"It's incredible!" Nightmare Moon exclaimed, with a burst of lightning. "One moment, I was able to locate him. And then nothing!" She roared, as another crack of thunder echoed. "He couldn't have just vanished into thin air!"
"Well, ranting ain't exactly going to help us find him, is it?" Abacus asked, before she was met with a glare from the alicorn, face to face. "But of course, you knew that as well, your majesty," the woman quickly said, with fear written on her face, as the alicorn resumes her ranting.
"Find him!" Nightmare Moon growled. "Now!"
"Yes, your majesty," Somnambula bowed her head, before she turned to the Shadowbolts and the flying monkeys. "You heard the princess. Find the dragon!"
"But ma'm," Sunny voiced. "We have school."
Somnambula instantly became a puff of smoke as she grabbed the girl by the scruff of her collar, "Then take absolute care Ms. Flare. Perfect tests scores will not save you." the witch threatened, holding the staff, pulsing with electricity, close to the girl.
The Next Morning
After his recent dream with his mother, Spike woke up with a start. With that, he went to the restroom, courtesy to one of Sunset Shimmer's spell in the cave. Washing his face, Spike felt himself feeling more calm, until he looked in the mirror and screamed.
Later, Spike was getting himself checked out by Zecora, along with a tired Sunset Shimmer and Fleur-De-Lis, both still in their pajamas. Sunset Shimmer's was a purple average pajama, with her cutie mark on the chest, yellow and orange stripes at the bottom of her pants. Fleur's was a pink nightgown, with white sashes at the waist, tied into a bow in the back, a mud mask on her face, and her hairs tied up in hair rolls.
The wise african woman was checking the young boy out, who is currently not looking too well, as he is covered, from head to toe, in numerous zits, his skin having been turned a dull color of gray, and his hair becoming a mossy shade of green.
"What's happening to me?" Spike asked frantically. "What's going on? Am I sick?"
"Hush!" Zecora said. "Don't make me rush! I can't give you guidance, if you won't be silence!" With that, Spike did as he was told, while Zecora continued with her examination, until at last, she came to a conclusion.
"So, what's up doc?" Spike asked.
"Aside from your little joke," Zecora began. "I'm pleased to know you won't croak."
Still confused, Spike asked, "Meaning?"
"You're not sick, Spike," Sunset answered.
Spike breathed a sigh of relief, as Zecora nodded, as she continued, "He is starting to mature. For this fact I'm sure."
"Wait, so I'm just growing up?" Spike asked. "So, what does it have to do with my skins like this?"
"Every ten years or so, a dragon must shed its skin to grow," the wise woman answered, as she walked over to the cauldron in the cave, throwing in some dusts into the content, causing the cauldron to spew out a cloudy image of a baby dragon. "From a hatchling to a fledgling, your Dragonfire is getting higher." As she explains, the image of Spike, as a baby, grows into his current state, before curling up into a ball. "It is only a matter of time, before you are in your prime!" With that, the ball burst into a huge burning sun.
"Whoa!" Spike gasped, alongside Sunset and Fleur. "So, you're saying, that'll be me, after I shed my skin?" Zecora nodded in reply. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get this over with!" With that, Spike tugged at his skins, trying to pull them off. But to no avail.
Zecora walked over and whacked Spike's hand with her stick, "Don't rush it!" she said sternly. "Your skin doesn't just split. It needs to come off natural, or the result will be unnatural." As Zecora said this, the sun image turned itself into a skull, before it disappeared.
Getting the message, Spike stopped what he was doing, "So, how long do I have to put up with this?" he asked.
"In order for you to advance to greater powers," Zecroa began. "You must wait to the witching hour."
"Witching hour?" Spike asked.
"That's midnight," Sunset answered.
"I know what is," Spike replied. "I'm just asking, what am I going to do until then?"
"Well, today's a school day, obviously," Sunset replied.
"There's no way I'm going out in public with my face looking like this!"
"Don't worry old friend," Fluer began. "I've got this." With that, the girl left the room, before she came back with a bottle spray. After a quick shake, she sprayed it on Spike, who quickly went in a coughing fit.
