Dino Pop has a minion!

Tito the Chorm

It was passed her bedtime, she knew, but the little teal filly was too excited to sleep. Her mommy had put her to bed, saying that tomorrow would be a big day for Ponies, and she would be the daughter of the most famous scientists in Equestria. The mare obviously could barely contain her excitement, practically skipping from the filly's room. Of course, the mood was contagious as our little girl couldn't help but sneak from her bed to follow.

She wasn't supposed to go into Mommy and Daddy's lab, but the sounds they were making were so interesting. They would exclaim here and giggle there, sounding so happy that the filly just had to tiptoe down the steps, careful not to fall and break her neck.

She snuck around the heaps of metal and half finished inventions at the edge of the room, trying not to let her hooves make to much noise. When she finally reached where her parents were, it was obvious why they were so excited. Their invention was enormous, and so fancy looking. It gleamed and shone and whirred with life, covered with buttons and lights and levers, our little filly just had to sneak inside.

There was a display with numbers, and so many buttons that the filly just had to push them.

"Honey? Hondy I think we've done it! Just a few more adjustments . . ."

A loud sound, almost like a siren or a foghorn blasted through the basement room and the little filly cried out, covering her ears with her hooves. When the sound finally stopped, she stood up unsteadily, her ears ringing uncomfortably. "Mommy?" She looked around the interior of the machine. "What was that sound?" She hopped out of the back hatch where she'd gotten in, jumping a little when the ground was wet, and felt more like grass than the tile of the lab. Walking around the front, she kept looking around, eyes not adjusted to the darkness. "Daddy? Daddy, I'm sorry I came down here, I-"

Her parents weren't there.

**--**

"Ready or not, here I come!" The little filly bounded from behind the large rock, hooves clicking on the hard ground. She looked from side to side, eyes wide with excitement. There was a giggle to her right, and she took off, a laugh bubbling from her own throat. A little dinosaur darted from behind the large bush, just out of her reach, but not for long. She ran on four legs while they ran on two; they were no match for her speed. She caught up to the baby dinosaur, leaping onto her. They rolled for a moment before stopping in a tangle of limbs, laughing and giggling. As per the rules of this game, they now worked together to find the rest of the baby dinos. It was a game she used to play a long time ago, and it was still fun.

Several minutes later there was still a missing dino. They had searched all over the nest area, and hadn't found him yet. Little Tito was a mischievous little bugger, and it was no surprise that he was the last to be found. "Dino Pop," one of the little baby dinosaurs looked to the filly, "What if he went into the jungle?" Dino looked uneasy.

"He knows we aren't allowed in there," another piped up.

"Yeah, but when has that stopped him before?"

Dino Pop shook her head and stamped a hoof. "Looks like we'll have to go find him. We'll only go in a little bit, then if we still don't find him, we'll have Ma and Pa go look, ok?" The others nodded nervously. They slowly made their way into the thick shrubs, careful not to attract their parents' attention. Dino led the search party, using her horn as a light; something her mother had taught her long ago. They walked for a few minutes before it was obvious they wouldn't find Tito. The group was about to turn around when Dino's light caught on something shiny. Unable to resist, she walked toward it and investigated.

"Okay, Dinah, we're gonna be okay. Mommy and Daddy will find us."

The big metal contraption looked the same as it did years ago, though there were several plants growing over it, and it had given away to rust in several places. Dino, filled with excitement, rushed to the door and bounded inside.

"Dinah, you stay here. I'll be right back. I have to get some food. I promise I'll be right back!"

Inside was the little stuffed dinosaur she had kept as a little filly. And cuddling that dino plushie was her littlest dinosaur brother, Tito. "Tito! There you are!" He looked up and rushed over to them. He was shaking.

Mommy, Daddy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was bad. Please . . . please come get me."

"What is this thing?" Tito asked. "I got lost and it felt safe. Do you know? Dino Pop?"

"This is how I got here," she said absently. The faces of her parents floated around in her mind. "I wonder how it works . . . I pushed these buttons . . ." She went to the console and pushed a few buttons but nothing was responding; it had run out of power years ago. Her heart fell, but an idea came to her mind. She jumped out of the machine, her siblings following her curiously. Running around the machine, she eventually found the socket for the plug. Though she was young when she left her parents, she was still the daughter of the two most brilliant scientists in Equestria, and she was able to put two and two together with little trouble. She used her magic to power the machine, smiling brightly when it whirred to life.

"Everyone, go home to Ma and Pa. They'll be worried about us," she said as she climbed back into the machine.

"What are you doing?" Tito peeked inside, just tall enough to see over the step without climbing.

"My parents are worried about me too. I want to see them again." She turned to her siblings. "I love you guys. Tell Ma and Pa that I'll miss them, but I'll come visit, I promise. You guys remember the path we took, right?" They nodded. "I'll be back soon." She closed the door and pressed the button.

When she opened the door again, it was in a dark cellar. There were pieces of metal strewn about and cables tangled everywhere. The stairs were covered in dust, but Dino Pop climbed them confidently. They were still the same stairs she climbed down as a little filly.

The door creaked as she opened it, the room she entered dark as night. There was, however, a light at the end of the hallway. She headed toward it, heart pounding. "Mommy? Daddy? Are you there?" She heard something fall and break. The door opened more and two unicorns rushed from the room.

"Mommy! Daddy!"