Chapter IV

Bait

Spike awoke to find himself strapped to a bed within Shuddershy's home. He could hear her downstairs, tending to the animals. He struggled, but couldn't break free. Why am I here? Shuddershy seemed to read his mind as she came upstairs and stared at the baby dragon.

"Good morning, Spike? Did you sleep well?"

"Uh... Fluttershy, why do you have me strapped down to a bed?"

"I need you." Fluttershy said, coming closer.

"For... what?"

"Well, you're my bait for Twilight, but first, I need something from you." She said, licking his cheek.

"In case you haven't heard, Fluttershy, I've got a thing for Rarity." Spike began to sweat.

"That's okay." She jumped onto the bed, putting her fore hooves onto his chest and leaning in to his face.

"Fluttershy, don't!" Spike begged. Fluttershy had a smile on her face, but her expression shifted. Her eyebrows furrowed and her smile became a frown. Her wings spread.

"WHAT DID YOU DO WITH PINKIE?!"She screamed at the dragon...

"Wh-what?"

"A few weeks ago, when Pinkie started going crazy. She disappeared with you one night. What happened?"

"Oh, that. It's kinda hard to remember, maybe if you let me out of this bed, I can-" He was silenced as Shuddershy stomped on him with her hind leg.

"No, tell me. NOW."

"PinkieandIjusttalkedforawhil eitstartedwith-"

"Slow down!" Spike took a breath.

"Pinkie asked me if I wanted cupcakes. I told her of course I did, she asked me what kind of flavor I wanted, and I told her I just wanted it to taste good. She asked me to describe something that I thought would taste good. I told her, in sweets, something white is also good, and so is shiny."

"And why is that significant, do you think?"

"Well, a few days later, I received a white cupcake with golden frosting."

"And?"

"And on the same night, a Canterlot guardspony was found dead."

"I see, is that all?"

"Yes!"

"Damn, Pinkamina. I thought Spike was a little more important than that, oh well. Spike, you're going to help me captureTwilight."

"What? I'd never help you!"

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter."As Shuddershy said those last words, she grabbed his arm and ripped it off.

"Spiiiike! Spike? SPIKE where are you?" Twilight called out frantically. She and Rarity were searching for him in the Everfree forest, a place where Spike had gone to before.

"Gosh, just a few hours since the Nightmare Moon problem, and now we have to find Spikey-wikey."

"At least Luna came to her senses." Twilight reasoned, "AND has agreed to let Celestia keep the sun up until we find him."

"Yes, I suppose that is more important. I shouldn't be complaining, I really AM worried about him."

"Oh Rarity, thank you for coming to this creepy forest with me."

"Not a problem Twilight. Anything for a friend."

Elsewhere, Rainbow Dash was scouting the nearby land to see if she could find spike.

"UGH, WHY does Spike run away so much. Jeez."

On the ground, Applejack and Celestia were taking trips to nearby towns to ask if anybody had seen the little dragon.

"Dragon? Hmm, big things?" A farmer asked the two.

"Well, yes, dragons are big, but this one is small." Celestia explained.

"He's 'bout 1 foot tall, purple scales, uh... bit o' a runt." This made Celestia show a hint of a smile.

"He has green spikes, and he's very kind."

"Sorry your majesty, I haven't seen a dragon since the great migration."

"Aww shoo."

"Thank you, we will be on our way now." Celestia bowed, and the stallion bowed back before her and Applejack left the town.

Keeping charge of Canterlot, Luna was dealing with a mess of problems. She sent half the guard to find Pinkie, so the throne room had less guards than it should. Ponies were using this to their advantage. disobeying Luna's orders and questioning her decisions. She decided it would be a good time to recruit new guards. She needed a smart pony if she were to select them, and Celestia wasn't available. Luna went to visit Twilight, who had finished her search with Rarity and was now sitting in her library, hoping.

She convinced the unicorn to help her select a multitude of guards, saying that it might be useful as she could send a few to look for Spike. Together, they selected over 50 new guards, each eager and ready to be inducted, as soon as Celestia returned. Rainbow Dash returned after a while, saying that she didn't find Spike.

"Also," she whined, "Why am I always the one who has to fly around the WHOLE kingdom?"

