Pinkie kept leaping up into the air, as her excitement never seemed to break off while the train stopped at the station. “Come on Spike, Rarity will appear any second now!” She cheerfully said and trotted to the train that has already stopped, and its doors were about to open.
“Wait up!” Spike called out as he ran and got Pinkie breathless. “We are... Not in the Olympics... We don’t have to rush....” He said while catching his breath.
“We also don’t want to miss Twilight’s party. Don’t worry,” she replied, “that stress will go away during the party.”
Spike straightened himself up and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, guess I’m the one who needs to relieve his stress then.” He said as they both laughed about it. Spike set his eyes to the train doors, looking for Rarity to come out.
“So, can you see her yet?” Spike asked. A few ponies left the passenger car while Spike and Pinkie looked around, but Rarity didn’t come out of the crowd.
“Nope, I can’t. Not even Pinkie sense tells me anything.” Pinkie said, her glee dialing down a bit. “Maybe she is in another passenger car.”
They watched and waited, but Rarity was nowhere to be seen as the train left the station. “Pinkie, the letter did say she would be here at 1:35 today, right?” Spike asked.
She reached her hoof into her mane and pulled out an envelope, reading the letter within. “That is what it says. Rarity should be here… Oh hey, there’s Rainbow Dash!” She pointed to her right as a rainbow blur landed on the ground, causing dust to stir up upon the landing.
“Hey you two. We got all of the decorations set up for the party.” Rainbow Dash said. “Sooo… where’s Rarity? I can’t wait for her to see the amazing work I’ve done. Well, we. Fluttershy and AJ helped too.”
Spike and Pinkie stared at each other for a moment before they both nodded to each other and Pinkie replied.“Rarity didn’t show up.”
Rainbow Dash stared at them, confusion painted on her face as well as her left eyebrow being raised. “You’re joking, right? Really, where’s Rarity?”
The two remained quiet to the question.
The silence started to worry Rainbow. “Okay…You two aren’t joking, hold on.” She said, walking up to the ticket booth. “Hey, when is the next train for Manehatten?”
The ticket vendor pulled out his schedule and replied. “If things remain in order, the next train for Manehatten is coming in half an hour. You’re going to buy a ticket?”
“Not yet. I’ll be back after a while.” Rainbow flew back to Pinkie and Spike, “I’m going to get the girls, you two stay here.”
They nodded and watched as Rainbow flew away. A rainbow colored trail shining bright behind her.
Twilight tied up all the balloons as they floated up to the ceiling, a smile spreading on her face. “Everything looks good girls, now we wait for Rarity to arrive.”
Fluttershy and Applejack nodded as they were setting up the table, placing a cake and cupcakes on it.
“I gotta say we’ve done a great job so far.” AJ said, focusing on carefully placing the cake, as she knew she wouldn’t be able to get back home in case she dropped it.
Suddenly, Rainbow crashed through Twilight’s door, startling them and making them turn to her.
“Rainbow Dash, you can’t crash into the party like that!” Fluttershy said. “ Wait… she just did.” She whispered.
“Sorry for barging in like that, but we’re going to Manhattan.” Rainbow Dash said, gesturing towards the general direction of the train station.
“Something wrong?” Twilight asked as Rainbow gave a ticket to her.
“Rarity isn’t here. And I have a feeling if we don’t find her soon enough, something bad will happen. Pack your bags girls, we are going!” She said as she tossed Twilight’s bag down to her hooves. Rainbow crammed some books into the bag and tossed it next to Twilight.
“Meet you at the station in ten minutes.” She said as she turned back to the door. But she then turned her head in the opposite direction, facing Twilight. “Also… sorry for ruining your party, Twilight.”
Twilight simply shrugged with a smile. “Don’t worry, there’s always next year. And I wouldn’t enjoy it anyway with Rarity missing.”
Rainbow Dash was about to laugh at the unexpected reply, but she simply replied with a smile. “Guess you’re right.” She said as she sped out into the air.
“Huh, guess we are goin’ to Manehatten instead… are we? Applejack asked.
