The CMC had just ran into the forest, still wondering what had happened to Pinkie.
"That was a bit strange, don't you think, Apple Bloom?" asked Scootaloo.
"Yeah, that was." she replied. They continued walking until they reached the river.
"Where did Blueblood say the treasure was?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"He said it was right over here." Spike walked over to the bushes when Pinkie popped out in front of him from the bush.
"You four think you could get away from me? Guess again, we're heading back to Ponyville." Pinkie began to usher them back towards the town when they heard laughter. They turned and saw three Diamond Dogs come up from their holes.
"Look what we have here, boys.” the leader said.
“I don’t know, Spot,” the second one, Rover, said. “What do you think, Fido?”
“I don’t know.” the third one answered. Spot knocked their heads together, groaning at their stupidity.
“We have five ponies in our territory!” he yelled at them. “Let’s teach them a lesson!” They turned just in time to see the ponies running back to Ponyville. “Wait, one of them looks familiar.”
“It looks like a miniature version of that unicorn, Rarity,” Rover said. Spot examined the white unicorn filly.
“Let’s get them,” he exclaimed. After getting out of their holes, they ran after them, trying to catch up after the five ponies. It took a few minutes, but they eventually caught up to and grabbed Pinkie.
“Let me go, you big, meanie pants!” she yelled. The Diamond Dogs just placed her in a cage, laughing as she tried to get out.
“Hey,” a voice called out. They turned and saw Spike with the rest of the CMC looking down at them. “Why don’t you pick on somepony your own size.”
“Like you?” Fido answered. The Diamond Dogs ran after them as the four tried to get to safety. They continued to run up a steep hill, but Sweetie Belle began slipped.
“SPIKE!” she yelled. Spike turned around and saw his friend sliding back down the hill with the Diamond Dogs getting closer. He ran back down and bucked Spot in the face when he tried to grab her.
“Let’s go, Sweetie!” yelled Spike. He picked her up and flew back up the hill to where Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were waiting. “We need to keep moving. Into the gorge!”
Scootaloo picked up Apple Bloom as she and Spike flew to the gorge. They stopped at a dead end just as the Diamond Dogs arrived behind them. Spike let Sweetie Belle down and tried to fire off some spells at them only to find he couldn’t cast anything. He instead ran at Spot, intending to knock him out, but Spike was picked up and thrown back to his friends.
“Spike, are you ok?” Sweetie Belle asked. Spike tried to get up, but fell back onto the ground, groaning in pain. “Spike! Please get up.” She pulled him to his hooves then quickly looked for an exit, but couldn’t find one.
“Now to get rid of you four.” Spot said. Just as he lifted his paw up to finish Spike off, a lasso wrapped around it.
“Hold it right there, ya varmint!”
Spot turned and saw an orange earth pony wearing a cowboy hat and three apples for a cutie mark holding the rope. Before he could do anything to retaliate, he was hit by a streak of rainbow, knocking him into the cliffside.
“Applejack!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.
“Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo yelled.
The two rejoiced at the arrival of their sisters. Rover tried to go after Applejack, but was stopped when he began levitating five feet into the air. He turned and saw the same unicorn that drove him crazy a year ago along with a yellow pegasus.
“How dare you,” said the yellow pegasus. “How dare you hurt my friends, you big meanie!” Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she began to use her stare on Rover, causing him to tremble in fear from the last time she used it. He tried to run from her, but it was no use, since he was still stuck in Rarity’s grasp. Fido tried to make a run for it, but was shot back by Pinkie’s Party Cannon.
“You actually think you got rid of me?” she asked. “I also brought backup.” Just as she said this, a few stallions appeared. Caramel and Soarin went after Spot as Big Mac helped Rarity and Fluttershy with Rover. Fido tried to get Pinkie, only to be bucked in the face by Braeburn. The Diamond Dogs attempted to flee from the ponies, only to be stopped by Twilight and Flash blocking what was left of their escape route. When they saw Spike, Twilight’s mane and fur burst into flames, eyes turning bright red as her horn sparkled.
“Flash, after you take care of these three I want to have a long chat with them,” Twilight said, her eyes twitching. Flash nodded and flew at the three Diamond Dogs, knocking each one into the side of the cliff face. When Rover tried to get away, Flash grabbed him and flung him into some sharp rocks. After he was finished, he snorted in their faces as he went over to the children. When Flash left, Twilight stomped up to the Diamond Dogs. “YOU ATTACKED MY SON, YOU HURT HIS FRIENDS, AND THEN YOU TRIED TO KILL MY SON! I’M GOING TO MAKE YOU THREE PAY FOR THAT!” Twilight’s horn glew red as she unleashed a spell that sent the Diamond Dogs flying back into the Everfree Forest.Twilight’s fur and eyes returned to normal as she calmed down and ran over to Spike to check on him. Sweetie Belle was still holding her friend up as Flash was talking with them.
“You four know you’re not supposed to run off into the forest like that,” he chided. “Why did you do that?” Spike looked down, knowing that his dad, along with the other adults, were angry at him the most. Before he could say anything Sweetie Belle spoke up.
“Please don’t be mad at him,” she said. “We were trying to get our Cutie Marks, but we didn’t expect this to happen. Pinkie did try to stop us, but we didn’t listen to her. And Spike did help save me from getting taken by one of them.” Rarity looked at her sister and then at Spike.
“How did he save you, Sweetie?” she asked. Sweetie just smiled, remembering that her friend had been there for her.
“He ran back down the hill and bucked one of them in the face,” Sweetie replied. Rarity, Twilight, and Flash were shocked that Spike would do that. “He also carried me here so we could get away from them.” Spike looked away, his face warming at the praise he was getting from his best friend.
“I believe it’s time we all returned to Ponyville.” Caramel said. The other adults nodded and began heading back. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo went on ahead as Sweetie Belle stayed back with Spike to help him home. While they were walking, Sweetie Belle kissed Spike on the cheek.
“I thought you were very brave, Spike.” she said. Spike’s face began getting uncomfortably warm as they continued out of the gorge. Unknown to any of them, Blueblood watched as they left for home.
“Looks like it’s time to take matters into my own hooves.” he said as he walked away towards his hideout. His mouth curled into a snarl, eyes narrowed, “Never send a minion to do a Prince’s job.”