"Could you do one thing for me spike?" the loud party music almost drowned rainbow's voice out. "Yeah, what ya need?" spike asked in a false slang. This made rainbow chuckle before she replied "keep an eye out for fluttershy, she's the only one who made the same choice you did."

Chapter 2: flyers

"Really, that sounds exciting" fluttershy said in her usually soft voice, spike was talking about his small scale adventure with trixie. She abandoned her small shack years ago but when moving she still wanted to be farther away from the other townspeople. Take a walk into the deep and lush forests that barely skirt on the edge of the everfree and you'll find her home. It's a little bigger than her older hut but it's mostly for the endless amount of creatures she takes care of. Vines covered the outside of her home while the inside of her house was a contrast to the nature theming of the house. It was one floor only, like most places in this town, ponies don't really need that many amenities when it comes to living. Give them a place to go, prepare food, and sleep, everything else is handled by vendors. The flooring was completely grass and that was the oddest part about her house compared to anyone else's. "It's was….. But mostly scary cause someone almost died" spike was very careful with his wording, for some reason he wanted to keep trixie secret. "Oh, well i'm glad you and this mystery mare are ok" she replied, not really looking for details in his story. "Enough about me, how are you holding up?" spike asked, she shifted around before answering the question "fine, not the best but fine" she replied, this only peaked spike's suspicion of her well being. "What's going on?" he asked. "I just…. Can't really find the time to do anything, taking care of animals here" she replied, this seems in character but something seems a little off about her answer. "I'm sure that they can wait for just an hour or two for you to do something" spike replied. Fluttershy pondered this idea but quickly replied with "these animals, they rely on me more than anything". Confused was the first reaction he had to this ideal, even when everyone was still here, animal care was never that drastic of a concern. "How about this, i need to pick up some sweets from the cake's, come with me and you can come right back here" spike replied, trying hard to get fluttershy out of the hut. "Well…. Ok, but we go right back to the hut" she said sternly, spike immediately nodded and they lifted themselves off their seats in the kitchen and went on their way.

A recluse is one thing that does not describe the pegasus known as fluttershy. There is a big difference between someone like a recluse and her. She not afraid of nature, people, confrontation, or anything like that anymore. She dosen't stay inside her home, taking care of the local animals doesn't allow her to do that. Something about her however put spike off and this little journey to the cake's was going to be his way of finding that out. "So, has anyone come to visit beside me?" spike asked jokingly, but then fluttershy replied "not… really, it's been awhile" that answer isn't really what the drake was prepared for. "Oh….. uh, how about rainbow, she could make time to visit" spike replied, she shook her head and replied "wonderbolts core have been insanely busy lately, haven't even received a letter….." her voice started sounding weaker and weaker, spike finally found the issue. However, the issue would be put on hold because they finally reached the bakery. As spike entered the shop and greeted the couple that owned the shop, he saw fluttershy look up into the sky and saw a regular wonderbolt patrol passby. Spike passively ignored this and walked up to the counter to place an order. "Just a plain chocolate cake please" spike said as ms. cake wrote down the order and replied "sweets today, couldn't find any gems huh?" ms cake asked, spike only nodded in reply as she then said "time is a little slower than usual, pinkie is out for today" this intrigued spike, pinkie missing out on a day of work seemed so unlike her. "Oh, have you found out why she took a day?" spike asked. Ms. cake shook her head and replied "it's odd, i usually have to beg her for a day off" that might not be good news for….. Spike turned around and realized that fluttershy was gone. "Oh, well you have my order, how many bits is it gonna be?" spike asked. She not a child but a part of him started really growing this concern for her. "Just 4, it'll be ready in about 5 minutes" Ms. cake replied as spike gave her the bits and made a dash out the door.

