The group could only watch as the young whelp turned and looked at them. A smile was stretched across his face. Sunny reach out her hoof and begged, "Please," Her voice almost failed her as she suppressed a sob.

Here is where we all stand together for the last time. The noise should be great but there is only silence. Why must one so young pay for our crime. I want to cry out in defiance. But, if I stop it will be our kinds last. Oh, why must it be this way? I wish we could go back to the first day.

Maretime bay a regular jewel by the sea. Not just the home to earth ponies any more. But, also to a couple of unicorns and pegasai. Hard to believe that months ago all three races hated each other. But, now with the magic restored and bridges rebuilt. Equestria's future seem to be shining brighter than before. Yes, all seemed-.

"SUNNY!" The voice of Hitch yelled out.

Sunny jumped and quickly looked around. When her mind finally settled; she looked at her friend with a smile and a blush before asking, "I did it again?"

He replied, "You were doing it again." he couldn't help but chuckle a little as she sat back down at the table.

She sighed as she shook her head before saying, "Sorry," She paused a moment to get a quick sip of her smoothie, "It's just," She turned and looked at her home town, "I can't believe how far we've come." She smiled as she watched some foals playing together. It a trio that was made up of an earth, pegasus, and unicorn. They were walking together and having fun as they sung Pip's song for the fifth time.

Hitch commented, "I swear that's like the only song we know," That earned him a funny look from sunny. He rubbed the back of his head with one of his hooves before he corrected himself, "Well aside from that other one by Izzy." He nervously laughed; while she laughed at him. He then asked, "When did they say they would be here?"

Not to long ago they received a letter from their friends. It said they were coming over for a visit some time this after noon. Sunny answered, "Well it's a quarter till one. They should be hear at any moment."

In the forest just outside of Maretime bay. A dragon hatchling walked on the old stone path. He hummed a small tune as he walked through the woods. On his shoulder he carried a small satchel. It had numerous pins and designs on it. Around his neck was a small rusted gear. It had what appeared to be the number eleven written on it. But, a third number was too faded out to be seen. He listened to the birds chirping; felt the suns warm rays on his cream colored scales. He took in a deep breath of fresh air just as he stepped out of the woods.

He gazed at the beautiful open country side for just a moment. Before he opened his satchel and pulled out a camera. He began to snap a few picks of the land before he said, "This land is so beautiful." A pair of shadows passed over him causing him to look up and see to pegasus ponies flying over. He spoke in excitement, "Oh, cool!" He began to snap picks of them as the flew off.

He watched as the kept flying on towards what appeared to be a large sea faring town in the distance. He put away his camera and took out a map; he undid the rubber-band he kept wrapped around it so it wouldn't unroll inside his bag. When he finally got the map open; he quickly scanned it over. Before he smiled happily and said, "Yep, no doubt about it. That is Maretime bay," He smiled proudly before he continued, "I made it," He laughed a little, "I finally made it!"

He quickly rolled up his map and secured it with the rubber-band before putting it back into the bag. He then started to run towards the town. As he ran down the path; he did not notice the unicorn that was walking down another path. She didn't notice him as she skipped along. The paths they were on; started to slowly come together. Little by little as they made their ways down them. Then, at the junction where both paths became one. The hatchling ran right into the unicorn. The unicorn came to a complete halt. While the dragon was knocked onto his backside.

He groaned, "Ow," He sat up asking, "What did I?"

He stopped as he noticed a pair of hooves in front of him. He followed the up; only to be greeted with the smiling face of a pony. He was stunned silent at first; until he smiled happily and said, "A unicorn!" He quickly reach for his camera and snapped a few picks.

Izzy asked, "Are you okay?"

He replied, "Yes, better than okay!" He began to circle her; he had a small bounce in his step as he continued, "I'm talking to an actual unicorn! I can't believe this! This is so exciting!"

Izzy couldn't keep herself from laugh as the cute creature bounced around her. When it came to a stop; it walked closer to her. It then clutched a small amount of her mane. She heard it say, "Your mane it's soft and it very pretty."

She smiled and thanked it, "Thank you," she noticed what appeared to be purple quills on the top of it head. She lifted her hoof and gently stroked them with the grain. It caused him to laugh as he said, "Hey, that tickles." It caused her to giggle a little.

When the two finally calmed down; they just stared at each other for awhile. Before he apologized, "I'm sorry," He then introduced himself, "I seem to have left my manners behind," He extended his claw to her, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Snug."

She smiled at him and gently grasped his claw with a hoof, "Nice to meet you," They shook their hoof and claw as she continued, "My name is Izzy. Izzy moonbow"

He commented, "That's a pretty name."

