Chapter Two:Absent
At Sweet Apple Acres...
Applejack was bucking trees, as usual. She put all of her strength into her back legs, hitting each tree trunk with tremendous force, causing all of its apples to fall to the ground. She stopped to take a break for a moment, sweat brimming on her brow. The farm pony reached up to take off her brown stetson, but her hoof only met air. Confused, she felt for her hat, but it was gone! She gasped, wondering how she could have lost her beloved hat. Applejack wondered if her older brother might know of its whereabouts.
"Big Mac, have ya seen ma hat? I seem ta have misplaced it!" Applejack yelled, hoping that he was neaarby.
A familiar deep voice sounded from the barn as he answered, "Eeenope."
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Both pegasi were sitting at Fluttershy's kitchen table.
"What's wrong, Rainbow? You look like you didn't sleep well at all!" Fluttershy
stated, worried for her friend.
"Well, I had a strange dream."
"What was it about?"
"Oh, it was stupid. I shouldn't have let myself lose sleep over it." The rainbow pegasus waved a hoof dismissively.
"Are you sure that it's nothing? You know that you can tell me anything, right?" Fluttershy assured.
Rainbow sighed, "You're right, I guess I should tell SOMEpony."
Rainbow told Fluttershy about her dream, which was the exact same one that Fluttershy had. What Rainbow said next, was the problem she had. Throughout the whole story the her voice had remained calm, but it was at this point that it became shaky.
"I went to see Twilight about my dream, but when I got there the sign read closed. I thought this was odd, since the library should have been opened by noon."
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Rainbow Dash was flying at a brisk pace towards the library. She arrived, touching down just in front of the door, wings folding to her side. Greeting her, were a closed sign in the window, and no lights on inside the place.
"That's weird, did Twilight go somewhere?" She looked closer and found the door to be slightly ajar. "Why would she leave the door open? Unless..."
This whole scene was starting to seem VERY suspicious. Rainbow was coming to the conclusion that something very bad had happened here, when her ears perked up. The sound of quiet sobbing snapped her out of her thoughts. She pushed the door open gently, allowing light from outside to spill into the pitch-black room. Her heart nearly broke from the sight that awaited her. A familiar purple and green baby dragon was sitting on the floor with his back to her, crying his eyes out. The shelves were empty, and the books that were once on them, now scattered on the floor. Rainbow Dash walked over to Spike who hadn't noticed her arrival.
"Spike?" She tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned around, looking at her with tired eyes, a constant river of tears running down his face. Without a word, he buried his head in her chest fur, as she patted him on the back. Rainbow Dash wasn't the sensitive type, but tried her best to console him anyway. After a few minutes, he stopped and looked up at her.
"I'm sorry Rainbow, for you know..." Spike apologized.
"For crying all over me? Aw, it's okay. Not everypony can be as tough as me!" Rainbow boasted.
The baby dragon didn't react well to this response. "Rainbow, this isn't a game. It's serious!" Spike scolded, his arms crossed.
"Right. Just what happened here, anyway? Where's Twilight?" Rainbow asked.
"That's the problem. I don't know where she is! I came downstairs a few minutes ago to find the library trashed, and this note on the floor!" Spike explained, holding up a piece of paper, "Twilight has abandoned me, I..." Spike mumbled, on the verge of tears again.
"Let me see that!" Rainbow Dash snatched the note from his claws, her fuschia eyes scanning the scrap of paper. "Dear Spike, these last few years have been the best with you as my assistant. Unfortunately, I'm tired of taking care of you. I'll be happy if I never see your face again! Good riddance, you're such a stupid dragon! Your ex-friend, Twilight Sparkle." Rainbow stood in place, stunned. She shook her head to clear it. "It'll be alright, Spike." Rainbow assured, her eyes narrowed in determination.
"How do you know?" Spike questioned, wondering how everything could be alright when his best friend and mother figure was missing. "Cause' I know that Twilight didn't write this! We both know that she would never say those things to you! Unless..."
"She was forced to!" Spike exclaimed, finally beginning to put the pieces together.
"Exactly!" Rainbow agreed, looking proud of herself, " Now I just need to find out who did it, and get her back!"
"But, what about me?" Spike asked.
"Oh yeah, I'll have to find somewhere for you to stay. Hmmm."
"I want to save her too!"
"Sorry Spike, but it's too dangerous. Trust me, this is for your own good! Stay right here, I'll go look for someone." With that Rainbow Dash flew off, note in mouth.
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"And I came over here as fast as I could," Rainbow Dash finished her story. Fluttershy decided against telling Rainbow Dash about her strange encounter. Instead choosing to be shocked, as she stared at the note.
"So, she's just... absent."