//------------------------------// // Ch. 6 Monster // Story: Changing // by Closer-To-The-Sun //------------------------------// Chapter 6: Monster Celestia's sun rose again over Equestria, waking up all of its residents. In the Ponyville library, a purple unicorn awoke to the sound of birds chirping and warm sunlight on her coat. She found herself in the library's main room, unmoved from the couch where she waited for her assistant to return. With a yawn, Twilight stood on her hooves and trotted upstairs to wake Spike. She was surprised to find that he was not in his bed, nor did he even return the night before. "Oh dear, did Spike not return last night?" Twilight asked herself aloud. After not hearing a response, though not expecting one, she continued talking to herself, "I really hope he's okay. I didn't mean to sound so harsh to him." Trotting back downstairs, the mare walked out the front door and into town. She had a hunch or two about where Spike might have stayed the night. Her first guess would be Sugarcube Corner, hiding out with Pinkie Pie and a plethora of sweets. Arriving at the bakery, Twilight met up with her friend, "Hello, Pinkie Pie." "Hiya, Twilight! What brings you over here this early?" the pink pony asked with a burst of energy. "I was curious if you have seen Spike lately," Twilight asked. Pinkie placed a hoof under her chin and replied, "Hmm….nope! Can't say I have. Why do you ask?" The unicorn sighed, "Well, I can't find him anywhere…." "You can't? Did you check under the bed? That's where Gummy likes to hide when he is avoiding his bath," Pinkie suggested. "No, it's that he ran off last night after we had a talk and I don't think he came back." Pinkie's happy demeanor vanished, "Oh my, and you haven't seen him at all?" Twilight shook her head. The earth pony appeared next to her purple mare friend and gave a reassuring side hug. With a smile, she spoke, "Don't worry, Twilight! I sure we will find him! And I will help you, I promise! Or my name isn't Pinkamina Diana Pie!" The unicorn gave a small smile, "Thanks, Pinkie. You sure know what to say and when to say it." Suddenly, a light brown stallion came through the bakery's front door in a panic, "I'm sorry to intrude, but you have to get out of here!" "Huh?" Twilight was the first to reply, looking over the stressed pony. "There's a monster on the outskirts of town! We are evacuating all of Ponyville!" the stallion's words were in terror. "Monster?" Pinkie Pie asked as she and Twilight exited the building. The stallion pointed in a direction, "It's out there and coming over here! I have to go warn the rest of the town!" With his sentence done, the colt vanished. Pinkie Pie and Twilight looked off in the direction he pointed. "Do you hear anything, Pinkie?" Twilight asked her friend. "I hear some steps that sound like FOOM! FOOM! FOOM!" the earth pony replied, adding her sound effects, "Don't sound too far away." "We have to get closer," the unicorn said. "Okey dokey lokey!" Pinkie replied, following Twilight as she led the way. The two quickly moved as they went against the follow of the traffic of escaping ponies who were running away from the destruction. However, when the monster came into sight, Twilight froze in astonishment and dread. Her eyes narrowed in horror as she who the beast was. The monster was Spike.