring smile she had learned from the amazing Rainbow Dash.
But Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom knew she was terrified of the Everfree forest, so where they. Either way they had to go find Spike.
They didn’t pack anything. And then again, why would they? It’s not like they are going to stay there for long, right?
The girls were gathered outside the forest, on the road leading into it. The gulped simultaneously as they slowly moved into the mysterious forest.
They had walked for a bit, when Sweetie Belle asked.
"Where do you think he is?"
"The letter said they would be meeting at the lake, but the fact that he has been gone for two days now... well... I don’t know..." Apple Bloom said, a little disappointed in her own tone. She had hoped that she could seem calm and cheer up the other ponies.
Not many words were said on the way to the lake, all because of fear. The ponies were at all times walking very close to each other, constantly checking bushes and trees for danger. They finally arrived, at the big lake. “The lake”, if you could call it that. Was filled with a disgusting green thick matter. And every now and then, bubbles would appear and pop into a green toxic gas slowly disappearing in the air.
And as they expected, there were no one there.
The three ponies look confused. Not because they didn’t know no one was going to be here, but because they had no idea where to look next. They had just expected another clue, like in the movies. They had followed the first letter. Now what?
"What now?" Scootaloo asked, as expected by the others.
"Uhm... ”Apple Bloom stopped for a moment.
"I... Don’t.. Know..?"
Scootaloo started moving around the lake. It wasn’t THAT big. She was looking for something. A clue?
Apple Bloom thought it was stupid, what did she expect to find? But did not tell her. Instead she followed her, acting like she was also looking. Of course, not wanting to be left behind Sweetie Belle did the same.
Apple Bloom was about to give up and tell Scootalooto to do the same, when suddenly Sweetie Belle screamed, an ear piercing scream. A scream that makes bones shiver, and gives you goosebumbs. A scream so powerful and serious, that you know someone was, or is in danger.
Sweetie Belle was the last one to follow Scootaloo, therefore she is the last one in the line. Her face was all white and that is not because of her skin tone, but because of what she is seeing at the moment. She looks terrified and full of fear. You would understand, after all that is not something a young filly should ever witness. She was lifting up a bush, so Apple Bloom and Scootaloo couldn’t see what she was looking at.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were looking at her with an interested and curious mime. Sweetie Belle looked back at them and then lifted the bush even higher and revealed the body of a purple and green baby dragon. Well the purple was fading, so it was more of a pinkish tone. The eyes were still open, but you almost couldn’t see the iris.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at the dead baby dragon without blinking. And then, Apple Bloom fainted.

Chapter 4 - Awoken

Apple Bloom was awoken by a gentle hoof pushing her over and over again, it wasn’t Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo. No, it was a grown pony, she could feel that by the controlled force holding back. Apple Bloom slowly forced opened her eyes, blinked a couple of times. And then found out it was no pony pushing. She wasn’t afraid, she knew the person. Funny enough it wasn’t the first she had taken her into her house and taken care of her, it was Zecora. The zebra smiled at Apple Bloom then stepped back revealing the other ponies standing behind her. Then it all came back to her. Spike! Where is he? What had she done with him? What are they going to do now? As before millions of questions ran through the pony's head. And then, A young purple and green dragon walked through the door, smiling.
"SPIKE!" Apple Bloom yelled at the top of her lungs, scaring the dragon, the zebra and the other two ponies.
"Hi Apple Bloom" The baby dragon said, a little startled from the sound.
"What happened? Apple Bloom said.
Zecora and Spike started to explain to Apple Bloom, that Zecora had contacted Spike via letter and since she is not that used to writing letters, she forgot to sign it off. Spike then met up with Zecora at the lake, because she needed some help finding some ingredients for a brew she was making. Spike had wandered off on his own and gotten a little too curious around these strange leafs and plants, and ended up with eating a couple of them. Apparently, he passed out in the bush, Zecora couldn’t find him. If it wasn’t for Sweetie Belle He might have still been lying there. Actually kind of strange. Because they were looking for ingredients on the other side of the lake when they first meet. Zecora had then showed up when she heard the scream and brought Spike and the girls back to her hut. She had then made a curing potion for Spike, made with ingredients from the same bush they had found him in.
After Apple Bloom had come to her senses, Spike and the girls said goodbye to Zecora and then ventured back through the forest towards town.
As Spike, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom walked through the forest on the road leading to Ponyville, the sun was going down but they did not hear the casual afternoon noise of ponies talking, and playing. They were greeted by dead silence. They were not afraid or alerted anymore, due to what had happened earlier.
"Why is it so quiet?" Spike asked.
"Don’t know." Scootaloo answered, with no special facial expression. She didn’t even care anymore. She just wanted to go home and get back to her bed. She didn’t even feel like being with Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom anymore. She was just really tired, thinking of all that had happened earlier today.
When they entered Ponyville, the place was deserted, the place was a ghost town.
"What now...” Apple Bloom said and sighed almost unnoticeable, but so did the other ponies. She was tired of all the action, and she hadn’t fully recovered from the blackout earlier.
"Where is everyone?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Hello!?" She yelled.
No response
"HELLO!" She tried again
Still no response.

