//------------------------------//
// Backtracking 
// Story: Breath of Dragons 2 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

As the group walked out of Hoarsair, Spike stretched a bit.  "Well, so much for that lead.  I'd better head back and let Pipsqueak know it was a bust."

"Pipsqueak?" Rainbow asked in confusion.

"He's a friend of mine," Spike replied.  "Back in Ponyville, he got in trouble for a crime he didn't commit.  He's hiding out in a small shack to the south until I find the real thief so I can clear his name."

"That's actually what led us to you," Fluttershy added.  "All we have to go on is that she's a brightly colored pegasus, so we've been tracking down every pegasus-"

"Oh!" Rainbow interrupted.  "You must mean Scootaloo the Thief Queen!"

Spike turned to Rainbow.  "Scootaloo the Thief Queen?"

Rainbow nodded.  "Yeah.  She's a little younger than you, orange coat, purple mane, eyes, and tail, wings kind of on the small side.  She's a huge fan of mine.  Stopped by for an autograph after the last match before the one I fought you in."  Rainbow frowned.  "Also stole my favorite blanket."

Spike nodded.  "Well, at least we know who we're looking for now," he said calmly.  Something about that description nagged at him, but he couldn't quite place it.  "Well, might as well head back and report."

"Right!" Pinkie said happily, pulling out the cannon.  "And we can get there lickety split with my Party Cannon!"

Spike blinked.  "Party Cannon?"

"Yup!"  Without warning, she stuffed everyone into the cannon before firing it off.

"AAAAAGGHH!" Spike screamed along with Fluttershy as they flew through the air.

"DAMN IT PINKIE!" Rainbow added.

The three of them flew through the air, over the mountains, arcing down to come in for a landing...on a giant, pink bounce castle just outside the woods where the old man's shack was?

"Enjoy the flight?" Pinkie asked happily.

"No," Spike groaned from underneath Fluttershy and Rainbow, trying not to blush from how they were both pressed against him.  "Landing wasn't so bad, though."

Rainbow pushed herself up first.  "How'd you get here so-"

"Shh!" Pinkie hissed, rushing up to cover Rainbow's mouth.  "If you ask, it stops working!"

Fluttershy blinked in confusion.  "O...kay?"

Spike managed to stand up.  "Anyway, let's go let Pip know what's going on."

"Okie-dokie-lokie!" Pinkie said happily, glomping onto Spike's left arm.  Fluttershy quickly grabbed his right hand.  Rainbow, grumbling, followed behind.

As they approached the shack, Pip stepped out.  "Hey Spike!" he called.  "How'd it-"  He froze, taking in his best friend with a smoking hot mare on each arm and another watching his rear as he walked.  "You lucky bugger!" he shouted.  Right at that moment, a part of the wall of the shack fell inward, making him wince.

Pinkie immediately pushed everyone else towards the shack.  "You all talk inside.  I'll get things fixed up super duper quick!"  Once everyone was inside, she started to race around outside.

Spike sighed, taking a seat.  "Well, Pip, our original lead led us to Rainbow here, which was a bust-"

"In more ways than one!" Pinkie shouted from outside, making Rainbow blush.

Spike rolled his eyes.  "However, Rainbow is a childhood friend of Fluttershy's, so she's along for the ride now.  And Pinkie out there joined in because she thinks we're at the start of an epic adventure."

Pip nodded.  "So, do we know anything new?"

"We know who we're after, but not where this 'Scootaloo' is."  Spike hung his head back.  "Any ideas?"

"You could try checking back in Ponyville for clues," John Smith suggested.  "You never know what might turn up."

Spike thought about that for a time, then shrugged.  "Well, it's as good a clue as any."

"Hey!" Pinkie shouted from outside.  "Come check this out!  I found something strange!"

Spike stood up.  "Wonder what it will be?"  Everyone followed him outside.