"What was that?" he asked.
"See for yourself," the girl replied, holding a small mirror for the boy to see.
"Whoa!" he gasped, reaching up to touch his reflection. "I'm normal?" However, when he stretched his hand out, he could still see his hand's current condition.
"Just a cloaking potion I've applied to you," Fleur smiled, as she puts the cap back onto her sprayer. "While you're out in public, the only thing the people will see is you, looking exactly the way you are. Uh, before this, I mean," she corrected at the end.
Spike breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, while we're up," Sunset began. "Let's get ourselves ready for the day.
Before the three could go out, Zecora stopped them, "Before you go," she began. "There's something you should know."
Meanwhile
From the Shadowbolts hideout, Nightmare Moon was brooding, when she felt a disturbance in the air, "Hmmm," she pondered. "Something powerful is happening. Something that's occurring tonight, at midnight. How curious," With that, the alicorn rubbed her chin, as she continues to ponder on what she had felt.
CHS
It was still early, so the school has yet to be crowded with students and staffs. The only one at the school at the time, are the janitors. Speaking of, Spike, Sunset, and Fleur both walked out of a janitor's closet and into the main lobby, courtesy to a magic spell on Sunset's part.
"Wow," Spike said. "I'll admit. This beats catching the bus by a long shot."
"I know Spike," Sunset smiled, closing the door after the three of them got out. "Though, it's kinda a one way trip if you don't reuse the spell again in the next few hours or so."
"C'est magnifique!" Fleur exclaimed, looking around the interior of the school they were in. "This does make me feel at home, again!"
"I know, right?" Spike and Sunset said in unison. "Jinx!" They said to each other. "Double jinx! Triple jinx! Quadruple jinx! Infinite jinx!"
Sunset laughed, while Spike fumed, "What do you expect? I'll know your moves before you can make them," the girl smirked.
'I really need to learn how to block my mind,' Spike said in his thoughts.
"You sure do, Spike," Sunset smirked.
Deciding to steer the topic away, Spike turned to Fleur, "Aren't you taking a risk being here, Fleur?" He asked, referring to the Crystal Prep School uniform the girl was wearing. "Not that I have a problem with your choice of attires, I mean, you look cute and all," Fleur blushed at that comment, while Sunset fumed in envy, as Spike quickly stammers, "I-I-I mean, it's just that, dressed like that, you're kinda walking in the lion's den, here."
"That makes two of them, mon ami," Fleur replied. "I too have been taking quite the risks of being in Crystal Preps, knowing that Abacus Cinch and the Shadowbolts run the place."
"Really?" Spike asked. "But isn't it a big risk to be that close to the Shadowbolts?"
"Now, now, don't you worry about me Spike," the girl assured. "You know I can take care of myself. Besides, I'm willing enough to give my life to secure yours." With that, the girl flashed Spike a flirty grin, resulting a blush from Spike, as he shyly looked away, along with sparking a look of envy on Sunset's face. Even in human form, Fleur's quite the sight to behold.
Just then, the boys suddenly came into school.
"Yo, Spike!" Rumble called. "You're al-AH!!" The boys stopped in their tracks, when they spotted Sunset Shimmer and Fleur-De-Lis.
"C'mon guys!" Button began. "To action!"
"We surrender!" the boys exclaimed, holding their hands in the air.
"No! Not that! The kung fu fighting thing!"
"Oh!" With that, the boys all got into fighting stance, while Tender Taps got out a boombox and played the song.
[Kung Fu Fighting-Carl Douglas]
The boys all charged at the girls, throwing kicks and punches, which both Sunset and Fleur had no trouble blocking and dodging.
"Hold it!" Spike shouted, stopping the music, and the boys. "What're you guys doing?"
"Saving your life!" Button replied. "What else?"
"Oh," the boys all said, after Spike and the two girls explained the situation.
"Sorry for attacking you Sunset," Rumble apologized. "We thought you were.....well, y'know, you. But angrier."
