Twilight Sparkle had finished up her homework when her phone rang. She glanced at the screen and smiled as she saw Timber Spruce's name and picture. She slid her finger across the screen to answer.
“Hi, Timber!” She gushed, then winced at the volume of her voice.
“Hey Twilight.”
Twilight frowned. Timber didn't sound like his usual laid back self. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?”
“I'm not sure. We had something weird happen out here at the camp this afternoon.”
“Weird how?” Twilight sat up in her chair, a sinking feeling in her stomach.
“Are you in some kind of trouble?” Timber asked. “Because we had a federal agent out here this afternoon asking questions about what happened last spring.”
Twilight sighed. “I should have guessed this would happen. You remember when I told you what happened at the mall a couple of weeks ago?”
“Yeah, what does... oh crap.”
“Yeah,” Twilight said. “We caught the attention of some government agency. They've got their best agent looking into it. I guess she ran into someone who pointed her in your direction.”
“Filthy Rich,” Timber grumbled. “He told her about some of the plants Gloriosa grew and the damage to the camp he saw when we threw the fundraiser.”
Twilight's eyes widened and her breathing became rapid. “You didn't tell her anything did you?”
“Of course not! But I don't think she bought what we told her either. She snooped around for a while before leaving.”
Twilgiht swallowed hard. “You don't... you don't think she found the cave, do you?”
There was silence. Twilight bit her lip.
“Timber?”
“Sorry,” Timber replied. “I honestly don't know. She was gone long enough to get to the quarry and back.”
“Great,” Twilight groaned. She rested her head on her free hand.
“I don't think you've got anything to worry about though, Twilight. Even if she found the cave, there's no sign of anything weird happening there now. We cleaned it all up after the fundraiser.”
“I suppose. I still better let the girls know. Thanks, Timber.”
“No problem. Hey, I know this isn't the best time, but are you free this weekend? I need to run into town tomorrow for a couple of things. You wanna grab lunch?”
Twilight felt her cheeks redden and she smiled. “I think I can be available for that. Call me when you're ready?”
“Sure thing.” There was another pause. “I'm sorry this is happening, Twilight. She caught us off guard.”
“I know. It's okay. Thanks for giving me a heads up.” She sighed, then smiled. “See you for lunch!”
“I'll call. Probably around twelve, okay?”
“Okay. I need to call the girls. Talk to you later.”
“See you later, Twi.”
The call ended and Twilight slumped in her chair. Great, as if we didn't have enough problems. There's got to be something I can do. I can't just sit here while Sunset's out trying to get answers.
She pressed her hands to her eyes under her glasses and let out a groan of frustration. “Gotta do something!”
She glanced around the room and her eyes landed on her second desk she used as a workbench. Her magic detector lay on top of it. She looked out her bedroom window. The late afternoon sun was hanging low in the sky, just above the mountains in the distance. She sat up as a thought came to her. She grabbed her phone and tapped a contact.
“Hello?” came Fluttershy's voice.
“Hey, Fluttershy. Could you come pick me up?”
“I suppose, but why?”
“I think we can track the thing in the clearing down.”
“Just us?” Fluttershy's voice went high and tense. “Alone?”
“No, no!” Twilight said quickly. “I'm going to call Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie as well.”
“I don't know, Twilight. It's starting to get dark and...”
“That's exactly the point, Fluttershy!” Twilight exclaimed. She was startign to get excited as her brain fleshed out the details of her idea. “We might be able to find where it is! Please? I can't just sit here and do nothing when we could figure out how to deal with this tonight!”
There was silence on the other end, then Fluttershy sighed. “I'll be there in fifteen minutes. You call Pinkie Pie, I'll call Rainbow and pick her up on my way over there.”
Twilight's grin widened. “Thanks, Fluttershy. I'll see you soon.”
“I hope you know what you're doing, Twilight.”
“Twilight, are you really sure this is a good idea?” Fluttershy asked. The sun was setting and she, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie were back in the clearing behind Canterlot High. Twilight was scanning the area with her magic detector.
“This is the perfect time, Fluttershy,” Twilight replied. “I realized that if nobody at school heard what was going on out here, then whatever caused this may be nocturnal. If we can track do where it sleeps, we might be able to figure out what to do about it before Agent Shadow comes snooping around.”
“But isn't this dangerous?” Fluttershy looked around nervously. “I mean, what if whatever it is gets angry we're encroaching on its territory?”
“Don't worry,” chirped Rainbow Dash, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “That's why you got me and Pinkie Pie. Anything happens, she'll start a distraction and I'll get us the hell outta here!”
“Yep!” added Pinkie Pie, holding up a canister of sprinkles. “Kablooey and shoo-y, that's us!”
Fluttershy giggled in spite of herself.
Across the clearing, Twilight consulted her magic detector. One light was pulsing slowly. She waved it in an arc and stopped when the light began blinking more rapidly. She inhaled sharply and looked into the shadows forming among the trees.
“Girls, I think I've got a lead on it.”
“Well, let's go then!” Rainbow zipped across the clearing, but before she could disappear into the trees, Twilight grabbed her arm.
“All right, let's be smart about this girls,” she said.
“Too late for that,” Fluttershy muttered under her breath.
“What?” Twilight asked.
“Sorry, nothing.”
Twilight blinked. “All right, I just want to make this clear. The point of this expedition is to see if we can find out where this thing, whatever it is, has its shelter. We're not going to try to capture it, subdue it, or anything else. We find where it's sleeping, get back to the car and come back with the other girls. Everyone understand?”
“Go in, find its lair, get out. Easy!” Rainbow grinned.
“And I brought these, just in case!” Pinkie held up four flashlights in her hands.
“Where did you get those?” Rainbow asked.
“Um... hello? We're in the woods. At sundown!” Pinkie replied.
Rainbow opened her mouth to reply, then paused and shut it again.
“Okay then.” Twilight took a deep breath, and held the detector in front of herself. “Let's go.”
The four girls made their way into the woods, Twilight in the lead with Fluttershy bringing up the rear.
“Oh, this is such a bad idea,” she muttered.