//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Family Matters // Story: Pegasus Creed: Advent // by Baryski //------------------------------// Chapter 1: Family Matters The sunlight beamed across my muzzle and directly into my tightly closed eyes.  But, try as they may my eyes simply could not shut out the early morning rays.  Slowly; very angrily, they were forced open to greet the day.  A very angry greeting it was. “SPIKE!  You left the blinds drawn last night didn’t you,” Normally the morning would be something to smile about.  Today, however, was not the case as I had spent most of the night going over a new spell book I had just gotten.  Needless to say I was quite a bit short on patience and beauty rest. Several moments later I exited my makeshift home with my scaly assistant trying desperately to keep up while carrying a bag containing some of the heavier books in the library.  I didn’t really need them today, but I had decided it was a fitting punishment for making me wake up this early.  As it was, my hooves were shaky as I walked the early morning route and it was several minutes before the early morning air managed to invigorate me. It was a beautiful day none the less.  There was not a single cloud in the sky, even at this early hour.  Somehow, I found the thought that Rainbow Dash had woken up even before me ,just to clear the sky, comforting.  If that usually lazy pony could wake up this early then surely I could do it to. “Remind me to thank Rainbow Dash for this wonderful morning Spike,” I quickly shook the remnants of my sleepy self out of my face, my mane, and my tail.  It, of course, had the unfortunate effect of leaving my mane a little bit dishevelled, but a few out of place hairs here or there were nothing for anypony to get worked up about. Several minutes of happy trotting, and a quick stop at the Cake’s for an early morning snack, later I found myself in the middle of town witnessing a crowd of people surround the enamored pegasus pony.  At first I had simply assumed that Rainbow must have performed some amazing feat, but, as I made my way into the crowd, I realized that most ponies seemed almost sad in the crowd.  I couldn’t pretend to understand as to why everypony was upset, but I wanted to get to Rainbow Dash to figure it out faster. I began to squeeze myself through the tightly packed crowd of ponies.  Most were too engrossed in their own conversations to even notice as I poked my horn in between them.  Admittedly, it was slow going as I pushed aside pony after pony, feeling like I was fighting against a torrent.  It felt like an eternity later, as I felt the closeness of the ponies begin to cut off my own air supply.  I nearly began believing that I was going to suffocate in that throng, but I did manage to keep my head about me.  With one final Plop I was finally through the crowd and standing in front of Rainbow Dash. It took a few moments before she noticed me standing there, and I was completely unsure of what to say as of yet.  When she finally did notice me she was all smiles as she trotted over to me, “Geez, rough day Twilight?” She was of course speaking of my now utterly chaotic mane and tail.  Squeezing through the crowd had obviously done a number on what had already been a less than stellar appearance.  All I could do to acknowledge this face was to grin and shake my head sheepishly. “You know, I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye to all my friends first, right?  You didn’t have to rush through everypony.” “Leave!?”  Was I hearing her right?  She had said she was leaving and she said it in such a casual manner.  I was flooded with confusion and mild paranoia, trying desperately to understand what it was that could have driven her away from Ponyville. “Bwahaha, you should see the look on your face right now,” I still didn’t quite get what she was saying, but seeing Rainbow Dash rolling around on the ground in laughter gave me hope that she was just playing a prank on me, “Relax, I’m only going to be gone a few weeks.  My parents sent me a letter and I need to go home to help them out for a few weeks.  Geez, it’s not like you’re never going to see me again.” Did I ever feel like an idiot.  A few weeks was a long time, but nothing compared to a lifetime.  Still, something was bothering me.  Literally, it felt like somepony had put something sticky into my mane as I was trying to squeeze my way through the crowd.  I could only imagine what that sticky something was, but none of the images were good. Several hours later, we all gathered to bid goodbye to Rainbow Dash.  I know it sounds silly, but even though it was only going to be a few weeks we said our goodbyes as though it would be years.  Rarity even gave her a special cape to keep her warm on the journey.  It was one of the sadder moments I can remember, but we all made sure to smile and wave as she took off. “Well, things sure are gonna be a might boring without Rainbow around,” Apple Jack might have been the first to say it, but we were all thinking it.  What were we going to do without Rainbow Dash to drag us into spontaneity every once in a while? “Couldn’t we just go with her and help out?”  A brilliant idea from Pinky?  This day was getting weirder and weirder. “That’s a great idea Pinky,” I chimed in not wanting to be left behind in the moment.  Then as suddenly as the idea had come, it left just as quickly, “Does anypony actually know where Rainbow Dash’s parents live?” “No.” A straight forward response from Rarity. “Not really.” A rather meek response from Fluttershy. “Nope.” Apple Jack maintained her usual bluntness. And the idea was quickly dieing before it had even began.  How in all this time had none of us ever asked where Rainbow Dash’s parents lived?  We must have been terribly self involved to have never asked.  After all, I knew I had told her everything about my parents and my time studying with the princess.  She always listened when I really needed her to. “Of course silly,” Once again Pinky had managed to bring me speechless.  Before I could even close my gaping mouth she continued, “I followed her home once when she wasn’t looking.  I thought about throwing her a party in her own house.  Then I got lost.  I mean, who would have thought that Traphistus was such a big city?  But I’m sure they live there somewhere.  How hard could it be to find them?” It seemed a little hopeless, but then I remembered one final important piece of the puzzle, “Didn’t the mayor say she was going to Traphistus a few days back?  If she knows the city then maybe she will know how to help us find Rainbow Dash.” “Whoo boy, won’t Rainbow be surprised when she sees the five of us there to help her parents too.” With that it was settled.  Rainbow Dash would have done the same to help any of us should we have needed it.  So, now it was our turn to be there for our friend. We all quickly went our separate ways to gather our things for the journey.  I, myself, ran back to the library to pack some quills, paper, and books on Traphistus into my bags that I then slung over my back.  Finally, I let my magic tie the elegant purple cloak Rarity had given me a while back.  It was going to be a several day journey and I didn’t want to get cold on it.  Finally we all met up to begin our journey.  Rainbow Dash would have a several day head start on us, what with flying there, but that would just make it all the bigger of a surprise.  We are all beaming at the thought of how she would react to us.