"You're the fastest pegasus in Equestria, darling. Who else could do it so fast?"

"Yeah yeah, thanks Rarity."

"AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH" Spiked shrieked. He was in agonizing pain from the appendage that disconnected from his body. Shuddershy got off of the dragon, and went downstairs. Shuddershy was at the sink once again. With a small knife, she was descaling Spike's arm. She allowed herself a smile.

"I bet Zecora could use some dragon scales."She said to herself. She finished stripping the arm of it's protection, and washed off the scales. Shuddershy put them in a bag, and proceeded to then skin the dragon's arm. When she was done, she threw the skin in the trash and was left with raw dragon flesh, which she chopped up into a few slices. She cooked two in the oven, put all of them on a platter, and returned upstairs.

"Would you like some food, Spike?" Shuddershy asked. The dragon nodded, seeming to trust Shuddershy's new voice. As she went to feed him one of the cooked slices, Spike realized what it was he was about to eat.

"I am NOT going to EAT my own arm!"

"Oh, but Spike, dragon meat is very high in protein. Besides, I cooked two of these just so you wouldn't eat it raw." Spike looked disgusted. "Fine." Shuddershy looked away, and started scarfing down the raw pieces of meat, and leaving the cooked ones next to spike. Not that he could move on his own and eat them. She produced a sheet of paper and a quill, and proceeded to write a note.

"Dear Princess Celestia,

I know where Spike is. As you unfolded this scroll, a small pack of purple scales should have fallen out. Give them to Twilight Sparkle in 3 days. Do not tell anyone.

Your friend,
-SS"

Shuddershy wrapped the packed scales into the note, and put it in front of Spike's mouth. She knew he wouldn't cooperate, so she slammed her front leg into his stomach, forcing him to spit out fire. The letter was mailed.

"You monster" Shuddershy only giggled and left the room. She wrote another letter, but actually took it to her recipient, then she headed for the stairs so she could go to her room and sleep. She stopped when she heard Spike whimper. That's right, she thought, Spike is in my bed. So she slept on the couch, fiddling with a little rabbit ear now attached to the middle of the frame.

"TWILIGHT! TWILIGHT!" Rainbow Dash said, running into the library with Rarity close behind her.

"What?!"

"I found this nailed to the door..."

"What is it?" Twilight asked as she took the paper and placed it on her pedestal.

"Dunno, didn't read it."

"Hmm, strange." She looked to the letter, "Dear Twilight Sparkle. You'll know it when you see it. When you receive it, meet me near the Ursa Major cave, alone, do not tell anyone when you receive it. Your friend, SS? What could this mean?"

They spent a lot of time researching 'SS' but none of the 3 ponies had found the answer. A few days passed. Suddenly, a thought occured to Rarity.

"Could this be about spikey-wikey?"

"Maybe, Rairty and Rainbow Dash, please leave. I could get whatever it is at any time, and if it's about spike, I don't want you two getting hurt. Thank you both for all the help"

"Very well then, darling. Come, Dash, let's go."

"All right Rarity. Good luck Twilight."

Not a full 30 minutes had passed when there was a knock at the door. Twilight opened it. "Princess... Celestia? What are you doing here?"

"Hello Twilight Sparkle. I brought you something. I was given it 3 days ago, and told to deliver it to you today." Celestia gave Twilight the bag, and her eyes widened. "What does it mean, Twilight?"

"Uhm, I don't know princess. Probably nothing. Maybe a prank."

"Well, I'll trust your judgement then. Now if you'll excuse me, I have important matters to attend to." Celestia turned and Twilight bowed. As soon as Celestia was gone, Twilight took off for the rendezvous.

Spike was shaking. He knew this would come. He tried to scream for help, but he couldn't make a sound. His mouth was open, refusing to accept his request.

"I have to do this, I need Twilight in shock if I'm going to capture her without worrying about her magic."

Shuddershy put the knife to Spike's throat, and sliced it. She let him sit until no more blood was spurting from his neck. She cleaned him up, tied him to a board, and took him to Ursa's cave. She Set up the board so that it could only be visible from her vantage point, and the path directly in front of her. So now, she waits for Twilight Sparkle.