Rainbow's gone, and it really broke the morale of the pegasi. Though Cloud Strike has been trying his darn best to boost it back up. He's not doing pretty well, but he's not giving up. Rainbow did gave them a second chance, and he's not willing to waste that chance.
The unicorns in the far north are probably not doing so well either. With that much power from their cannon, I'm sure that even Twilight would be left exhausted, but for how long is the question.
It wasn't fair that the pegasi had lost one of their own while the unicorns haven't...or have they? I'm not sure.
The ponies in Ponyville aren't really doing so well either. That explosion casted fear inside their hearts, and dispelling that would take a miracle. At least things at Sweet Apple Acres aren't as gloomy as Ponyville.
Big Macintosh was still as quiet as ever the last time I saw him before I headed to the castle. I wanted to talk to Luna, and so here I am, lying on the raised platform where the five magical orbs' pedestal used to stand.
Sigh...
Rainbow is gone. I don't know why, but it saddened me so much... Why...?
No. I need to get over this... I shouldn't really dwell on it for far too long. I should remember that I have a goal here. I have a mission to do. I wanted to fix my world for my brother so he could have a peaceful world to live in. That is why I kept on going, despite how much I hated it.
Call me selfish, but I can be who I want to be, just to see my brother smile.
If I needed to be here, if I needed to be a pony, if I needed to go through so many trials, then I will. But, I hope to avoid killing as much as possible. Friend or foe, I couldn't stand the idea of killing just to achieve my goals. B-but if there's no other way, then so be it. But there should be other options, right?
My first test of that is to head to the Smokey Mountains west of Unicornia. I plan to go through the forest to avoid being detected by either unicorns or pegasi, but I need to avoid the unicorns at all cost...except for Sweetie Belle of course, and a few who aren't posing a threat. And other things...
Other options... Well, the unicorns seem to be the only ones who are after me for some strange reason. And, they don't really know where I'll be heading. No one knows where I plan of heading. So why am I lying around here for? I already had a goal, and that is to go to the tallest mountain in the Smokey Mountain to stop that dra—oh, right...that...
I guess I should wait and ask Luna of how to deal with that problem first...
---
"Luna..." my voiced echoed around the spacious hill of flowers under the evening sky. Oh, how I miss the sky. "I don't want to keep you for long, so I'll make this as short and as quick as I can..." I took a breath and sighed.
"If you are to inquire of your brother's status, then he is fine." Luna spoke in a gentle manner.
That made me blink as I turned to her. She held a small smile, staring at the vast hills. Actually, I have even forgotten that we were in trouble before I found myself back in Equestria. "Wh-where is he now?"
She shook her head slightly. "I do not have the knowledge of your world," she turned to me, "so I couldn't answer that question. However, rest assured that he and your female companion are safe."
Huh, well okay then. At least I wouldn't worry about their safety while I'm here. I nodded my thanks and stared at the sea of flowery hills. "Thank you, Luna. But there's also one other thing..."
"Oh?" She turned to me.
I stared at the brilliant glowing moon up at the dreamy sky. "Celestia has told me of what is causing the black clouds."
I turned and saw her smiled even further. "She has? Such news!" She nodded. "She has also told you of a way to stop it, yes?" Her smile slowly drowned after seeing my frown. "She...hasn't?"
I dropped my gave on the ground as I shook my head. "No, she did... Or rather...she was about to...but uh, the unicorns interrupted."
"I...see..." she stared elsewhere, "that is disappointing to hear."
"Can't you call her?" I asked suddenly.
She blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
I raised my head to see her. "Can't you, you know, call her? Connect with her? Communicate?"
She frowned. "You speak as though I am not aware of the meaning of such a phrase but," she shook her head, "no, I cannot." I was about to ask when she stared at her moon up above. "It has been a thousand years since I last connected my magic with hers. You could say that I have forgotten how to do such a simple magic spell. Yes, she can "call" me, but that is it..."
Oh, that's...not very useful... I sighed.
"But I doubt you'd need her wisdom on this," she turned to me with a small smile. "Such a simple task of shutting the source of the clouds down should be a simple task." Her small smile vanished once again after staring at my frowning face. "...would it not?"
