Morning came, and Spike got out of bed while looking at the vial hanging around his neck to keep dragon breath in check.

"Morning, my friend. Keep my breath nice and fresh." Spike told it, as he got ready for the day. Since the school was still quarantined thanks to his dragon breath he had a free day. So he got dressed and went downstairs seeing his dad in his face arm chair watching the morning news.

"Hey, dad, anything new happening in the world today?"

"Just the usual, son." his dad answered, as Spike took a seat on the couch to enjoy the news.

The news anchor spoke up, "And in latest, break in at the market. Late last night there was a break in at the local market where the perpetrators left the whole place in a mess. We're going to you now live with a story."

The scene cut to a reporter live on the set at the market that was taped off to the public. The reporter stood inside the wrecked market with food splattered everywhere and shelves knocked down.

"I would call this shoppers gone mad... If it had been done by shoppers," the reporter began, "All food and produce gone and splattered everywhere leaving the store in shambles. Luckily we have footage of this event caught by the store's security, but we're not sure exactly what we're dealing with."

Spike and his dad watched as they played the security footage seeing a creature moving through the aisles tearing up the place while eating any food it could grab. Spike looked oddly seeing it looked like a wild animal.

The footage ended, as the reporter continued as she stood before one of the check out stands that had claw marks in it, "Was this a bear or some strange beast? Even the police are baffled. But one thing's for sure there is a wild animal loose in the city. Until this mess is cleared up, citizens are to be careful when going outside, particularly at night. Back to you at the studio."

Spike's dad looked flabbergasted, "Whoa. Now there's something you don't see happen every day. Wonder what animal left claw marks like that?"

Spike pondered, "I wonder too," suddenly his cellphone rang, and he answered it, "Hello? Twilight? Yeah, I just saw the news. Really? Ok, I'll be right over," he hung up, "Dad, I'm taking off for awhile. Be back later."

"Ok, son. Just be careful out there." his dad warned him.

"I will." Spike answered, as he hurried out the door.

Spike had flown to the meeting room by the school and went inside seeing the girls present, "I'm here."

Twilight spoke, "Good. Now you all saw the news footage this morning with that break in and destruction in the market?" the group nodded.

"What do you think that thing was, Twi?" Applejack asked.

"It's a chimera." Twilight answered.

"A chimera?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yes. A chimera is a monstrous fire-breathing hybrid creature composed of the parts of more than one animal." the leader explained.

"Why did it go on a riot in the store last night?" Rarity inquired.

"Chimera's do have incredibly huge appetites, and that store was its all you can eat buffet." Twilight answered.

"And I thought I had an appetite." Pinkie spoke up.

"We have to find that chimera and send it back to Equestria," Twilight began, "If we leave it to run free then it'll hit up all other food sources in the city."

"Even my farm?" Applejack asked in worry.

"And Sugarcube Corner?" Pinkie asked in equal worry.

"Precisely." Twilight answered grimly.

"Then I say we find this chimera and kick its butt straight back to Equestria." Rainbow took a stand.

"And just how are we going to find it?" Rarity inquired.

"We go to where there's lots of food." Twilight answered.

"That could be just about anywhere." Spike reminded her.

"The chimera's going on a trail. It'll likely target the next food store closest to the first one," the Princess said, as she laid out a map of the city and stuck a tack on the spot where it first struck, "This is where it first struck, and the next food joint should be right... Here." she stuck another tack on a spot closest to the first mark.

Everyone looked at the location, as Spike spoke, "That's Elmwood Grocers."

Twilight nodded, "If we're going to catch that chimera there, we're going to have a stakeout."

Rainbow looked excited, "All right! A stakeout! Just like in the cop movies."

"I'll bring the coffee and doughnuts." Pinkie offered.

"I'll have to bring something warm, it's said to be a cold night." Rarity noted.

"Well, y'all. We got a job to do." Applejack said.

"I hope it doesn't get too messy." Fluttershy hoped.

"All right. Let's get started." Twilight declared, as the group nodded in agreement.

Later on as nighttime was arriving, the seven friends were atop a building roof where they got a perfect view of Elmwood Grocers. They sat on chairs by the edge of the roof, as they looked down at the grocers with the perimeter looking normal.

"Ok, everyone's all here." Twilight did a head count.

"And I brought the snacks." Pinkie said, as she brought bags of snacks over.

"So all we have to do is wait until the Chimera strikes?" Rainbow asked, as she got comfortable on a chair.

"I know it may sound tiring, but it has to be done." Twilight answered.

"Well, I'm good." Spike said, as he took a seat and started reading from a comic book.

"Let's hope we won't be out all night." Rarity hoped.

"No sense in complaining about it now." Applejack said, as she took a seat and grabbed a beverage.

And so the group got comfy in their chairs and observed the grocers from the roof seeing person after person go inside and exit.

When evening came, the group was still atop the roof observing the now closed and locked up grocers. By then Spike, Rarity, and Fluttershy were looking on the verge of falling asleep, while Pinkie's eyes were wide from having coffee, her fourth cup to be precise.

"Twilight, it's already close to midnight. I don't think our chimera is going to show." Rainbow said, while on the verge of falling asleep.

Twilight who was wide awake spoke, "Try and be patient, Rainbow Dash. It can't be much longer."

"You've been saying that for the last three hours." Rainbow complained.