"No hard feelings," Sunset replied, while frowning. "I wouldn't blame the girls if they see me now, and attack me, again."
The boys then turned to Fleur, "And we're sorry we attacked you, um Fleur was it?"Pipsqueak apologizing, while the said girl nodded her head in confirmation. "We thought you were a Shadowbolt, because you're a Crystal Prep Student."
"Ça va(trans: It's okay)," Fleur replied. "But I can assure you, not all of us students at Crystal Prep are Shadowbolts."
"If you say so," Rumble replied, while he and the boys find themselves slightly smitten at the girl's beauty. Spike couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of jealousy from the looks the boys were giving to Fleur.
"Anyway," Spike began, wanting to change the topic. "Now that apologies have been accepted, and everyone's been forgiven. What were you guys doing here, so early? This isn't like you guys?"
"Well normally," Button began. "Like you said, we'd be up, one hour before school starts. But then we had a strange dream about you last night."
"What kind of dream?" Sunset asked.
"Well," Featherweight took out a journal, skimming through his pages, before he comes across what he was looking for. "Last night, we were simply dreaming our respective dreams. Pipsqueak was dreaming about being Robin Hood, Button Mash was fighting together with Kirito and Asuna, Rumble being a famous athlete, Tender Taps dancing, and me being a famous detective."
"Those are your dreams about me?" Spike asked.
"Hang on! I'm getting there!" Featherweight looked back in his journal. "Suddenly, we dreamed of meeting together, and then you appeared as a dragon, in chains, with that crazy witch laughing evilly, and a crying white alicorn."
"What was that about a crying white alicorn?" Spike asked, anxious since he has a good feeling to who the boys are referring to.
"Oh, just some white alicorn who's crying her eyes out for you," Button replied. "Saying stuff like you're her baby, and...that..she's.....Oh, wait. That's your mother, wasn't it?"
"Adopted mother, that is," Pipsqueak corrected.
"Yeah," Spike replied, feeling more depressed than before. "That's my mom."
"Oh," Button replied, while sharing a look of sympathy with the gang.
"So, did she say anything?" Spike asked.
Featherweight looked at his journal again, before replying, "Only that she sensed you're in terrible danger, and that we should meet you right away."
"That's about the exact same time we woke up and headed our way to school for ya," Rumble added, while yawning a bit.
"It wasn't easy explaining to our folks," Button added. "Believe me, my mom still thinks I couldn't take care of myself, after those dog face thugs tried kidnapped us."
"I see," Spike replied. 'Mom's really worried about me,' he thought, before he turned to the boys, "I appreciate your concerns boys. But I'm okay now."
"Yeah, so we noticed," Rumble replied. "So, what do we do in the meantime? It's still a bit early for classes to start."
Spike pondered for a moment, before Fleur spoke, "I personally would like to take the opportunity of getting to know you boys more."
"Say what?!" the boys, minus Spike, exclaimed.
"Oui," Fleur smiled. "Sunset's been telling me a lot of good things about you boys. How close you are with Spike, how you've considered him a brother, and how you're all so willing enough to become fighters just to help protect him."
"Well," Button chuckled, while blushing a storm. "It's nothing really. We were just looking out for him. After all, he'd do the same for us."
"It's true," Spike replied, feeling proud of himself, while the girls looked at him with admiration. "After all, we're good buddies, and that's what friends do for each other."
"But that never would've happen if you didn't came to town," Pipsqueak added. "Because we've been best friends since the day we met you!"
"Really?" Fleur asked, as she and Sunset got comfortable. "Please, tell us more."
"Oh, please," Spike tried to brush the topic off. "It's no big deal."
"IT MOST CERTAINLY IS!!" the boys shouted together.
"BWAH!!" Spike shouted in fright, turning himself into a dog in the process, and patted his chest, while the boys complied to the girls' wishes.
Meanwhile, with the Mane 6
At the same time, the girls were meeting, just outside of CHS, close to the horse statue.
"This better be good, Twilight," Rainbow Dash yawned. "I was just dreaming of myself graduating and becoming a full-fledged Wonderbolt."
