Isle of She-Beasts

by Phantom-Dragon

Rating: mature
Tags: Spike, Science Fiction, Starlight Glimmer, Equestria Girls, Sex, Main 7 (EqG), Violence, Alternate Universe, Human, Anthro, Grogar, Romance, Thriller
Length: 208596

Spike is shipwrecked on an island, ruled by a mad scientist, populated by beast-people, with She-Beasts as his only allies.

20-year-old Nathan "Spike" Draco hopes to become a wildlife photographer, but suffers from a severe case of gynophobia. He joined a marine biology crew to study and take pictures of marine wildlife. However, thanks to a storm and a sabotage, Spike would quickly find himself on an unchartered island with the rest of the crew missing.

While searching for his missing crewmates, Spike would quickly discover that the island is home to a mad scientist who experiments on people by turning them into half-human half-animal hybrids. Spike quickly escapes but finds himself lost within the island's wilderness where the mad doctor's unholy experiments roam about.

Spike would then run into a group of she-beasts who were once normal college girls that came to this island a year prior and have been trying to fight off their more animalistic urges. Spike is going to have to get over his phobia and work with these beast girls if he has any chance of getting off this island, if at all...

This story was heavily inspired by The Island of Doctor Moreau, 1958's She Demons, Island 731, and, to some extent, Girls Suraus.

Co-author and editor: Mechazilla

Featured on January 24, 2022.

Published 2022-01-24 04:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2025-01-26 23:01:33 UTC

2 —The Isle of Beasts

The waters crashed along the shores. The seagulls cawing as they fly overhead. The sun shining down on the beach.

"What happened?"

Spike wearily opened up his eyes, gingerly standing up, wobbling, until he found his balance.

"Where am I?" Spike asked, looking around to find he is on a beach. "Newt Chimera? Anyone? Guys?"

Looking around at the wreckage of the ship, or what's left of it, Spike proceeded to search for New Chimera and the rest of the crew. But after an hour of searching, it wasn't long for Spike to realize he is all alone.

"I'm...I'm all alone?" Spike shuddered. "I'm...on an island...far away from...civilization..."

The young man dreaded in horror, realizing that he may never see his family again. And no one would know what became of him. Worst still, he's trapped on an island, populated with who knows what.

Shaking his head, Spike cleared his mind of negative feelings as he resolved, "No! I can't think like that. There's gotta be a way. Like dad always says, when there's a will, there's a way. And I'm going to find a way off this island! The question is...where do I begin?"

The first thing on Spike's agenda was simple: Load up his backpack with some essential supplies he could find, onboard the ship.

First aid kit.

Flashlight.

Ropes.

A compass.

A pocket knife.

"Phew," Spike sighed in relief, when he finds his camera was still intact. "You cost me a lot of money to lose, little guy," He said, as he wears the strap around his neck.

Once he was all geared up, Spike proceeded to explore the island, hoping to find civilization, some things to build a raft, and if he's lucky, maybe a telephone, since his phone is lost at sea.

He hadn't gone far from the beach, when he looked down to see a long trail of footprints in the sand. Some of them were made from prints of shoes, possibly members of the Marine Wildlife Photographers. The rest of the footprints, however, appeared to be made from a wide variety of animals.

"Hmmm, interesting," Spike said as he inspected to the footprints. "These look like canine paw prints, but these looked more like they were made from the hind leg... almost like this dog had learned to walk on two legs? And these looked like hoof tracks from a boar, an ox, and a... a zebra? What happened here?"

Standing up, Spike got a better look at his surroundings. It seemed as though animal tracks came from different directions, from the jungle, onto the tracks left behind, by the Marine Wildlife Photographers.

"I'm guessing while I was out, Mr. Newt Chimera and the team must've gotten acquainted with the island's inhabitants," Spike deduced. "I hope they're okay...but what kind of animals would–"

Before he could continue, the sound of drumbeats interrupted his train of thoughts. The young man looked up, holding a hand up to his ear, locating the source in the jungle.

"I hope I haven't been drinking the sea waters too much," Spike muttered to himself, as he headed into the jungle. "Because if that really is the sound of drums, then that means...there's someone living on the island! But are they friendly?"

Spike followed the sounds of beating drums, until he arrived at a clearing. There, he discovered, much to his horror – and somewhat arousal – a circle of scantily clad women, barefoot, dancing around a fire, while some others stood on the sideline, playing the drums.

[Tribal Mix & Tribal Dance]

In appearance, the women appeared to be in their 20s-30s, and they all have stunning voluptuous figures.

However, the one who stood out the crowd has a pale pink hair, with lovely curls at the end, with hypnotic purple eyes, lovely eyelashes, all of which screams angelic, complimenting the rest of her gallant figure.

For attires, they all wear the same brown bikini tops and short skirts, with a knot tied on the right side of their hips, though some of them were wearing simple loincloths, and are adorn with necklaces, made up of flowers, seas shells, and, what appeared to be, the claws and teeth of some animals.

Out of impulse, Spike hid himself behind a tree. Last thing he needed was to be spotted by a group of women. No matter how gorgeous or sexy they may be.

From behind the shrubs, Spike watched as the women shook their hips, swayed their arms, and spun themselves around.

They danced, swerving their hips, moving their abdomen, fluidly, almost enticing him. They spun themselves around, exotically, yet elegantly, causing their bottoms to flare up, as if teasing and giving a peek. Though, Spike wasn't all that interested. Still, he can't help but feel quite aroused.

Next thing he knew, the woman dropped themselves on all four, before they began making motion gestures with their hands, as if they are claws of a big cat. But the pink haired woman, in the center, rolled on her back, arching herself from the ground, while running a hand across her midriff. It was from this display that Spike noticed how well-endowed she is. So much, that he felt his face heating up, his whole body going numb, and then some.

'What's happening to me?' Spike mentally asked himself. 'What is this...reaction?'

What the pink haired woman did next, was to Spike, the cherry on the topping. Rolling herself back on all four, she arched her back, and held a hand up to her chin, and purred, "Nya~"

Suddenly, the sound of tree branches snapping was heard. Spike looked to his left and sees a large hulking beast, lumbering from the trees, through the clearing.

[End of Dance]

When Spike looked up, he was alarmed to see how the beast, seems to be a tall, muscular man, yet has the face of a wild boar.

"Whoa...is that...Bebop's big brother?" Spike asked.

The women, however, didn’t seemed to be frightened. Instead, they parted and respectively bowed their heads for the creature.

After the creature passed, Spike looked to see it was carrying two unconscious members of his crew.

"Hey...where is that thing taking them?" Spike asked to himself. "Maybe to Mr. Newt Chimera and the rest of the crew. Guess I'm gonna have to follow him."

Hiding himself deeper in the shrubs, Spike waited until the jungle women resumed their dancing to notice. Moving ever so slowly, as quiet as a mouse, Spike snuck out from the bushes, and quietly followed behind the huge boar-man, without being noticed.

Or so he hoped...

As Spike followed the boar-man, the jungle began to become darker with each step. Hardly any ray of sunlight could pass through the thick branches and leaves of the trees. Spike almost tripped over some roots a couple of times, as he followed the boar-man through the jungle, before arriving at the mouth of a tunnel.

"Mr. Newt Chimera and the others must be in there," Spike said to himself, with dread. "...I hope I don't regret this..."

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Spike sprinted after the boar-man, into the cave. Inside the cave, the air felt moist, humid, and stale. Upon arriving at the other end of the cavern, Spike looked to find himself in what appeared to be a courtyard, filled with cages of all kinds of animals, including lions, tigers, and bears.

"Oh my!" Spike exclaimed, as he looked around at the facility. "What is this place? Some kind...secret zoo? WHOA!"

Spike got a little too close, when he backed up against a jaguar's cage. The spotted wildcat let out a hiss, furiously swiping a paw at the young man, who backed away to avoid the claws and fangs.

After a moment to compose himself and catching his breath from the near-death experience, Spike turned his attention, back at the boar-man, to see the beast walking through some doors, that immediately slid to the sides, granting the creature passage.

Spike was just about to follow, when the sound of screaming caught his attention. It sounded like a woman's scream. However, it was the next scream that startled him the most.

"Please forgive me my dear! I-I never wanted this! I never wanted any of this!" Said a familiar voice.

"Mr. Chimera?!" Spike exclaimed, recognizing the man's voice.

Looking for the source, Spike soon set his sight on a vent in the ground. Bending down, he looked through the gaps to see, what appeared to be a laboratory of some kind.

From what Spike could see the lead biologist, with a very sad expression on his face, standing next to a dark and large burly figure as he witnessed something horrible. Spike was both shocked and confused by this. Mr. Chimera knew these guys? Was he the one who knocked out, or killed, the captain and turned off the radio?

"I can't watch this anymore. Tell father that I'll be in my quarters." Newt told the figure next to him glumly who only nodded in reply.

And with that, Mr. Chimera left with his head down in shame. Next thing Spike saw, a crackle of electricity illuminated the laboratory below, with the sound of a woman's screaming, and the whirling sound of machineries, as they subjected her to a series of gruesome tortures.

“Whoa!” Spike yelped, jumping back, startled. “Did not need to see that!”

After a moment to regain his composure, Spike picked himself up, reigning in his train of thoughts.

“What the hell is happening?” He asked himself. “Who are those guys? What is this place? What’s with all these animals? And…how does Mr. Chimera know these people? I gotta find him. But first…how am I going to get in?”

Spike looked at his surroundings, and begins to formulate a plan of action. He’s in a courtyard, that’s full of caged animals, and the only way in was a couple of automatic open side doors.

He could go in, through the door, but there’s no telling what could be waiting for him on the other side.

There’s the windows, but they seemed to be barred. Not only that, but Spike has no way of climbing the walls.

“So then, that’s assuming, the only way in would be—AAAHHH!!!” Spike yelped when he tripped and fell into a pond, with a large pipe, next to him.

“Ugh,” He cringed in disgust. “Shit.”

3 — Dr. Grogar

“ICK!” Spike grumbled.

The catacombs reeked of a foul smell that Spike wishes to never know.

But he was still thankful that it is his only way, into this strange building.

He’s scared out of his mind for being here. He’s constantly berating himself for not thinking this through. So much has happened. He and his colleagues were on a cruise to photograph some marine wildlife.

Instead, they got caught in a storm, ended up shipwrecked, with Spike by his lonesome, and the rest of his crew mates held prisoner, by a muscle bound thug, with the face of a boar.

He wants nothing more than to get off of this island, and fast. Though, first thing’s first, he needs to find the rest of his crew, and get some answers from Mr. Chimera. Judging by the man’s expressions from earlier, he seemed to know what is going on.

“Mr. Chimera and everyone else, just hang on,” Spike said. “I’m coming.”

However, Spike hadn’t gotten very far, when he was stepped on something that created a sickening crack.

He looked down, and was horrified to find a human skeleton. Before long, he realized he was surrounded by piles of bones, of humans, who have all died in a gruesome death, before they have gone off to a better place. Spike nearly lost his lunch, as he was overwhelmed by the cold clammy feeling that took hold of his entirety. He realizes where that foul smell was coming from. The dead! And it's still fresh, so thick, and horrid that with every passing seconds, he could feel his lunch, threatening to come up.

After ten minutes of wandering the stinking catacombs, Spike was relieved to find the exit. Sliding the manhole open, he crawled into an empty room, most likely storage, and breathed, relieving to smell fresh air.

“Phew! Fresh air!” Spike sighed, before he turned on his flashlight to have a better look at his surroundings.

Everywhere he looked, the room was aligned with rusty beds, gurneys, and boxes, that have seen better days.

'This place must’ve been a hospital…' Spike said to himself, in his thoughts. 'Or I might’ve entered a mad scientist’s lair…'

Turning to the right, Spike flashed his light on a silver door knob. Reaching out, he turned the knob, opening the door to the side, and stepped into another room, with state-of-the-art, modern, medical equipments.

'Now these looked brand new,' Spike mentally noted, as he continues to observe, walking over to the desks and investigate.

'Got scanned photos of a person’s brain,' Spike noted. 'And it looks like they’ve done some scans of the animals’ as well…'

Turning to the right, Spike looked to see the popular poster, depicting the evolution lineage from an ape to a human being.

'Hehe, I still find it hard to believe that we could be related to apes,' Spike commented, in his thoughts. 'But fascinating too! Even more interesting to know who our distant distant relatives are, before the dinosaurs.'

After he was done with enough investigation Spike turned towards a hallway, when he looked down and saw something alarming.

“Claw marks!”

Getting down on his knees, Spike puts his trembling hands on the floor, comparing his hand to the size of the marks and feeling the depths of the large scratches.

'Really big ones too,' Spike noted in his thoughts, before he asked, 'What kind of animals could make claw marks like these? And why were they brought in here?'

Following the claw marks, Spike was surprised to find a bed, or what’s left of it, with the strappings torn apart, and the cottons ripped from the tears, and machines, next to it, heavily damaged, with wires cut, and broke glass tubes, leaking fluids.

'Something must’ve ripped its way free. Something strong…but what?'

Spike walked down the hall, passing by large glass containment tubes. Letting curiosity get the best of him, Spike took a closer look at the contents, inside one of the tubes.

From the eerie lightings, he was able to make out the outlines of humanoid shapes, attached with wires, yet there were some distinguishing features that makes it look less human, like claws, fins, and pointed ears.

“What’s going on in there?” Spike cautiously reached out to touch the glass tube.

Upon touching the glass wall, a pair of eyes burst open, startling Spike to falling back.

“AAAAAH!!’ Spike screamed, falling to the floor, dropping his flashlight.

Picking up his flashlight, Spike turned to the left to see, what appeared to be a cell, barred by a large thick glass door with holes.

Suddenly, without warning, a snarling beast leapt out from the shadows, smashing its head against the glass.

In appearance, the beast appeared to be a tiger, yet it has the biceps and a human face, and walks on two legs.

“What the hell?” Spike asked, as he continues to walk down the hallway, passing more cells containing strange looking beasts, with human traits.

“I’m getting some serious Island of Dr. Moreau vibe here,” Spike shuddered, as he looked at some of the creatures, with some staring back at him.

After wandering the halls of horrors, Spike soon found himself in a large laboratory, with a large computer, in the corner.

Before he could type away on the computer’s keyboard, some photos of suspicious people, pinned on the wall, caught his attention, each connected by colorful strings.

'Whoa, I know these guys!' Spike exclaimed mentally, as he pointed, 'Those are some of the worst criminals in the world!'

Spike turned to look at a photo of a scary muscular man, with thick white beard, and menacing eyes.

'That’s Tirek! He was an arms dealer who sold weapons to third world countries. Last I heard, Interpol was hot on his trail, in Africa, when he went missing…almost like he vanished off the face of the earth…'

Spike turned to look at a photo of a voluptuous woman, with a sinister grin and eyes.

'That’s Chrysalis. She was a sex trafficker who kidnapped young women off the streets and sells them as prostitutes. The police were following her trail to a red light district in California. I heard she was also verbally and emotionally abusive to her children. Yeesh! Out of all the women, she’s the most evil…and scary.'

Spike shuddered with chatting teeth and sweaty goosebumps.

'She gives the creeps, just by looking at her!'

Turning to the next mugshot, Spike’s eyes fell upon a photo of, surprisingly, a little girl, with a deadpan expression.

'If there’s a little girl, who could be so evil, or eviler, than Chrysalis, then it’s Cozy Glow. She was a spoiled brat with an explosive temper and was part of a mafia. For a kid her age, she’s got a hell of a list, for all the crimes she’s committed. Arson, robbery, vandalism, she’s got it all! She was last spotted in the bayous of New Orlean, before she disappeared.'

Turning to the next criminal on the wall, Spike looked at the mugshot of a scary shadowy man.

'Don Sombra! A corporate scumbag who was sexually abusive to his fiancé, Radiant Hope, and treated her as nothing more than a baby maker. It says here that she disappeared, with their last child, when the police came to raid his office building. But he was already gone then. Wherever that bastard is, I hope he gets what he deserved.'

Finally, the last criminal on the wall, was a scary man, with a face of a fiendish monkey, with piercing blue eyes, silver hair that framed his whole face.

'That’s the closest image the police got of the Storm King. He was a big time Californian crime lord who ruled the west coast with an iron fist, until he disappeared, and his entire criminal empire fell apart, in his absence.'

After he was done looking and observing each of the criminals on the wall, Spike took a step back and shook his head.

“These guys are all big time crooks…” The young man said to himself, when he noted the strings connecting one criminal to another. “Looks like they each have some sort of connection with one another. Like some kind of criminal investment that they benefit off, one another? Someone here seems obsessed with them. Why?”

After a moment of pondering, Spike decided to brush the questions to the side, and focus on the problem at hands now.

Searching for some answers, Spike started web surfing on the computer, looking up research notes, regarding the laboratory and the experiments being conducted.

He is, however, quite shocked at what he finds.

'Unbelievable!' Spike said to himself in his thoughts. 'According to these notes, they’re formulas to create a serum of some kind that re-engineers the homo sapient DNAs to include the genetic codes from outside the species! In other words, someone is trying to turn people into animals!'

"Someone is trying to turn people into animals?" Spike asked himself aloud. "But who? And why?”

“For the future of humanity and the animal kingdom!” A voice answered.

“AAAH!!!” Startled, Spike turned around and find himself, face-to-face, with an evil looking man and another man, who appeared to be his butler.

In appearance, the man seemed to be roughly in his 50s, dressed in a lab coat, bound to a wheelchair. He has a long shoulder length, dark blue hair that framed his face, complete with a goatee.

Standing behind his wheelchair, the butler appeared to be a younger man in his late 30s, sporting a brown pointy toothbrush mustache, with matcha hair that is neatly groomed. He almost looks like Alfred Pennyworth from DC’s Batman series.

“Let me introduce myself,” The man in wheelchair began. “I am Dr. Grogar PhD. And I trust, by now, you have become acquainted with my work?”

“Work?” Spike asked in shock. “You mean what you were doing to those people? To Mr.Chimera and the others? Turning them into animals?”

“A step closer towards a grand future, my boy,” Dr. Grogar sneered.

“Future?”

“Yes. Imagine, having the strength of a thousand bulls, at your fingertips, the speed of a cheetah, and longevity of a crocodile. We can control evolutions at will. We will be able to change the world, advance humanity’s biology, and revolutionize our science and understanding.”

“I know I’m going to regret asking this, but are you trying to entice me of joining your cause, or something?” Spike asked. “Just what are you trying to get me to do?”

“Newt Chimera has told me all about you, Mr. Draco,” Dr. Grogar confirmed. “He spoke highly of you, and your aptitude for animals. I could use a young man of your intellect.”

“Help you torture more people, to turn them into animals? Forget it!”

“Oh, Draco. You have no idea. This is only the beginning towards greatness. The first step of humanity to possess the power of these magnificent creatures. I can assure you, these savages that you have seen will soon revert back to their true human forms, in a matter of months. However, that has only affected the females, though I don't know why.””

“But there will be some…unforeseen side effects. Effects that I am unable to remedy, alone. However, a younger man of your talent and intellect can help me advance my research.”

“I…uh…”

“As you can see, I am unfit to continue my work,” Dr. Grogar said, gesturing towards his legs. “I’ve been confined to this chair, due to a rare degenerative disease. I was this close to perfecting a cure. One that requires the DNA of a mountain goat. But time is not on my side. My trusty butler, Bray, has been at my side, but he can only do so much. Now, I require a scientist’s help. Can you help me, young Draco?”

Spike looked around the lab, frantically looking for a way to escape. All the while, keeping an eye on Dr. Grogar, and his butler, Bray, anticipating for anything they might throw at him.

“Like hell I’d help you,” Spike said defiantly. “First, what have you done with Newt Chimera and the others?”

“Newt Chimera is safe, I can assure you,” Grogar smiled sinisterly. “His knowledge is very invaluable. But you, young man, shall join the others, very soon!”

“No!” Spike’s eyes widened in horror, as he quickly realized what Grogar was getting at.

“Bray,” Grogar rang a small bell. “Seize him!”

The butler complied, springing into actions, lunging at Spike. The young man tried to escape, but everything was all a blur. He hardly had enough time to comprehend everything that's been happening to him. Before he knew it, he was on the ground, the butler was on top of him, and he was hit with a painful impact to the head. And just like that, his whole world went dark, once again.

Sometimes later...

"Hold on Spike...I've got you..."

Spike slowly came back to his senses as he wearily blinked his eyes open, regaining his vision.

"He promised he wouldn't hurt any of you! Why did I ever trust him?"

"Who's there?"

Once his vision came back to him, Spike looked around to see he was being carried through a long tunnel of a cave, that's dark, damp, and murky.

"What's happening? Where am I now?" Spike asked.

"Shhhh, be quiet," A voice whispered. "They won't know we're here. But we have to move fast."

"That...voice..." Spike muttered, straining to fight the numbness, struggling to get a better look at the person carrying him. "Mr. Chimera? Is that you?"

"Yes, Spike, it's me," The man confirmed. "But we must hurry! Dr. Grogar will soon find you missing. And he'll send out Shade to come after you. You have to get away before he has a chance!"

"Mr. Chimera...what's happening? Where are the others? What is this place? And how do you..."

"No time for questions," Newt Chimera interrupted. "You must escape, before...Ugh..." The man strained as he paused for a moment, dropping Spike to the floor, and clutching his head. "Oh no. Not again! Not now! He's onto us!"

"Mr. Chimera...what's the matter?" Spike wobbly got up on his feet, trying to help the man. "What's wrong?"

"Stay away from me, Spike!" Newt yelled, pushing Spike away.

In his surprise, Spike grabbed ahold of the man's scarf, pulling it off to reveal a startling discovery. Around the man's necks appeared to be lines of fish-like gills.

"What the hell?" Spike gasped.

"Spike...go! Run!"

Suddenly, Newt Chimera lunged towards Spike, with his hands stretched out, like claws of a ravenous beast, pouncing towards its prey. Scared for his life, Spike caught the man he knew to be his friend, by the hands, before he frantically thrusted his legs out, kicking Newt Chimera away from him.

Unfortunately, during the struggle, Spike failed to realize he was at the edge of a large opening, leading to a sheer drop, outside of a cliff. Desperately flailing his arms out, Spike lost his balance as he fell out of the cave's opening.

Spike tried to scream, but he couldn't. Or didn't have time to, as he plummeted towards the waters below with a deadly splash.

*KER-SPLASH*

Author's Note

March 9: Changes made, based on the ThatBatJess's feedback.

5 – The Clumsy Lady-Bat

Spike was loudly snoring, as he snuggled up against his backpack. Though not as soft as the one he has, back home, on his nice, soft, warm bed, it was soft enough for him to sleep on. The only problem he has were the grasses that were poking his skin, with their sharp tips and edges.

The young man tossed and turned, in his sleep, as he tries to find a comfortable position. He didn't have to search for long, however, when he suddenly felt something soft and warm, like his bed, except it is fluffy and smooth, like his blanket. Melting into the softness of the texture, Spike let out content sigh and yawn, as sinks into an even deeper sounding sleep. To him, he felt as if he's sleeping on clouds, flying high above the world, relaxed, at peace, without a care in the world.

Had Spike woken up, however, he'd have realized the thing he was snuggling up was no blanket. But, in fact, the mane of a certain she-beast. A lady-bat, named Fluttershy.

The next morning, the sun shines through the atrium, in the ceiling, bathing the cavern in its morning glow. The pool sparkled and glistened from the sun's ray, reflecting the water's ripples off of the cavern walls. Some of the ripples passed through the crystals that sprouted around the cave, which then enveloped the cave in a sparkling aura.

Disturbed by the light show, Spike began to wake up. Though, not before he snuggled his face against the fur, enjoying its softness and warmth.

"Ooh, wow, this feels nice!" Spike smiled in his sleep, as he snuggled deeper into the fur. "It's so warm, soft, and smooth. I can just sleep the whole day."

As he buried himself deeper into the fur, it was at that moment that his cheek happened to brush against something round, bouncy, but just as soft as the fur he was losing himself into. Without opening his eyes, he tried to wrap his arm around what he thought was a body pillow. But then, he remembered...

"Wait, I don't have a body pillow!" Spike wearily opened his eyes, before he was fully awake, and alarmed, at what he just woke up to.

Holding him close, to her fluffy mane covered chest, with her leathery wings wrapped around him, on the ground, is the bat-woman, Fluttershy.

"Aaaa...aaa...aaaa...aaaa..." Spike was on the verge to scream, but quickly covered his mouth, with his hands, so as to not disturb the sleeping she-beast.

'Wha-Wha-What's going on?' He mentally asked himself. 'Why am I sleeping with a...a...a...a she-beast? Why is she holding me so close? Is she trying to eat me, or something? And why is her hair so soft? How could her breasts be so big under all that fur?' He did a double-take, as he thought to himself, 'Why do I even care about how big her boobs are? I gotta get outta here!'

