//------------------------------//
// Hidden Problems 
// Story: The Missing Link 
// by FlareGun45 
//------------------------------//

Later thereafter, Twilight brought Ocellus, Sandbar, Silverstream, Gallus, and Yona to her office to discuss Smolder. "Thank you five for joining me." Twilight said.

"Uh, Miss Sparkle?" Gallus asked. "Excuse me, but... I have a class going on right now."

"I'll make sure all of you are excused for the day. I just need you all to talk to me for a little bit." Twilight said.

"Talking in exchange for a free day?" Gallus smiled as he leaned back on his chair. "You got yourself a deal!"

"So what do you need to know about Smolder?" Sandbar asked.

"I never seen her act this way before." Twilight said. "Her behavior has been incredibly strange as of late."

"We never seen her like this either." Ocellus said.

"Usually she's all jerky and all, but very optimistic, even more than me perhaps!" Silverstream said.

"Ok, well, how was she acting this morning?" Twilight asked.

"Dragon was mostly quiet, even more than what dragon normally does." Yona said.

"It really felt like she was hiding something." Ocellus said. "I saw it in her eyes - she was really sad."

"Really? Because she mostly looked grumpy to me." Silverstream said.

"Her facial expression might have said 'grumpy', but her eyes said 'sadness'." Ocellus said. "Something is really bothering her, like something personal."

"Gee, Ocellus, how could you know all that to be sure?" Sandbar asked.

"I used to spend alot of time in Feelings Forum." Ocellus said. "I was one of the renegade changelings that had trouble living under Thorax's leadership, but thanks to the Feelings Forum, I was able to open up and explore new things about myself that I never noticed! I also listened to my fellow changelings, and I explored alot of their emotions just by looking in their eyes.

"So what could dragon be sad about? Dragon usually happy like yaks!" Yona said. "Yesterday, dragon happy. Today, dragon sad."

"Interesting." Twilight thought to herself. "Are you sure Smolder was okay yesterday?"

"Well I did overhear her last night at midnight." Silverstream said. "She sighed to herself before she went to bed and said, 'The day has come once again'."

"I see." Twilight said. "So what Smolder is going through could be something traditional. On this very day, years ago, something must have happened to Smolder that really affected her emotions."

"But what could it be though?" Sandbar asked. "Broke up with her boyfriend or something?"

"Maybe she lost someone she really cared about." Ocellus suggested.

"We can't just jump to conclusions right now." Twilight said. "If Spike is lucky, maybe he might be able to get Smolder to open up. Until then, we should respect Smolder's privacy."

Meanwhile, with Spike, he spent a few minutes by leaning on the door silently. Just then, the door suddenly opened which caused Spike to fall backward right under Smolder. "Ouch." Spike said in pain.

"Ugh." Smolder groaned. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check up on you." Spike said.

"I'm fine." Smolder said grumpily. "I'm just going to get myself a drink of hot sauce, and then it's back to bed I go, so if you excuse me." Smolder began to march away, but Spike wouldn't give up, so he followed along.

"Smolder, wait!" Spike cried out.

"Leave me alone, Spike! I don't want to talk right now!" Smolder demanded.

Spike ran up in front of Smolder and said with determination, "You wouldn't leave me alone when I had the 'Molt Effect'."

"UGH." Smolder groaned. "FINE! We'll talk! Just let me get my hot sauce and we'll talk in the room." Spike gladly accepted, but kept an eye on her to make sure she wouldn't give him the slip.