“Of course,” Twilight replied. “We are gonna do our best to find out what happened to her!”
They all nodded and clapped their hooves together in agreement and separated, Twilight heading to the station while the others went home to gather their bags.
Spike was pacing back and forth as Pinkie dragged her bags onto the station floor. “Come on Spike, relax a bit.”
He suddenly turned to her and said, “Please don’t tell me to relax, you know I can’t. Not as long as Rarity could be in danger.” Spike frowned and was visibly holding in his anger mixed with fear.
She placed her hoof on his shoulder. “I’m sure she is alright. Business probably got in the way. Although I admit it’s strange she didn’t contact us sooner.” Pinkie shrugged, as Spike straightened himself out.
“You’re right on that, but still she would have sent a letter about it.” Spike said as he walked back a bit, pushing Pinkie’s hoof back from his shoulder.
“Maybe the letter just didn’t arrive yet?” Suggested the pink pony.
“Yeah, maybe.” He looked up into the clouds and waited for Rainbow to return, as Twilight walked into the station.
“Hey Twilight!” Pinkie called out. “Guessing Rainbow Dash told you what we’re doing?”
The scientist pony nodded, as she walked over to Spike. “Are you feeling okay Spike?”
She asked, and he turned to her and said, “No, I’m not alright, this is horrible!”
She gave him a comforting smile, while setting her bag down.” This isn’t like her and it is worrying. But I bet she is fine.” She said, trying to lighten up the mood.
“How can you know that?” Spike asked, as Rainbow Dash landed and dropped her bags.
“I don’t, Spike.” Twilight replied. “But we will make sure to check if she is safe. And besides, you know Rarity. She might’ve just gotten too caught up in her work and forgotten all about the party.”
A smile came across his face. I guess she could be alright after all. He said in his mind, feeling a bit cheerful as Rainbow shoved a ticket into his claw.
“Now when we get to Manehatten, we will go to the theater and talk with the director. She probably knows where Rarity is.” She said as Fluttershy and Applejack jumped onto the platform as the train arrived. “Hope you all got what you need, it’s time to go, everypony!”
“Yeah!” Erupted from the group of ponies and a dragon.
Spike followed the girls on the train and stopped to look at something nudging his leg with a thud, making him turn towards it.
“A black gem? Where did this come from?” He asked, catching it from rolling away as the train began to move. “Hmm, the surface feels artificial,” his claws feeling the gem around. He put it up to his nose, trying to get a smell out of it. “No scent? What kind of gem is this?” He questioned as something tapped his back.
“Excuse me, that would be mine, good sir.” A voice sounded behind him.
Spike turned to the voice, to see a suited lime green unicorn mare speaking to him. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Violet Pearl, and I run one of the finest jewelry stores in Manehatten. That’s what I like to think, anyways.”
Spike examined the gem as the mare awaited his answer. “I have to say it looks really nice and shiny, but not something I would eat.”
“Yep I’ve heard Dragons do not favor the black gems. And you definitely wouldn’t like this one. As much of a shame as it is to admit, I messed up this one pretty badly.” She said, looking embarrassed.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Oh just look at the irregular shape! I simply could not sell this to a customer.” Violet Pearl replied.
“Then I hope you don’t mind me asking, but why carry it around at all? Ponies can’t eat gems as far as I know.”
“That is true, little dragon. While this is one of my most embarrassing pieces, I still believe it could make some ponies happy, so I’m planning on donating these. Even if they can’t use it to make themselves look prettier.”
“Oh I see. That is really generous of you. Well, here you go.” Said Spike, extending his hand and holding the gem in front of the mare.
“Oh no no, you can keep this gem, since you seemed to like it. I…. Kind of messed up the entire batch.” She bit her lower lip, and drily chuckled to herself.
“Aww man, that must really suck. But thank you!”
“No problem, uhh. I don’t think you introduced yourself to me yet.”
“Oh yeah! My name is Spike, the number one assistant of Twilight Sparkle!”