Very slowly, and cautiously, Spike tried to slip out of the bat-woman's loving embrace. However, as if by instinct, the bat-woman pulled Spike back, holding him close to her chest again.

"No! Stay!" Fluttershy muttered in her sleep. "Don't leave again...my baby."

'Baby?' Spike asked in his head. 'Is she a mom, or something?'

Before Spike could ask anymore questions, in his head, in her sleep, Fluttershy sniffed the air, smelling Spike's hair. Then, without warning, she flicked her mouth open to lick a long tongue across his face. Though, it was her sharp vampire-like fangs that scared him.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" Spike screamed at the top of his lungs, which echoed all around the cavern, startling all the other she-beast awake, though Fluttershy was the most startled.

Frightened by the man's scream, the bat-woman sprang to life, as she let out a terrified screech, before she flapped her wings, and took to the air. Spike, in the meantime, kicked himself off the ground, as he ran for cover.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Applejack asked, rubbing the sands from her eyes.

"What's with all the screaming?" Rainbow followed.

Everyone all looked to see Spike, hiding in a bush, huddling up to his knees, with his hands over his head, while Fluttershy was screeching and frantically flying around the cave, as if she was being chased.

"Fluttershy!" Twilight shouted. "Watch out for that–"

*BANG*

"Ooh!"

"...tree..." Twilight winced, watching as the disoriented bat-woman fell down and landed, near Spike's hiding spot.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Sunset asked.

"He screamed!" Fluttershy pointed at Spike.

"She tried to eat me!" Spike pointed at Fluttershy.

A while later, the she-beasts and man were having breakfast together, though Spike preferred to eat his rations, as far away from the hybrids as possible.

All the while, Fluttershy explained herself, "I wasn't trying to eat him! I-I couldn't sleep last night..."

"Not surprising," Twilight replied. "Considering you've been infused with the DNAs of a Chiroptera, which are commonly nocturnal predators."

"A what?" Rainbow asked.

"She says bats are creatures that commonly fly around at night," Spike explained.

"Why didn't she just say so?" The falcon-woman asked, rolling her eyes.

"Ahem," Applejack cleared her throat, before she beckoned the bat-woman. "Continue, Fluttershy."

"I couldn't sleep," Fluttershy repeated. "...So...I thought maybe I could do some...work around the place. Cleaning, exercising, you know, some things to keep myself busy, until I'm tired. But...then I got hungry, and..."

"You sucked Spike's blood?!" Pinkie Pie screeched in alarm.

"SHE SUCKED MY BLOOD?!!" Spike shrieked, as he immediately searched himself for bite marks, the bat-woman may have left behind.

"QUIET!!!" Twilight neighed loudly, silencing both man and monkey-woman. "Fluttershy would never! Grogar had infused her with the DNAs of a Pteropus Mariannus!"

"A what?" Rainbow asked, just as confused as before.

"Fluttershy is part flying fox!" Twilight clarified. "And flying foxes are fruit bats. She only eats fruits!"

"Why didn't you just say so?" Rainbow frowned.

"She's a fruit bat?" Spike asked. "Well, that's a relief. I guess..."

"Of course it is," Fluttershy explained to the man. "I would never eat you, Spike, let alone hurt you."

Still, Spike was skeptic, "Then, what..."

"Last night, when was eating some mangos for a midnight snack, I noticed you were tossing and turning, in your sleep. I guess, a part of me was worried you might be having a cold, or something, and that you needed someone to hold you close, for warmth, and comfort. And next thing I know, I must've...dosed off."

Fluttershy's ears flattened as she looked at Spike, with tearful wide eyes.

"I'm sorry," She squeaked apologetically.

Upon hearing this revelation, Spike was beside himself, as he was both touched and moved by the bat-woman's act of kindness, while also feeling a tug on his heartstrings, from looking at the bat's wide eyes, that could shame those of an adorable little puppy.

"Well...thanks for the gesture...I think," Spike looked away, as he continued to eat his rations in peace.

Wanting to get out of the awkward moment, Applejack spoke up, "Well, now that we've got the whole misunderstanding cleared up. What's say we start another day, huh?"

The rest of the she-beasts all exchanged agreements, though, not so whole-heartedly.

"Oh come on," Applejack frowned. "Surely we can shout louder than that!"

"What's the point of shouting, if it's just gonna be the same as yesterday?" Rainbow frowned. "Or the day before that? Or the days that came after, since day one? We've been stuck on this god forsaken island for what? Practically a year now? No one knows we're here. And for all we know, we're never gonna find a way off! We've got no boat, no navigator, or even a map! We're stuck on this island, in the middle of nowhere, for the rest of our lives! We've been lucky to avoid Grogar's flunkies so far, especially that bastard Shade, but how long is that gonna last, huh?!"

"I hate to say it, but Rainbow Dash's got a point," Sunset frowned.

"But you know what they always say," Pinkie chirped. "With every clouds, there's always a silver lining."

"Oh yeah, Pinkie?" Rainbow frowned. "And what's our silver lining?"

"Well, for one, we did find Spike!"

Unable to argue with that, the girls all exchanged mixed agreements, before they turned towards the single man of the group.

"Wh-Wh-What are you girls looking at me for?" Spike asked nervously.

"Well, seeing as how you're not one of Grogar's flunkies," Rainbow Dash began. "And you're a friend of Newt Chimera, then..."

"We just wanna get to know ya more, sugarcube," Applejack added. "If that's okay."

"Uh, sure," Spike replied, though he seemed rather hesitant, if not reluctant, as he still kept his distance. "I'll bite, if you, uh...gals share your stories of how you all got here in the first place."

"Gladly!" Twilight replied. "It'll all started when I won a prize at a robot contest. Mr. Chimera personally congratulated me and invited me and my friends to a month-long vacation to some tropical island or at least, that was the impression. When we arrived, we had a large beach house seemingly to ourselves. But when we went to our beds at night, that's when Grogar made his move. The memory is a bit foggy, but I do remember me and my friends being dragged out of our rooms and loaded onto a truck before we were sedated." Twilight sighed before looking at her lavender hands then each of her friends who had expressions of sadness on their faces. "When we woke up, we ended up looking like what you see right now."

"Jesus," Spike said, feeling sorry for the she-beasts, "How did you girls escaped?"

"Honestly, we don't know." Sunset replied, "One day, our cells just automatically unlocked without rhyme or reason. There weren't a lot of guards at the time, so we took that as our chance to escape but not without... complications." The tiger girl finished glumly, rubbing a scar that was on her back.

"Alrighty Spike, that's our story so let's here yours." Rainbow said.

"Where do even I begin?" Spike said as he began his story, "I was just beginning my career as a wildlife Photographer, and I learned that there's a ship that was hiring people like me, so I thought 'what the heck' and immediately signed up. That's when I first met Mr. Chimera and he seemed pretty nice at the time. After three weeks of being out in the ocean, we were suddenly pelted on by a storm. I checked the bridge to see what was going on, only to find our captain laying on the floor, maybe dead."

"DEAD?!?!" All the girls said in shock.

"I didn't have time to check, okay?!" Spike said raising his arms defensively, "I was trying to steer the ship and trying to use the radio which was turned off for some reason to begin with. Then, I got knocked out and when I came too, I realized I was here, shipwrecked, and my crew mates were missing."

"And did ya ever find them?" Applejack asked.

"Well, I found Mr. Chimera," Spike replied solemnly. "But the others..." The man shook his head, "If I had to guess, I'd say they've all become more products of Dr. Grogar's work. And I was this close to be the next one, if Mr. Chimera hadn't helped me escape. And that's about when I met you gals."

"Oh, Spike," Rarity gasped in sympathy.

"So, I guess we're in the same boat," Spike commented. "Eh, figuratively speaking, that is."

"Ha ha ha! That's funny!" Pinkie Pie chuckled at Spike's little joke.

Getting back on topic, Spike asked, "So...you're telling me that you gals were brought here, by Mr. Chimera? That for some reason, he's working for Dr. Grogar."

"Looks that way," Applejack confirmed. "Though, all the same, he seemed rather forced, like he wants nothing to do with all this mad scientist shindig, and whatnot. As if, somehow, that crazy scientist's controlling him."

"...Yeah, so I've noticed," Spike replied, recalling the final moments from yesterday, when his former friend was helping him escape.

"So, I guess we can all vouch for Mr. Chimera when we say, he's not a bad man," said Sunset Shimmer. "Though, it's no excuse for what happened to us..."

"Oh, I don't even want to remember what he did to us!" Fluttershy covered her eyes, with her wings. "I can still remember the horrible things he did to us, when he turned us into...these..." A tear fell from Fluttershy's eyes, which she wiped away, with her left thumb, on her left wing. "I...I can't even see what I've become, but...I must be awful!"

"Oh, come now, darling," Rarity tried to comfort her friend. "You don't look all that bad!"

"Yeah, as far as bats go, you look cute," Spike commented.

"...R-Really?" Fluttershy asked.

"Uh...did I say that out loud?" Spike blushed a deep shade of red.

"Yup," Applejack teased. "Right off your cuff, sugarcube."

Feeling his face burning up, and wanting to get out of the awkward moment, Spike started, "So...Fluttershy's a bat. But then, what's the story with the rest of you girls? Any particular reasons why you've been turned into your respective animals?"

"Honestly, we don't know why," Applejack replied.

"He just turned us into whatever he thinks fits our profile," Sunset added. "Like, they match our zodiac, or something. I don't know."

"You mean, he just infused you into certain animals at random?" Spike asked.

"Yup," Applejack confirmed.

"Yeah, well, he made a fatal mistake," Rainbow Dash scowled. "When I see that creep again, first chance I get, I'll wrap my talons around his neck, ripping his throat out, and then I'll tear his eyes out with my beak, and–"

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy squeaked, looking squeamish. "Such violence!"

"What? He had it coming?"

"Yes, but please, don't put that image in my head! You know how I feel about violence and...gore..."

"So what? You watch Animal Planet. You've seen crocodiles eating wildebeests, or lions going head-to-head with hyenas. It's the same thing!"

"That was different! That just the way some animals are!"

"So? To other people, we're animals too! I mean look at us!" Rainbow Dash soon realized, "Oh, wait. I forgot. You can't, since you're blind as a bat."

In response, the rest of the she-beasts gasped, along with Spike.

"Ouch," Spike commented.

"Rainbow!" Twilight scolded.

"Oops..." Rainbow gasped, realizing what she said.

But it was too late. Hurt by her friend's rude remark, Fluttershy turned and took off running, crying a heart-wrenching cry, tripping on a rock, on her way.

"Fluttershy! Wait! I didn't..." Rainbow called, about to take flight after the bat-woman, only to be stopped by Applejack.

"Maybe ya should just...leave her alone..." Applejack frowned.

"But...I didn't mean to...I was just..." Turning to her friends, Rainbow tried to find some supports. "C'mon. You girls know I didn't mean like that, right?"

"Maybe," Rarity huffed. "But you can be so insensitive sometimes, you know?"

"She's right, Dash," Twilight agreed. "You may be a fast, and strong, and fearless, but sometimes, you just can't take the time and think before you act. It's always fly first, ask questions later."

"That's not true!" Rainbow argued. "I've asked questions, even before I started flying for real! Like, how are we going to get off this damn island?"

"I'm working on it!" Twilight shouted. "I've been formulating a plan, but first, we need to get some supplies on this island."

"Then I'd say we better get started getting those things," Applejack spoke up. "Alright gals, let's move out!"

With that, the she-beasts all turned towards the entrance of their hideout and took their leave. Before she completely left, Rarity turned towards Spike.

"Oh, uh, Spike? Darling?" She began.

"Uh, yes?" Spike replied, wearily.

"Could you...be a dear and look after Fluttershy, while she's gone?" The snow leopard-woman asked, before she whispered, "Just between you and the rest of us...the poor dear is a...bit of a klutz. If you know what I mean."

"Uh...sure. I'll...I'll look after her," Spike replied.

"That's all we're asking," Rarity smiled, before she took her leave. "We'll see you later."

After he saw the last of the she-beasts leave, Spike let out a heavy sigh, before he asked himself, "Spike, what have you got yourself into this time?"

Back in her den, Fluttershy cried a waterfall of tears. The "blind as a bat" remark was very hurtful to her, especially the condition she was in.

"It's not fair!" Fluttershy wept, hiccuping as she vented. "It's not my fault, I'm a...a...a bat. I didn't want to be a bat! I didn't even asked to be a bat. I like animals, but... I never...It's not fair that I'm blind! Or that I'm clumsy, or...I'm hideous! It's not fair!"

With that, Fluttershy continued to cry, sounding both human and animalistic with every passing second, all the while hanging upside down, from a stalactite.

"I'm not a freak, I'm not a monster! I don't want to be a monster! Why? Why?"

Of course, the only kind of answers she gets, are the silence from the rocks, and the echoes of her voice, ringing off the cavern walls. For the longest, Fluttershy kept on crying to herself, in the darkness of the cave, and in her eyes. But the damp, cold touch of her watery tears burned at her skin, as they flowed from her eyes. Her large ears suddenly twitched, to the sound of footsteps, entering her den.

"Who's there?" She asked to her visitor.

"It's...it's okay," Spike called to the bat-woman. "It's just me. Spike."

"Spike?!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

Unfortunately, in her shock, the bat-woman had lost her grip on the stalactite she was hanging from, and fell to the ground, landing hard on her face.

"Oooh," Spike cringed. "You oka–YIPE!!!" The man shrieked, as the fallen bat-woman struggled to get back up. "Are...Are you okay?" He asked, stammering, sounding flustered.

"I'm okay," Fluttershy groaned, before she felt a cold air blowing across her legs, that she realized her mini-skirt was upside-down, from her fall.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Fluttershy squeaked frantically, picking and dusting herself up, before she stood upright, and face Spike away. "I...I...I wasn't expecting any visitors, I–"

"Ahem, hey, uh...I'm right here," Spike cleared his throat, to which Fluttershy sighed.

Turning around, Fluttershy stopped until she stood, face-to-face with Spike. Though, speaking of which, she can feel her whole face burning an intensive shade of red, coated in beads of sweats. Fluttershy was on the verge of crying from embarrassment.

"I-I-I-I'm sorry you had to see that," Fluttershy whimpered, holding her wings up to cover her face and body.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, don't worry about it," Spike replied, before he cleared his throat. "Anyway, I...I got you an apple, in case you're hungry."

"Oh...thank you," Fluttershy held her hand out to take the apple, momentarily forgetting that her hands doubled as her wings, resulting her in accidentally smacking Spike across the face.

"Ow!" Winced Spike.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Fluttershy squeaked apologetically.

Wanting to check on the man for any trace of blood from a cut, or bruise, she accidentally inflicted, Fluttershy tried to walk towards Spike. But she tripped on a rock and fell on top of the man.

"Get off, get off, get off!!!" Spike screamed, muffled beneath Fluttershy.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Fluttershy whimpered, as she got up on her legs and wings, allowing a squashed Spike up for air. "I...I didn't hurt you too badly, did I?"

"Oh believe me..." Spike replied, disoriented, and flabbergasted. "I could've been hurt worse..."

It was at that moment that Fluttershy's nose twitched a smell that's warm, tangy, and in a way, rustic. Her eyes widened in concerned as she inched her face closer to Spike's.

"Oh no...you're bleeding..." Fluttershy whimpered. "And it's all my fault. Here, let me..." She was about to raise her thumbs up to take Spike's face, only for the man to stop her, putting his hands on her wings.

"I'm fine," Spike replied. "I'll live...how about you just sit down and...I'll...feed you? 'Kay?"

"...Okay."

A moment later, after the awkward moment has passed, both Spike and Fluttershy sat on the floor, of Fluttershy's den, sitting across from each other, while sharing and dividing a pile of fruits together.

"Wow," Spike commented, while eating an apple. "Who would've thought, you girls have this many fruits stashed away, in your...camp..."

"Well, ever since that horrible Dr. Grogar turned us into, what you called 'she-beasts,' we've done lots of hunting for food," Fluttershy explained, while taking a bite out of an apple. "And for good reason. Since half of us are..." Fluttershy practically gulped down a lump in her throat, as she muttered, "...predators."

Spike counted on his fingers as he listed the she-beasts, until he gets the point, "Well, I can't blame you... I mean, no offense to your friends, but some of them did try to kill me."

"It's not their fault, Spike," Fluttershy vouched. "They were only trying to protect us. After all, wouldn't you do the same for your friends?"

"For the record, most of my guy pals do the protecting, for me," Spike shrugged. "Though, if it were like saving a baby rhino from poachers, then yeah. Different story. I'd give my life to save that baby in a heartbeat."

"Definitely!" Fluttershy replied. "In my honest opinion, I think poachers are the worst and don't deserve..." The bat-woman did a double take, as she turned her head in Spike's direction. "You would give your life...to save a baby rhinoceros?"

"Well, yeah, of course I would," Spike replied. "Especially the black rhinos. Those guys are endangered species, and they're in critical danger. Someone's got to stand for those guys, or else they'll be..."

"Oh, please, don't say it!" Fluttershy covered her eyes. "I can't stand the thought of those poor, defenseless creatures ceasing to..."

"Okay, okay, I get the picture," Spike replied.

Wanting to get out of the awkward topic, moving onto something more socializing, Fluttershy asked, "So...Spike. You like animals?"

"...You could say most of my friends, back home, are animals," Spike shrugged. "There's Peewee, my parrot. Plus some cats, and dogs I know, and a few horses, back in Montana. But besides them, yeah. I love animals. I'm practically dedicating my whole life to animals."

"Me too!" Fluttershy smiled. "Can...Can I tell you something?"

Spike nodded, before he remembered that Fluttershy can't see, to which he said, "Sure. Go ahead."

"I love animals too!" The bat-woman related. "In fact, when I was just a little girl, I wanted to grow up to be the best vet to every animals in the world, from the biggest of elephants to the cutest of mice!"

"That sounds great, Fluttershy," Spike complimented. "So, did you make it? Did you get yourself certified to be a vet, or something?"

"Actually, I'm more of an apprentice," Fluttershy admitted. "Before I came to this island, with my friends, I was apprenticing, under the care and tutelage of Dr.Fauna. She knows everything about caring for animals. In fact, even after the animals are healed up, good as new, they became so attached to her, that they don't even want to leave her office," She chuckled a bit.

"Sounds to me her office is a zoo then," Spike commented.

Fluttershy chuckled, "That's what I said," The bat-woman sighed, as she thought sadly about the doctor. "I just hope Dr. Fauna is doing okay. I miss her...badly."

Fluttershy sniffled, as she continued to think despondently of her beloved veterinarian. Seeing the bat-woman cry tugged at Spike's heartstrings. This was all a new feeling to Spike. It's one thing to be afraid of women, up close, as it is easier to admire them from afar. But to see a creature, like Fluttershy, cry, before his very eyes, a display of fragility, and vulnerability, was all it took to show Spike, a scared, lonely, traumatized creature, who is just as scared as him. Almost human, in a manner of speaking.

Wanting to cheer the woman-turned-bat creature up, Spike started, "Well, if she's as amazing as you described her, then I think she can handle herself, and the animals, just fine," Still, Fluttershy was quiet, "...And hey, if you're her apprentice, then I'm sure you'll be an even better vet, than her."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Fluttershy replied, with a noticeable quivers in her voice. "I mean, look at me...I'm...I'm a...a bat! I can't pass myself to be a doctor! I can't even see!"

"So what?" Spike asked. "That's never stopped you from trying to help your friends before, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, um...take last night, for example. When your friends were going up against that...scary ape, porcupine, bear thing to save me, I saw how you reacted whenever your friends were in danger! You immediately bolted towards them, to check up on them, even though you're blind and all. Though, for the record, aren't flying foxes supposed to have better eyesight than most other bats?"

"Maybe, but I'm still tripping and crashing into things."

"But still, you never let that stopped you from helping your friends, am I right?"

"Well...yes. I...I guess you're right..." Fluttershy sniffled. "But...I'll always be the same scaredy, clumsy, quiet girl I was before...and now that I'm blind. I'm an even bigger scaredy, clumsy, quiet girl..."

"Hey, don't go beating yourself up like that!" Spike advised.

"But it's true," Fluttershy wrapped her wings around herself, as she relayed, "Even before I came to this island, I was an even clumsier girl, back home. The other kids would pick on me, because I'm always so shy. They call me names, and say that my only friends are my animals. It was hurtful, and I felt more and more alone, until I met Twilight, and the girls. They're the only other people in the world, who understands me."

"But I understand you too," Spike replied. "Can I be honest with you?"

In response, Fluttershy nodded her head, "Okay."

With a heavy sigh, Spike bites down into his apple, as he began, "I know how it feels to be made fun of. When I was just a little boy, I was picked on by all the bigger kids, because...I was afraid of girls."

Fluttershy's ears perked up with piqued interest, "Oh my. Why? Why were you so scared of girls, I mean."

"That's...a long story," Spike frowned. "I'd rather not go into it, right now. But...the thing is, I understand where you're coming from. I was picked on, because I'm different from all the other kids. All the more reason why I prefer to be around animals, than with other people. So...I guess we both know how it feels to be picked on, for our flaws, huh?"

Fluttershy nodded, "I guess we are."

Feeling a tuft of her hair falling across her face, Fluttershy brushed it to the side, to reveal a sad smile. For a moment, Spike couldn't help but feel his heart thumping rapidly at the pretty sight. True, Fluttershy is a bat-woman, but that smile of her's seemed to captivate Spike for a moment.

Looking down, seeing their fruits have all been eaten, Spike got up and turned to leave the den.

"I'll...go get some more food," He said.

Before Spike could leave, he was pulled back, by a pair of long thumbs, wrapping around his shoulders, before his whole body was completely wrapped up in a pair of leathery wings. Next thing he knew, his heart was beating more rapidly, with his face burning a shade of red, when he felt a familiar fluff of fur, pressing him from behind, with some hidden features. To further his excitement, Fluttershy snuggled her cheek against the left side of his face.

"Thank you, Spike," Fluttershy squeaked. "I...I never knew how much I needed this."

"Uh, he...hehehe," Spike chuckled nervously, sweating up a storm, until Fluttershy finally released him.

Once he was out of the bat-woman's den, Spike thought to himself, 'Eek! Was she clingy...but it felt kinda nice. No! No, no, Spike! Focus! Don't think about that! Time to just think about how to escape! But she's got it all going on. The voice, the fur, the bo–AAAAAAHH!!! Make it stop!'

Back with Fluttershy, the bat-woman was beside herself, letting the recent bonding experience, between her and Spike sink in, as she thought, lovingly, to herself.

'Oh my,' Fluttershy mentally asked, smiling. 'What...what is this, feeling?'

Later, that afternoon, the rest of the she-beasts have returned, carrying piles of woods, fruits, and fishes.

"Hey! We're back!" Rainbow Dash grunted, as she helped carry some of the heavy items into camp.

"Wow," Spike exclaimed, as he walked over to see what the she-beasts have brought. "You gals have been busy!"

"Busy hunting, given to our new predatory instincts," Sunset Shimmer replied. "No thanks to our 'savior,' Dr. Grogar," She scoffed the last part in sarcasm.

"But at least these'll keep us going for another month, or two," Applejack said, as she already went ahead to build a campfire, while stacking the rest of the timbers for later usage.

"And...we'll be having FISH TONIGHT!!!" Pinkie Pie screeched.

"Ugh, ya don't have to say it again, Pinkie..." Rainbow Dash moaned as her beak drooled with hungry saliva. "I can just eat these salmons, right now!"

Rainbow Dash was just about to snap up a fish and swallow it whole, only for Rarity to stop her.

"Ah-ah-ah! Not so fast, Rainbow!" Rarity scolded. "You can't eat, until we're all cleaned up, and ready for dinner!"

"Rarity, we've been living on this island for months, and we're practically animals!" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Why do we still need to practice table manners?"

"Just because we're animals, Dash, doesn't mean we'd have to eat like animals!"

"Rarity's right, Rainbow Dash," Twilight stated as she walked up to her falcon hybrid friend. "We've come a long way to let Dr. Grogar win. This is exactly what he wants us to do, by giving into our animalistic urges. And we can't risk that, no matter how tempting it may be."

"Fine," Rainbow grumbled, before she turned to Spike. "Hey, uh...how's Fluttershy doing?"

"Oh, she's–"

"Here I am," Fluttershy called, making herself known, as she walked up to the group, though carefully.

"Fluttershy..." Rainbow said, about to walk over to her bat friend.

"Dash! Don't move!" Fluttershy squeaked, having heard Dash's footsteps.

"But Fluttershy..."

"Don't move!"

