Second to last chapter! *Crowd Cheers*

Oh I'm gonna love miss this story! I mean we can re-read our own story and all, but I'll miss making a new chapter on this one.

I know exactly how you feel Notch. And it's been good working with you on this one.

?

What, I'm not asking that I longer need your assistance; I'm gonna need it every step of the way.

Oh thank Celestia, you almost had me there. We are the best of friends you and I.

Of course we are! Now lets get to those reviews, and after that, we'll have ourselves a sandwich and Doritos:

Woah, there are a lot of reviews; 18 to be exact. And all are pretty much votes. Uhm, Notch? What do we do?

Let them wait until the end to see which story won the poll.

Bad idea, but it's worth a shot. Lets do it!

Enjoy you bunch of fun rascals...

The school bell rang out as everypony entered into the schoolhouse. Young mares and young stallions went in casually, knowing that the fun weekend was over and that it was time for a new week. Seating themselves in the seats they were assigned at the beginning of the year, they watched as the only adult, the teacher, wrote up on the blackboard today's agenda. "Good morning, class," she said out to the students as she turned her enthusiastical self around; a bright smile on her face and an awaiting response in her ears.

"Good morning, Ms. Cheerilee," the students said back with less enthusiasm. A few groaned loudly and a few just stared blanky at the blackboard, reading: "Nightmare Night". A few had already realized that it meant that it was asking what they did on Nightmare Night. Some others still had time to configure since they told themselves that Nightmare Night had already passed. The rest just laid back in their seats and didn't care for it. "So what are doing today?" A student asked.

Cheerilee chuckled for a moment, "Well on the board it reads, "Nightmare Night". What I want to ask is what you did last night on that frightening night?"

A number of hooves were raised up, wanting to share their stories of what they'd done; mostly to relation of getting lots of candy and enjoying playing pranks on their friends. All except Spike and the CMC answered their reply of what they did, Spike and Sweetie Belle especially wanted to keep shut. They looked senselessly around the room with a nervous look on their faces, distained that they'll be called on momentarily by the teacher since they both sat in front of the classroom. Looking to eachother and giving eachother a warm smile to wipe away that growing fear of being called on, they kept it together. "You know we could explain what we did before the whole incident happened," Spike suggested. He rubbed his neck and looked away from the filly he sat next to, turning red on his cheek bones that went too far dark red that Ms. Cheerilee could notice it.

"Anything you want to share red cheeks?" Ms. Cheerilee asked to the dragon and the filly. She had caught them looking away from eachoter with massive amount of blush on their faces. It made her think that the two seemed cute together; were the two in love? She thought, maybe?

Spike shot his face towards the teacher and couldn't say any words as could neither Sweetie Belle. The two looked to eachother cautiously. "Do we?" Spike asked, covering half his face from Cheerilee with his hand as he spoke to Sweetie Belle; "I don't want to tell her about us." The filly covered her face her face too from the plum colored pony, "Neither do I," she replied. The two heard a sound that if it was a pony standing up from their seat. The two turned to see it was Diamond Tiara. "Oh boy...," Spike sighed.

It was only regrettable that the dragon realized what the pink filly threatened two days before, at her party. She said that he'd better watch what he says and it came swooping back like Rainbow Dash's speed record. What will she say? How will it affect him and the white unicorn? What would the whole class think after? The questions filled up the reptiles mind until he heard the silence break, the earth pony said: "They are in love Ms. Cheerilee. And they do more than just hugs and kisses." She darted a devilish look at the two lovers that looked back to her with irreluctance. Ms. Cheerilee took what she said into consideration and her eyes shot wide when she configured it. She faked a few coughs and looked to her students; some were confused and some were fully aware of what Diamond Tiara meant.

"Well...," the teacher said trying to keep her cheerful tone, "that's nice to share with us Diamond Tiara; Spike and Sweetie Belle finding eachother romantically. Heh, heh..ooh, okay..lets get to todays subject: The Weather Factory. With Ms. Twilight Sparkle able to give us a lending hoof by letting us walk on clouds with a spell she has, we can take a field trip there up in Cloudsdale, today!" The classroom cheered out, except for a number of ponies that gave eachother deathly looks. Thankfully for Spike and Sweetie belle, the other classmates were already forgetting about them being together, maybe except Cheerilee though who was probably going to mention it to Twilight.