She smiled and replied, "And, your name is cute." That earned a small chuckle from him. She then asked, "What brings you here to Maretime bay?"

He answered, "Oh, I'm traveling across Equestria. I want to meet, see," He then pulled out his camera again, "And, take as many new creature, towns, and," He paused as he got a quick glimpse of the light house, "Oh, cool!" He ran past Izzy and started snapping pictures of the building.

Izzy was on the verge of a cuteness overload. Snug was just too adorable. When he finished snapping pictures she asked him, "Hey, Snug?"

He looked at her and replied, "Yes?"

She then continued, "Would you like to meet my friends? I'm sure they would love to meet you."

Snug wondered if this day could get any better as he shouted, "Oh, yeah!"

Izzy could help but smile again before they walked into the town together. As they entered multiple ponies stared and looked at him. As he waved and smiled back at them. He soon had his camera out again and started snapping pictures. He still couldn't believe he was here in Maretime bay.

When Izzy saw her friends she called out to them, "Hey, guys!" They looked at her as she continued, "I made a new friend!"

When Snug turned to look and see who she was talking too. He couldn't believe his eyes. There was a group of four ponies sitting at a table. And, two of them were the pegasus that he saw flying over head. He could barely contain his excitement as he ran up to them. Izzy was right behind him

As the creature reached the table Zipp asked, "Who's your-?"

She was interrupted as it spoke, "I saw you two earlier!" His sudden burst cause her to jump back slightly. He apologized, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just so excited!"

Zipp replied with a smile, "It's okay," She sat back down before she asked, "What are you?"

Before he could answer Sunny almost yelled, "It's a dragon!"

Snug quickly turned an looked around while say, "A dragon! Where?!" He then turned back to them with a chuckle as they laughed at his silliness.

When the group settled down; Zipp asked again, "So, Izzy, who is your friend?"

He answered, "I'm sorry. I forgot my manners again," He introduced himself, "A pleasure to meet all of you. I am Snug."

They each smiled as they introduced themselves. First was Sunny, "Hello, I'm Sunny, starscout." Next was Hitch, "Names Hitch, trailblazer." Zipp was after him, "Hello, I'm Zipp storm. But, you can just call me Zipp." Her sister then introduced herself, "I'm Pipp petals. But, you can just call me Pipp." And, last was Izzy, "You already know me. But, I'll reintroduce myself. My name is Izzy, moonbow."

Snug smiled happily before Hitch asked him, "So why are you named Snug?" He smiled sheepishly before he answered, "Don't laugh," He let out a nervous giggle before answering, "It's short for Snugglebug."

Pipp spoke, "Okay, that's it," She got up and walked over to him, "I am hugging you right now."

He smiled happily as he got up and then got a big hug from her. The others smiled just as she started to live stream her interaction with him. As she live streamed to her Pipsqueaks; he suddenly pressed one of her talons against her nose while saying, "Boop.". Not only did it cause all of them to laugh. But, the video already had over a million likes. When they settled down again; the waiter had already brought the others their drinks.

The waiter asked Snug, "Would you like anything to drink."

Snug answered, "No, thank you," He then reached into his satchel and pulled out a bottle of blue glow liquid, "I've brought my own." The waiter nodded before walking off.

Hitch asked, "What is that?"

Snug answered, "Starlight, Soda. My favorite drink," He then reached into his bag again and pulled out a small cup before asking, "Wanna try some?"

Hitch shrugged before Snug poured some of the soda into the cup and passed it to him. He stared at it at first before lifting it up and taking a quick sip from it. He commented, "Hmm, fruity." He noticed the others were staring at him. He asked, "Something wrong?"

Pipp then brought up her phone and switched the camera to selfie. She then held it up to Hitch; allowing him to see that his mane was glowing like a night sky.

He exclaimed, "Whoa! What in the!? Whoa!"

Snug couldn't help but laugh as he took a drink from his soda. The quills on the top of his head began to glow also. He said, "Don't worry. The glowing stops after a little while."

Pipp already had her phone pulled back so that she was in the frame. She then commented, "You just saw it right here Pipsqueaks."

Before anymore could be said Hitch almost yelled, "You stop live streaming that right now!"

She replied, "Too late."

All of them then shared a laugh again.

If I had know then what I know now. I would have kept him from leaving our town. We were foolish to play the game. Foolish to help him live up to his family name. For the following day all of us would travel across Equestria on another journey. Only this time it was to save all of our futures from a horrible tragedy.