Everyone all watched anxiously, as Fluttershy tried her hardest to come to her friends, without needing any help. Halfway across, Fluttershy had tripped on a boulder and was about to fall to the ground.

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow shouted, springing into action and caught her friend, saving her from a nasty fall. "Fluttershy...are you okay?"

In response, Fluttershy wept, "No..." She sobbed. "I'm not okay. I'll never be okay..."

"Fluttershy, I..."

"You were right, okay?" Fluttershy blubbered. "I'm blind! I'm an even bigger klutz, just like you and everyone else have been saying about me!"

"But Fluttershy, I was..."

"Do you really take me for a silly, gullible fool?" Fluttershy spatted angrily. "I've heard everything you've ever said about me, behind my back! I'm blind, I'm scared, and now, I'm even clumsier than I was before! I'm nothing but a burden to all of you!"

"We never meant it like that."

"Just for once, I want to do the right thing. I want to help! I want us to go home! And...I just want to stop feeling helpless!"

"Then what good am I as a friend, if I can't look out for you?!" Rainbow Dash screeched, silencing the distraught bat-woman. "Fluttershy...not everything is about you. We're all trapped on this island. We're all we've got left! Look, I know I may be harsh, and reckless at times, but that's just me. That's how I look out for my friends. How I'm looking out for you. Because I care. I don't want you to get hurt...because if I lose you...I'll end up regretting about it, every moment of my life..."

A tear fell from Rainbow Dash's eyes, as both she and Fluttershy closed the distance.

"Listen, I don't care if you're clumsy or shy," Rainbow cried. "But you're my friend. And I'm always going to look out for my friends. And for what it's worth, Fluttershy, you've got a good heart. And it's not fair that you have to go through this nightmare. So...I don't want to lose you..."

"Oh, Dash..." Fluttershy sniffled. "I'm so sorry...I should've realized how scared you are..."

"It's not just her, Fluttershy," Twilight spoke up, as she pointed to herself. "I'm scared too. In a way, I feel like this is all my fault. If I hadn't won that robot tournament, then maybe I could've–"

"Now, Twiliight, ya had no idea that this would happen," Applejack interjected, as she ran over to console the pony-woman. "No one blames ya."

"Indubitably, darling," Rarity agreed. "Why, if anything, that scoundrel Dr. Grogar is to blame. He did this to us! He captured us, and tortured us, as part of some convoluted experiment..."

"And he will pay for it," Sunset growled.

"But first, let's eat!" Pinkie Pie chirped, drawing everyone's attention to a surprising dinner of sushi the monkey-woman had prepared.

The friends gathered around to eat. Much to Spike's astonishment, Pinkie is an excellent cook, with the proof in the pudding. Sushi to be precise.

"Wow!" He exclaimed. "This is good!"

"Took the words right outta my mouth," Sunset smirked.

"Pinkie, you're so full of surprises," Rainbow Dash commented.

"Eh, I have my moments," Pinkie winked.

While the friends were eating, Rainbow Dash scooted closer to Fluttershy and asked, "So, uh...we're cool? Like forgiven and everything?"

"Mmm-hmm," Fluttershy nodded. "I can't stay mad at you, Dash."

"Great," The falcon-woman breathed a sigh of relief. "So, with that out of the way, how's Spike?"

"Oh, he's wonderful!" Fluttershy confirmed. "Though, probably about scared as I am, but he's a good man. In fact, like me, he loves animals and knew what it was like to be bullied, for being different."

"Really?" Rainbow asked, looking curiously at Spike.

Author's Note

Tamberlane by Caytlin Vilbrandt.

6–The Fearsome Falcon

The night was cold. The jungle was coated in a blanket of mists. The sound of a frighten girl screeched, through the jungle, along with the sounds of running footsteps that brushed the leaves and snapped the sticks on the ground.

Rainbow Dash was running as fast her legs could carry her. She frantically flapped her wings, struggling to get airborne. But for some reason, couldn't. She paused for a moment, leaning against a tree to catch her breath, before she turned to look behind her. Her eyes widened in horror, at the silhouette of a menacing figure, who stood in the moonlight, with eyes gleaming blue as the coldest ice, with the intent to kill.

The Mandalorian – Boba Fett Theme

"No!" Rainbow screamed, as she resumed running for her very life. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Fly! Fly dammit! FLY!!!"

But, once again, she couldn't get airborne. And so, the falcon-woman kept on running, until she reached a dead end.

"Oh, great. I'm TRAPPED!" Rainbow Dash turned around and looked to see the figure stalking towards her, with a knife drawn out. "Oh, hell no! Like I'd let you take me without a fight?! You want the thunder? I'll bring you the thunder!"

With that, Rainbow Dash lunged towards the figure, throwing a flying kick, only for the figure to catch her by the leg, crushing her foot.

"AAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!" Rainbow screamed in pain, losing all feelings in her foot, except for the agonizing pain that pierced her, like hot needles.

The figure then threw Rainbow Dash towards a canyon wall, and she fell limp to the ground. The falcon-woman looked up in horror, as the menacing figure, with eyes like those of a savage wolf, stood over her, before it took out a dagger and thrusted it down, into her heart.

End of Music

"AAAH!!!" Rainbow Dash screamed, waking up in cold sweat.

After a moment to compose herself, Rainbow Dash lifted her heavy eyelids, looking around, reassuring herself that she is safe, in her nest, in the secret hideout she is sharing with her friends, and their newly acquainted man, Spike Draco.

Speaking of whom, Rainbow Dash emerged from her den, looking across the underground oasis, bathing in the moonlight, shining from the opening in the ceiling. There, at the base of a tree, she saw the young man himself, practically reclining against the tree's base, his head snuggling against his backpack, used as a makeshift pillow, with his arms wrapping around himself.

The sight of the young man made Rainbow recall what Fluttershy had told her, last dinner.

"Oh, he's wonderful!" Fluttershy confirmed in the past. "Though, probably about scared as I am, but he's a good man. In fact, like me, he loves animals and knew what it was like to be bullied, for being different."

"Really?" Rainbow asked, looking curiously at Spike.

"You should get to know him, Rainbow," Fluttershy suggested. "Though, it may take some getting used to, considering his...phobia. But I'm sure he'll warm up to you, once he sees that you're a good person!"

With her mind back to the reality of the present, Rainbow Dash carefully walked over and looks down at the sleeping man. Up close, he seemed so peaceful, innocent, and human. It has been a long time since she's looked at a human male's face.

'Well, he's cute,' Rainbow thought to herself. 'I'll give him that.'

Bending down on her knees, Rainbow stretched her wing out, feeling his face with the tip of her feathers. She had almost forgotten that she once had fingers. To her, Spike felt warm. Still, she quickly flew back to her den, rummaging through her nest, before she pulled out a large sheet of blanket, from which a photo fell on the floor.

Upon noticing the photo, Rainbow Dash craned her neck, and her eyes began to water. In the photo, there she stood, as her true human self, smiling and winking, holding two fingers up for a peace sign, with her other hand wrapped around a little girl's shoulder, who is bound in a wheelchair, holding a tortoise in her lap. Standing behind them are a man and a woman, both dressed in clothes that are reminiscent to the late Steve Irwin.

Rainbow Dash weeped, as she picked the photo up, in her feathers, and placed it back in her nest.

"Hang in there, Scoots," Rainbow cried to the little girl in the photo. "I'm on my way... Stay strong for me, Squirt.”

Early, the next morning, Spike woke up, to find a sheet of blanket draped over him.

“Huh? Who…who put this…” He didn’t ponder for long, when he guessed, “Oh. Must’ve been Fluttershy. Shouldn’t surprise me, since she’s a nocturnal and all. Might as well go and thank her.”

Getting up from his resting spot, Spike proceeded towards the den of the shy, clumsy, blind bat-woman. Before he had the chance to enter, however, he was stopped by Rainbow Dash.

“Fluttershy is still asleep,” The falcon-woman stated. “Yeah, all that sushi we ate last night wasn’t good for her, so… I think it’s better for her to just sleep in.”

“Oh, really?” Spike winced, feeling uneasy for Fluttershy’s condition. “Well, did you tell her to not hang upside down? I’m sure, even for a bat, it’s a little unhealthy with an upset stomach.”

“No worries,” Rainbow reassured. “Twilight’s been keeping an eye on her. She’ll make sure Fluttershy gets her proper rest.”

"Well, I guess I'll just leave this blanket out for her," Spike said as he folded the blanket into a neat fold and puts it outside. "It was nice of her to lend it to me, last night. It was rather chilly..."

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but chuckle, "Oh, you're welcome."

"Huh?" Spike turned to face Rainbow Dash, with a confused expression. "What?"

"I said 'you're welcome' for borrowing my blanket. Duh!"

"Oh? Oh! Well...um...here," Spike said, nervously holding out the blanket to the falcon-woman. "You can have your blanket back, if you want it."

"No, no, it's fine, you can have it," Rainbow replied, with a brush of her wings.

"Really?"

"Yeah...now that I'm all...feathers and everything, I never really needed a blanket to keep me warm."

"Oh, well...thanks, I guess..."

"Anyway...since we're both awake, and everyone else are still asleep, how about you and I go out and do some hunting together?"

"Hunting?"

"Yeah. You know what they say. The early bird gets the worm," Rainbow Dash simply chuckled, when the look of disgust was written clearly on Spike's face. "Oh, relax. We're not gonna eat worms, or bugs...yet. And when we do, then hakuna matata."

"...Yeah...hakuna matata," Spike grumbled. 'But I am worried,' He thought to himself.

"Well, c'mon! Let's go!"

With a flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash takes to the sky, picking up Spike, by the shoulders, in her talons.

"Whoa, take it easy!" Spike screamed, as she carried him out of their underground camp, through the opening in the ceiling.

Later, somewhere in the center of the island, in the mountains, both Rainbow Dash and Spike were at a huge lake. Rainbow Dash was perched atop a tree, while Spike was given a makeshift fishing pole.

"So, what exactly are we hunting again?" Spike asked.

"We're here to catch a big fish," Rainbow Dash replied. "I wanna catch us a fish bigger than what we caught yesterday."

"Uh, if you say so," Spike replied. "Though, pray tell, any reason why I'm here? I mean, you seem capable of hunting fish. Aren't you half-raptor?"

"Raptor?" Rainbow asked. "Do I look like a dinosaur to you?"

"No, no, no, no," Spike shook his head, before he clarified, "Raptors, as in birds of prey. Like falcons, or eagles, like what you are. Or what Dr. Grogar turned you into..."

"Uh-huh," Rainbow scowled. "And your point is?"

"Well, raptors are made to hunt fish," Spike began. "They're the ultimate fish hunters, from the sky! They can spot a fish, swimming close to the surface, and then dives down to snatch them, with their claws! They're magnificent!"

"Wow, you know your animals, dude," Rainbow Dash complimented. "I can see why Fluttershy was so fond of you, last night."

"She...she was?" Spike asked, surprised to what Rainbow Dash had said.

"Are you kidding me? She wouldn't stop talking about you," Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Last night, she went on and on about how relatable you are, how you know your animals, not to mention how nice and approachable you are, and everything. You're a real pal."

"Uh...thanks, I guess..." This was the first time a girl was so fond of Spike, it was all a new sensation for the man.

Before the conversation could continue, Rainbow Dash's eyes widen in alert.

"Shhh! Something's coming..." She warned.

Immediately, both Spike and Rainbow Dash practically froze up. Spike tried to stay sill as a statue, while his eyes darted left to right, searching across the surface, for any signs of movements. There was a splash and he saw some rings, floating across the water, indicating something had broken the surface.

"Rainbow Dash?" Spike muttered, to which the falcon-woman shushed.

For the moment, everything seemed calm. But then, suddenly, something big and strong pulled on the line, at the end of Spike's fishing pole, and almost pulled the young man in.

"AAAH!!! I GOT A BITE!!!" Spike screamed, as he struggled to pull the catch, back to shore, but finds he's biting off more than he could chew. "Scratch that. Reverse it. It...it got me!"

"Hang on, Spike!" Rainbow screeched, as she swoops into action. "I GOT IT!"

With a spread of her wings, Rainbow Dash took to the air to get a birds-eye view. She glares down, unbothered by the morning sun's piercing ray, as she scans the water. It wasn't long before her eyes were fixed on a large mass of shadow, heading towards Spike. Locked on target, Rainbow Dash retracted her wings and plummeted towards the lake, aiming her beak at the shadowy figure. She kept on diving towards her target, which grew bigger and bigger, the closer she gets, until at the last second, she unsheathed her claws out and spread her wings.

Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash did exactly what the creature wanted her to do. A pair of webbed hands, with sharp claws at the end of its fingers, burst out from the water, and got ahold of the falcon-woman.

"HEY! AH!!" Rainbow screeched, frantically flapping her wings to fly away.

But her assailant was even stronger and heavier than she is, as it pulled her down into the waters.

"Rainbow Dash!" Spike yelled, getting up on his feet, preparing to jump in.

"Get back, Spike!" Rainbow screeched. "Stay where you are! This ain't a fish!"

Not willing to go down so easily, Rainbow Dash fought back the fish, as her talons found a throat, from which she squeezed hard, suffocating the life out of the fish monster. With that, the fishy beast went limp, allowing Rainbow Dash to drag its lifeless body, back to shore, where Spike was both shocked at its entirety.

"Whoa," Spike exclaimed. "Is...is that a...a..."

"A fish-man?" Rainbow answered. "Yes. Yes it is. A real-live Creature From the Black Lagoon."

"Yeah, but still...it was...human, wasn't it?"

"Yeah...it was."

"So...isn't it like, cannibalizing, to eat something, or someone, who was human?"

"Ain't like we got a choice on this island, Spike. It's survival of the fittest. It's kill or be killed. And besides, whoever this thing was, he's better off dead, and he's gone to a better place..."

"Are you even listening to yourself? You're...you...you just...we hunted...you killed–"

"And he would've done the same to us!"

"Yeah, but still...don't you think there's a way we could've, I don't know....changed him back?"

"Oh yeah, I'd like to see you try, Spike," Rainbow Dash argued. "What? You think we're just gonna bring this fish-man back to Dr. Grogar and say something like, 'Hey Doc! We found this fish-man. Can you do us all a favor and change him back? Make him human again?'" Rainbow mocked, before she resumed her usual tone, "Like hell I'd trust that quack of a doctor, as far as I can peck his eyes out, and eat his heart, for what he did to me and my friends..."

Spike clenched a fist, as he angrily struggles to think of a snappy comeback.

"I'm not saying we should trust, Dr. Grogar," Spike frowned. "All I'm trying to say is, what if we could sneak our way back in, and–"

"And get ourselves killed?" Rainbow Dash retorted. "Like hell, I'm going back to that madman's laboratory. The last time we were there, we almost got torn to shreds by his little attack dog. You should count yourself lucky to be alive, let alone, a human."

"Which is exactly what that fish-man was! And any hope of him becoming human again are gone, now that you've killed him!"

"HE'S FAR OFF GONE FROM BEING HUMAN AGAIN! All men who came to this island are gone!"

"What? What do you mean, gone?"

Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash solemnly explained, "Spike. Let me ask you this once. Have you seen any other men, or man-beasts, since you escaped from Dr. Grogar?"

"Uh...no? Can't say I have. But what's that got to do with this?"

"Spike. Here's the thing. Every men on this island are all beast-people for life. It means, they can never be human again. They're mindless, uncontrollable. Every memories, every senses of being human are gone, completely. Kaput!"

"...Then, what's the story about you girls? You seemed intelligent, still..."

Rainbow Dash looked solemn, before she replied, "For some reason, my friends and I are a special case. Though, according to Twilight, it won't be long until we... The point I'm trying to say is, a lot of us girls are still human, barely, and we're trying to survive. But for every men who go into Dr. Grogar's lab, they are gone. Once they go in as humans, they never come out as humans, ever again. They're animals."

Spike thought long and hard, struggling to process all this new information Rainbow Dash had relayed to him. If that were the truth, then could it be that, Newt Chimera is gone too? Is he...a beast-people, like Rainbow Dash said? It was all too good to be true, and Spike just can't seem to accept it.

"But then, what if one of these...man-beasts, are your friend?" Spike asked. "What if I became a man-beast? What would you do then? Would you still kill me? And for all I know, that fish-man could've been, say Newt Chimera. I should know. I saw the guy has gills. GILLS around his neck!"

"...Then they're gone, Spike..." Rainbow replied solemnly. "Accept it, and move on. I'm sorry...but it's the way things are. Besides, Newt gave his life to save ours. So, in a way, he's doing the same thing again..."

Before Spike could retaliate, a droplet of something foul and sticky dropped from the sky, and landed on his head.

"Ew! What the..." Spike reached up to wipe the substance off his hair. "Gross, what is this?"

"Uh, Spike?" Rainbow Dash pointed up, directing the man's attention to the tree branches, to see they weren't alone.

Surrounding them appeared to be seagulls, except they have sharp teeth, like those of a piranha, lined up in their beaks. The birds were all glaring down at both Spike and Rainbow Dash.

"Mine," One of them squawked.

Rainbow Dash slowly inched her head closer to Spike.

"Spike, whatever you do, don't make any sudden movement..." Rainbow whispered. "Just come to me, slowly, if you want to live..."

"And how do I know you won't gut me, later, like that fish-man?" Spike whispered.

"Mine," Another piranha-gull squawked.

"Because it's either me, or these guys, and they'll rip to shreds in a heartbeat..." Rainbow whispered.

"Well...ain't like I got a choice."

Doing as Rainbow told him, Spike carefully inched his way closer to the falcon-woman. Unfortunately, to complicate the matters, a bug happened to be buzzing around Spike's head, before it landed on his nose, causing him to feel an itch, twitching, as a sneeze coming on.

"Uh oh..." Spike sniffled.

"Spike...no!" Rainbow whispered.

"I-I-I-I..."

"Try to hold it in..."

"I-I-I-I'm try...I'm try...I'm try..."

But it was no use. Spike let out a loud, "AAAA-CHOOO!!!"

With that, the piranha-gulls sprang to life as they swarmed around Spike and Rainbow Dash, snapping their razor fanged beaks, squawking, that sounded like, "MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!"

"Get away from me!" Spike screamed, as he frantically swats a stick at every attacking birds, while they bit and clawed at him.

Without wasting a second, Rainbow Dash sprang into action as she grabs Spike, in her wings, and dashed away. With a flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash and Spike made a hasty retreat, determined to escape from the flock of hungry piranha-gulls.

"Hold on tight, Spike!" Rainbow screeched, taking flight, carrying Spike, by the leg, with her legs.

In her haste, Rainbow Dash failed to realize she was holding Spike, upside-down.

"Hold onto what?" Spike asked, as he dangles from the falcon-woman's talons, with his arms flailing about. "LOOK OUT FOR THAT ROCK!!!"

"WHOA!!"

Rainbow flew up, with Spike's hair barely touching the stone.

The Sound of Victory – Escape Chase

The race was on, as Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and flew like she's never flown before. Both she and Spike followed the river, until they reached the edge, that broke into a waterfall.

"Here we goooooooooo!!!!" Rainbow hollered as she dive-bombed, following the waterfall, with a screaming Spike wailing behind.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!" Spike screamed at the top of his lungs, with the waters splashing into his mouth, and his eyes horrified to see the gulls still in pursuit.

Then, with a spread of her wings, Rainbow Dash made a sharp upward lurch, before she made a quick dive for the jungles.

"Fasten your seatbelts, Spike!" Rainbow Dash screeched, as she attempted to lose the gulls, in the trees.

"What seat–Ow!" Spike was repeatedly interrupted, by the branches, and leaves, preventing him from finishing. "What seat-Ooh! What–Ow! Oh!"

"What?" Rainbow asked.

"Nevermind..."

Rainbow Dash was flying in a zigzag of motions, as she performed somersaults, hard rolls, even doing a corkscrew movement, losing some of the piranha-gulls off her tail feathers. Poor Spike finds the adrenaline and the aerodynamic motions sickening. Under normal circumstances, he would enjoy this rollercoaster ride. But his face turned green, and his nose bleeding, from being held upside-down.

With a burst of speed and strength, Rainbow Dash burst through the treetops, still holding onto poor Spike, who had some leaves, twigs, and some bugs, in his mouth.

"Ptewie!" The man spluttered, spitting his mouth clear of random things. "Can you fly a little higher?" He asked.

"I'm trying my best," Rainbow replied. "But I'm not used to carrying people!"

Ahead, both Rainbow Dash and Spike saw they were flying towards a tree.

"Turn left!" Spike pointed, not realizing that an upside-down left is actually a right, right side-up.

"OK!" Rainbow complied, taking the left turn, accidentally smashing Spike's head against the tree.

*Cartoon BONK!*

"OW!" Spike exclaimed. "Right in the schnoz?!"

"You said left, didn't you?"

"I meant MY left!" Spike shouted.

"What'd you mean your-" Rainbow asked as she looked down but soon realized she had him upside down, "Oh. Er sorry. Here, give me a second."

"What do you mean by tha-AAHHH!!!" Spike screamed as Dash threw him up and catches him again. This time by the shoulders. "Warn me when you're going to do that!"

"Noted, now stay focused so we can get away from these guys."

Spike looked behind him to see the piranha-gulls were still snapping their beaks, relentlessly chasing him and Rainbow, cawing their caws that sounded like, "Mine! Mine! Mine!"

"These guys just won't quit!" Spike frowned.

"Doesn't surprise me," Rainbow Dash replied. "They're half-piranhas!"

"Y'know, I've heard about flying fishes. Or fish out of water. But these guys...Dr. Grogar just had to take it up to eleven with them!"

"Are we really talking right now?"

"Sorry..." Turning his attention back at the piranha-gulls, Spike began, "There's gotta be a way we can loose these guys!"

"Well, Fluttershy told me that you know your animals," Rainbow said. "You think of something!"

"Let's see...they're half-seagulls and half-piranhas," Spike frantically analyzed. "So...seagulls hunt in flocks, they're smaller and maneuverable, they plunge-dive into the waters to snatch up their preys."

"Into the waters?" Rainbow scoffed. "We're in the air!"

"Uh, right..." Resuming his analysis, Spike thought out loud, "Piranhas hunt in schools. They can skeletonize their prey in a heartbeat. But they have natural predators, namely crocodiles, river dolphins, and–"

"Hold on, crocodiles?" Rainbow asked.

"Yeah?"

"Alright, we can work with that. Hold on tight, Spike!" Rainbow warned, as she proceed to dive bomb, into the swamp below.

Spike screamed at the top of his lungs, as they fly through the trees, barely weaving through a narrow hole, amidst the vines and branches. Looking beneath his feet, Spike's eyes widened in horror, realizing that both he and Rainbow Dash, were flying above an entire float of sleeping crocodiles. What's terrifying to note is that these crocodiles appeared to be the size of buses.

"WHOA! Dash, are you out of your mind?!" Spike screamed, completely terrified for his life.

"Trust me! It's now or never," With that, Rainbow inhaled, before she let out an earsplitting screech that stirred the crocodiles awake.

"Well, they're wide awake–HOLY SH–" Spike screamed.

Upon seeing the falcon-woman and human man, one of the crocodiles let out a bellowing grunt. To further Spike's horror, a mess of tentacles, with suction caps – like those of octopi and squids – burst out from the crocodiles' mouths. The tentacles wriggled and slithered in the air, before they darted towards Spike and Rainbow Dash. One of the tentacles grabbed ahold of Spike's shoe, before pulling it off, just as another plucked some of Rainbow's feathers, from her wings.

"Those things have tentacles?!" Spike shrieked in horror.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Rainbow asked, before she turned and looked at the piranha-gulls. "Too bad we can't say the same for them..."

Spike looked behind him to see the piranha-gulls ensnared in the crocodiles' tentacles. One by one, each of the gulls were stuffed into the crocodiles' jaws – somewhat reminding Spike of the Sarlacc Pit from the movie Return of the Jedi. Though, most of the gulls managed to avoid the gruesome fate of their members.

"Yeesh..." Spike grimaced, not wanting to be in the piranha-gulls' positions.

Suddenly, a tentacle shot up, briefly smacking Rainbow Dash and Spike. Disoriented, both falcon-woman and man crashed into a tree. Rainbow Dash was barely holding onto a branch, with her wings, while Spike was hanging onto a branch, beneath her.

"Oh! That hurts..." Rainbow winced, rubbing a scratch on her cheek, with the joint of her wing, where her hand was.

"AAAAAHHHH!!!" Spike screamed, to which Rainbow Dash looked down in alarm.

"SPIKE!"

"SAVE ME!!!"

Spike was hanging onto his branch, dangling dangerously over the slithering tentacles of a crocodile's snapping jaws. The crocodile did a few hops on its feet, reaching for the man, until one of its tentacles grabbed ahold of Spike's legs.