The Crusaders, Spike, and Dinky gathered up together when the class lined up outside the classroom for Twilight so she could give them the spell to walk on clouds. Along the line of ponies, she asked for the pegasi to step out of line since they could already walk on them; so Scootaloo had to leave her friends, and Featherweight meekly followed behind her. Scootaloo turned and saw the light tan furred pony give a small smile at her. She peered over his shoulder to look at Spike, who was talking to Sweetie Belle and Applebloom and Dinky Doo; he caught sight of the pegasus and gave a wink. She didn't quite catch his drift and shrugged it off. She looked back to Featherweight, "Hey Featherweight. You ready for the trip to Cloudsdale?"

He choked his words and felt his stomach had butterflies inside. He took a quick breath, "H-hi, Scootaloo. Yeah, I'm ready for the trip; this'll be my first time going. Your first time?" The tangerine pegasus noticed his nervousness and giggled about it, "Yep, this'll be my first time too. What do you think it's like up there?" The conversation began and maybe their blooming relationship too. Just what Spike expected for the two.

Spike was being nuzzled by Sweetie Belle and he pecked her cheek, wrapping his arm around her neck and pulling her close to his side. The two looked to their left at Applebloom who seemed to be a bit lonely with herself. Then they saw Pipsqueak, the only pony they know that has a brown spot on his left eye and has an accent that was different like Appleblooms. He walked up next to the farm pony with his red bandanna on his head that he liked to wear. He tried to say something, not noticing that the dragon and the unicorn were watching him to see if he'll make a move on Applebloom, but he couldn't work up any words. Spike couldn't help but start a conversation to help out the white and brown spotted pony, "Hey Pipsqueak, you excited about the field trip?"

"I sure am, Spike!" He cheered, "Being able to know what it's like to be a pegasus up above in the clouds sounds great." He then looked to Applebloom with a shy look. That question though seemed to get him to think up a few words to say to her, "So, Applebloom," he said nervously, grabbing the fillys attention; "you think this trip to Cloudsdale will be fun?"

Applebloom couldn't help but smile at the colts red nervous face, "Yep, ah think it'll b' fun." She got a half-smile from Pipsqueak. "Mind if I ask you," Pip started, "where did you get that bow on your head? You look cute wearing it?"

"She got it from a pig." Trouble had arrived, Diamond and her friends making awake towards them. "Why waste your time with this filthy pony, Pipsqueak? She works on a farm and dirties herself everyday." Pipsqueak already disliked what the pink ponys words, "She's better than you that's for sure," he shot back, taking defense for the pony he liked. "You think you have every right to treat a pony any way you like. I'm surprised you even have friends." Diamond didn't take that too kindly and grew angry, "Oh yeah, well you have that spot on your face!"

"An' what is that supposed ta mean?" Applebloom questioned the crued pony. "How does Snips put up with ya?" "Hey!" Snips cried, "Don't bring me into this."

"And what's going I here my little ponies?" Twilight asked when she stepped in front of all the young ponies that seemed to her, to be having a fuss over something. Spike tapped on the lavender unicorns shoulder, "Nothing, Twilight, just passing the time." She gave a sarcastic questionin look at the ponies and they all nodded. "Alright then, hold still so I could give you all the spell." She lit her horn and one pony floated for a short second before the purple glow around faded off; then Twilight went on to the next pony and did the same. She did it to each other pony and Spike before the balloons that were rented came; there were four balloons. Twilights balloon was also there. So seven young ponies and one adult pony was able to fit into one balloon.

Ms. Cheerilee stood in front of everypony, "Alright class, we are ready to take to the skies and go to Cloudsdale." The class cheered in excitement. The groups began to enter into the balloons and Twilight took Spike, the CMC, Dinky Doo, Pipsqueak and Featherweight into her balloon. Afloat they went until they reached the altitude to start heading to Cloudsdale.

"Last time I was in Cloudsdale, Spike, I was here for Rainbow Dash when she performed the Sonic Rainboom in the Youngest Flier Compitition; and won." The unicorn wanted to share a quick story with the youngsters. She did get them to look appalled by it, especially Scootaloo. "Yeah!" She joyfully said, "And how she saved Rarity from her impending doom and the Wonderbolts as well, with that Sonic Rainboom. I saw it from the ground and I started cheering out because there is no other cooler pony like Rainbow Dash that could soar through the sky at the fastest of speeds and still keep going." Scootaloo felt hyped up to go to Cloudsdale now.