There are a couple places he could check, first of all he needs to find a landmark to refer to when searching. The fountain that sits in the middle of the town is a good one, would let him know if he gets too far away from town. One moment she was looking up at a wonderbolt patrol and the next she's gone. Maybe that's the first clue for him to start with, but he has no idea where the patrols were heading. "I saw the patrol head south, that's where i'll start…." spike started saying but he didn't even need to make a search "hey spike…. Just wanted a place outside to sit, the weather is pretty nice out here" she said, sitting on a bench a couple paces from the bakery. Spike made his way there and sat alongside her. "Sometimes….. I look up in the sky and wonder if she'll ever come back for me" she said while looking up in the sky, spike wasn't the one for speeches or words, how is he supposed to help someone who has the same problem as him. "You can't… let it take over, you know that right?" spike asked, fluttershy nodded but then replied "i'm just afraid….. She forgot about me" this statement made her voice sound the weakest. "No, no definitely not that!" spike exclaimed, all fluttershy did was look at him and sit in silence.

"I'm not sure if she'll be ready to handle everyone leaving, make sure she doesn't regret her choice!" rainbow exclaimed, spike put a claw on her shoulder and replied "don't worry, i believe she'll be fine."

"She…. she really cares about you, enough where i would be dead if i didn't check in with you" spike said, this made fluttershy pick her head off the ground and reply "really?!" the excitement in her voice gave spike a sense of comfort. "Yeah, busy or not she'll never forget about you" spike replied, fluttershy put up a smile and replied "i'll take your word on it, i miss her though" he missed them too, more than she'll probably give him credit for. "I do too…." spike tried to sneak by but fluttershy barely managed to hear him."huh?" she asked him, no response was necessary in his opinion. "Alright, time to check on the goods i ordered" spike said lifting himself from the bench and fluttershy followed him on a walk back to the bakery. It was a short walk but it was one filled with a peaceful silence between the two. Spike started putting a thought in his head about how similar fluttershy and him are actually becoming with their issues. That's why it's been so difficult for him to give her the right words to comfort her when moments like those arise. This responsibility isn't some kind of romantic interest or anything like that or at least that's what he likes to think. For now It's the idea that if he could keep fluttershy above water, then maybe it could validate some kind of issue he's having. They finally reached the bakery again and spike's order was ready for him the moment he entered the door. As he picked up the cupcakes, fluttershy was already almost out of the building before he could even lift the cupcakes. As spike was about the leave the shop when ms. cake called out "spike!" he immediately whipped around and saw a sack in between her teeth as she dropped it on the counter. "Someone dropped this off for you, there's also a note inside" she said, spike was confused by this. He walked over to the counter and picked up the suspicious bag and then mrs cake asked "you're not involved in anything dangerous, right?" spike shook his head in reply. "Happy trails!" she exclaimed while waving at the leaving drake who was looking at the mysterious sack given to him.

Spike kept the sack he was given in his hand for the remainder of time he was spending with fluttershy. He shook it and heard what sounded like coins jingling around in the bag, he didn't believe anyone would just send him money so he disregarded it. "What's in there?" fluttershy asked, spike shrugged and replied "don't know, hope it's not a curse" he said with a chuckle but fluttershy looked back at him with actual concern. "Curses can't be bagged" spike reassured her, fluttershy stopped in her tracks and replied "are you really sure, just cause you haven't seen it, dosen't mean it couldn't happen" spike slapped his palm on his forehead and just kept walking. So far they've made it to the end of the town and were heading into the forest, fluttershy stopped again and said "i could make it on my own from here, no need for you to stay any longer" for the first time, spike actually took her offer. "Ok, hang in there, things will get better" spike replied, fluttershy nodded and went off into the forest. "She would be kind of…. Nah!" spike exclaimed, a really strange and quick thought popped up in his head. Spike made his way back to the treehouse he called home, with the wonderfully smelling goods he purchased in his hands. He didn't really know too many people off the opposite sex that would really like him enough to give him such a bag. Twilight doesn't pay him, he doesn't really have much contact with celestia, luna is…. Not something he would like to fill his mind with right now. Maybe it could be… "no, definitely not her" spike said to himself, she did give him a free gem which could have really risked her life. "Opening it will be a job when i get to the treehouse" spike said to himself as he continued on the dirt road leading to the town.