I sighed and hung my head low. "A dragon's causing the clouds..."
"O-oh my..." she coughed a bit. "T-that is a big problem that I thought."
"Tell me about it..." I sighed yet again.
---
I decided to wake up after Luna couldn't help me with my dilemma. Still, there has to be a way. I'd just hope I'd figure it out before I reach the dragon's cave. From the series, the dragon was sleeping inside the cave on the peak of that mountain.
If only it would be as simple as to wake that dragon up and ask it to sleep elsewhere, but Celestia pointed out that it would be pointless to do so, for the dragon will cause the problem in a new location.
Sigh...
"Where are you going?" I heard Spike's voice. I turned around and saw him on the draw bridge of the old castle, staring at me worriedly.
I stared up in the Everfree clouds. I hope he'd get the idea.
And he did. "Oh, right..." He then started walking towards me. "But I won't let you walk off this time," he declared with a glare as he stopped right in front of me.
"Ack," not this again... "We've talked about this, Spike."
He shook his head. "Nope, we haven't. And if we did, then we didn't end up with an agreement."
I tilted my head to the side. "What are you talking about?"
He rolled his eyes. "I said that I won't let you go anywhere to do something crazy again," he crossed his arms on his chest as he smiled. "Not without me, you're not."
It was my turn to roll my eyes as I rubbed his scaly head with a hoof. "Ain't happening, small guy," I managed to flash a small smile, contrasting his frown. "I don't want something bad happening to you."
He slapped my hoof with a claw. "Heh, look who's talking." He crossed his arms once again. "The way I see it, you're the one who's going to have something bad to happen to yourself if I don't come along."
I felt my ears droop. Heck, he has a point. What could an earth pony do, anyway? Just stand there and be dragon food for that large dragon? I sighed. "Fine, fine, you win."
He chuckled. "Of course I do," he said as he ran to my side and hopped on my back. "Now let's get going. This place is making me sad..."
...and now I'm feeling sad all of a sudden...
I shook my head to get rid of that feeling. Concentrate on my goal. I have nothing to do here.
"Let's get moving then," I said with a small smile as I turned and took a ste—
Fluttershy came out from the trees. She was startled a bit when she saw us.
I smiled. "Sorry to startle you, Fluttershy," I said as I tried my best to ignore the two vicious wolves that came out from the forest and walked passed me.
"It's okay," she stared at us with worry. "W-where are you going this time?"
"This time," I replied with a smile, "I—er—we're going to get rid of these gloomy clouds."
Fluttershy's ears drooped for some strange reason. It made me remember that she also had the same reaction when I told her where I was heading that time. "O-oh, I see..." and she replied the same that time.
I arched an eyebrow. "Is something the matter, Fluttershy?"
She suddenly sprung back to life—though in shock. "Oh? Nothing! Nothing at all!" She laughed awkwardly. "But um...just be careful, okay?"
My eyebrow arched even higher. She didn't said a word anymore as she walked pass me towards the castle.
"Well, that was weird," Spike commented.
"I guess she was just being Fluttershy..." I shrugged as I started walking. "But Spike, are you sure you want to come with?"
"But of course!" he hopped excitedly on my back...four times. "If you're on a quest, then I'll be your loyal...er..." he scratched his head, and soon shrugged. "...whatever. Point is, wherever you go, I'll go too."
I rolled my eyes with a smile. "I don't think I'll be able to stop you, so uh, suit yourself."
"So where are we going? You said that you're going to get rid of the clouds, right?"
I nodded. "Yeah. We're going to the Smokey Mountains."
"Smokey Mountains? But that place is far away, and it's snowing there!"
Yeah, I think I'm quite aware of that fact. "What? You want to back out?" I teased him.
"No way!" he shouted. "A little cold wont scare this dragon away!"
Yes, I know... But that dragon's a big one to even bother with the cold from up there, I think.
"Wait, so the black clouds are coming from there?"
I nodded. "Smart as ever, Spike."
Spike scratched his head. "Huh, that's weird. I wonder why the clouds are coming from there... I mean, there's nothing there except for that big—" he froze.
"Yeah," I chuckled awkwardly, and I borrowed Spike's words from last time, "we're dead."