With no more time to waste, they had made it the cloud city of Cloudsdale; turns out they were the first balloon to make it as well. Once the balloon touched down, Twilight was first to hop to demonstrate that her spell does let them walk on the white fluffy clouds. The rest hopped off and felt the softness of the city right as they touched down. "Wow, these would the best pillows ever!" Spike said, "Then I'll never wake up in the morning."

Twilight rolled her eyes, "Yeah, desperado, you keep dreaming." They waited for the rest of the class to land so they could start the trip. The guide for the trip was...Rainbow Dash! "Sup guys, you up for knowing about Cloudsdale I hear," she said to all the young ponies, "Well, let me be the first to tell you that there is thing we have to get through: when we go into the weather factory, please don't make a lot of noise, all the ponies need concentration. We don't need another incident that involves Rarity again," she looked to Twilight with a concerned look, "right Twilight?" Twilight gave a bad smile and agreed.

So the trip finally began and all of Ms. Cheerilee's class followed behind Rainbow Dash; Scootaloo was especially close to the dare-pony. "Hey Rainbow Dash, you think there'll be enough time to show us the Sonic Rainboom?" The filly asked with enthusiasm.

"Meh, maybe. If I could get Twilight to reinact with me for when I saved Rarity." Twilight heard that and turned her head to the the pegasus, "Say what?" "Oh nothing Twilight." The cyan pony winked at Scootaloo, "I'll get her to."

They walked through the city to get to the weather factory, one part of it got the kids really excited. Scootaloo asked, "Ooh, can you show us around the Rainbow Factory, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow laughed out sarcastically, "Heh, heh, heh, we can't. Maybe some other time." She looked up to the building and then back down to Scootaloo and felt a shiver down her spine. "It won't happen," she said to herself. They went through the technicians of making the clouds and making the snowflakes for winter, the machinery to make the weathers change, and even a few explanations on how they make wind power.

Nopony seemed to realize that a number of ponies seperated from the class along the way. Spike, the Crusaders, and Dinky split with them when they were passing through the hemisphere production center. They didn't seem to care that they had split, they were too caught up on seeing around the factory...the exit they were near of. They walked right out the exit and saw the city. They already saw that it was enormous, which made them look up at the fine scenery of the place. "So, what do we do now?" Dinky asked.

"I guess we find the class, right?" Sweetie Belle told them, looking rather scared about not being with anypony that she knew of that would get then off the cloud because she started to feel sky-sick. "You know the spell is temporary, right, we could fall right through at any moment." Everyponys eyes widened and looked to eachother in a circular form. "Yep," Applebloom said, "Lets go find 'em before somethin' goes wrong." Instead of taking it slow, they sprinted around the building looking for the rest of the class. The spell really was starting to wear off, Applebloom started to feel heavy, "This ain't good, my hooves are starting to sink into the cloud."

"Forget the class then!" Spike yelled, "Just get to the balloons." They turned around and ran out the door to where the balloons were; luckily they weren't far from the factory and they all jumped into the same balloon they came in from before. "Yeah, we just wait here for the rest of the class," Sweetie Belle said as her breathing pace began to speed up. She wrapped her front hooves around Spike and squeezed him tightly, "I don't think I want to come back up on the clouds anymore. I like the ground, the precious ground." Spike chuckled and held her tightly too, seeing if it would make her feel safe that she was with him.

Scootaloo hopped out of their transportation, "I think I should go tell the class before they find out on their own." She sped back to the building.

"So what do we do while we wait?" Dinky asked, tapping her hoof on the edge if the basket and lying on her back with her hooves behind her neck as a pillow. The three other remaining children shrugged. "Well, we could always talk about our day."

"Ah spent mine with Pipsqueak," Applebloom shared out, "he's a really nice pony and he's also quite charmin' too. You were right Spike, givin' Pip a chance really helped me realize that ah maybe like 'im too." The farm pony looked outside the basket to see if anypony was coming - nothing so far. They waited for about ten minutes before a pony jumped inside and landed on top of the group while they were laying down. "Ahh! What happened!? We on land yet?"