"And I was having a sweet dream," Pinkie Pie added.
"Pinkie," Applejack began. "With you, every dreams you've had are sweet."
"What can I say? I'm sweet!" Pinkie said with a squeak.
Wanting to steer away from the topic of Pinkie Pie, Rarity began, "Twilight, darling. What is so important that you needed the attention from all of us?"
With a look of determination on her face, Twilight turned to the girls, while holding a picture of the girls, together with Spike and Princess Celestia, "Girls," Twilight began. "You remember this?"
"Aw!" Rarity and Fluttershy squealed.
"I forgot how cute he looked when he was that small!" Rarity said happily, while looking at the picture.
"I thought he's cute when he's just a puppy!" Fluttershy smiled, before Twilight got their attentions again.
"So, was that all you wanted to call us for so early?" Rainbow asked, slightly irritated. "Just to show us a picture?"
"No, more than that," Twilight replied. "It's just, you girls know about how Spike's been taken to some secret place, yesterday, for more training?" In response, the rest of the girls all nodded their heads. "It's just that, it feels as if we're being separated from him again."
"Oh darling," Rarity got up and give the girl a comforting hug. "This is different. It's only for a day or two. He'll be alright."
"I know," Twilight said. "All I'm trying to say is, no matter what happens, we should remember that it will all be worth it in the end. So whatever comes our way, like the Shadowbolts, Sunset Shimmer, monsters, Spike getting sent to some secret place for about a year or so-"
"Whoa, whoa, wait!" Pinkie interrupted. "Spike's going to stay missing for another year?!"
"I can't stand another year!" Rainbow moaned. "I've already waited for ten years! I can't have another year of agony, for him! Please! Say it ain't so!!" the girl said dramatically at the last part, which earned her weird looks from the rest of the girls. "What? Can't a girl also like some drama?"
Taking a deep breathing, keeping her sanity together, Twilight continued, "I didn't say Spike's going to be gone for a year."
"Oh, okay," Rainbow and Pinkie replied in relief.
"I'm just saying, no matter what happens, we will always be there for Spike."
"Except when we've got tests to study for," Pinkie added. "Remember Professor Flintheart?"
"Yeah, besides that," Twilight grumbled. "But still girls, no matter what happens. We're there for Spike! Just as he was for us when we were kids! So, are you all with me?"
"Friends till the end," Rainbow smiled. "That's what he says."
"We're family!" Applejack joined in. "No matter what comes, we will face it together! We're apples to the cores!"
"Absolutely!" Rarity added.
"Yes, indeedly!" Pinkie cheered.
"Yay!" Fluttershy quietly cheered.
With that, the girls walked into the school building to see Spike, laughing and having a good time with his posse, and much to the girls' surprise and shock, "SUNSET SHIMMER?!!"
"Girls?" Spike exclaimed.
"Spike?!" Pinkie Pie called.
"Fleur?!" Rarity asked.
"Rarity?!" the girl replied in equal shock.
"Argh!" Twilight groaned. "What are we doing?"
"Well I know what I'm going to do!" Rainbow began, as she changes into her pegasus form, "You're not taking Spike's Dragonfire that easily!" With a burst of speed, Dash charges towards Sunset Shimmer, who didn't hesitate to cast a shield spell, while being knocked back slightly. Before Rainbow could charge again, the boys, except for Spike, all piled on top of her, holding her back.
"Let me go!" Rainbow growled. "Lemme at her!"
"Rainbow please," Sunset began. "Let me explain!"
"Explain what?!" the pegasus growled, still trying to break free. "How you plan on stealing Spike's Dragonfire to make yourself feeling better again?"
"That wasn't her!" Rumble said.
"What? But we just told you! It was her!"
"What the sam hill is going on here?" a voice called, revealing itself to be a janitor, who was more shocked to see Rainbow Dash, in pony form, with wings shown.
"You didn't see anything!" Button said, just as Rumble snuck up from behind, and attacked the janitor with a chop to the head, knocking the man out.