"OW!" Spike winced in pain. "They've got hooks!"

"I've got ya, Spike!" Rainbow Dash screeched, clamping her talons on the man's hands, much of an insult to his injury.

"OW!" Spike though to himself, 'I don't know what hurts worst. The tentacles with hooks, or the claws...'

"Ugh! It's not easy, without my hands," Rainbow complained, as she barely hold onto Spike, with all her strength.

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash heard a squawk, turning her head to see a piranha-gull, flying towards her. Thinking fast, Rainbow smacked the piranha-gull, into the fighting crocodile's mouth. Startled, the piranha-gull snapped its fang-ridden beak, onto one of the crocodile's tentacles, cutting Spike free.

"Hold on, Spike!" Rainbow shouted, throwing Spike onto her back.

In the process, though, Spike ended up groping Rainbow Dash's breasts, when he nearly fell off her back, and frantically regained his hold. Turned on, and her face turning red, Rainbow Dash swallowed her pride as she quickly flapped her wings, escaping the piranha-gulls, and the crocodiles.

[End of Chase Song]

"Phew...I don't think we'll be seeing anymore of them, for awhile," Spike sighed in relief.

"Oh believe me, Spike," Rainbow replied. "There's plenty more freaks that are twice as dangerous, compared to those things..."

"So...now that that's over. What do we do now?"

"First off all, take your hands of my breasts, before I drop you into the ocean, for the sharks," Rainbow threatened.

"Oh! Sorry..." Spike blushed, as he carefully moved his hands up, to wrap around the falcon-woman's neck. 'Though, I gotta admit, they're soft to the touch...why am I thinking that?' He thought to himself.

"And second off, let's go find some crabmeats..."

"As long as we don't run into anymore piranha-gulls..."

With a turn of her body, Rainbow Dash headed towards the beach.

Once they arrived at the beach, Spike and Rainbow Dash began combing the nearby coves, for small fishes and crabs. Though, Rainbow Dash was doing all the fishing, while Spike was basking in the sun, recovering from the bumps and bruises he received from their recent near-death experience.

Spike was resting on the soft sands, with his arms, legs, and his upper body, wrapped in seaweeds. A large leaf was covering his eyes, to keep the suns out. Unfortunately, this also left him vulnerable, blinded to an upcoming rude awakening.

Spike was sound asleep, when...

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEECCCHHHH!!!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Spike screamed, jumping up on his feet, before he tripped and fell on his back. "Ow..."

"Gotcha!" Rainbow Dash laughed.

"That was not funny! YOU GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!!!" Spike scowled, beating his chest, while clutching his ringing head. "And a headache..."

"Lighten' up, Spike. We're long gone from those piranha-gulls," Rainbow smirked. "Besides, look what I got."

"Lemme guess. A jar of dirt?"

"Haha, very funny," Rainbow rolled her eyes in sarcasm, before she held up her latest catches of fishes and crabs, in a large fishnet, both she and Spike had salvaged, from the wreckage of Newt Chimera's ship.

"Whoa!" Spike exclaimed, straining to get a better look at their latest quarry. "Oh! Ow..." He grunted, only for Rainbow Dash to gently ease him back down.

"Easy there, tiger," Rainbow shushed. "Don't strain yourself."

"Was that before, or after, you decided to give me a heart attack and a headache?" The man grumbled.

"Serves you right for groping my breasts, like a perv, pervert," Rainbow rolled her eyes. "So consider that as payback."

"I said I was sorry. Besides, my hands slipped. And you did a good job with my hands, might I add..." He showed his hands, now with bloody gashes, courtesy of the falcon-woman's talons.

"Well, what am I supposed to hold you with?" Rainbow asked. "My wings? Or my beak? It's not like I still have hands..." Wanting to change the subject, Rainbow Dash began to show off her latest catches. "Anyway, we've got fish, fish, lotsa fishes, more fishes, and oh, big surprise, even more fish. And a whole great white shark!"

"Really?" Spike asked, rolling over to get a look. "You caught a shar–WHOA!" He yelped, startled at the sudden appearance of a shark, with its gaping mouthful of teeth, next to his face.

"Yup," Rainbow smirked proudly to herself. "Caught this big bully, attacking a sea turtle. So, I did what anyone would do, and saved the turtle's life!"

"...You gutted a shark..." Spike asked, looking rather displeased. "An endangered, vulnerable species of predator, just because it was trying to eat? Yeesh. And I thought people who drink shark fin soups are cruel..."

"Ugh, seriously?" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in exasperation. "The shark's not even human. You should be thankful it's not like...like...that fish-man we hunted, before we were chased by the piranha-gulls..."

"Yeah, but still, it's an animal. And animals do what they do best. They hunt. They eat to survive."

"Newsflash, Spike! After what that Dr. Grogar did to us, we're practically considered animals as well. So sue us! We've been trapped on this hell hole of an island for months. MONTHS! Do you know what that's like? Think about it. If you were in our position, then you would've done the same as well, and hunt some other beast-people, or animals, for food! It's eat or be eaten..."

"...Even your own friends?" Spike asked.

"What?" Rainbow cringed in disgust. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well, because you're a predator?" The man stated, making it sound obvious. "I mean, look at you! Your feet, your beak, and...your build. You're half-falcon. You're a bird of prey. You're literally engineered to be one of nature's fearsome hunters. And...not to sound the alarm, but...bats are one of the falcon's main diet? So..."

There was a moment of awkward silence, as Spike and Rainbow Dash exchanged awkward blinks, before the falcon-woman inched her beak, dangerously close to the man's nose.

"If I had known that, then would Fluttershy still be with us, now?" Rainbow scowled.

"Okay, okay, okay! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I take it back..." The man apologized as Rainbow Dash pulled her head away. "This place. This island. Every creature, it's...it's all wrong..."

"It's messed up alright," Rainbow replied, as she began to tie up the net, for flight. "But who knows? Maybe after a month or two, you'll get used to it."

"And what if I don't? I mean, c'mon. Seagulls with piranha teeth? Killer crocs with tentacles? A psychotic madman of a doctor, reengineering humans with animal DNAs? That all sounds...sounds...sounds..."

"Like something out of a sci-fi movie?"

"Yeah. Exactly. It just doesn't make sense anymore," Spike sighed as he slumped back down in the sand. "I just wanna go home, where it all makes sense..."

Rainbow Dash simply nodded in sympathy, as she finishes tying up her net, full of fishes. She turned her head to look solemnly at Spike, noting the bruises he had to endure, during their recent chase from the piranha-gulls, and the mutant killer crocodiles that nearly ate them alive. It's plain to see how, understandably, frighten Spike is.

Walking over to the resting man, Rainbow sat down on his right, looking across the horizon of the ocean, noting how high the sun has risen.

"Wow, noon already?" Rainbow began. "Time flies fast, when you're being chased, huh?" Spike said nothing, and covered his eyes. "I mean, c'mon. The early bird was suppose to catch the worm, er...fish, but..." Seeing as how her small talk wasn't getting anywhere, Rainbow Dash decided to cut to the chase. "How are ya feeling, Spike?"

"For now, I'm glad to be on solid ground," Spike muttered. "And not getting my face wrecked, by trees, or half-eaten..."

"Yeah," Rainbow chuckled nervously. "I'm...sorry about that. I...first time I ever flew with...passengers."

"It's fine," Spike sighed. "I just hope we never have to do that again..."

"Yeah. But enough of that...about the shark, I...I don't know what your deal was. I mean, c'mon. It's either the big fish, or the turtle. And for all I know, it could be one of Tank's cousin, or whatever. I had to save him."

Spike turned his head to Rainbow Dash, with piqued interest.

"Tank?" He asked. "Who's Tank?"

"My pet tortoise," Rainbow confirmed. "And my best friend."

"Really? Uh, I hope you don't mind my saying, but...you don't look like the type who would want a tortoise for a pet. I mean, no offense, but you're all about speed and daring. Tortoise are...the opposite."

"Hey!" Rainbow squawked. "Tank may be slow, but he's tough, and he's a great guy to talk to."

"Take it easy, take it easy!" Spike calmed the falcon-woman. "I was just trying to grasp the big picture. Anyway, continue..."

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Rainbow Dash continued, "So, anyway, Tank and I are best friends. Sure, he may not be as fast as me, or run, or fetch, like a dog, or a bird, like me, or whatever. But I like the guy. Me and Scoots do. So, in a way, I guess I have a soft spot for turtles, and tortoises."

"Fascinating," Spike nodded in acknowledgement, before another newfound information intrigued him. "Uh...who's Scoots?"

Rainbow Dash looked solemnly, before she revealed, "Scootaloo is my little sister, back home. We're not related by blood, but still, we're pretty close."

"Ah, so you two are best friends, and you enjoy hanging out together, that you're practically sisters then?"

"Exactly! And she really looks up to me. Back home, before I became...this. I was Captain of the Wonderbolt's Soccer Team. And Scootaloo cheered the loudest from the audience. She never missed a single one of my games, bound to a wheelchair and all. Her two aunts made sure of that."

"You don't say," Spike replied, further intrigued. "And, if you don't mind me asking, how did she ended up in a wheelchair? Broke her leg, or something?"

"No, not like that," Rainbow frowned sadly. "She's sick. The doctors say that she's got this disease that's..." Shaking her head, straining to fight the tears from bursting through her eyes, Rainbow sighed, "I promised I'd always be by her side, and...I wanted to make every last moment of her life as valuable as I could but..."

Once again, Spike looked up at Rainbow Dash. Just like before, with Fluttershy, the young man couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards Rainbow Dash. For a moment, he didn't see a regal, fearsome falcon, but a human, who was worried, and scared for a precious child, far away, beyond her reach.

Wanting to console her, Spike said, "I'm sure she's very grateful to have a sister, like you."

"Thanks..." Rainbow blinked her eyes, shaking her head, to shake a tear away, "Anyway, let's go. I think the fishes are starting to stink and...let's get outta here before their stenches attract some more piranha-gulls..."

With that, Spike and Rainbow begin their trek back to their hidden camp. Though, all the same, Spike can't help but think about these newfound feelings for the she-beasts. And furthermore, he couldn't stop thinking about the fish-man, and how it's better off dead. Does this make him, or the she-beasts, less human than animals?

7 – The Orange Wolf

It was an hour after noon, when Spike and Rainbow Dash returned to their hideout, where the rest of the She-Beasts are waiting.

"Yo, girls!" Rainbow Dash screeched. "We're back! And we've got fish!"

"Yay!" Pinkie Pie screeched happily. "Sushi Saturday!"

"How do ya know it's a Saturday, Pinkie?" Applejack asked the pink monkey-girl, curiously.

"I don't," Pinkie shrugged. "Gut feelings. Or as I like to say, Pinkie Senses!"

With a roll of their eyes, the She-Beasts all gathered around Spike and Rainbow Dash, though Fluttershy still had some difficulty, being blind and all. The poor bat-woman fumbled and tripped, falling on her chin.

"I'm okay," Fluttershy reassured, as she got up and made her way to the spot.

As soon as the She-Beasts gathered around, they got a closer look at the state Spike was in.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Applejack asked, noting the bumps, bruises, and the scratches that covered all over Spike. "And where's your shoe?" She pointed to Spike, now walking in only a boot, and a sock.

"Ask her," Spike directed towards Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, long story short," Rainbow began. "We were fishing for a fish-man. Got chased by a whole flock of piranha-gulls. But then we lost them in the bayou, with some giant octo-diles eating them off our back. After that, we arrived at the beach, and we've got fishes for lunch!"

"Yeah," Spike confirmed. "And I've got the bumps and bruises to show for it."

"Oh stop your complaining, Spike," Rainbow turned to the young man. "You're lucky to be alive. Hardly any humans, like you, would last more than a second with those things out there."

"Hey, sorry for interrupting," Sunset spoke up. "But can we start a fire already? I'm starving, and those fishes are looking really good right now..." The tiger-woman commented, practically drooling.

"Ya took the word right outta my mouth, Sunset," Applejack said in agreement, panting heavily, with her tongue hanging, in hunger.

With that, Spike and the She-Beasts all gathered around to eat their latest catches, with Applejack starting up a fire to cook some of the fishes. Afterwards, Spike was casually eating smoked fishes on his stick, with Twilight and Fluttershy eating a fruit salad, due to being herbivores, courtesy of the modified DNAs in their genetic structures. Pinkie Pie, being an omnivorous monkey, was enjoying herself some sushi rolls. The rest of the She-Beasts, who are all carnivores, are a different story. Needless to say, it was as if they were watching a horror movie.

Spike and the other She-Beasts, watched in horror, and disgust, at the beastly mannerism, displayed by Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Sunset Shimmer, as they chewed into the fishes and crustaceans, tearing away at the meats, crushing the bones and shells, like the ravenous beasts they've become. At one point, they both reached out for the same fish. However, they weren't so eager to share, and ended up fighting each other for the prize. Sunset Shimmer let out a roar, as she clawed at her fellow She-Beast, with Rainbow Dash screeching, flapping her wings, sending a flurry of feathers in the air, as she kicked her talons out, all the while Applejack barked loudly and angrily, snapping her jaws at the other two.

Only Rarity, despite being half-snow leopard, appeared to be trying to keep herself composed in a dignified manner, as she tries to eat her meal, calmly, while looking rather displeased at her friends' mannerisms.

"Oh, really, darlings," Rarity rolled her eyes. "Could you at least try to be more–" Rarity was rudely interrupted, when a lobster was thrown at her, hitting her across the cheek. "Oh! It. Is. On!" The snow leopard-woman hissed angrily, before she joined the fray, grappling with Sunset Shimmer, mostly.

"Is dinner always like this?" Spike asked the rest of the She-Beasts.

"No," Pinkie Pie shook her head. "Yesterday, we had cumquats."

"Shouldn't we...do something about this?" Spike asked, watching the other four She-Beasts, fighting each other for food. "Can't we stop them?"

"No, just let them...fight it out," Twilight suggested. "Eventually, they'll tire each other out, and then we'll have peace and quiet again."

Sometimes later, the latest food haul have been reduced to crushed fish bones, and empty shells of crustaceans. By then, Spike and the She-Beasts have had their fill, and the carnivores who were previously fighting, have calmed down.

"Wow," Rainbow Dash grunted, flexing her beak, and rotating her wing joints. "You really clocked me there, AJ."

"Sorry, Dash," Applejack apologized, while clutching her sore shoulder. "Though, yer talons really sank deep into my arm. Ya sure you've had them clipped?"

"Hey! As long as we're on this island, stuck like this, my claws are registered as lethal weapons!"

"I've got claws too, Dash," Sunset Shimmer spoke up. "Twenty of them," She gestured to her hands and feet.

"Honestly, girls," Rarity huffed, brushing up her mane, that was disheveled and ruffled from the fight. "Can't you at least try to exercise some control?"

"Sorry Rarity," Sunset chuckled, shrugging her shoulders, with her tail swaying to the side. "It just sorta happens."

"Yeah, can ya blame us if we enjoyed some competition, now and then?" Rainbow asked.

"Even so, that's no excuse to behave, like animals!" Rarity huffed. "Granted, we may be She-Beasts, against our will, by that villain, Grogar. But we're all friends here. And friends don't bite and claw, and somethings like that – that's just horrible!"

"Rarity's right," Twilight added. "We need to work together, and not fight each other all the time, if we're going to get off this island."

"So you've found a way for us to get off this place?" Rainbow asked.

"Well...not yet," Twilight admitted. "But still, any idea is better than competing each other, for food."

"I don't know, Twilight," Sunset shook her head. "We've been stuck on this island for months now, and the longer we stay, the more animalistic we become. Time is just not on our side."

"And even if we do manage to get off this island, where do we go?" Rarity asked. "I doubt anyone would be more than welcome to see a group of She-Beasts, in broad daylight."

"I'm thinking, and I'm still formulating an escape plan," Twilight sighed. "I don't want to get our hopes up, but...I don't want us to fall apart. We've only got each other..."

"And me," Spike spoke up. "Just saying..."

With a heavy sigh, Twilight pinched the bridge of her snout, as she slumped against the cavern walls of their hideout. Looking up from her troubled half-pony friend, Applejack ushered everyone away.

"C'mon y'all," Applejack began. "Let's all give Twilight some space to think things over."

With that, each of the She-Beasts went in separate directions of their hideout, with Spike being the last one to leave. The young man wanted to say something, but was unable to find his voice, at the moment.

"Spike?"

"AH!" Spike yelped, startled by the voice. "Oh... Applejack, it's...it's you..."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare ya there," The orange wolf-woman apologized, before she asked, "Would it be okay if I...sit here next to ya?"

"Uh, sure...be my guest," Spike shrugged, letting Applejack sit next to him. "Uh...what are you doing?" He asked, when the wolf-woman leaned her head forward, sniffing him, up and down.

"Oh! Sorry," Applejack apologized, snapping back to her reality. "I, uh...I don't know what came over me..." The wolf-woman puts a hand – paw – up to her head and scratched, "I mean, I do, at one point. I jus' wanna know if yer okay, I mean...no offense, but you're all bumps and bruises. But then again, I...I..."

Taking a deep breath, Applejack lets out a long sigh, "What I mean to say is...are ya alright?"

"Am I alright?" Spike asked, with a scoff. "You tell me. I'm on an island...inhabited by animals that were once humans? And some other animals that looked like...like hybrids – piranha-gulls, octo-diles – what's next? And it's all ruled by a mad scientist! I'm in a horror show! Uh, no offense," He said to the wolf-woman.

"None taken," Applejack shrugged in understanding.

"But it doesn't end there..." Spike continued. "Here, on this island, Darwinian's survival of the fittest has taken on a new meaning. I mean, I get it...you girls have been stranded on this island for months and...you have to fight and hunt some other animals to survive...even if they...were once humans..."

"Oh, yeah," Applejack grimaced, flattening her ears for emphasis of her trouble emotion. "I take it this is yer first time?"

Spike nodded, before he lied back down and shook his head, "I just don't know anymore. I like all kinds of animals. And it's one thing to watch a predator hunting down its prey, because...hey, they're just animals. It's in their biology. Their DNAs. They can't help it. But...for me to kill...even if it was once human..."

"I'm sorry ya had to go through this, Sugarcube," Applejack consoled, emitting a noticeable whimper. "Truly, I do. Honestly, I feel just as bad as you are at the idea of hunting other Beast-Folks, just to live on..."

"Then...why do you still do it anyway?" Spike asked. "Why do you still hunt other Beast-Folks, even if you feel bad about doing it? How come you and all the other girls are lucky to keep your...sanity? Dash told me that all the other men who have been subjected to Dr. Grogar's experiments are Man-Beasts forever. Is that true?"

Spike looked up at Applejack, watching the wolf-woman close her eyes, as if struggling to hide her shame and regret. He even took note of her ears flattening down. This sort of body language is a typical expression of sadness, fear, or anxiety, for every canine. Therefore, Spike is certain that Applejack is truly upset with what she has to say.

The orange wolf opened her eyes and looked towards Spike, "I'm afraid so, Spike," She confirmed. "For most men, it's true. Once they're all Man-Beasts, they're gone for good. As for why me and every other gals are the exceptions...I don't know...Ah suppose the doc finds it...entertaining that way, ah guess..."

"So then...if I were a Man-Beast..." Spike frowned. "Would you have to put me down as well?"

Again, Applejack looked at Spike with the same body language that made her sad expression obvious and prominent.

"I'm afraid we wouldn't have a choice, Spike," Applejack replied, her voice croaking, likely on the verge of crying. "I'm sorry. But...if there was another way, then...we would gladly have spared you from that horrid fate..." Applejack held her hand out, but Spike flinched away and kept his distance, to which the orange wolf retracted. "Don't take it personal, Spike. We like you and all, but..."

"...Yeah, I get it," Spike looked away. "You've got to eat to live."

"Don't take it the wrong way, Spike," Applejack began. "We do need to eat, because we've got a lot of things back home to live for. We've all got families, waitin' fer us! Lives, businesses, and futures!"

Hearing this statement from Applejack made Spike's tension ease up, as it softens to a sympathetic expression.

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash told me that she's got a little sister waiting for her, back at the hospital," Spike replied. "So...what's your story, Applejack? What have you got to live for?"

"Like I said, family," Applejack answered. "Like a wolf, I've got a whole pack of my kin, back home. I've got a grandmother, a brother, and a little sister, working day and night, tending to our acres of apple trees, back at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Sweet Apple Acres?" Spike asked.

"Yup," Applejack smiled, closing her eyes, with a smile forming on her muzzle. "Ah, Sweet Apple Acres...Ah can jus' smell that earthy fragrance of the farm, the sound of lil'Apple Bloom playin' with her friends and the animals, and the nice cool wind blowing in mah hair, washing the smell of Granny Smith's apple pies across my nose."

Spike looked closer at Applejack's closed eyes, and he could've sworn he saw a single tear falling from her cheek. She must really be homesick.

"I bet they're applebuckin' their way through the Red Delicious trees," Applejack sighed, as she got down on her hands and legs, and laid her head down on the floor. "Oh, what I wouldn't give for just one bite."

Spike looked down at Applejack. Like Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, the wolf-woman's humanity has shown through her beastly exterior. Her devotion and love for family. Of course, knowing his animals, Spike wasn't the least bit surprised, since wolves have always hunted in packs, and have cared for their own, just as much as most humans would for their own kin. And lying next to him, is a woman who is just as much of a family woman than any wolf he might've known. And she is more than determined to return to that familiar life.

Spike wondered, is every wolf like that towards their packmates? If one of them ever got separated from their packs, then would they cross over mountains, rivers, even the ocean, just to get back?

Spike's train of thoughts were interrupted, when a light growling sound was heard, to which the young man and wolf-woman looked down towards her stomach.

"Oh look at me," Applejack chuckled. "Jus' thinkin' about apples got my stomach all growl growl again."

"Well, here," Spike reached into his backpack and pulled out a plastic bag of apple slices. "I hope it's alright with you. They're a little crushed, but..." The man was stopped, when Applejack gratefully took them.

"Thank ya, Spike," Applejack smiled, as she took the apple slices and downed them into her mouth. "Mmmm. Tasty."

Spike chuckled lightly, before he lies back down, staring up at the sky, through the cavern's atrium.

"So...aside from hunting for food," Spike began. "What else do you She-Beasts like to do to pass the time?"

Getting up on her legs, adjusting her hat, Applejack bent down, holding a hand out to Spike.

"Come with me, Spike," Applejack guided the man away.

[Evening Star - One Summer's Day]

A little later, both Spike and Applejack were sitting atop of a cliff, staring out at the sea.

"Wow!" Spike exclaimed, marveling at the beautiful sun, sparkling across the sea.

"It's beautiful!" Spike gasped. "The ocean."

"Sure is," Applejack sighed. "I can't tell ya how many times the gals and I would come up here, look at out the sea, and remember why we're in this mess to begin with. Jus' wanting to get away, from the city life, for a little while, relaxing on the beach, feelin' the soft hot sands under yer feet, the cool gentle touch of the waters washin' over ya, and the cool, relaxing sea breeze, washin' over ya. If not for that varmint, Grogar, then this here island would make the perfect spot for a vacation."

Applejack suddenly became irritant, when she wriggled uneasily, and raised her right hind leg up to scratch, behind her right ear.

"Applejack?" Spike asked. "What's wrong?"

“The worst thing about being a wolf are the fleas!” Applejack groaned. "Now I know how my dog, Winona, must've felt. Oh! There it goes..." The wolf-woman twisted her arms, trying to scratch her back, but seemingly failing to reach a specific spot. "Ah! No!"

Spike watched as Applejack got up, threw her hat on top of Spike, and turned her back on the man. Spike slowly tilted Applejack's hat up, peeking underneath to see the wolf-woman, with her back still turned on Spike, unbuttoning her shirt, throwing it off to reveal she was wearing a red lacy bra, which she too took off. Spike blushed a shade of red, and covered his eyes, before Applejack could turn to look at him. With her tops off, Applejack frantically ran up to a tree, to scratch her back against it.

"Ah yeah," Applejack panted, in relief. "Oh yeah. That's the spot. Ooh," She moaned in satisfaction, before she suddenly let out a loud yelp. "YIPE!"

With his eyes covered by Applejack's hat, and his hands, Spike heard Applejack falling to the ground, with a loud thump.

"Ow!" Applejack cried.

"What's the matter, Applejack?" Spike asked, with his eyes still covered.

"Somethin' just pinched me!" Applejack whimpered, with her voice pitched-up high, and she continued to whimper in pain.

"Wh-What is it?" Spike asked, still keeping his eyes covered.

"Ah...Ah don't know," Applejack continued to whimper, like a dog that is in excruciating pain. "Ah can't see it. But it's hurt me worse than a...a...it hurts!"