"Eeh no, Spike," the pony said to them, it was Pipsqueak. "We saw Diamond Tiara starting to sink through the cloud and we ran back here. Does it make me a bad pony to say I wanted to laugh to that?" He got some laughs and he felt okay about it, "so a yes then?" He got nods from the ponies and dragon.

Took time to reach the bottom before everypony got off their balloon and ran off to live off the rest of the day. Spike and the Crusaders took a walk with Pip, Featherweight, and Dinky. To where though? They didn't seem to be walking to town but instead to Sweet Apple Acres. Right, to the Crusaders Clubhouse they were going. Dinky saw how everypony was with somepony, it made her feel left out and somewhat neglected. She wasn't into the whole lovey-dovey thing and prefered herself to be alone, but the smiles on the ponies faces of happiness seemed to tell her that she is missing out on something. And that was that she missing on a having a coltfriend. Worst part for her was that she inbetween all of the ponies and dragon. She took a look to the three colts: Spike, Pipsqueak, and Featherweight.

What happened with me not caring about love? She thought to herself, I didn't expect myself to experience such vivid aspects until I was older. And even then, who would choose me and take me as their special pony? Ugh, I hate asking myself this now! Oh well, better make up the best of it, but there will be a time when I can meet somepony.

"Hey Dinky, sorry to ask: but are you thinking out loud?" Spike asked, having a questionable face like everypony else around her. Dinkys face grew a deep red and she giggled a little bit, "Sorry if I was disruptive." The dragon laughed, "Don't be Dinky, we can help find that special pony for you." The ponies nodded with him, "but right now, we have to go to the crusaders clubhouse; I have a little something that'll bust out into a what I can recall from our three fillies here." He gave a seductive face to Sweetie Belle and she got the memo and gave the face back. Then Applebloom and Scootaloo caught along and looked to their new coltfriends with the face. "Pipsqueak, Featherweight, I suggest you two prepare yourselves for a ride of your life, because I know you're going to love it."

Hmm, its simple to say that the final chapter is going to be big.

Right, Notch, a little something to the new coltfriends of Scootaloo and Applebloom.

Like as of?

We both know what we have planned for the final chapter, and I bet the rest of the readers know as well of what we're doing too.

Alright, we won't give out any spoilers, BUT, we'll show out the winner of the votings; won by a landslide too: "My Little Mafia"

Here's a piece of the first chapter as it is still in production. The piece you are about to read is not apart of the final draft, it may be altered and/or removed from production. Enjoy...

The morning was bright and there wasn't a cloud in sight; a beautiful morning it was with Celestias sun high in the sky. A nice day to take a stroll around the feint town of Ponyville. That is, if the pink pony ever respected this sort of scenario rather than a cold and dark realm she always imagines and discusses with her family. She wasn't the average pony that was holly jolly and bickering about her day, no, she was kookoo in the head, and that's why she is the leader of her mob; nopony would ever try to throw her over and take the place that was hers. She kept her gray suit tight and buttened up along with her blood red tie straight and fixed properly around her neck with the neck collar sticking up rather than folded. Her mane was a flushed color of pink, draping down to her knees as straight as a pencil. She kept on her fours slowly as she walked in dismay to the daylight that was blocked from shining on her from her mane and her gray fedora, shunning that demonic sunshine they call happiness.

She kept on the dirt road heading into her death trap, turning her head to her right to look to her associate. She said with a high, yet deep voice, "So how is the deal coming along with Applejack? Is she buying or not?"

The pony walking by the leaders side had a fiery yellow fur color and flaming colored hair that stood out like if it was really flaming on her head; her eyes shone like an amber to the sunbeams that brought down to her bare head. She had a buttonup khaki suit with a Wonderbolt tie that represented where she worked; and her wings perched comfortably at her sides, fluttering every few minutes when they needed to be strecthed out. She kept a keen eye on her leader, hoping that she wouldn't run off anywhere like she always does for no exact reason. Her voice sounded light and unsuspecting as she replied to the pony she walked with, "She's coming to her senses."