Outside, the shack had been completely repaired into a full fledged three story cottage, and six houses had been built, creating a whole town.  "You like it?" Pinkie asked.  "I'm thinking of calling it Dutchcolt.  But that's not what I wanted you to see.  It's this way!"  Grabbing hold of Spike and Pipsqueak, she dragged them over to a corner of the new town, where an old well stood.

Pipsqeak blinked.  "It's a well."

Pinkie giggled.  "In the well, silly!"

Shrugging, Spike climbed down to the bottom of the well, followed by Pipsqueak.  There, they found a large room filled with technology the likes of which they'd never seen before.  "Wow!" Spike gasped.  "What kind of place is this?"

"No idea," Pip echoed.  "Any ideas what we should do?"

Spike looked around, careful not to touch anything.  "I think we should tell Echichi about it next time we're in Gutz.  You know how obsessed she is with machines."

"Don't you mean 'Ecchi-chan'?" Pip teased, reminding Spike how flirtatious the female minotaur had been.

"Shut up."  Spike turned and climbed back up the ladder out of the well.





After saying their goodbyes, Spike headed back towards Ponyville with Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Pinkie.  Once they reached the town, Spike stretched.  "Any ideas where we should look for clues?" he asked.

There was the heavy impact of metal against flesh, followed by something smashing through the gates of the White Mage academy, slamming into the back of the item shop.

"How about that?" Rainbow asked, as Fluttershy cowered behind her.

"Nah," Spike said.  "I recognize that sound.  Someone just tried to be improper with Miss Rarity, so she smacked him with her jeweled mace.  She can get some good air with that thing."

"Well, a white mage could be helpful in our search," Pinkie pointed out.  "Maybe if you go be her white knight, she'll want to come with?"

Spike blinked, then grinned rather goofily.  "Good idea!"  He rushed towards the broken gate.

"Dammit, Pinkie!" Rainbow complained.  "Do you really want more competition?  Especially one he's known a while?"

"I already know what he's packing," Pinkie countered.  "There's plenty to go around."  She held up two fingers.

Rainbow blinked, her eyes going wide, and then blushed bright red.

"Oh...my," Fluttershy added, blushing as well.  The three raced to join Spike.

They found him standing at the gate as Rarity - dressed in the White Mage academy school uniform - swung a heavily jeweled mace into the face of another canid, sending him flying across the lawn.  "I gave you three fair warning to keep your distance," she snapped at them, her brow furrowed.  "If you do not heed me now, I shall be forced to use lethal force."  The gems in the mace glowed as she spoke.

The last standing dog helped his brethren to their feet.  "We go now, but we be back!" he said.  "Fido want you.  Diamond Dogs want you.  What Fido wants, Fido gets!"

"Then it's about time he was properly disappointed," Rarity insisted, turning to storm back into the Academy.

Spike stared after her.  "Isn't she amazing?" she asked Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy.

Pinkie nodded in agreement.  Fluttershy shrugged her shoulders, unsure how to respond.

"Damn!" Rainbow exclaimed.  "When'd they start teaching white mages how to kick flank?"

Spike shrugged.  "Well, we might as well go ask if she wants to come."  The group followed Rarity into the Academy and up to the second floor.

Rarity was meeting with the Headmaster.  "I'm terribly sorry about the scene out front, sir," she apologized.  "Those Diamond Dogs just won't leave me alone."

"Even so," the Headmaster frowned, "we need to maintain a certain level of discipline here in the school.  It's gated for a reason."

"I can take care of the Diamond Dogs for you, Rarity!" Spike spoke up.

Rarity turned.  "Spikey-Wikey!" she cried happily.  "What a pleasure to see you again.  But are you sure you can spare the time?  I'd heard about what happened with your friend, and assumed that you'd be dedicating your time to that."

"And leave you when you're in need?" Spike queried.  "Hardly."

"Should keep nose to own business, lizard," a voice spoke from behind as another Diamond Dog came up.