"Where is it?" Spike asked, carefully making his way towards Applejack, and keeping his eyes covered, so as to not look at her half-naked. "Where does it hurt?"

"It's in ma back!" Applejack whimpered. "H-H-How does it look?"

Spike slowly, and carefully uncovered his eyes, to see Applejack crouching to the ground, with her arms over her breasts, while she looked up at Spike with tearful expressions of a wolf. The very sight of her whimpering, eyes watering, and lips trembling was enough to tug at Spike's heartstring, making him want to cry. But Spike steeled himself, before he looked to see what the problem was.

"Oh! Yikes," Spike grimaced, when he looked at her back. "Looks like you've scratched yourself up against some thorns. A whole tree of thorns. What kind of tree is this?" He asked, noting the sharp thorns protruding from the barks.

"I don't know, but I don't care," Applejack whimpered. "Can ya help getting them off my back? Please?" She winced, biting the bottom of her lips, to swallow the pain.

"Okay, okay. I'll get them out," Spike consoled, as he went to work. "Just hold still and stay calm."

Squinting his eyes, Spike carefully, and gently, picked thorns that were pierced deep into Applejack's skin. For every thorns pulled from the wolf-woman, earned Spike a loud yelp of pain. But still, Applejack remained still, as best she could. Though, the urge to kick and thrash was becoming more and more unbearable. Nevertheless, it was all worth it in the end.

"There! That's the last one," Spike confirmed, after picking the last thorn off of Applejack’s back. "Better now?"

“Ooh!” Applejack sighed in satisfaction. “That does feel good!” Though, when Applejack tried to move, she winced, "But I still feels mighty sore though..."

"I'm not surprised," Spike replied, while looking at the thorns. "These things were buried under your skin, very deep," He looked back at the tree that Applejack had scratched herself against. "What kind of tree is this? I'm no botanist. But I'm pretty sure this ain't no ordinary tree..."

"Yeah, well...after this, I'm steering clear of trees like this," Applejack winced, before she stood and turned to Spike. "Anyway, thanks for...what's wrong?" She asked, when Spike covered his eyes and looked away.

"Uh...Applejack?" Spike stammered, while hiding his blushing face. "Don't you want to...to...to put your tops back on?"

"What?" Applejack looked down, before she realized what Spike was getting at. "Oh! Uh..."

The wolf-woman quickly covered her breasts. Though her chest is entirely covered in large, thick, fluffy furs, it wasn't enough to just leave things to the imagination.

"Sorry," Applejack apologized, until she let out another irritating bark. "Dang nabbit! Damn fleas are back!"

Spike didn't have to look, to hear Applejack biting and clawing at herself, running frantically, yelping and screaming, at the bugs that have returned to bother her.

Thankfully, there was a nearby stream, with a gentle, cooling waterfall, for a relaxing shower. Applejack had stripped herself free of her jean skirt and remaining undergarment, as she bathed herself free of the irritating bugs.

'Ah, that's more like it,' Applejack sighed to herself, in her thoughts. 'That's the way to get rid of those pesky bugs. Still don't know Winona would ever make a fuss about it, back home. She should be grateful that we give her a bath to get rid of them fleas. Oh well. Dogs will be dogs, I guess.'

The wolf-woman was running her hands up her muscular thighs, tracing across the muscles of her midriff, over her chest, scooping a large amount of water that cascaded across her breasts, which she then used to wash the back of her head. Tilting her head up, she runs the claws of her fingers across her hair, cleaning it free of any sweat and grimes, while ridding herself of any bugs that might've hidden themselves in her fur. The last thing she needed was more fleas, or worse, ticks.

Needless to say, the wolf-woman was just bathing herself, like an ordinary person would, but without the privacy and modesty that an indoor bathtub provide. Still, like a camper, or a survivalist, a she-beast's gotta do what a she-beasts gotta do. Just because she looks like an animal, doesn't mean she has to smell like one. Though, for Applejack, she doesn't seem to mind at times.

Applejack was in the process of washing her hair, when she looked over to see Spike, with his back turned on her, while looking after her neatly folded clothes, beside him.

'Hmmm, Spike's an interesting fella,' Applejack pondered. 'Normally, first chance they'd get, a lot of men would try and take a glance of me au naturel. But Spike... either he's just bashful, or...maybe he's jus' being polite. I wonder...'

Wanting to get a reaction from him, a mischievous thought ran wild with Applejack, as she started to howl and moan...rather sexually.

"Oh, Spike!" Applejack called, in a flirtatious tone, to which she noticed the young man flinching from being called. "Spike? Can ya...look at me for a moment?"

Spike, however, didn't comply, and kept on looking away. This got Applejack even more curious.

"No, seriously, Spike," She said in a more casual tone. "I jus' wanna talk to ya. It's hard to talk to you, from the back of yer head..."

This time, Spike finally spoke, "Okay...but," He handed the wolf-woman her clothes. "Can you at least get dry and put your clothes on first?"

"Spike," The wolf-woman persisted, but with a hint of flirtatious in her tone. "I know yer just being polite and all, and not that I don't appreciate it. But I don't mind ya taking a glance, Sugarcube. Technically speaking, I'm an animal and animals don't wear clothes."

However, Applejack quickly facepalmed herself, immediately regretting her word choice, "Okay, that sounded less awkward in mah head..." She admitted.

"You think?" Spike asked, before he held her clothes out. "Just quickly put your clothes back on, please?" He stammered.

"Okay, okay," Eventually, Applejack stepped out of the water, shook herself dry, before she proceeded to put her clothes back on.

"Alright, Spike," Applejack barked. "Ya can look now."

Spike turned his head and looked, but blushed a shade of pink and turned his head away.

"Now what?" The wolf-woman asked.

"Could you...at least, button up your...shirt?" Spike replied, with his voice pitched-up high to a squeak.

Applejack looked down to see she had left her shirt open, exposing her red bra. With a sigh, she buttons up her shirt, though she tied the button half to show off her midriff.

"Do ya really not like looking at a woman that much?" She asked, sitting next to him.

In response, Spike turned to look away, and kept his distance from her. Applejack sighed, talking in a more softer tone.

"Sorry if I was...makin' ya uncomfortable...let's start over again," With a deep breath, Applejack composed herself, clearing her head, so that she can talk in a softer tone. "Am I making ya...feeling uncomfortable?"

Spike slowly turned his head to look, before he turned away, looking as if he was hesitating.

"You can be honest with me, Spike. I don't mind."

Applejack waited anxiously for Spike to answer. He looked up, seemingly pondering on the wolf-woman's reassurance, before he turned and answered.

"You want the honest truth?" He asked, to which Applejack nodded. "Then, yeah. I'll be brutally honest, you're kinda setting off a lot of red flags, for me, Applejack."

"I figured," Applejack looked down in shame, with her ears flattening.

She wondered to herself, what was she thinking? Why did she act that way towards Spike? She quickly pushed those questions to the side, when she quickly resolved not to demean herself at the moment, when she needed to connect with Spike.

"So, what can I do to make ya feel more comfortable?" She asked.

"Well, for starters, don't go flashing your breasts, or...anything at me, again, okay?" He asked. "I'm not that kind of guy..."

"You got it," Applejack nodded in understanding, while still hurt to see the man, keeping his back turned on her. "Spike?"

"What?"

"...If it's not much to ask...can ya...turn around and look at me? I'm not going to bite or anything. And it's easier for me to talk to someone, to their face."

Spike was just about to comply, though he hesitated for a moment.

"I'm fully clothed, if that's what yer worrying," Applejack reassured.

With that reassurance, Spike turned around to look at Applejack, and they locked eyes. Another awkward silence followed, until Applejack finally broke the ice.

"You look cute, by the way," She complimented.

"Uh, thanks, I guess," Spike replied, while still looking rather weary.

"I mean it, I..." With another deep sigh, Applejack looked back at Spike and began, "I'm not going to bite, Spike. No need to be afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid."

"Then, what seems to be the problem? Is it something I can help ya with?"

"I...I..." Spike looked down, looking rather unsure.

"Spike, ya can tell me anything. Ya can trust me, can't you?"

Again, Spike was hesitant to talk. Another long awkward silence follows, to which Applejack took the hint.

"Fine. If ya don't want to talk about it, then...ya don't have to," She said, as she got up and turned around. "I won't force it out of you. But, just so you know, I'm always here for ya, if you need to talk your problems out. The same goes for the rest of the gals."

With that, Applejack was about to walk away, when Spike finally spoke up.

"I just can't look at a woman!" He finally confessed. "It's like I said. I'm scared of women, and the idea of talking, let alone, look at a woman, just scares me, almost half-to-death! Maybe it's safer, for me, to look at women on the TV, or on the covers of a magazine, but still...just actually looking at a woman, in real-life, in front of me, breathing...scares the crap out of me...I, I get so tensed. Like my heart is just beating rapidly. My skin grows cold. I get all so sweaty, and I...I..."

"No need to get too detailed there, Sugarcube," Applejack interrupted. "Sounds to me, ya must be really scared of women. Do ya want to talk about it?"

Spike took a quick glance to the side, before he replied, "I'd rather not talk about it..."

Applejack nodded in understanding, "Alright then," She looked back at Spike and gave him a small sad smile of reassurance. "But jus' so ya know, not all women are bad. Some of us can be real good to the right kinda guy. And...And I promise Spike, that me and the girls would never do anything to hurt you."

"Sure, okay," Spike nodded, with a shrug, which seemed to be a conflict between understanding and agreement. "I'm sorry."

This made Applejack look at Spike curiously. What could he possibly be apologizing for?

"For what?" Applejack asked.

"For...For not...looking at you," Spike replied. "I mean, ya looked like you were trying to, but then...I...I..."

Applejack simply walked up to Spike and pinched his lips shut.

"It's okay," She reassured him with a smile. "So long as we're connecting, then that's good enough for me. Besides," Playing her last card, teasingly, Applejack leaned forward and stroked herself across Spike, caressing her tail beneath his chin. "You and I are gonna get along just fine."

She stared into Spike's piercing emerald green eyes. The boy was breathless, as if Applejack had literally took his breath away. He stared back at her, not out of fear, but out of fascination it seems. Applejack doesn't know what's up with that, but to her, it doesn't seem to matter. He's not afraid of her. And she's very much happy about it. Her heart was beating rapidly, her tail was wagging, and she could practically feel her knees buckling, threatening her legs to give away, beneath her weight.

"Wow," Spike said breathlessly. "You're actually glowing!"

"Oh?" Applejack asked, to which she blushed and smiled, "Thank ya."

"Uh, let's get back to camp!" Spike said, as he frantically turned and ran away. However, Applejack is certain she heard him chastising himself, "Why did I say that? Why did I say that?"

"Oh, Spike," Applejack smiled. "If only ya knew what ya did to me."

The Mandalorian Soundtrack - Boba Fett Theme

Deep in the darkest depths of his mansion, past his laboratories, where the cries and screams of animals could be heard. Though some sounded more human than others. The doors opened as the nefarious Dr. Grogar entered a daintily lit room where a shadowy figure with glowing blue eyes was sharpening the tip of a spear-like weapon. Grogar and approached the figure.

"Newt has set one of our guests free, on our island," Dr. Grogar began, eerily. "My boar-men are busy making preparations. Your brother is currently in time-out. And by now, that young man called Spike maybe dead. But to make double sure, I have a new game for you to hunt, my Hunter."

The evil doctor then presented the figure, a photographer's camera – Spike's camera. The figure's icy cold eyes fell on the camera, and snarled, like a predator on the hunt. The figure then grabbed the camera and sniffed it a couple times.

"You have his scent?" Grogar asked.

The figure nodded.

"Good, I want you to find that man and if he’s still breathing, bring him to me, alive."

Author's Note

8 – The Pink Spider–Monkey

Spike and Applejack were walking through the jungle, on their way back to their hidden camp, when the sound of drumbeats catch Spike's attention. He glanced to the side and happened to notice the small tribe of scanty clad women he's seen, from before.

Spike flinched and nearly looked away, out of shyness. Even though the women were showing lots of skins, thankfully, for Spike, they still had the decency to keep their distinguishing features covered up, from top to bottom. At the very least, this made them more tolerable for the eye. Though, all the same, Spike was rather curious about this group. Aren't all human beings, except for him, Dr. Grogar, and that butler guy, supposed to be Beast-Folks? If so, then what's the story with these women? How is it that they're humans and not She-Beasts?

"Hey, Applejack?" Spike asked the wolf-woman, who stopped in her tracks and back tracked to the man. "Question: What's the story with those women? I thought everyone on this island are all 'beast-folks.'"

"Truth be told, Spike," Applejack answered, solemnly looking at the tribal women. "Those were She-Beasts. They've been on this island a whole lot longer than me and any of the gals. By the time we were brought here, by Newt Chimera, they were already regaining their human forms. But they've lost their memories and any sense of identity...they're neither humans, nor animals...they're just living husks of their former selves."

"Yikes," Spike winced.

A part of him was still scared of these women. But then, another part of him feels sorry for them, having to suffer whatever traumatic and torturous experiments Dr. Grogar performed on them. And then, after some times have passed, they've regain their true human appearances, but have lost their identities and sense of self-awareness. No memories of their past life, before Grogar. To him, it seems these women are living a fate worse than death.

"So...what are they doing now?" Spike asked. "What's with the dancing?"

"I don't know, Spike," Applejack replied. "Either out of instincts...their last desperation of humanity left...or they've got nothing better to do and are just dancing out of their mind to pass the time. Whatever it is, I hope these ladies are in a happier place."

Applejack turned tail and walked away, before she cast a sad glance towards Spike.

"But ya know the worst thing is?" In response, Spike shook his head, "That it'll be us, someday..."

This newfound revelation hits Spike, almost as hard as cold hard stone being thrown at him, or as hard as the trees that he had smashed his face against, during his Rainbow Dash's first flight together. He doesn't want to admit it, but he was actually growing more and more fond of the She-Beasts, forming an attachment, or some form of kinship. Just the thought of him befriending someone one day, only for them to forget the next, scares him immensely. In a way, this is the most conflicting existential crisis he has ever felt.

Both Spike and Applejack cast one last sympathetic glance at the tribal women, before they too turned and took their leave. All the same, Spike couldn't help but feel sorry for these former She-Beasts. He turned his head to take one last look. That was when he noticed the pink haired woman of the group was looking at him. Both Spike and the woman locked eyes for a moment, before Spike came to his senses and took off running, catching up with Applejack.

They hadn't gone far, when Applejack's ears perked up in alarm.

"Spike!" Applejack halted. "Don't move!" She instructed sternly.

"What? What is–" Spike was interrupted, when Applejack shushed him harshly.

"Shhhhh!"

Doing as he was told, Spike stood still as a statue, and not uttering a word. Taking a glance towards Applejack, he watched how pensive the wolf-woman looked, with her ears turning, listening for any signs of movements in every possible directions. Whatever it is Applejack was listening for, her hearing must be intensively acute, to alarm her. The only possible sound that Spike could hear were the sounds of leaves rustling in the breeze, the crashing sound of waters splashing from the stream, where Applejack had bathed, and the assorted sound of animals chirping, hooting, and howling.

Of course, after the horrors and near-death thrillers Spike had endured in the past few days, at this point, he knows for certain that some of the animal sounds are hardly animals, or even human.

Suddenly, without warning, Applejack threw herself at Spike.

"GET DOWN!" She howled, pinning Spike to the ground, just as a large beast burst out from the shrubs, thundering and bellowing in fury.

Spike looked up and his eyes widened at what he saw. On first glance, it looked like a fully grown bull elephant. The only differences are that it is covered in scales – like those of an anaconda – with a hissing cobra for its trunk, and has four tusks – the two upper tusks are curved and shaped like horns of a goat, while the two lower tusks are longer and shaped like spears.

"Oh my god! A grootslang?!" Spike shrieked, in awe and fright.

"You know that thing?" Applejack asked.

"Only in Dungeons and Dragons."

"Huh, Dungeons and Dragons? My brother loves that game."

"Oh! Then, I don't suppose he'd be interested in a playdate with moi?"

"I'm sure he'd like that...on the account we get out of this mess, first."

"Then let's get outta here!"

With that, Spike and Applejack quickly beat feet, as they turned tail – literally for Applejack – and ran from the massive chimeric beast. Behind them, both Spike and Applejack's ears rang horribly to hear the sound of a menacing bellowing that sounded neither like an elephant, or any average creature. The ground beneath him and the wolf-woman shook as the monster gave chase.

Knowing he would regret it, Spike still turned his head around for a quick look. To his horror, the grootslang beast was closing in on them with at a frightening speed. At any moment, it could gore either of them with its tusks, if it's snake-like tusk doesn't catch them first.

Spike looked ahead to see both him and Applejack were heading towards a fallen tree. With a kick of her legs, Applejack leapt over the fallen tree, while Spike laid flat on his stomach and started crawling under the log.

"Spike!" Applejack called, when she turned her head and saw the man crawling. "Hurry!"

"I'm hurrying!" Spike panted, crawling as fast as he could, while feeling the ground thundering and shaking as the grootslang monster closed in on him.

Without a second thought, Applejack leapt back and strongly pulled Spike, from under the log, and carried him away, just before the grootslang smashed its strong tusks through the tree, shattering it to pieces, and resumed its chase.

Spike can feel his heart beating fast. He didn't need to know that any second closer, and the grootslang could've killed him, had Applejack not saved him. Still being carried away, in the strong arms of the wolf-woman, Spike looked over her shoulder to see the grootslang was closing in on them.

"Is it still after us, Spike?" Applejack panted heavily.

"It's not giving up!" Spike whimpered.

"Well, ya know yer animals! What do we do now?"

Thinking fast, Spike tries to come up with a solution, knowing his and Applejack's life very much depends on it. But his heart was beating so fast from the adrenaline of the near-death experience, that he couldn't think well. His mind was running wild as rapidly as his heart, it was all clouded with fears and doubts.

"SPIKE!" Applejack screamed, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"I'm thinking! I'm thinking!" Spike shouted frantically, when he saw they were running towards a tree. "Applejack! Mind that tree!"

"Whoa!"

With a kick, Applejack banked right to avoid crashing into the tree. The grootslang, however, wasn't quick enough to make the sudden stop and turn. It tripped and fell onto its side, crashing into the tree, breaking it down, with its massive size. This, however, gave Spike an idea.

"That's it!" Spike exclaimed. "It's fast! But not on turns! Keep zigzagging and we'll lose it!"

"Alright then," Applejack nodded in acknowledgement, as both she and Spike continued to run from the grootslang.

Being an ever so persistent creature, the grootslang continued to chase after both she-beast and man. However, both Spike and Applejack continued to make several sharp turns, all the while tricking the grootslang to crashing into trees and every other obstacles in its path of destruction. Despite its obvious disadvantage of mobility, the monster continued to persist, after both Spike and Applejack.

"We can't keep running like this forever," Applejack panted heavily, running out of breath. "We gotta lose this thing!"

Suddenly, Applejack fell forward, causing both her and Spike to tumble down a steep hillside. They rolled, like runaway balls, until they finally came to a stop, and landed in a pile of bones. Bones that were so old that they hardly bear the grotesque stench of decaying flesh. Though, the very sight of the bones scared the living daylights out of Spike.

"Whoa! An elephant graveyard?!" Spike exclaimed.

"Ow!" Applejack whimpered, sounding like a frightened and injured dog. "My leg!"

Spike got up, brushing some of the bones off of him, to find Applejack, laying on her side, with one of her legs bleeding, from a deep gash on her right leg. It was a grimacing sight to behold, seeing a large open wound. So grimacing that Spike could lose his lunch from the overwhelming squeamish sight.

Before either Spike and Applejack could process any further on their predicament, the demonic trumpeting sound of the grootslang brought their attention to the snake-pachyderm hybrid, slowly stalking towards them both for the kill.

"Spike! Get outta here!" Applejack barked to the man.

Spike complied, turning to run away from the beast. But then, he stopped, looking back at Applejack.

"Applejack?" He ran back to the wolf-woman, who stopped him from coming any closer.

"Forget about me, Spike! Jus' go! Run! Save yer self!"

Once again, Spike hesitated. His mind was buzzing with so many thoughts, questioning his next move. Should he run and save himself from the beast and leave Applejack to die? Or can he somehow distract the grootslang and lead it away from the wounded wolf-woman? But what can a man like him do? What can he use to fight off the beast? Let alone save Applejack?

"Spike!"

Snapping out of his buzzing thoughts, Spike frantically looked down at the ground, before he picked up a pebble and threw it at the grootslang beast.

"HEY!" He shouted at the beast. "Come and get me!"

"Spike! What are ya doing?" Applejack asked in confusion, watching as the snake-pachyderm hybrid turned its attention on Spike. "SPIKE!"

Spike was just about to turn and run, when he was picked up by a pair of hands, and hoisted up into the trees.

"WHOA!" The man yelped, from the sudden adrenaline, before he finds himself in the tree branches, face-to-face with a familiar pink monkey-woman. "Pinkie Pie?"

"Where you expecting maybe Minka Mark?" Pinkie joked, before she turned her attention towards Applejack. "Don't worry, Applejack! I'll save ya!"

Reaching into her apron, which likely holds a hidden pouch or something, Pinkie Pie produced a pair of coconuts which she used to hurl at the grootslang beast. Spike watched as the coconuts hit the grootslang and, to his surprise, exploded into colorful flashes upon impact. This scared the grootslang terribly as it turned tail and fled in the opposite direction, away from the friends.

"Whoa! That's pretty cool, what you just did there, Pinkie!" Spike complimented the pink monkey-woman.

"Thank you, Spikey-Wikey!" Pinkie Pie chirped, before she grabbed Spike and a vine, and they both swung down.

"Whaaaa!" Spike yelped, before he and Pinkie regrouped with the injured Applejack.

"Are ya okay, Applejack?" Pinkie asked.

"Aside from a broken leg, some bumps and bruises, I'll live," Applejack sighed. "Thank ya for saving me, Pinkie!"

"Don't thank me yet," Pinkie replied, as she got out a roll of bandages to wrap around the wound on Applejack's leg. "First, let's get ya outta here!"

"Speaking of which," Spike began. "What were you doing out here, Pinkie? And how did you know we were in trouble?"

"I was picking some fruits of course!" Pinkie Pie answered. "I'm making a fruit salad for everyone, back at the camp, when I ran out of mangos and bananas. So, to make my bananarama delicious fruit salad, I went out to pick some bananas, coconuts, and mangos, when I heard you and Applejack were in trouble. So I loaded up on my coconut bombs and swing into action, like Tarzan, Shanna the She-Devil, or Spidey, I swing to the rescue!"

Neither Spike, nor Applejack, were able to catch every words that Pinkie had spouted at them. Nevertheless, they were grateful of the monkey-woman for saving them.

"Right," Spike replied hesitantly.

"Anyway, let's get outta here," Applejack gingerly got up on her legs, with Spike and Pinkie Pie helping her up on her feet.

As the three friends climbed out of the elephant graveyard, Spike turned to cast one last glance at the said graveyard, with a slight pang of sympathy.

'I've once heard stories about these elephant graveyards,' He thought to himself. 'But I never thought I'd see a real deal for myself. They say that when elephants reach a certain age, they instinctively come to these place and die.'

While thinking to himself, another dreadful realization hits him. Because they're on an island of Beast-Folks, then what are the chances that some of these skeletons belonged to elephant-like creatures, that were once human? If so, then who knows what were their last thoughts before they died? Their loved ones from the civilized world? The world where Spike came from, when everyone are still humans? How much they missed being human? Or wanting nothing more than to be put out of their misery?

All these questions running wild in Spike's head makes him come to the realization of how much horror the She-Beasts have had to endure, just as the graveyard looks more bleak and lonesome. Of course, all graveyards are all the same, be it man or beast.

Later, the three friends were at a tree, watching Pinkie Pie climbing up a banana tree, collecting bananas and carrying them all in her apron, that acted like a makeshift pouch for her. After she was done collecting the yellow fruits, she moved onto a coconut tree to collect the nuts, before moving onto another tree, to collect more fruits.

It would've been less awkward, especially for a gynophobic, like Spike, if it wasn't the fact that the apron was the only thing Pinkie Pie was wearing, meaning the poor traumatized man was treated to some flashes of her swelling red backsides, like those of a baboon.

"Uh...not that I was staring or anything," Spike blushed, as he talked to Applejack, expressing is discomfort. "But...does she...have any...other clothes...to wear?"

"She does," Applejack confirmed. "But...she just likes it this way. What with the tropical climate and all, and...how she likes to ...turn up the heat, when she's cooking. If ya catch my drift."

"Great," Spike rolled his eyes. "A She-Beast who's a perverted exhibitionist."