"Listen here, Applejackass! I could have this whole farm, your life's work and your family's prized possession, burned down with you and your family going down with it! Now the is something you've owed us since day one and that's out apple supply. We run low every week and we have to then split it till we feel the urge to eachother. Now you'll give everything we need!" The fiery pony punched again at the farm pony in the face with her brass hooves, knocking more drips of blood onto her white long-sleeve and on her face. The pony sitting, with her hindlegs and upper legs tied to the chair she sat on, coughed out a small pond of blood that landed at the feet of the demanding pony. She kept her face of courage up and spitted some leftover blood and saliva at the pegasus' face. This made the yellow pegasus more mad than she already was that she punched again at the face of Applejack.

Applejack coughed again, "Some interrogation huh, Spitfire? Ya wasting half-ass time beating the shit outta me when you could just go back and fuck yer friend Soarin'. And her threatnin' to burn down her only food supply? It ain't just fer you ya know; it's for the townsfolks too ya dumbass." She smirked at her and gave a small chuckle. She would've spoke again, but she already knew she had put some thought into the pegasus. She got one more punch to her bruised and bleeding face before the pony turned her attention to the massive doors of the barn.

Spitfire walked there with a few last words before leaving, "You have a week to figure your shit out, Applejack, or this hellhole is literally going to Tartarus."

"So it went better than expected?" The pink pony asked with an irrational tone. She thought to herself that there was something her right-hand mare wasn't saying. There's more than what she told her. To be sure for her thoughts, she asked, "Did you have to use force against her?"

"No, Pinkamena, she took the words in like a listening foal."

"Well, Spitfire, I believe you've proven more worthy than you've ever done since you joined the family. Now, lets grab a coffee at the Indigo Helms." Pinkamena took a right at the intersection of town hall and checked her surroundings by using only her pupils, feeling a little concerned to why the town was a little quiet this morning, especially around town hall; there's always commotion going about around here. "Something's not right, Spitfire; it's quiet here."

"Oh don't worry about it Pinka, there hasn't been as much talk as there has been the past few days. Just take a drink and we'll head back." She veered a grinning smile, showing her trust that everything was okay and that they could enjoy themselves. They were now passing the coffee shop. Spitfire room a peek in the building, seeing a few ponies sitting at tables with the daily newspaper in their hooves and sipping their drinks every few moments or so. Slow day it must've been for the Indigo Helms. She saw four ponies in particular inside, covering themselves with the papers and their hats. She noticed one of them uncovered and showed her lavender face and her horn that showed that she was a unicorn.

Pinkamena didn't seem to check inside through the window before passing through the glass door that rang out a bell chime that was above the frame. Upon reaching up to the register, she saw the pony that she had known for a while and had trust for. She had a white mane that was tied into a ponytail and green fur that went with the colors of the building she worked in. She had her white apron on and quickly tightened it as it loosened before meeting her friends face when he looked up. "Hey Pinka, how's it?" She asked casually.

The pink pony half-smiled, "Not much at all Starbucks; slow day I see." She looked around the interior to see not many ponies; a count of ten for the most.

"Nah, it's still brightly early right now, they'll be coming in like thunder within an hour or so. Don't worry, I already knew you'd be coming, so I made your coffee early - still hot." The green pony reached along the counter behind her and grabbed at a foam cup of hot coffee, passing it to the earth pony.

The pony reached into her suit pocket and pulled out a few bits and plopped them on the register, "Thanks, Star. Could you make another for Spitfire here?" She got a nod of approval and the pony got to work. Pinka sensed something that told her she wasn't safe. She looked around again and there she saw it, four ponies sitting together with their faces buried in the newspaper. She turned her head to the pegasus, but there was a magnum rather than a face in front of her. "Spitfire," she said demonically, "what in Celestias name are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Pinkamena, but I need this money and Soarin'," the pony answered, cocking the five-chambered gun and putting the barrel between the pink ponys eyes.

The four ponies that were sitting at the table rose up from their seats and looked at the defenseless pink pony. One was smiling at the scene, awaiting for the mare to be out down. "How does it feel to be put down so early in the morning, Pinkamena? And at the time you'd least expect it?"

Pinkamena grinned deviously, "You really don't consult your members do you?" She got the unicorn to think to herself and the unicorn turned around to one of her goons to have their magnum pointed to her skull. "Now you realize, there is always going to be a backstabber at every step of the way. Hehehe..."

And that's that. So long everypony!

"Color the Pathway from Notch to Night"

-N§

"Happy Reading Experiences"

-G§