Applejack who was looking tuckered out spoke, "I hate to say it, Twi, but if nothing happens, then either ya made a miscalculation where the beast would go next or this was all just a wild goose chase."

Twilight didn't like the possibility if she made a mistake where the chimera would go next, and was almost ready to call it a night, until they heard the growl of a tiger down below.

The sound woke the others up, as Rarity spoke, "You all hear that?"

"I sure did." Spike confirmed.

"What was that?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight looked down from the roof, and answered, "Our creature."

The group looked down and saw the chimera creature busting down through the locked doors. Twilight turned to her team, "Let's go." she said, as the seven powered up.

They jumped down and landed in the grocers lot before the chimera, "Hold it!" Spike called.

The chimera looked back revealing to have the head and front half of a tiger, the head and back half of a goat, and a snake head for a tail.

"Oh, my." Fluttershy gasped.

The tiger head spoke, "Back off, you. We're just looking to get some grub."

"Well, you're gonna have to get it elsewhere." Applejack warned it.

"Now come along quietly or we're gonna have to make you." Rainbow added.

The goat head spoke up, "Sisters, it looks like these seven are trying to challenge us."

The snake hissed, "I sss-ay we teach them a lesson."

"Agreed." Tiger head said, as the three grinned at the group.

"Take it!" Twilight called, as the group charged at the chimera who was swiping its claws at them

When the chimera swiped its claw at Pinkie, the girl jumped over and launched some water at it soaking the fur.

"I hate baths." the tiger head grumbled.

"Allow me." the snake head said, as it struck forward to bite them, only to be grabbed out of thin air by Applejack.

"I don't think so, varmint." Applejack said, as she gripped the snake head and swung the chimera around before releasing it.

The chimera rolled on the parking lot pavement before getting up, "No more playing around!" the tiger head growled, as the creature attacked the girls.

Twilight was launching shots of magic at the chimera, only for the beast to evade each shot. Rainbow flew in, and called, "Taste lightning, freak!" she sent bolts of lightning at the chimera shocking it, but it wasn't slowing down.

Rarity used her own magic to create boulders which she hurled at the chimera, only for the goat head to ram them away.

"Rarity, look out!" Fluttershy called, as she used her wind manipulation to blow the chimera off course from Rarity.

The chimera looked to Twilight and growled before taking off at her, "Twilight!" The girls cried, as Twilight prepared herself.

Suddenly Spike flew in tackling the creature away. The two rolled across the ground, before Spike was on top pinning the beast.

"Looks like I'm all over this." Spike mocked.

The tiger and goat heads smirked, as the tiger spoke, "That's what you think."

Spike was confused, until the snake head wrapped itself around Spike's throat trying to choke him. Spike was wheezing from losing his air supply.

"Spike!" the girls shouted as, they rushed to help him, only for the tiger head to halt them.

"Come one step closer, and your dragon friend loses all his air."

"What's it going to be?" The goat head inquired smugly.

The girls with much reluctance lowered their guard, while sporting frowns. The three heads laughed in victory, until the snake head noticed the vial Spike wore around his neck.

"What's thissss?" it hissed. The other two heads looked back seeing the vial as well.

Spike realized the snake head loosened her grip around his neck and smirked, "Just a little something that you should be afraid of."

The three heads frowned, as they pinned Spike to the ground, "You think we're afraid of some dragon?" the tiger growled.

Spike smirked, as he was able to grab the vial, "Worse than that,"he pulled the vial off from around his neck and let out his pent up breath, "How do ya like this?"

The three heads turned wide eyed as they filled up with tears, "Dragon breath!" the three heads cried in nausea, before passing out right on top of Spike.

Spike groaned, "Get off!" he shoved the unconscious chimera off him, and got on his feet.

"Spike!" the girls cried, as they ran over to him.

"Are you all right?" Rarity asked.

"You're not hurt are you?" Twilight asked in worry.

"Nothing I can't handle," Spike boasted, and noticed the girls backing away, "What?"

"Um, Spike." Fluttershy said motioning to the neck.

Spike remembered he removed the vial from around his neck, and was back to stinky breath, "Whoops."

"I think you should put that back on." Rainbow suggested.

"Please." Rarity pleaded.

Spike put the vial around his neck again, making his breath fresh again, "Much better." Twilight said.

"Well, girls, this was some victory." Applejack said.

"And we owe it all to Spike's dragon breath." Pinkie cheered, while hugging Spike from behind.

"How about that? The one thing I've been fretting over became my greatest weapon." Spike chuckled, and soon the others joined in.

Twilight inspected the chimera, "Well, this beast won't be waking up for several hours. Which is plenty of time to send it back." she opened a portal, as Applejack and Spike dragged the chimera into the portal before it closed.

"Well, girls. It's late and I'm bushed." Spike yawned.

"Same here." Applejack agreed.

Twilight nodded, "Let's all head home and get some sleep."

"I'm good with that." Rainbow said, as the group took off for home.

A week had passed, and at the club room, Spike stood before the girls and removed the vial from around his neck.

"How's this?" Spike asked, as he let out his breath.

The girls didn't cringe or gag which was a good sign to Spike, before Twilight answered, "Perfectly normal breath."

"Finally. I was getting tired of wearing this thing around my neck." Spike said, as he held the vial.

"Well, guys, let's go grab a bite." Pinkie said.

"Sounds good to me." Spike agreed, as the girls were in agreement too before heading out.