"Hey, now, Spike. No need for that. Just...Just think of her as...an animal, because...she's part animal. And she's just livin' her natural environment and...animals don't normally wear..."

"Applejack, I know you're trying to help me, and all. But what you're saying is just weirding me out and it's making me feel more uncomfortable."

Applejack let out a sigh, before she spoke, "All I'm trying to say is just 'bear with it.' No pun intended. I'm not saying ya have to like it, but...ya gotta accept it. This has been our lot in life, since we've been brought to this island and–"

"Heads up!" Pinkie Pie hollered, as she tossed down some fruits for Spike and Applejack to catch.

Though, both man and wolf-woman were caught off-guard, as they fumbled a bit, collecting the fruits. Applejack tried to catch all of the apples that were thrown at her, while Spike finds himself at the mercy of several fruits dropping onto him, knocking him on his back.

A gasp was heard, when Pinkie Pie came back down to the ground, horrified at what she did to Spike.

"Spike! I'm so sorry," She apologized. "I didn't mean to hit you! I was just...just..."

The pink monkey-woman's apology was short, when she burst out laughing at the state Spike was in. Spike got up, completely unaware that he looked like he was wearing a fancy fruit hat, with the pineapple as the centerpiece, and the bananas looking like earrings.

"What's so funny you stupid, pink...monkey...thing you?" Spike demanded, asking the laughing monkey-woman what the fuss was all about.

It wasn't long before Applejack too joined in on the laughter, that Spike started laughing along, because of how infectious their fun was.

"Why am I laughing?" Spike chuckled.

"Just laugh!" Pinkie Pie advised, as she and her friends continued to laugh together.

After a long while, the sun was just about to set over the horizon. By then, the friends' laughters have died down, and they were collecting the fruits to bring back to camp.

On the way, Pinkie Pie struck up conversation, "I'll bet you haven't laughed like that in a long time!"

"Huh?" Spike replied, not sure where Pinkie was getting at, or how she even knows. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm good at reading people," Pinkie Pie smirked. "You were just a shy boy, back when, growing up in Montana. You had a hard time making friends with kids your age. And the only friends you have are your families and your pets. Am I right?"

"Well, yeah, actually," Spike confirmed, before he realized something startling, "How do you know I grew up in Montana?"

"Just a hunch!" Pinkie squeaked.

"Then, any chance ya have a theory on Spike's fear of women, pray tell?" Applejack asked, wanting in on the conversation. "Sorry for intruding, I just...wanna know...y'know?"

"I might have a few ideas," Pinkie shrugged. "But the question for Spike is, how do you face your fears with women?"

"I...I don't know," Spike shrugged, not having been asked that question, up until this point. "Normally, I try to avoid women the best I could. Just the thought of looking at one, or even talking to some just...it really gets me on edge. I start sweating so much, I...I get this clammy feeling, I feel my blood turning cold, and everything. Honestly, I think it's better if I don't talk to any women at all. Which is why I like talking to animals a lot more than with people sometimes."

"Well, y'know, Spike," Applejack began. "Technically speaking, we're animals."

"And we're women!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "So, in a way, that's kinda the gray area, don't you think?" She smiled.

Spike was at a loss of word, as this newfound epiphany was a lot more for him to process.

"I don't know anymore," Spike sighed. "Female animals are okay. But...but...the opposite gender...of my...I don't know anymore. I'm scared of women. Okay? And...even if you She-Beasts do turn back to your human forms, eventually. I..."

Spike grunted in frustration.

"I'm just so confused! I don't want to be afraid of you gals anymore, but sometimes I am! But then I don't and it doesn't make sense. And now I have a major headache!"

Applejack and Pinkie Pie turned to look at each other, exchanging sympathetic glances, before turning to look at Spike with regrets in their eyes. The man was conflicted with his emotions and they feel worse just seeing him like this.

"Well, y'know, Spike," Pinkie Pie began. "I'm sorry if you're scared of us. But just so you know, we're all in this together."

"And we're just as scared as you are," Applejack added. "We all want to go back home, just as badly as you do."

Spike inhaled a deep breath, before he exhaled, "Yeah, I know...."

"And besides. Feeling sorry for yourself, and trying to avoid problems isn't the smartest way to deal with your fears at all!" Pinkie Pie lectured.

"Oh really?" Spike asked. "Then what is?"

"Well..."

Without warning, Pinkie Pie started to sing a musical number of how she was scared of the dark, until her grandmother gave her a helpful advice on dealing with her problems.

Pinkie Pie's laughter song

At the end of the song, Pinkie Pie was panting heavily, while holding her arms out, and posing on the ground, on her knees. Applejack simply clapped her hands, rather slowly, as if she's heard this song one time too many.

"Cute. Catchy," Spike replied sarcastically. "Didn't work."

Pinkie frowned at that. This young man was going to be a lot harder to crack than she thought.

Suddenly, the sound of a woman's shriek was heard, not too far away.

"What was that?" Spike asked.

"That sounded like Rarity!" Applejack confirmed.

"And she's in trouble!" Pinkie chirped in alarm.

9 – The Monster of Mighty Nature

Following the sound of Rarity’s roar, the friends hurriedly arrived into the beach to find a sight to behold.

The snow leopard-woman, Rarity, was fighting for her life, against a giant crab monster. Spike marveled at the monstrosity of the giant crab.

In a nutshell, it bears the striking resemblance of a Kaiju monster. Specifically the ones from the movie Pacific Rim. It stood at an estimate of a 188 ft. with four large legs, two thick claws that looked like they can crush 50,000 pounds per square inch. Two smaller, arm-like appendages reside in the giant crustacean's thorax. It also possesses a high crest above a large, symmetrical head.

"Oh my god!" Spike exclaimed at the monstrosity of the crustaceon.

What other kinds of monstrosity has Dr. Grogar been cooking up, besides Beast-Folks, or the chimerical creatures that Spike has had the misfortune to encounter?

"Rarity! Look out!" Applejack barked.

The snow leopard-woman was dodging a slash of the giant crab's tiny claws, when one of them snatched her by the dress she was wearing. With a loud, audible rip of the fabric, Rarity's dress was ripped off.

"AAAAH!!!" Rarity shrieked, in the most human screech ever heard.

"Oh!" Spike quickly covered his face, before he even had a chance to glimpse at the snow leopard-woman in her entirety.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie, however, shared an agreement of what was about to come.

"Uh oh," The two She-Beasts exclaimed together.

Barely audible, over the sounds of crashing waves, the caws of seagulls, or the island's piranha-gulls, and the howling wind blowing across Spike's ears, the young man was certain he heard the low rumbling sound of a growling animal. There can be no doubt, in his head. For that is the sound of Rarity's anger, awaking and letting her snow leopard instinct, taking over.

"Oh! It. Is. On!" Rarity hissed, before she let out a loud roar, combined with the furious shriek of a woman's.

Freedom Planet Mix - Major Boss Battle (Original + Chiptune)

Spike kept his eyes covered, beneath his hands. Not even daring to look, without the risk of seeing Rarity, in the nude and all. His cheeks were blushing a scorching shade of red at the thought of seeing a woman naked. Is it arousal? Or embarrassment? Either way, his intensive phobia hinders his desire to look, and he ended up feeling rather sick to the stomach, like butterflies buzzing.

It doesn't help, however, that Applejack and Pinkie Pie were both exchanging compliments of awe and amazement, tempting Spike to look.

"Whoa! Look at her go!" Pinkie Pie chirped.

"Well, it's nice to see this part of Rarity hasn't changed," Applejack chuckled. "Don't ever ruin her favorite dress. And that's all of them."

"Ai yi yi yi yi!" Pinkie Pie screeched, in which the sound of a crunch and a snap was heard. "Ooh! That's gotta hurt."

"What? What's happening?" Spike asked, still keeping his eyes covered.

"Ya gotta see it to know what's happening, Spike!" Pinkie Pie chirped.

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because Rarity she's...she's...naked?"

"Really?" Applejack barked, sounding more than annoyed. "Rarity's fighting for her life against a giant crab and yer worried about seeing her in the nude?"

"Well, excuse me for–"

"OPEN YOUR EYES!!!" The two She-Beasts screamed, scaring the living daylight out of Spike, into uncovering his eyes.

Before the man had time to recover, the two She-Beasts were already onto him, with Applejack holding his arms in an arm lock, and her legs wrapped around his waist, so he can't run. Pinkie Pie was tasked with keeping his eyes opened, so he can watch the whole fight unfold before him.

Though against his will, once he finally sees the fight between Rarity and the giant crab, the young man's struggles subsided and were replaced with fascination. Not because of seeing Rarity au naturel, but the full-frontal assault she displays in her combat against the oversized crustacean.

Needless to say, Rarity was fighting the giant crab, with the elegance and intensive ferocity of a wild cat. She was dashing from the left to the right, weaving between the crab's legs, disorienting and confusing the crustacean, in its fruitless attempts to snap its claws at her. Spike watched, fascinated, while noting the flexibility and impressive range of motions displayed from Rarity, as she twisted her hips for a sharper turn. But it was the impressive somersaults, the backflips, and the aerial pirouette that were the icing on the cake. It was like looking at a ballet dancer, with the intensive training and agility of a gymnast, and the daring grace of a figure skater at a winter olympic.

The crab furiously thrashed its large pincers at Rarity, who kicked her legs, thrusting herself into the air at an impressive height.

"Whoa! She can fly!" Spike exclaimed.

"Nope!" Pinkie Pie and Applejack shook their heads together. "Jump good!"

Back in the fight, Rarity landed on giant crab's pincer, before she proceeded to jump upward, climbing and scaling along the crab's hard rigged carapace. The giant crab let out a bellowing roar, as it thrashed its pincers atop its carapace, all in a vain attempt at knocking Rarity off. Nevertheless, Rarity reached up to the top of the giant crab, where she proceeded to scratch her claws at the crustacean's shell.

"In the name of all things fashion!" Rarity roared. "DIE YOU UNCULTURED CRUSTACEAN!!!"

With a flurry of furious claw slashes, Rarity pounded her fists and claws at the top of the giant crab's head. Unfortunately, the giant crustacean's shell was too hard and too thick to be torn through, by the She-Beast's claws.

"Oh no!" Rarity whined. "I broke my nails!"

Back on the sideline, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Spike all collapsed on the ground, incredulous beyond disbelief.

"She's fightin' for her life and she's worried about her nails?" Applejack asked rhetorically.

"Should we try to go and help her, somehow?" Spike asked.

"Don't need to. Look!" Pinkie pointed, back to the fight.

The giant crab raised its pincer up, before bringing it back down, to squash Rarity atop of its head. However, the snow leopard-woman quickly reacted in time and leapt away, avoiding the crab's claw. As a result, the Kaiju crab-like monster accidentally hits itself on the head and collapsed.

Meanwhile, Rarity landed back on the soft sandy beach, rolling forward, upon landing on her hands, to break her fall, before she rolled herself back on her legs.

End of Fight Song

"Hmph!" Rarity huffed at the down crustacean. "That ought to teach you to mess with a lady and her dress!"

"Whew-hoo!" Pinkie Pie applauded as she ran up to the snow leopard-woman. "Way to go, Rarity! You're the leopard-woman!"

"Well, color me dazzle and brighter than the brightest buttercup, like my ma!" Applejack smiled, as she limped over to put a hand on the snow leopard-woman's shoulder. "You sure showed that giant crustacean who's boss!"

"Hmph! Ladies do not start fights. But we can finish them," Rarity scowled, while flicking her hair. "And no thanks to you either of you, I should say!"

"Aw, but Rarity, you were awesome back there!" Pinkie Pie shrugged. "You looked like you didn't need any help!"

"Well, it's because of you two, that I suffered the greatest of humiliations!" Rarity bent down to pick up the scrap of her dress, or what's left of it. "I may be a She-Beast, but I refuse to behave in such barbaric manners. I mean, I get it. We've been brought to this island against our will. We've been subjected to the most horrendous of science experiments unimaginable, and transformed into this...this...She-Beast forms of ours. But that's no excuse to behave like a wild animal!"

"But this!" With an undignified shriek, Rarity held up her ruined dress for further emphasis. "This is a crime against fashion!"

Applejack merely rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms across her chest, "Sometimes, I don't know which Rarity I prefer," The wolf-woman snarked. "The drama queen, or the leopard."

"How about the femme fatale?" Pinkie Pie chirped.

"Ooh!" Rarity growled angrily, with her face turning a beat of red.

"Whoa, whoa, hey now!" Pinkie Pie calmed the snow leopard-woman. "No need to fight. Especially in front of Spikey-Wikey here!"

"Spikey-Wikey?" Rarity asked, before she turned to look at Spike, who had been silently staring at the leopard-woman, with a look of awe and admiration.

From the young man's perspective, it was almost like looking at a feline goddess – like the one from Egypt. It doesn't help that the sun setting in the horizon of the sparkling sea, illuminated the silhouette of her hourglass figure. This was actually the first time Spike realized her voluptuous Rarity really is.

"Darling, are you alright?" Rarity asked the man. "Are you ill? If not, then could you please close up your mouth? You're not a codfish, after all."

Realizing he looked rather foolish, Spike quickly snapped himself to his senses, shaking his head clear of any thoughts running wild with him.

"Sorry, sorry!" Spike stammered on his apology. "I-I-It's just...well...you were incredible!"

"Oh? Was I really?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah," Spike nodded, breathlessly, feeling every amount of air gone from his lungs, and his heart beating rapidly. "That was...the coolest thing I ever saw! You were awesome!" He smiled the brightest smile he didn't know he could muster.

"Oh! Why thank you darling!" Rarity smiled, with Applejack and Pinkie Pie exchanging smirks in the background.

"No, really, that awesome!" Spike continued, unable to contain his newfound admiration, and excitement, towards the She-Beast. "What was that? Gymnastic? Are you a figure skater? Or was it ballet?"

Rarity simply giggled in response, "Oh, flatterer," She smiled, before she twirled her hair, with one of her knees buckling. "Though, admittedly, before coming to this island. I have taken some ballet lessons, which have won me dance contest as part of a sports competition."

"No kidding!" Spike smiled. "Well, after seeing the way you fight that giant crab. I believe it."

But before the conversation could go on any further, the clicking sounds of the giant crab's mandibles alerted the friends. They turned to look back at the giant crab, to see it had awoken, more angrier than ever.

"This thing won't give up!" Applejack barked.

"How in God's name are we supposed to take this thing down?!" Spike exclaimed.

Pinkie then step forward to face the giant crab, "Well then, I guess there's no other choice!" She said as she took off her apron and threw it aside.

"Pinkie! What are you doing?" Spike exclaimed in shock, turning his face to look away.

"Time to bust out my super-duper ultimate weapon!" Pinkie answered.

Both Rarity and Applejack's eyes widen at this, "Applejack don't tell me she's going to...?" Rarity asked with dread, but deep down, already knows the answer.

An ominous rumble can suddenly be heard from Pinkie's stomach.

"Oh, she's gonna!" AJ said with fear.

"What? What's happening?" Spike asked.

Suddenly, Pinkie's belly began bloat out like a balloon until it was the size of a medicine ball with her navel popping out.

Spike was very confused of what's going on, "Uh girls, what's Pinkie doin-HEY!!!" Spike didn't get an answer as Rarity and Applejack just grabbed him and took him to a rock to hide behind.

"Spike get down and stay down!" Rarity said, panicking.

"And if ya ever want to smell again, cover yer nose!" Applejack added.

The giant crab crawled toward the pink monkey-woman, its claws snapping and mandibles drooling.

"Alright Mr. Krabs. You mess with the monkey; you get the butt!" Pinkie shouted as she turned around and aimed her posterior toward the monstrous crustacean.

Just as the monster was about to eat Pinkie, the monkey-woman shouted, "BANANA BAZOOKA!!!"

Not too far from the beach, a panther with bat-like wings was resting on top of a tree branch until it heard a large boom. The panther shot its head up and looked toward where the explosion was heard. Over by the beach, it looked like a pink mushroom cloud.

Back on the beach, Spike was still hiding behind the rock, with Applejack and Rarity, holding him together and smothering him between their well-endowed breasts.

"Mmmm-mmmm!" Spike screamed, muffled, until he finally wriggled free from the she-beasts' breasts, which he immediately regrets, once he catches a whiff of the air. "P.U!" He cringed in disgust, before he puts his head back the She-Beasts' breasts.

"Told ya to cover yer nose," Applejack stated bluntly, while still holding her breath.

"But at least it took care of that ruffian," Rarity moaned, as she, Applejack, and Spike poked their heads out from their hiding spot, to see the giant crab, lying upside-down, while emitting the unmistakable sound of a death rattle, through its mandibles.

Once the stinky fumes and sandy dusts have settled, there stood the pink monkey-woman, Pinkie Pie, with her back turned, tying the her apron back around her neck, waist, and above her prehensile tail.

"Pinkie, however, can your digestive system be so destructive?" Rarity asked, while still pinching her nose to block out the stench.

"And are you sure you're half-spider monkey?" Spike asked. "Because I'm starting believe in Florida's Skunk Ape's existence."

"Eh, it's a gift," Pinkie shrugged. "And not bad for a She-Beast fighting in the nude, eh Rarity?" Pinkie Pie quipped, teasingly.

"Oh, Pinkie Pie! Honestly," Rarity scowled. "Don't you and your teasing natures know any shame?"

"Oh, look who's talking."

"What are you..."

It was at that moment, that the embarrassing realization returns in full-force, that both man and leopard-woman realized the latter's predicament. Blushing his face to a fiery shade of red, Spike turned his head away and ran away. The pent up hormones swelling within him, the rapid heartbeat, and the increasing high blood pressure, were all overwhelming him. He couldn't think straight.

'Why? Why?' He asked himself. 'Why now? What's wrong with me? Why is my heart beating so fast? Why am I blushing so hard? Why am I sweating so much? Why is the voice in my head so loud? Why was I acting like a dork in front of a lady? And wow, her boobs are so big.'

At that last statement in his thoughts, Spike was struck with another dreadful epiphany, as he mentally bemoaned, 'Dammit, Spike! Why did you have to think like that? Why did you have to act like that in front of a naked woman? Now they'll think you're a pervert, and...they're all going to tear you limb from limb! I-I-I want to diiiie!!'

Little did Spike know, however, Rarity was just embarrassed, and thinking the same thing as he is.

'Oh, Rarity!' Rarity castigated herself in her thoughts. 'How could you be so careless? How could you give into your beastly nature? Now he's even more terrified of you! You have become the beast of the beauty! I-I-I-I want to diiiiiiie!!"

Rarity was eventually brought back to reality, by the sound of Applejack's voice.

"Oh boy," The wolf-woman rolled her eyes, before she adjusted her stetson hat. "Pinkie. Ya might want to go and fetch Spike back here, ASAP. I'm gonna stay here and help Miss Drama Queen of the Jungle recover her lost dignity, and help with hauling a good chuck of crabmeat back to camp."

"Okie-dokie-loki!" Pinkie Pie chirped, before she ran off, chasing after Spike.

"Ahem, if I may, Applejack," Rarity began, while covering her breasts and crotch. "Could you...be so kind...and maybe..."

"I hear ya, I hear ya," Applejack rolled her eyes, as she began helping the shy, poised snow leopard-woman, find something suitable and decent enough, to preserve her modesty. "He wasn't staring, or seen anything, besides your fighting style, if that's what yer worried about," She relayed to the fashionable leopard. "He's much too shy for his own good."

"Is-Is that so?" Rarity asked, still stammering on her words.

"Besides, for a short while back there, you two seemed to be really hittin' it off with each other, connecting and everything," Applejack continued, while searching for nearby materials for Rarity to wear. "That's twice more than a progress me and Pinkie have ever gotten through to him."

Rarity couldn't help but smile at that statement, to hear that she was actually accomplishing something in helping form a kinship with Spike.

"Ah! Here we are!" Applejack barked, holding up some rather diminutive items, much to Rarity's displeasure.

"How scandelous!" Rarity shrieked in outrage. "Don't you know how much skin I'll be showing?"

"Yer just gonna have to 'bear' it, or 'bare' it all," Applejack frowned.

Defeated, and at a loss for words, Rarity huffed, "Oh well. A lady's got to wear what a lady's got to wear..."

Sometimes later, the sun was just about to disappear completely. By then, Spike was helping the She-Beast haul away a piece of the giant crab’s large pincer. On the way, Rarity simply couldn’t help but complain and whine the state she was in, seemingly nonstop.

“Oh, the indignity!” Rarity whimpered. “This is hardly an attire, at all! It shows too much of my body. It leaves very little to the imagination, and I feel very exposed!”

Applejack simply snarled, with her ears folded back, on the verge of losing her patience.

"Oh, for the love of–Would it kill for ya to just shut the hell up, Rarity?" Applejack barked angrily. "Can ya just learn ta lighten up and stop obsessin' over every last little detail, for a change? Or your own appearances, for a change?"

"I'm a lady!" Rarity huffed. "A beautiful young lady!"

"Then why isn't Spike agreeing?" Pinkie Pie asked, teasingly.

Rarity turned her attention towards Spike, with wide watery eyes, that she is certain would put a puppy dog to shame.

"You...you don't think I'm beautiful?" Rarity feigned distress, to the young man.

"Oh! Oh no! No, no, no! I think you're great!" Spike exclaimed, in defense, which Rarity finds cute. "Better than great. I think you have quite the...exotic...beauty. Know what I'm saying?"

"I don't believe you," Rarity continued to feign distress, while secretly milking for more compliments. "You're not looking at me! I must be hideously ugly!"

"No, that's not it! I just...just..." Rarity watched as Spike slowly turned his head, taking a quick peek at Rarity in the corner of his eyes, before he blushed and looked away.

"Alright, Rarity," Applejack came to Spike's rescue. "Let's not over stress the poor guy than he needs to be."

"Hmph! Well, forgive me for asking a second opinion to back up your claim."

Not too far behind, Spike couldn't help but chuckle at the conversation, when he suddenly heard leaves rustling, not too far behind him. Spike turned around and looked, catching sight of the tribal woman, with pale pink hair, from before. Has she been following him? Nevertheless, he didn't have time to ponder for long. Quickly realizing he was falling behind, Spike frantically caught up with the group.

At last, the friends have returned to the She-Beasts’ hidden camp.

"AJ! You okay?" Rainbow Dash squawked.

"Whoa! Rarity..." Sunset Shimmer grinned, with a chuckle. "What happened to you?" She pointed at the snow leopard-woman's new, rather embarrassing and revealing, attire.

"I'd rather not talk about it..." Rarity scowled.

"We heard a big explosion. What happened?" Twilight asked.

Wordlessly, Applejack just pointed her thumb at Pinkie who was minding her own business by whistling and cutting up some fruit.

"Banana Bazooka?" The pony girl asked.

"Banana Bazooka." The wolf girl replied dryly.

Afterwards, Spike and the She-Beasts all gathered together to have dinner over Pinkie Pie's latest haul of fruits and a large chunk of the giant crab's pincer. Though, Spike was less hungry than the animal-women hybrids.

"Spike?" Twilight noted. "Are you okay? You don't look so well."

"Oh, goodness!" Fluttershy perked up in alarm. "Is he hurt? Are you sick?" She asked the last question, specifically to Spike.

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm fine," Spike muttered. "I'll be okay."

However, judging by the expressions on the She-Beasts's faces, Spike can tell they weren't buying it. Applejack, specifically, looked at him with a concerning frown, with her ears drooping slightly. Pinkie Pie's cheery demeanor appeared to have dulled down a bit. But out of all, Sunset appeared to be the most concerned, with the enlarging watchful gaze of a cat and drooping ears. Or perhaps it comes with the territory of being a tiger, being that they are fearsome predators, but at the same time, admirable.

"Actually, to be honest, I..." Spike began, while searching for his words. "I..."

"What?" The She-Beasts asked, simaltenously.

"...Do all of you know that you'll be human again?" Spike finally asked. "But in the process, you'll all lose your memories?"

The question caught almost half of the She-Beasts, until Applejack spoke up, on behalf of Pinkie Pie, "I'm afraid, earlier today, we might've had a run in with some...other She-Beasts," The Wolf-Woman looked solemnly, and sympathetically, towards Spike. "And it's rattled poor Spike worse than a rattlesnake."

"Oh," The She-Beasts all nodded in acknowledgement, before they turned to look back at the troubled man.

"How much time do you have left?" Spike asked, with a heavier lump weighing down on his throat, and a sharp pang of fear, striking through his chest. "Before you...lose yourself?"

The She-Beasts were all quiet, seemingly unsure of how to answer Spike's question. Whether they were hesitant on answering, or how to word it in Spike's favor, whatever the case may be, Spike eventually got his answer.

"We were never given the exact deadline," Twilight answered sadly.