Chapter 5 - Creatures

Lots of questions ran through the ponies and the dragons mind as they entered Sugar Cube Corner in hope of seeing a friendly face.
"Hello? Is anyone in here?" Apple Bloom yelled, as they opened the door.
Apparently not.
Apple Bloom proceeded to the kitchen with Spike, while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo checked the top. Nothing but a few hand signals to settle the plan.
"Hello?" She yelled again. She could hear the same thing, from Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle upstairs.
Where were Mr. and Mrs. Cake?
Why did they go to Sugar Cube Corner first?
Well, Mr. and Mrs. Cake were always very friendly. So they felt like they were welcome there.
And Sweet Apple Acres was outside the town, it seemed much more reasonable to enter a shop to see where everyone has gone.
A noise, an unexpected grunting noise of some sort. Which had come from a creature much greater than Spike. The noise sounded like it came from a mixover between a dog growling, and a bear moaning. Apple Bloom slowly turned around, terrified of what she could expect. As she turned around she could feel and smell the creature’s breath, standing only a few inches away from her. She now stood face to face with the wolfish looking creature standing in front of her, looking down at her, with a devilish grin on its face, and red piercing eyes without an iris, very dark almost black tousled fur, and what looks to be some of the sharpest teeth in all of Equestria. It was leaving a trail of black smoke wherever it went. It stood on its back legs and used his "hands" as a weapon. With very sharp claws. Suddenly Spike who apparently was unnoticeable for the creature that had been hiding somewhere in the kitchen, jumped the thing in an attempt to lure it away from Apple Bloom for as long as she needs to get away.
The creature did not expect anyone and stumbled back a bit, but quickly discovered how small the creature attacking him was. The creature grabbed Spike, and with a quick movement he threw on of his back on to the kitchen floor. Sliding him all the way down the floor, making him hit his head on the oven, creating a small crack in the glass. Spike was bleeding from the back of his head, like he haven’t been through enough already? But when he saw the creature move in on him he quickly found the motivation to follow Apple Bloom and run. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who had heard the struggle was already at the foot of the stairs and followed Apple Bloom as she ran out the door. Apple Bloom ran and ran and didn’t even think twice about the girls, she needed to get back to Sweet Apple Acres where everything would be fine, and every pony was going to be happy, right?
The three ponies arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, exhausted. The front door was locked, they went around the back and surprisingly that door was locked as well.
"OH No...” Apple Bloom said to herself.
But then she remembered the basement entrance, on the side of the house. Nope, also locked.
"Ohhh NO! NO! NO!" Apple Bloom said and hammering her hoofs onto the basement door.
There was short moment of silence while Apple Bloom and the other ponies, were thinking where Granny Smith and Big Macintosh were.
"Apple Bloom? Is that you?" A friendly old voice said from the other side of the door.
"Granny Smith!" Apple Bloom shouted.
She immediately opened the door and Apple Bloom was greeted by a smiling Big Macintosh and Granny Smith.
"Granny Smith!" She yelled again, and hugged the elderly pony.
"Where have you girls been? We have been worried sick!" Said Granny Smith
"No time to explain, we have got to go find Spike. He's still in town with that thing!" Scootaloo then said, now remembering that Spike was hurt and needed medical assistance
"With those things, don’t you mean?" Granny Smith said
"Those things? There’s more of his kind?" Sweetie Belle Asked, starting to get nervous. The fear hadn’t really bothered her after they found Spike in the forest. But now it was getting to her.
"Yes my dear. There were some minor fires everywhere in the Everfree forest last night, and that lured creatures of all kinds in to the city. No pony knows who started the fires. At the first sight of the creatures, the town alarm went off, and every pony met in the town hall, locked the doors and prayed. We were too far away so we just hid down here"
"Come on! We have to go find Spike" Scootaloo said.
"I don’t think that it’s safe to go out there!" Granny Smith replied
"But Spike is out there, and he hit his head and is bleeding!" Sweetie Belle then said.
"Well... it’s no place for an old woman or three young fillies... But I guess Big Mac can go find Spike. What do you say Big Mac?"
"Yeup" He said. A man of few words, isn’t he?
"Then it’s settled." Granny Smith said, as Big Macintosh was leaving out the basement entrance
The girls entered the basement and Granny Smith closed the door behind them, and yelled
"Be careful, Big Mac!"
The room wasn’t very well lit, there were a lot of shelves and cupboards. There where some empty boxes they could use as stools, when talking.