Violet smiled, and shook his hand. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Spike. If you will ever need some gems, this might come in handy.” She finished, as she handed out a visit card to Spike.
“Will remember.” Spike said as he took the visit card, placing inside the pack he brought in.
The mare nodded, and teleported away, presumably to her seat. This surprised Spike, and caused him to take a step back, and almost fall to the ground.
“You alright, Spike? Who were you talkin’ to?” Applejack asked as she caught him.
“She’s Violet Pearl, and runs the best jewelry shop in manehattan´. Thanks for catching me.” He said, hopping onto a seat.
“Nahh, it was nothin’. ”She said, taking a seat next to Rainbow, while she looked at the black gem in Spike’s claws.
“Hey, Spike? Where did you get that gem?” Dashie asked.
“Oh, it’s from Violet. He replied, wrapping his tail around it and setting his back on the seat.
“Huh, well that is nice of her to give up something like this.”
He nodded in response as he stretched his arms and let out a big yawn. “Please wake me up when we get to Manehatten, Twilight. I need a nap.”
She nodded with a smile, as Spike closed his eyes, the sound of a hum going through his ear. Curling up, the world became silent.
Spike was peacefully sleeping, when a loud grinding hit his ears, causing him to spring up and shout, “What was that noise?!” His eyes opened up wide, as he saw the seat in front of him torn up and full of scratches and disgusting black stains. Spike then looked out of his window. A black sky caught his eyes, snow falling as the train moved. No passengers were in sight but himself. The frame of his window was bent and battered, letting in some of the snow.
“Huh?! Is this a dream?” He yelled once more, rubbing his arms as the cold air washed over him. “This feels… too real.”
He got off the seat and placed the gem into his claws. “The gem is here too!” Questions were flying through his mind as he walked over to the train cart’s door and slid it open. Slowly walking along the crossway to the next door, the air started to feel ice cold around him and the gem gave off a white light that shined brighter and brighter as he neared the door.
“What’s going on with this thing, is it reacting to something?” Spike questioned, looking down at the glowing gem. The light shined through the dark crossway, revealing itself to the outside. “The world seems familiar but at the same time, it isn’t. Where... Am I exactly?”
He slowly opened the door to the next train car, using the light of the gem as a light source as he carefully walked forward in the dark car. Spike stopped in the middle, casting the light around him. “Twilight, are you there?” He called out, when he felt something tapping on his shoulder.
He turned to see nothing, but a black liquid running down his shoulder. “Gross, what the heck is this?!” He wiped it off with his claw, feeling the texture of the black goo.
He shivered as more of the black goo dripped above him and ran along his arms. Spike tried to shake it off, but it grew thicker and stuck to him. “What is this stuff, it’s so cold!” He said, trying to breathe out fire over his claws, desperately trying to warm himself up. His flame was extinguished before it could even leave his mouth, turning into a mist.
“What, my fire is out?” He dropped the gem to rub his claws together, his insides feeling like they’re on ice as his vision blurred. The clanking of the wheels outside filed his ears as the black goo flowed out.
His skin felt like it wanted to come off, no longer able to feel anything around his neck. “Please.... Wake me up... This... Can’t be real.” Spike put a weak grip around the gem and brought it close to him. “Twilight... Pinkie... Fluttershy... Applejack... Rainbow!” Setting his eyes onto the gem’s shine, its light consistently forwarded allowed his reflection to be seen.
“Rarity!” He froze as his reflection revealed dark claws digging into him. Liquid-covered black teeth getting ready to bite as a growl slipped into his ear.
He gripped the gem tightly, its eyes staring back at him. “No... I won’t allow it to end like this!” He shouted, swinging the gem to his back with all his strength, leading the light to shine at the creature, releasing its claws off him as it gave off a scream while covering its eyes.
“Rarity needs my help! Get away from me you ugly thing!” He gripped the gem to his chest, shutting his eyes as the light of it surrounded him. He could not hear the creature, only a familiar voice came to his ears. A wave of warmth went over him as the voice grew louder.