"Or even an expiration date," Pinkie Pie added.

"All we can do is delay our fate," Sunset Shimmer explained solemnly. "But even that hasn't done us any good."

"How so?" Spike asked.

"It's complicated. But from what we understood...from the previous She-Beasts, the longer we stay like this, the more tempting it is to succumb to the animal instincts that Dr. Grogar had modified, into our DNAs. And the more we succumb to our transformation, the closer we are to becoming human again, and the more we lose our memories."

At the end of her revelation, Sunset Shimmer huddled to herself, with her chin on her knees, her arms wrapping over her face, and her tail wrapping around her body, conveying the emotion that she is scared. A very rare display of a tiger, but more common for a human being.

"Being human again wouldn't be so bad," Rainbow brought up, "If it weren't for the fact that you'll lose your memories completely. Our families, our homes, and everyone, and everything we loved, back home, on the mainland...just gone, with us."

Fluttershy immediately broke down crying at the nightmare, to which Applejack responded by trying to console the Lady-Bat.

"Oh, hey now, Sugarcube," Applejack cooed, as she gently shushed and stroke Fluttershy's back. "Shhh. Crying's not gonna help us."

"Easy for you to say," Pinkie Pie chirped. "You cry on the inside, Applejack!"

"Face it, we're goners," Rainbow Dash sighed, collapsing on the ground, with her feathers spreading out. "Might as well get used to hunting rats and fish for the rest of my life, and I won't even have to remember it, when I'm human again. Because by then, my mind's a blank slate."

"And that scoundrel, Grogar!" Rarity frowned. "Knowing him, he'd probably continue to use us all as his test subjects for his atrocious experiments of his vision for a 'perfect' world."

"Oy vey," Sunset groaned in agreement. "It was already a nightmare the first time he experimented and turned us all...into what we are now. But for a second time...or even a third? What will become of us then? Will we be much worse than what we are now? Or...will our minds be a complete blank then? All the more reason we have to cling onto our humanity with all claws."

"But...there's gotta be a way to turn you girls back to normal, without losing your memories..." Spike said. "I mean, there has to be a way! I can't let that happen to all of you!"

"We appreciate your concern, Spike," Twilight frowned, sadly. "But we've accepted our fate. We're still going to help you get off the island, but then you have to forget about us and move on."

"But...I can't!" Spike argued. "And even if I told someone else, back on the mainland about all this, who's gonna believe me? They'll think I've lost my mind, or that I was deluded and that I've been hallucinating everything that's happened on a deserted island! And let's not forget, you all have lives back home! Your friends and families, waiting for you! Wondering where you've been all this time! And if I go back...I'd tell them...but chances are, they wouldn't believe me. So, whatever it takes, we gotta find a way off this island, together. Because, even if you may not remember who you are, then at the very least, you'll all be home again."

At the end of his speech, Spike took a moment to catch his breath, composing himself.

"Wow," Spike panted heavily. "D-Did I say all that?"

"Darn tootin'!" Applejack barked, smiling.

"Wow, Spike," Rainbow began. "I never thought I'd see you so...so...passionate about us. I thought you hated women."

"I don't hate," Spike replied. "Just...scared. But then again, I don't want to... But still, you're still...humans! All of you! In a manner of speaking. And...humans or animals, we're all family, and...like my mom always says. Family look out for each other. No matter how scary it may be..."

"I can agree to that!" Fluttershy squeaked in agreement.

"Rock on!" Rainbow Dash squawked.

"Yay!" Pinkie Pie chirped happily.

"Yee-haw!" Applejack howled. "Yer speakin' my language, Spike!"

"I concur," Sunset smiled in agreement.

"Here here!" Rarity added.

All eyes fell on Twilight, as everyone in the group waited for her answer.

"Well," Twilight began. "The odds of us making it off this island, with the entirety of our sanity intact, are about 0.00000000000016%."

The anthro pony-girl looked up, seeing the negative looks on her friends' faces.

"But...I'll take those numbers," Twilight shrugged. "If we can pull off a miracle."

"Then let's make it happen!" Sunset Shimmer said, putting a hand on Twilight's shoulder.

"And a toast to Spikey-Wikey, for keeping our hopes alive!" Pinkie Pie chirped, holding up a coconut with a straw and fruity juice in it.

Following Pinkie's example, the rest of the She-Beasts too held up their drinks to toast the young man. Though, Rainbow Dash – lacking fingers, let alone opposable thumbs, on her wings – had to make do with holding up her coconut, in her talons.

"Oh, uh, you shouldn't," Spike flustered. "I mean, I-I-I don't deserve such praise."

"Oh, don't be so modest, Spike," Sunset advised. "You're one of us."

"You're practically our amigo!" Pinkie Pie smiled. "And wherever he goes. We go!"

"I'll toast to that!" Applejack smiled, holding her coconut even higher.

"Yay!" Fluttershy cheered quietly, holding up her coconut.

All of the She-Beasts clicked their coconut drinks together, while beckoning Spike to join in. The young man complied and with it, he felt a newfound feeling of joy, that's made him feel much closer to the She-Beasts than ever before. This may be the first time he's ever been including in a group activity – with females that is. And the first kind where he actually felt welcomed.

"Oh, Spike~" Rarity swooned, in a faint whisper.

Spike, out of impulse, flinched upon hearing her whisper, close to his ear.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes?" He responded, without turning to face her.

"Come meet me outside the cavern, tonight. I have something special for you."

Later that night, the sky was full of stars, the moon was shining brightly. Once again, after a hearty meal, all of the She-Beasts were fast asleep. All, except for one, who has promised her gentleman a performance she was willing to put on.

"Okay, Rarity," Spike called to the snow leopard-woman. "I'm out here. What's going on?"

"Spike! So wonderful of you to come!" Rarity called, making her presence known.

"You told me you have something special for me. What is it?" The answer he got was the sound of shrubs rustling, to which he turned in the direction of the noise.

“Oh, Spike~” Rarity swooned, as she stepped out from the shrubs and posed, in front of Spike, wearing a beautiful dress, made from bird feathers. “Be honest. What do you think?”

“Wow!” Spike exclaimed, eyeing Rarity from head to tail.

There, she stood, wearing a dress made of blue feathers — with some familiar rainbow feathers, at the bottom — that has a low cut, showing her cleavage, and the skirt a cut between her thighs and knees.

“Oh my, I-I-I…” Spike blushed, stammering on his words, to which Rarity finds adorable.

“I take it you like what you see, darling?” Rarity smiled flirtatiously, twirling on her toes to further beguile him. "Honestly, this is much more decent than that ghastly attire that Applejack had me wearing."

“Well, yeah,” Spike blushed. “But…but…what’s the occasion? I mean, knowing you…you wouldn’t be dressed up, without a…reason…”

“You are correct, darling,” Rarity smiled, as she stood in the moonlight. “For tonight, I wish to dance for you.”

“Dance huh?” Spike asked, getting comfortable in his seat. “Ok then. Dance away.”

With a curtsy, Rarity begins her dance.

[Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (Swan Theme)]

For an opening act, Rarity started the dance off, by crunching herself up into a ball, before she slowly stood up on her legs, slowly spreading her arms out, as if to make the gesture of flower petals opening up, or a beautiful bird spreading its wings, ready to take to the air and fly. Either way, it was just the beginning as Rarity stood up on her legs, straightening her foot until she was standing on her toes.

From there, Rarity thrusted one of her legs out into a kick, so strong, so fast, that it was a blur and looked as if it could reach over her head. And from there, just like how she handled herself against the giant crab, Rarity displayed an elegant pirouette. It was one spin after another, all the while balancing on the toes of one foot.

'Wow!' Spike marveled in his thoughts. 'I've seen the musical Cats. But it's got nothing on this...Rarity, she's got it going on! She's got ferocity, she's got elegance, grace. She's beautiful!' He admitted to himself, mentally captivated and enthralled by the leopard-woman. 'And...she's doing it all...for me?'

Spike could feel his face burning a shade of pink blush, his heart being rapidly in his chest, faster and stronger than before, it threatens to burst out of his chest. The sensational buzzing feelings of butterflies in his stomach was the cherry on top. He can't remember the last time a woman would go through so much effort to entertain him. To put on a show for him. Let alone, give him a gift. It was all so flattering.

[White Cat Solo — Cats the Musical]

After she was done with the ballet show, Rarity moved on to swaying her hips, left and right, fluidly, while snaking her hands from her chest, to her hips, before placing her hands on her thighs. Guiding Spike's attentions to focus primarily on her hips. He looked up, staring at Rarity's blue eyes that shines brightly in the dark. As piercing and mesmerizing than the stars that shines like diamonds in the night. Like the setting sun, earlier this evening, the moon illuminated the silhouette of Rarity's lovely curves. Though, it would seem the luminescence of the moonlight on Rarity's snow white fur made her glow.

She was truly a sight to behold. So bewitching, that for a brief moment, in the blink of an eye, Spike was certain he saw the human Rarity's appearance, in her eyes, looking back at him, with a smile.

The very glimpse of Rarity's humanity scared him a little, if not surprised him. However, it doesn't end there. Once again, Spike reminded himself that these creatures aren't animals, or newly discovered species. They were, in fact, once human. Human females. And the more he thought about these She-Beasts formerly being humans, the more scared he felt, just to see more and more of their humanity show. For an average person, like him, it wouldn't be so much of a bad thing, for them to be human again. Though all the same, he can't stop thinking about the She-Beasts's inevitable fates, of when their time will come. When they become human, but have lost every aspects that defines the person they are. No memories. No personality. No future.

At the very thought of such nightmare, Spike's thoughts returned to the tribal women he had seen in the jungles. All living blank slates. Dancing to the beat of primitive musics, with nothing better to do, than to waste the days away, until they die.

"Spike? Spike? Spikey-Wikey!?"

End of Song

Spike was snapped out of his trance, when he finds himself staring into the eyes of Rarity, who had slapped his face a couple of times, breaking him out of his daze.

"Are you alright, darling?" Rarity asked, with worry written on her face, and in her eyes. "You seemed – how do you say? – out of it."

"Sorry, Rarity," Spike apologized, as he composed himself, shaking his head. "I was...thinking..."

"Thinking...about what, darling? If you don't mind my asking."

"Thinking...about how you danced so...gracefully...and..." Before Spike could finish, he was overcome with drowsiness and let out a yawn, and he felt his whole body going numb, collapsing on the soft grass.

"Oh, darling!" Rarity exclaimed, picking Spike up in her arms. "I think it's time for us to go to sleep."

Mustering every amounts of strengths he had left in him, Spike weakly held onto Rarity, pleading, "Don't...Don't...leave me...please... Don't leave me... Don't leave me... dance... more..." Those were the last words Spike had spoken that night, before his whole world was consumed by darkness, that he finds himself enter a world of dreams via the gates of sleep.

Hidden beneath the shadows of the trees, hiding herself away from the moonlight, a pair of pale, light grayish violet eyes watched as Rarity carried a sleeping Spike away, in the darkest depths of the island.

Author's Note

Don't get mad at me! Pinkie Pie's fartillery is Mechazilla's idea.

The dance scene with Rarity is was inspired from this scene from the Japanese movie, Bagi, the Monster of Mighty Nature:

10 – The Smart Pony-Girl

The next morning, Spike woke up to the sound of clopping hooves. He blinked an eye open to see none other than Twilight, who was pacing in a circle that has completely worn the ground down.

“Uh, T-T-Twilight?” Spike called, rubbing the sands from his eyes.

“Morning Spike!” Twilight greeted, as she continued her pacing.

“How long have you been pacing?”

“All night.”

“All night?!”

“Well, I just couldn’t sleep. I’ve been wracking my brain nonstop, trying to devise a plan to get off the island and back to civilization, but it’s no use. I’m stuck!”

Twilight stomped her hoof hard to further emphasize her frustration.

“We could build a raft,” Twilight ranted. “But then we’ll just be drifting in the open seas for days. Lost and with no food, we won’t even last the entire journey, halfway around the world.”

Twilight continued as she expressed her thoughts.

“And if by some miracle we made it back to civilization, how will we get back home? Everyone on the mainland will more than likely capture us, put us in zoos, or…dissect us, sooner than we could even explain ourselves!”

Both Spike and Twilight shared discomfort expressions, especially at the mention of dissection.

“And what would our families think?!” Twilight hyperventilate. “Shining Armor will never look at me the same way again! Cadence might not even let little Flurry see her aunt had been turned into a horse-woman hybrid! And…I’LL BE DISOWNED!!!”

“Aren’t you overreacting a little bit?” Spike asked. “What makes you think your family would disown you?”

“Because they’re my family!” Twilight replied. “And that’s what families do when one of their relatives turns out to be a freak! I’m a freak! And I’m—neigh!”

Twilight immediately covered her mouth, shocked at what she just said.

“Did that came out of me?” She asked to an equally shocked Spike, who nodded. “Oh no! It’s getting worse! Very soon, I’ll…I’ll lose myself to my inner beast and…I’m losing myself!”

“Uh, I’m no psychiatrist,” Spike began. “But wouldn’t it be easier if you just calm down?”

“Calm down? CALM DOWN?” Twilight whinnied in panic. “How can I calm down?! I’M LOSING MY HUMANITY! I’M TRAPPED ON FURRY HELL OF ISLAND 731 AND DR. MOREAU!! My IQ is dropping by the seconds. I’M BECOMING ONE OF THEM!!!”

*SMACK*

Twilight’s panic came to a halt, with a sounding smack to the face, courtesy of Spike’s remaining boot.

“I’m sorry I had to do that,” Spike apologized. “But you really need to calm down.”

After a moment to collect herself, and to rub the inflicted area, from the boot, Twilight composed herself.

“No, I actually needed that,” Twilight sighed. “But I’m still worried to how we can get off this island and escape from Dr. Grogar.”

"Maybe Newt Chimera knows," Spike suggested. "He's the only one who knows how to get off this island and back again. Right?”

“Maybe,” Twilight sighed. “It’s too bad he’s not here with us now. Otherwise, we would’ve asked him how he’s been able to board a ship, navigate across the sea, go to civilization, and back.”

At that moment, epiphany struck both Spike and Twilight, like lightning, as they looked to each other.

“The shipwreck!” Spike and Twilight exclaimed in unison.

“Maybe we could salvage what little remains are left on that ship!” Spike stated. “And hopefully, whatever Newt used to navigate, like a compass, a map, or—“

“—even a radio, might’ve survived!” Twilight added. “We can probably send out an S.O.S. or—“

“—We could repair the ship, using the trees, on this island, and we’d be able to sail off the island and back home!” Spike concluded.

And so, Spike and Twilight were on the beach, arriving at the remains of Newt Chimera’s ship. Putting their plan into action, they started rummaging through the wreckage and salvaging for possible supplies, that had survived the crash, to assist them in getting home.

“I’ve got some life preservers,” Twilight exclaimed. “They still have some buoyancy, which is a good start. How about you, Spike?”

“I’ve found a compass,” Spike held up said navigational tool, “but it’s completely useless if we don’t know our exact location, or where we should be going.”

“Well, at least we’re making some progress,” Twilight sighed. “Me and the girls hardly made any progress in months, so this is a big deal for us.”

Spike scratched his chin and pondered for a moment, before he snapped his fingers, “Wait a minute! I just remembered, before we crashed on the island, Newt Chimera always has a map in his bunker. He said it’s how he charters his trips to ‘photograph dolphins.’ But I wonder…”

“Do you still remember where his old bunker is?”

“Yeah! Follow me!”

With that, Spike led Twilight through the creaking hallways of the shipwreck, until they arrived at the room, where Newt Chimera once slept in. Hanging on the wall, to the right, was a large map, detailing the route taken from the mainland, through the ocean, and in the vicinity of the dreaded Isle of Beasts.

“Okay! We have our map!” Spike pointed.

“Excellent!” Twilight nodded, as she took the map off its post and examined it’s entirety very closely.

Spike watched as the pony-woman traces her fingers across the map, determining their current location, the route taken across the ocean, and back to the mainland. Twilight seemed rather pensive, shown through her darting eyes, furrowing brows, and her clenching teeth.

It wasn’t like any expressions of an average horse, but it’s enough to convince that her humanity is still intact. That, or it could be Twilight desperately trying to grasp onto her humanity.

“What’s your status, Twilight?” Spike asked.

“Do you know where we are?” Twilight rolled up the map, closed her eyes, solemnly.

“Twilight?” Spike repeated.

“Spike…” Twilight turned to look at Spike, before her face brightens up, “WE’RE SAVED!!! According to this map, home is not that far away! It’s roughly a 30 miles sail, due northwest!”

“No way, for real?” Spike asked in sarcasm. “Then why don’t we just swim our way there?”

Twilight simply rolled her eyes in response, “C’mon! We gotta go tell the others!” She said as both she and Spike carried their latest spoils. “They’ll be happy to hear this!”

“Right behind ya!”

Both man and She-Beast excitedly made a run for the exit of the shipwreck. Unfortunately, they didn’t get a chance to leave the ship, when they arrived outside, to find themselves surrounded by Boar-Men.

The Boar-Men appeared to be wearing padded vests, and were armed to the teeth, with electric rods, and guns.

Fortunately, the hybrid swines didn’t notice Spike nor Twilight.

“Great. Some Man-Beasts,” Spike frowned.

“Not just any Man-Beasts, Spike,” Twilight frowned. “These are Dr. Grogar’s henchmen! Like all the others, they were ordinary people, until Grogar mutated them to be his obedient slaves. With enhanced strength and sharp tusks and teeth that can chew threw flesh, these guys are tough customers.”

“Yikes!” Spike shuddered.

The young man has heard of reports on wild pig attacks. Though often rare, and avoidable, lots of people have known to die from fatal wounds, from a wild pig. Especially a boar.

In fact, lots of people have died from bee stings, more than shark attacks.

Speaking of which, Spike and Twilight were staying out of sight, when they heard a peculiar sound. It sounded like the shrilling and irritating vibration of a cicada, with the loud humming buzz of a bee, wasp, or horsefly, combined.

It was so loud and irritating, both Spike and Twilight crouched to the ground, covering their ears.

“AAAHH!!!” Spike groaned in agony. “What’s that sound?!”

“Oh no!” Twilight moaned, with a look of dread that spells knowing fear of what’s to come. “It’s her!”

“Who?”

Suddenly, from inside the wreckage of the ship, both Spike and Twilight heard the bloodcurdling, and human-like screams of pigs, being slaughtered alive. To Spike, it sounded worse than the cry of the puma in the classic Sci-Fi novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau.

Spike was scared to look, knowing he would soon regret it. Nevertheless, curiosity got the best of him. Against his better judgement, Spike carefully peeks through the cracked windows, to a gruesome scene.

Attacking the Boar-Men, appeared to be a grotesque mangled creature that resembles a human, a horse, and all kinds of insects.

It looked mostly humanoid, with the head of what appeared to be a horse, possessing eight eyes, two legs, and pincers of a spider, mounted around the mouth. Large pair of insect wings, like those of a dragonfly, protruded from the back, an extra pair of arms protruding from its torso. The abdomen is the lower-half of a horse, like Twilight’s pony half, but with the addition of a stinger, that seems to be a cross between a scorpion’s prehensile tail and a wasp’s tail end.

“BLECH!” Spike cringed in disgust.

Spike watched as the bizarre horse-bug abomination attacks the Boar-Men, by shooting a string of spider webs from its mouth to trap and immobilize Man-Beasts.

With the Boar-Men rendered helpless, the creature moved in to sting one of its latest victims, for a whole minute until the struggling Beast-Man became still as a corpse. The humanoid Bug-Equine then moved onto the next victim, repeats, and so on.

“Ugh! That’s disgusting!” Spike groaned, looking ready to puke. “Now I know how a fly must feel, having its intestines sucked out, like a straw…”

“It’s worse than that, Spike,” Twilight began to explain. “She’s laying eggs into those Boar-Men! And once they hatch, her offsprings will attack the brain to zombify the host.”

“Zombify?!” Spike exclaimed, in horror. “As in real zombies?!”

Twilight nodded as she continued, “The parasite larvae will control the host’s brain, affecting their need to savor their appetites. The larvae will then feed off the nutrients consumed by the host. Once they’ve consumed enough nutrients, they mature into adulthood and come bursting out of the victim’s chest.”

“Ugh!”

Spike and Twilight resumed watching the gruesome show. They hoped to wait for the grotesque monster to leave, when it is safe to leave the ship.

Spike tried backing away, to hide deeper in the ship’s crumbling hallways, when he accidentally kicked an empty glass bottle.

The bottle bounces and rolled across the deck, creating a loud clang. This didn’t go unheard. Outside the ship, the giant bug-equine creature heard the sound, and turned its attention towards the ship.

Spike hid behind Twilight, “She won’t see us if we just hide. Right?” He asked.

“I’m afraid that won’t be simple, Spike,” Twilight frowned in worry. “I’m no entomologist, but I know that bugs have antennas that helps them detect preys.”

“Oh shit!”

Before they had time to react, the ship was suddenly rocked to the side, causing Spike and Twilight to fall over, screaming, and land on top of each other.

After a moment to blush their faces a shade of pink, the ship rocked to the side again, and the two friends rolled again.

Spike and Twilight quickly scrambled to their feet, looking out the window, for any sign of the bug creature.

Instead, what they found outside was a beach of massacred boat-men, with some wrapped in silky cocoons, incubating the parasitic larvae within.

“Where did it go?” Spike asked in a whisper.

“Shhh,” Twilight quietly shushed, as she ushered Spike to step back quietly.

With a firm grip of their latest salvaged goods on hands, both man and pony-woman retreated to the darkest depth of the shipwreck.

They cast frightened looks, left and right, trying to spot any sign of sudden movements. Spike also listened carefully for any sounds of the bloodcurdling buzzing, or any other sounds, that the bug creature would make to give itself away.

But the only sound he could hear were the creaking moans of the decaying shipwreck, the crashing splash of the ocean waves, and the deafening beat of his heart.

Then, without warning, both Spike and Twilight heard the bloodcurdling cicada-like sound again. It made their skins crawl, and their ears ached, to which they covered with their hands.

“Where is that sound coming from?!” Spike groaned.

The sound was attacking both Spike and Twilight from every directions. It was almost as if they were being stalked by, not one, but thousands of the fiendish bug monster.

“The vents!” Twilight exclaimed in horror. “It’s coming from the vents!”

“What?” Spike asked, unable to hear what Twilight said.

Without warning, Twilight threw herself at Spike, “LOOK OUT!” She screamed, just as an insect’s leg burst from the ceiling, almost snatching Spike away.

Both Twilight and Spike looked up in horror to see it was the horrible bug-horse from before. The grotesque monster burst its head through the vent, snapping its pincers, reaching its spider appendages after the two.

Spike frantically backed away, when he tripped and fell onto the control panel of the rundown ship. Spike’s hands pressed on the buttons, some of which activated several loud noises around the ship. One of them was the air horn and the ship’s radio.

Combined, the two sounds created an irritating, if not, earsplitting sound that shook the whole ship.

“AAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!” Spike and Twilight shouted as they both fell to the floor of the ship, covering their ears.

“Spike!” Twilight groaned. “What did you do?”

“I don’t know!” Spike replied. “But I now know how dogs must feel!”

“Whatever you did, make it stop!” Spike was about to comply, when Twilight stopped him. “Wait! Don’t stop. Look!”

Spike followed Twilight’s finger to see the monster thrashing it’s head wildly, as if the sound was driving it crazier than them.

Both man and She-Beast watched as the monster wriggled itself free from the ship’s hull, retreating from the noise. With a buzz of its wings, the monster flew away, leaving behind Spike, Twilight, and the cocoons it had left on the beach.

“It’s gone!” Spike sighed in relief as he bent down to pick up the goods he and Twilight had been salvaging. “Let’s get back to camp before that thing comes back!”

“Not so fast, Spike,” Twilight pointed at the cocoons. “First thing’s first, we need to deal with those things before they hatch.”

“What’s your plan of attack?” Spike asked, to which Twilight answered by picking up one of the Boar-Men’s machine gun.

At that moment, one of the cocoons burst open, to reveal a zombified Boar-Man, who let a grotesque shriek that is no longer human, nor animal. Something akin to a death rattle, and a person screaming in pain.

“BLECH!” Spike cringed in disgust. “Yeah, let’s put those thing out of their misery!”

Soon after, both Spike and Twilight were walking through the jungles, on their way back to camp, with the goods they had salvaged, when Spike strikes up conversation.

“This island just keeps getting better and better,” Spike commented sarcastically, as he listed, “Piranha-Gulls, Octo-Gators, giant crabs, She-Beasts, the likes, and a mad scientist? I’d be stirred crazy the longer I stay here.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Twilight replied. “And if we don’t get off the island soon, it’s going to get a whole lot crazier.”