"Now do you girls care to tell what you were up to earlier today?"
"Wow... Where do we start?" Scootaloo asked.
And then she began to tell about Spikes disappearence, the letter, how they found Spike, Apple Bloom fainting, Zecora finding them, the first encounter at Sugarcube Corner and running back to Sweet Apple Acres, like all hell had just broken loose. Scootaloo wasnt very shy around Granny Smith, or Big Macintosh. she knew so well, and was always visiting. When she was finished with the story she asked
"That pretty much sums it doesn’t it?"
"Right." Sweetie Belle said.
"Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo said
The ponies looked around, when Granny Smith yelled
"Gosh darnit, Apple Bloom!"
Meanwhile at about 50 meters outside of Ponyville.
Big Mac was running as fast as he his hoofs could carry him, he had forgot to ask where they last saw Spike. But was expecting to find him in the center somewhere-
What was that? Another set up hoofs was running catching up behind him. He slowed down and turned around, to find an exhausted filly. Apple Bloom had been trying to silently keep up with him, but was still tired from running all the way to Sweet Apple Acres. Now that he had slowed down, she had been running to fast and had caught up with him.
"Apple Bloom?!" Said Big Macintosh
"What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at home?"
The young pony stopped, to catch her breath. And then finally said.
"Oh, I’m sorry Big Mac. I just really wanted to help"
Big Macintosh thought for a while, while Apple Bloom kneeled trying to rest for a moment.
"Well okay, you can come with me. If you can keep up" He said and smiled.
"But if I tell you to go back, or tell you to run and seek cover, you will do it" He then said with suddenly very serious voice.
"Alright..." Apple Bloom then said.
Actually bringing Apple Bloom wasn’t such a bad idea, she knew where Spike was last seen, and she knew she had to show him.
When they arrived at the town, it was still quiet. Big Macintosh had expected to be assaulted by now, but apparently the creatures were searching through the houses. Destroying or looting. Apple Bloom led Big Macintosh into Sugarcube Corner, which is where the struggle had found place. There were no evidence of Spike being there but a crack in the oven glass, and a few drops of blood on the floor leading to the back door. The trail led out the backdoor, which looked like it was ripped off, and teared apart. Apple Bloom knew that is spike had tried to run out of the the backdoor and then the creature would then forcefully tear open the door and follow him. But where did Spike run away to? Apple Bloom looked out the back door for a brief moment but it just led out to more streets. She then walked back out the front door with Big Macintosh.
As the brother and sister walked out the door, they were greeted by two of the creatures, which were standing on each their site of the door.
Big Macintosh looked at his terrified little sister, she did not look back at him. Instead she starred into the creatures red eyes, and it also starred back at her.
This made Big Macintosh, loose it.
With a quick movement. He pushed Apple Bloom a couple of feet to the right making her fall over, and making the creatures eyes follow her. The creature which had starred at her quickly turned his head at Big Macintosh with an angry face, just in time to see two back hoofs nearing in on him. Big Macintosh had turned around, jumped up on his front hoofs and thrusted his back hoofs into the creatures face, which made it spin around and then fall over. The other creature looked amazed at his partner now lying dead still on the ground. Big Mac could have sworn he saw a tear on the devilish creature’s cheek. But this only made the creature angrier. He swung his arm whilst turning himself, as an unexpected attack on Big Macintosh. He had miscalculated the distance between him and the mare, and missed. This was a fatal mistake for the creature and he knew it, he had given to mush power into the swipe, and had expected to hit him head on, but sadly he was now turning with the same power he had tried to strike with. And then a plan started to appear in the creature’s head, when his hand had reached the stopping point he could use that power to swipe back with the back of his hand. Hand slice up the murderer standing before him. But no... It was already too late, Big Macintosh had jumped back up onto his front legs and was already leading his back hoofs into the side of the body on the creature. Pushing it longer back. Big Macintosh could feel some of the ribs break on the creature’s body. The creature was rolling further back than his companion.
The creature now lying on the floor holding its side, as in hope that it wouldn’t hurt so much, let out a scream, a high pitched wolf like sound only more roaring. Apple Bloom who now have gotten back up and stood beside her big brother, and Big Macintosh would soon find out what the sound was for. Big Macintosh looked around and saw multiple Shadows and more of these creatures standing around them. Surrounding them and cutting of every possible exit.