'

Finally being able to relax after a long day, spike put the cake on the the table and was ready to sit on the sofa in the main living room. Spike then remember the sack that mrs. cake gave him and headed towards the living room and sat on the sofa. Spike then pulled the string wrapped on top of the bag and looked inside. "Oh my….." the sack was filled with bits and a small piece of folded paper in it. "Might have something on it" spike said to himself, pulling the piece of paper out of the bag and unfolding it. Spike started reading the piece of paper, it only had a sentence written on it "just one more gift for your work today, if you want more, meet me tomorrow for an arrangement." spike finishing reading the note. She didn't even need to put her name of the paper for spike to realize who wrote the note. "I'll check it out, do nothing better anyways…" spike said to himself as he lifted himself from the chair and headed towards the furnace in the middle of the room to light it. He didn't really have a bed to sleep in, he kind of outgrew the bed that was upstairs. He always could get a new one, have someone build it or whatever else it takes. He always thought that him sleeping under an open flame for warmth was a much better comfort than anything else could give him. He curled up next to the furnace and started drifting into a deep slumber, pondering what the next day could bring for him. "Wait, if she knew where my house was, why didn't she just send it in the mail?" spike asked, but then swatted his hand to forget about the slight leap in logic for her.

"Spike… spike!" it was her again, the one who visits dreams. Spike groggily woke up and realized he was in some kind of empty dream realm. "Oh, hey again" spike said while waving, sounding like this isn't something really new. "Something's troubling you, is it the same thing you're always troubled with" luna asked, spike was not really gonna talk, that didn't matter anyways cause luna already starting reading through spike's mind. "Hmmmm, loneliness, i always thought the lack of adventure was your vice" she said, spike shifted his feet, filled with nerves from her revealing that information. "I'm not lonely, perfectly fine down here" spike replied, luna put a hoof down and sternly replied "you thoughts don't lie spike, they are the most intimate part of the mind:" spike gave up trying to hide from the princess of dreams and replied "i don't think… i feel lonely but….." he was about to finish but luna interjected quickly "my time is limited with you, happy dreams spike!" she slowly started fading away. "Wait!, don't you have anything else to tell me!?" spike exclaimed but luna replied "if you wanted to actually see me, why don't you come to the castle….." then she disappeared and the world around him started fading. "That was way shorter than usual" spike said to himself before…..

Spike's eyes shot open and he saw the sun beating down from the window across the room. "How could so much time pass in that short of a conversation?" spike asked himself while stretching and lifting himself off the floor. "Wonder what made her time so short?" spike asked himself while heading to the fridge to get a morning drink of orange juice. The one thing that he doesn't need to worry about when living alone is using cups for drinks. It's slob like but at the same time the drink does go into his belly and he has enough to use for later. As he pulled out the drink from the fridge and started drinking it, he glanced at the sofa and saw the sack and remembered something that was on his agenda today "gotta meet up with trixie… see what this is about" spike said to himself as he realized two things about how he looks. "I had a lot of trouble with holding stuff yesterday, maybe i should wear that coat rar….." spike started feeling a little bit more down but he needed to swallow his pride and use the coat practically. He made his way upstairs slowly, not looking forward to heading in the room he abandoned.

This room, is the only room is the treehouse that spike hasn't touched ever since they all left the town. His own old room, it's almost like a ghost inhabits the place when spike took it step by step to enter the room. The coat was plain as day to see, it had bright purple leather on the outside and green fur lining the inside. "This coat looks way too expensive, i wonder how much it costed her" he said to himself. Walking over to the tiny bed he used to call his sleeping quarters, now seeming a little too big to fit in it. He picked the coat up from the bed and started slipping it on, it seemed like a chilly day was coming for the young drake. The second thing that the drake realised is that trixie didn't even leave a location for them to meet on the paper. "I guess she might want me to meet her at the shop" he said to himself, walking down the stairs and pushing the door open. He made his way to the cake's shop, with no location, no specific time, or any specific way of contacting her.