"You!" Rarity snarled.  "Haven't you gotten my message yet?"

"We hear you," the dog said, smirking.  "But Fido still want you.  You are real cutie."  Walking up, he showed Rarity something in his hand.  "Your little sister cute, too."

Rarity stared at whatever he had in his hand.  "W...what have you done with Sweetie Belle?"

Spike's eyebrows raised.  Princess Sweetie Belle of Unicornia is Rarity's little sister?

"We not do anything...yet," the dog said.  "But if what Fido not get what he want...he have to settle for what he have, right?"

Rarity shuddered, tears in her eyes.  "Alright.  I'll go with you.  Just don't hurt Sweetie."  She hung her head, following the dog out of the building.

Spike turned to the headmaster.  "Where do those dogs hide out?"

The headmaster unrolled a map, showing a mountain range off the path to Hoarsair.  "Here.  This is where their mines are."

Spike nodded.  "Come on, girls.  We're going to rescue Rarity and Sweetie Belle from the Diamond Dogs."  He turned back to the headmaster.  "Think we could ask one of your students to assist us?"

The headmaster shrugged.  "I don't see why not.  If one wants to go with you, I won't stop them."

Spike nodded as he turned to go down the stairs.

"Hey!" Rainbow demanded.  "Why are you going to recruit some white mage?  Think we can't handle a pack of dogs?"

"Considering the pack must have taken down Hamlet and several Unicornian guards, I don't want to take any chances," Spike countered.

Fluttershy nodded.  "Yeah.  Hamlet was really strong.  I hope he's alright."

Pinkie's mane wriggled all of a sudden.  Rainbow turned to her.  "Okay, Pinkie.  What did that one mean?"

Pinkie giggled.  "Something unexpected is about to happen!"

Spike entered one of the classrooms and glanced around.  Seeing something that intrigued him, he walked up to one of the students, looking over her shoulder.

After a time, she turned to him.  "Can I help you?" she asked.

Spike nodded.  "Yeah.  I was just wondering why a pegasus-" he pointed to her wings and absence of horn "-is at a white mage academy-" he pointed to her notes "-studying dark magic?"

The mare giggled a bit.  "It seems my disguise was not as perfect as I believed, though the clues were intentional.  I had not thought one would find me for some time yet."  A bright light cascaded over her, and when it faded, a dark blue alicorn in a flattering pale blue dress stood before him.  "We are Luna, ancient sage.  We have watched over the world for some time, amassing great knowledge of the combat magical arts.  I await the arrival of a hero whom I will aid."

Spike blinked, staring up at her.  "I'm Spike.  I'm trying to help my friend, and save Rarity and Sweetie Belle from the Diamond Dogs.  Does that qualify as heroic?"

Luna looked down at him for a time.  "Perhaps.  However, due to an ancient oath, while this world is still in infancy as it is, I may only influence events if called upon to do so by one of the Dragon Clans.  Tell me, art thou of dragon blood?"

Spike paused, glancing at his scales, his clawed hand, the spines along his back, his spade tail, and his forked tongue.  "...yes," he said slowly.

Luna smiled.  "Would that I could take thy word for it, but I needs must have proof.  Demonstrate the power of-"

At that moment, a mote of dust slipped into Spike's nose.  "Ah...ah...Ahchoo!"  A gout of flame shot from his mouth as he sneezed, which Luna barely dodged.

Luna grinned widely.  "Thou art indeed of dragon blood!  Oh wondrous day, adventure awaits us once more!"  Happily, she grabbed hold of him and pulled him into a tight embrace, burying his face in her cleavage in the process.





Back in Dutchcolt, Pipsqueak found himself shouting, "You lucky bugger!" for no apparent reason.





As Luna held Spike tight against her, she noticed something that made her blush.  "Goodness.  The fun has been doubled."  This set Pinkie Pie - who was watching - to giggling, and Rainbow and Fluttershy - also watching - to blushing.





Luna has joined the party.