Chapter 6 - Rescue

An extremely bright light blinded the pony from the source standing in the middle of the street, it then dimmed and seven shadows began to emerge through the light. Is they thought it was all over, and the light was almost back to its normal stage, another super bright flash spilled in over the brother and sister. And suddenly, whimpering started from all of the creatures around Big Mac and Apple Bloom. And they could spot them all running in the direction of... The Everfree forest!
As the light started to dim, the ponies ran across the street to their saviors. They didn’t know for sure. But could feel by the power of the magic. It was Princess Celestia’s magic. And the other ponies she had brought with her were the mane six. Apple Jack Stepped out of the smoke cloud left behind by the incredible magic. And was immediately embraced by her little sister. The ponies in the town hall, had heard the whimpering and was soon also starting to come out led by the mayor. Spike was with them had a bandage around his head, put on him by some of the nurses sheltering in there with him and the others.
Princess Celestia explains to the people that there had been some fires minor fires and that it had lured out the creatures of the Everfree forest.
Spike was now beginning to realize that it might have been him, from when he had blacked out. It sure doesn’t look like walking around starting fires. But every pony does some crazy stuff when they’re intoxicated, just ask Berry Punch.
Spike was later hospitalized, and found out that had hit a vein in the back of his head. But nothing to serious, oh though he had to lie in bed for a few days.
The mane six explained that it was only a vacation where they had been invited up to stay at the princess castle. To catch up.
Granny smith was mad at Apple Bloom for leaving but relieved that she was okay.
Big Macintosh was crowned a knight of Equestria for defending Ponyville the way he did.
Zecora didn’t find out that there had been an attack until much later.

The End.