“What’s next? A dinosaur? Or more of those bug-monsters that turns you into a zombie? How does Grogar even come up with these things? He’s like the Father of Monsters, or something. And where does he even get the fundings for all his experiments?!”

“From his benefactors,” Twilight answered.

"And who are they?" Spike asked.

"Currently, we don't know. Previously, they were Tirek, Cozy Glow, Chrysalis, Sombra, and the Storm King." The Pony-Woman replied. “Rumor has it that it was Tirek who was the first to fully support Grogar’s experiment, by volunteering his brother, Scorpan, against his will.”

“What?! Tirek, Cozy Glow, Chrysalis, Sombra, and the Storm King?!” Spike immediately remembered five mentioned criminals, when he looked at their profiles, back at Grogar's lab.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that whatever they were planning with the mad doctor's experiments, it obviously wasn't to end world hunger. A scary thought then crossed his mind, "I'm scared to ask but what happened to them?"

"They were getting impatient and felt that Grogar wasn't fast enough,” Twilight explained. “Demands turned to threats and talks got violent. I don't know allthe details but he managed to trap them, and they became yet another one of his experiments."

Twilight shuddered in fright, as she continued, “He then injected more than one animal DNA into each of them, causing them to become quickly savage and more animal than most beast-folk. We call them "Berserkers". In fact, we just happened to be some of the luckiest few to have escaped Chrysalis."

“Whoa, wait a minute!” Spike exclaimed in alarm. “Did you say Chrysalis? As in one of the worst criminals in the world, Chrysalis? That thing was her?!”

Sharing Spike’s disturbed expression, Twilight nodded in solemn confirmation. "Whatever humanity they have left is long gone."

Spike was frozen stiff in his tracks. To him, Chrysalis was already scary enough, as a normal human. But to see she had become a misshapen, mangled, bug monster with the resemblance of a horse. It definitely looked like a freak show from a freak carnival.

“So, if that’s Chrysalis,” Spike began to ask. “Then…then…” Spike stopped mid-sentence as he struggled to decide whether he should ask or not.

“Then what?” Twilight asked.

“Then, what about the others? Where are they? Or do I even want to know?”

Twilight shuddered in fright as she replied, “Just be glad we don’t have to run into any of them. Rumor has it that each Berserkers now control five parts of the island as their territories.”

“I see. And what do they…” Spike shook his head as if he gave up.

“…You know what? Forget I asked,” Spike replied, while thinking to himself. ‘Maybe it’s best I never have to know how the other criminals are looking now…’

Later that night

Once they were safely back in camp, Twilight began to survey the map both she and Spike had recovered from the shipwreck.

All the while checking over the amount of foods and supplies they have saved for the long trip back home.

“Map, checked,” Twilight listed. “Foods, checked! Compass, checked! Life preservers, checked!”

“Now all we need is to build ourselves some kind of boat, or a raft, and we’re home sweet home!” Spike concluded as he walked up to Twilight, with a coconut for her to drink, complete with an umbrella and straw.

“Thanks Spike,” Twilight smiled as she gratefully took the coconut and drank it through the straw. “Don’t know what we’d do without you!”

“Well…feeling’s mutual, I guess,” Spike replied.

After she had her drink, Twilight went back to formulating the escape plan.

“A raft, or a boat is definitely what we need,” Twilight began. “Now, comes the part where I have to take into account the number of weights, depending on the number of passengers and the supplies we are carrying. I must figure out the buoyancy, the length, and width our vehicle needed to be.”

Standing next to her, Spike was definitely stumped by what the Pony-Woman had said.

“Uh, can you run that by me again?” Spike asked. “But repeat it slowly? And in smaller words?”

“In order for all of us to leave the island, we need to build a boat, or a raft, that is strong enough to carry us all! Including our supply of rations we’ve been saving that would last us for the entire journey.”

“Ooooh!” Spike nodded in acknowledgment. “Wow, for a…a She-Beast, you’re smart!”

“Thank you!” Twilight smiled.

“So, refresh my memory. Didn’t you say you were a robotic engineer before?”

“Yup! And the winner of the robot tournament, with the prize being…a holiday vacation of this god forsaken island of a paradise.”

“Yeah. It’s a very big shocker for me as well.” Wanting to change the topic, Spike asked, “So, do you have a family?”

“Huh?” Twilight asked.

“Do you have a family?” Spike repeated. “Like parents? A sibling?”

“Oh, yes, I do!” Twilight confirmed with a longing frown. “I have some of the most loving and supportive parents in existence. A B.B.B.F.F. who is now a member of the Navy.”

“B.B. What?”

“Big Brother Best Friend Forever.”

“Okay. Continue.”

“A big sister-in-law, who was formerly my favorite babysitter, and a cute loving niece!”

“No way! You’re an aunt?!” Spike gasped.

“And proud of it!” Twilight smiled proudly, before she frowned tearfully, “I just wish I could be home right now, so that I can hold my sweet Flurry Heart in my arms again.”

Twilight let’s out a flood of tears to fall from her eyes as she continued to think long and hard about her family, and her precious niece.

Twilight’s tearful thoughts were interesting when she felt a loving hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Spike apologized.

In response, and after she’s calm enough, Twilight took a deep breath to compose herself, and reassured, “It’s okay, Spike. I’ve been meaning to share this, with everyone, for quite sometimes.”

“…Either way, I know what’s like to missing a family member or two.”

Twilight then turned to Spike and asked, “So, what about you? Do you still have some family?”

“Well, I recently moved out of my parents’ house. But you know, we stayed in touch. Other than that, I have no other relatives, so I pretty much live alone. Well, me and Peewee.”

“Peewee? Your dog?”

“My parrot. Given to me by my parents as a birthday gift. Named after my favorite character, Pee Wee Herman.”

“Aw, that’s so cute! And believe it or not, but I have a pet bird of my own as well! An owl named Owliscious!”

“That’s amazing! And what kind of owl is he, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“I believe he’s a Great Horned Owl,” Twilight confirmed.

“Omigosh! That’s one of my favorite kind of owls in the animal kingdom!” Spike exclaimed with starry eyes. “They’re fierce birds of prey that can take on larger animals bigger than them, like falcons and ospreys. They have a force of 28 pounds to open their claws, they have a good sense of hearing, and have soft feathers that lets them fly so quietly to sneak up on their preys and… Oops, I was rambling there, wasn’t I?” He blushed a shade of pink, which Twilight finds adorable.

“It’s fine, Spike!” Twilight giggled. “You must really love your animals, don’t you? Just as much as Fluttershy does!”

“I guess I do,” Spike chuckled. “In fact, there have been times when the animals were like the only friends I’ve got.”

“Don’t you have any…human friends?”

“Well, yeah. And they’re all men, who went their separate ways, dated girlfriends, some of them became their wives, and all that. Blah blah blah.”

“What’s so wrong about that?” Twilight asked, noting the disdain in Spike’s tone of voice.

“Nothing wrong. I’m happy for them. But for me…I may never get to experience that kind of feeling, because…” Spike sighed despondently, “You know why.”

“Oh Spike. I’m sorry,” Twilight apologized.

A part of her was guilty for attempting to pry such sensitive information from him. But another part of her knew that sooner or later, the truth will be known and that it will set him free eventually.

“I know this is still a hard topic to talk, but I need to know, what happened to you?” She persisted.

Again, Spike was hesitant to talk. He got up, turned around, and walked away, leaving a worried Twilight.

“Spike?” Twilight called to him.

“I just want to be alone, Twilight,” Spike replied. “Today’s been an eventful day and…I need some sleep.”

“Oh, okay,” Twilight abided.

Still, the look of concern she had for Spike, never left her face.

Somewhere, on the island

Under the covers of the trees, several of the Beast-People were going about their days, hunting, pilfering, and such, when they felt a disturbance in the air.

They sniffed the air. They perked up their ears. Their hairs stood on end, as they caught onto the presence of another being. Then, with the clear expression of fear on their faces, they retreated, as a lone figure stalked the scene.

The figure’s icy cold gaze glowered at the forest floor, like those of a predator hunting its prey.

The figure got down on the forest floor and inspected a track of footprints in the dirt. Those made from the boots of a man…and She-Beast.

11 – The Fiery Tigeress

Dark clouds loom over the island. A storm was brewing. Fears have gripped the hearts of every living creatures, for they have more to fear than one problem.

The hunter was on the prowl. The sound of his breath, the beating of his heart, and the foul stench of his musk was carried on the wind, alerting all living creatures to beware of his presence.

No creatures, man or beast, are safe tonight. There is only the hunter. He who stalks the shadows of the trees.

Meanwhile

At first, all Spike could see was darkness, the sound of the gentle waters lapping, and the sounds of animals calling, outside the camp.

He didn’t sleep for long, when a gentle, but strong hand, tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey...hey, Spike...wake up...wake up...Spike..."

Spike groggily wakes up, opening his eyes up, and found himself staring into a pair of feline moderate cyan eyes.

Startled, Spike felt his heart, almost lurching itself out of his throat, as his eyes were snapped awake, and he impulsively screamed.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" Spike frantically climbed up a tree, and screamed for his life. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"

"It's okay, it's okay...WHOA, WHOA! It's okay! It's me," The hybrid reassured, before stepping into the light, revealing herself to be Sunset Shimmer.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" Spike hyperventilated. "Carnivores...Ugh..."

“Sorry,” Sunset apologized.

At that moment, the rest of the She-Beasts emerged from their den, with Rainbow Dash guiding Fluttershy.

“What’s all the screaming?” Rainbow asked. “Some of us are trying to sleep in. Not to mention one of us is nocturnal,” The falcon-woman said, gesturing to Fluttershy.

“I just got back from my patrol this morning,” Sunset expanded. “And I’m afraid I might’ve startled Spike a little too much…”

“A little?” Spike and Applejack both asked, skeptically.

“Anyway, I just got back from my patrol,” Sunset explained. “The area’s cleared. Chrysalis is gone.”

The She-Beasts and Spike all exchanged a collective sigh of relief.

“Great! Now I can get back to fishing!” Rainbow said, flapping her wings, and started to fly through the hole in the roof.

“Be back in 30 minutes, Dash!” Sunset called out. “It’s going to rain soon!”

“Got it!” The falcon-woman called as she disappeared out of sight.

“In the meantime, what should we do?” Applejack asked.

“I say we start packing up girls,” Spike cleared his throat, “…And boy,” Twilight chuckled, as she resumes, “Because we might be leaving sooner than you expect!”

The She-Beasts, except for Rainbow Dash, all exchange excitements and shocks at the revelation.

“You mean ya found a way to get us off this island, Twilight?!” Applejack asked.

“I most certainly do! All thanks to Spike!” Twilight smiled happily, gesturing to the single man in the group.

The She-Beasts all smiled and looked at Spike, who began to fluster, in embarrassment and fright.

“Uh, it-it-it was nothing, really,” Spike waved his hands dismissively, as he backed away, while sweating a storm.

“Nothing?!” Pinkie hooted. “Are you kidding me?! It’s definitely SOMETHING!!!” Before Pinkie Pie could scare Spike even further, with her wild monkey antics, Applejack pulled her away, by the tail.

“What the pink monkey gal was trying to say is…” Applejack smiled, emphasized by her wagging tail. “You’ve answered our prayers, Spike! Ya helped on finding a way for us to get off the island!”

“Indubitably!” Rarity added. “We can all go home!”

“Not just yet,” Twilight spoke up. “I said we ‘might’ be leaving soon. Me and Spike have only gotten some equipments to navigate the sea and back to the mainland. All that’s missing is a mode of transport. A boat, or a raft. And…”

“And what?” The She-Beasts asked.

“It needs to be big and strong to carry us all!” Twilight explained.

“That’s all?” Pinkie Pie scoffed. “No problem!”

“Pinkie, this is serious!” Twilight said sternly.

“Don’t get your ponytail in a knot, Twi!” Pinkie chirped. “We’re on an island! A very big island, and it’s got lots of trees! We’ll just cut down as many trees that we need, and we’ll be home free!”

“Easier said then done, Pinkie,” Applejack shook her head. “Like what do we even cut them down with? And how do we put them together? And does our ship come with a steering wheel, or something?”

“I’m still working on the details, Applejack,” Twilight explained. “But as of now, I’ve got a good feeling about this, that I could just kiss Spike right now!” Twilight blushed a shade of red, realizing too late what she just said.

“WHAT?!” Spike and the She-Beasts exclaimed on shock.

“Ooooh, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie smirked. “You sly mare!”

“Uh, appreciate the comment Twi, but…” Blushing a shade of red, sweating up a storm, and scared out of his wits, Spike took of running. “SEE YA!!!”

“Spike! Wait!” Twilight called out to the boy.

“Oh boy,” Applejack sighed. “I’m afraid ya might’ve scared the poor fella there, Twi.”

“I know…” Twilight sighed miserably.

“The poor dear,” Fluttershy whimpered. “I can’t imagine being that scared.”

“I hope I knew what happened to make him so terrified of…women,” Rarity pondered.

“Hey, Sunset?” Twilight called to her tiger friend. “Can you do me a favor? Any chance you could…”

Twilight whispered something into Sunset’s ears, to which the tiger-woman responded with a look of uncertainty.

“That’s a tall order, Twilight,” Sunset replied. “But I can’t guarantee it’ll work.”

“Just try. Not for me, but for Spike! If anyone can help, it’s you!”

“Phew! Plenty of catch! And just in time! That storm’s about to hit the island!”

Rainbow Dash was flying back to the camp with her latest catches, when she looked down and saw something that made her blood run cold.

Not too far from where their camp is, she spots a what almost looked like a human male that was around Spike's age. In appearance, he has jet-black medium length hair with blue streaks, dark blue wolf-like eyes, dark gray skin, and, most shockingly, had slightly pointed ears. For attire, he wore a black overcoat over a dark gray shirt that had a symbol of a wolf's skull on it, black jeans, and matching cleats. For accessories, he wore a dark blue bandana around his neck as well as a necklace that was made up of various animal teeth.

“Oh no!” Rainbow screeched, "I got to warn the others!!!"

Meanwhile, back at camp

After his recent "retreat" from the She-Beasts, Spike sat down, by his lonesome, on the banks of a gentle stream, in the camp area. Taking his remaining boot off, with his socks, the young man dipped his feet into the water. He was immediately overwhelmed by the cooling sensation of the water, washing away all his doubts and fears. To him, it was as cool and refreshing as dipping into the ocean.

Spike felt rather ashamed of himself, for earlier, when he cowardly ran away from the She-Beasts. They've been nothing but hospitable to him. Even if they had a rocky start, when the She-Beasts initially accused him of being another of Dr. Grogar's flunkies. Though, all the same, he can't stop being afraid of them, like he does with any other women.

'It's been over 14 years now, and I'm still as scared of women than ever!' Spike castigated himself. 'Why can't I just get it over with? Why can't I be like the other guys who aren't afraid to look at a woman?'

The young man was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't hear the approaching footsteps of a She-Beast, coming from his right. It was only when she cleared her throat, when he finally noticed.

"Ahem! Spike?"

"AH!" Spike yelped, jumping up with a start and falling into the stream.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" The She-Beast apologized, as she reached her clawed hands out to help him up. "I didn't mean to scare you!"

"That's okay..." Spike coughed, wiping droplets of waters off him. "Just...don't do that...again..."

Spike wiped his face until the waters washed his eyes, letting him get a clear look to see it was only Sunset Shimmer.

"Again, carnivores..."

"Again, I'm sorry," Sunset apologized. "I didn't asked to be mutated into a tiger-woman, you know?"

"I know, I know," Spike replied, as he got out of the water to squeeze the excess out of his shirt. "But still, tigers are one of nature's perfect killing machines. They're practically made to move silently and deadly," A snort was heard, to which Spike turned to see Sunset, with a hand over her mouth, to supress a laugh. "What?"

"Silent but deadly," Sunset snickered. "That's a fart joke."

"Oh!" Spike chuckled, upon realizing his choice of phrases. "Right... Sorry."

"That's okay," Sunset chuckled, before she spoke, "Hey, Spike. I...I know you're a little...weary at the moment, but do you mind following me for a bit?" Spike was rather hesitant, given his past bonding experience with the other She-Beasts, except Fluttershy, always involving in disaster, or near-death experiences. "Don't worry. We're not going out of the camp, or anything. Just wanted to show you something personal of mine."

"Uh...okay?" Spike complied, but was also rather unsure.

“Wow!” Spike gasped, marveling at the mural drawings. “This is amazing! You drew all this?” He asked.

"Yup!" Sunset smiled proudly. "I'm glad that despite Grogar's torturous experiments he performed on me and the girls, my expertise as an artist is still intact."

All around him and Sunset were cavern walls that have drawings of cities, people, from all sorts of countries. From Paris to New York, even Tokyo. Though, what connected them all to each other was the sky, painted with clouds, rays of sunshine, and hearts, shared by the people, around the world.

The young man walked up to the cavern walls, reaching out to touch the paintings, when Sunset stopped him.

“Careful, they're still wet!” She cautioned.

"Oh!" Spike quickly pulled his fingers away, barely an inch form smearing. "Sorry."

"That's okay. Just look, but don't touch."

With that, Spike resumed gazing in awe at Sunset's artwork, while the tiger-woman crawled to the side, before she sat on her haunches, with her hands on the ground.

"I have to say," Spike began, "You're quite the artist! How did you do all this?"

"Well, it wasn't easy without a brush, and I had to do it all by hands," Sunset began. "But thankfully, I still remember a lecture in class that talked about how indigenous people in certain parts of the world can make colorful clays out of dirt, flowers, and other kinds of minerals, which they can use to paint. So that’s what I did.”

“Fascinating!”

Spike looked at the paintings, until he sets his sight on a group painting of seven beautiful women, with colorful hairs, gentle eyes, and loving smiles, jumping, frolicking, playing together, and having a good time.

It didn’t take long for Spike to realize a certain parallel, “Is…Is that you…and the girls…as humans?” He asked.

Sunset followed Spike’s finger to the drawing he was pointing. Like a wild cat, she crawled over on all four, before she stood up on her hind legs, exhaling a sad sigh of longing.

Spike, meanwhile, couldn’t help but gaze up at Sunset in wonder. To him, it was amazing to have watched how a She-Beast, such as Sunset, could move so naturally and gracefully, like that of a wild cat. But then, when she is simply standing on her own two legs, her posture changes from an animal to a human. A solemn reminder that this creature was once human.

And solemnly still, she, and her friends, were all the results of a sinister genetic experiment performed by an equally sinister scientist of a madman.

“Yeah,” Sunset spoke up, snapping Spike out of his train of thoughts. “Believe it or not, Spike. That’s us.”

“Really?” Spike looked back at the group painting, before he commented, “Wow, you girls are kinda cute!”

“Aw, thank you, Spike!” Sunset smiled to the young man.

“And happy!”

“Yeah, those were happier times…before all this…shit, and hell, we’ve had to endure since we came to this…place…” Sunset frowned, growling so angrily, it was enough to convince Spike that she was an animal.

Thankfully, Sunset composed herself, as she inhaled a deep breath and exhaled a sigh of relief.

Sunset looked at Spike, causing him to flinch a little from her soul penetrating eyes.

“Spike, why do you love animals so much?” Sunset asked.

“Huh?” Spike stammered, caught off guard. “What—Why—“

Sunset repeated, “Why do you love animals?”

After a moment of collecting himself, Spike answered, “I just love animals, y’know? They’re cute, they’re amazing, they’re beautiful. They come in all shapes and sizes. There’s always something new to learn from them, everyday! Who doesn’t love them?”

“I thought so,” Sunset nodded. “Fluttershy loves animals. She spends most of her times playing with her animal friends back home. And sometimes, she gets picked on by a lot of bullies, because of her unnatural love of animals.”

“Yeah, she told me about that, a few days ago,” Spike frowned in sympathy.

“And I should know, because…I was one of the bullies,” Sunset revealed, with her voice cracking, it sounds as though she was crying.

“You?!” Spike gasped. “You…were…a bully?” Sunset nodded, shamefully. “But…you seemed to be getting along so well with the others.”

“You’re right. I am. Because I’m a different person than before,” Sunset’s ears folded back as she looked down at herself. “Well, technically speaking, back when I was a person. But still…”

Sunset looked back at Spike, and both their eyes were locked onto each other, it seems that Sunset had him under a spell.

“Spike, what I’m trying to say is…I want to help you, just like how I helped Fluttershy get through with her doubts and insecurities, by becoming more confident in who she is.”

Spike was aghast to hear such words, from Sunset. But at the same time, he felt rather hesitant, because he didn’t want to relive the memory of a traumatic past.

“Please Spike,” Sunset asked softly, once again, sitting on her haunches, with her arms holding her up, like an actual cat. “Give me a chance. Trust me.”

There was a moment of silence between the two, until Spike was the first to break the ice.

“Well…”

Suddenly, a loud screech was heard.

“What the hell?” Spike asked, startled by the cry. “Is that…”

“That’s Rainbow Dash!” Sunset Shimmer confirmed. “That’s her cry of alarm! Something’s wrong!”

“Guys! GUYS!!!” Rainbow squawked as she frantically entered the cave.

“Whoa there Rainbow,” Applejack approached her, “What’s got you all saddled up?”

“It-It’s Shade Stalker! He’s close by! We gotta-!” Sadly, the blue falcon-woman was interrupted when a shotgun blast suddenly rang the entire cave.

Kai Tangata - Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood Music by Alien Weaponry

Everyone slowly turned towards the cave’s entrance and saw the mysterious person Rainbow spotted earlier with a shotgun in hand.

The She-Beasts look at this intruder with anger and fright, especially Sunset and Rainbow, while Spike is somewhat confused by this person. Like him, this intruder looked human but with some slight differences with his dark gray skin, slightly pointed ears and glowing blue eyes.

Unfortunately, Spike didn’t have time to think any further as Sunset grabbed him and practically shoved him behind her and the others, “Spike stay behind us!!!” The tiger-girl shouted.

Before Spike could question why, the intruder cocked his shotgun and took aim. The She-Beasts instantly scattered with Sunset grabbing Spike.

The intruder opened fire at the fleeing She-Beasts, trying to get a hit.

Sunset and Spike went behind a large stalactite to use it for cover.

“Who the fuck is this psycho!?!?” Spike exclaimed.

“Shade Stalker…” Sunset answered grimly, “Grogar’s most feared henchman and a ruthless hunter.”

Meanwhile, Applejack gets a little bold as she gets on all fours and makes a mad dash towards Shade. The hunter noticed this and opened fire at her with the wolf girl but AJ managed to dodge them. As she gets close enough, Applejack lounges at Shade and grabs his shotgun, resulting in a tug-o-war between the two.

As she was struggling against Shade, Applejack turned to the others and shouted, “I’ll keep this son of a bitch busy, Y'all get outta here!!!”

Hesitant at first, Spike and the other She-Beasts eventually replied and ran out the cave one by one with Rainbow screeching, “You come back to us alive, AJ!!!”

As they all ran out the cave, or flew in case of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, a thought crossed Spike’s mind.

“Why are we running from him?” Spike asked. “It’s just one guy. We can fight him together, can’t we?”

“Easier said than done, Spike,” Rainbow Dash shook her head.

“It’s impossible to fight him!” Sunset added.

“What do you mean impossible?” Spike asked.

“Because the last time we fought him, I almost died!” The tiger-woman roared.

“WE almost died!” Rainbow Dash screeched.

Spike stared at the two frighten She-Beasts in worries, before he asked, “I know I’m going to regret asking this, but…how exactly?”

“The last time we fought, I ended up getting this.” Sunset replied, showing him the scar on her back.

“And I got beaten to a bloody pulp!” Rainbow squawked.

“I can’t believe we left Applejack to face off against that… brute all by herself!” Rarity shouted.

“Don’t worry Rarity, if there’s one person we shouldn’t worry about, it’s Applejack. I’m sure she can handle Shade.” Twilight reassured her, “I hope…” She muttered that last part.

Back at the cave Applejack continues her tug-o-war with Shade, trying to take his weapon from him. However, with quick thinking on his part, he head-butts the wolf-girl right in the nose causing AJ to stammer back a bit and grab her now bleeding nose.

Taking aim once again, Shade was about to fire his shotgun again but AJ managed to kick the firearm out of his hands.

Glaring at the wolf-girl, Shade busts out a grenade from his coat and throws it at her.

Applejack manages to dodge it in time before it explodes. Shade then threw more grenades at her which Applejack ran across the cave to dodge the explosives.

However, the ongoing explosions have caused the cave to lose stability and slowly begin to collapse.

Both Shade and AJ realized this with the former making his way to the exit but not before leaving behind one last grenade. Sealing the cave behind him.

Thinking fast Applejack jumped up to and grabbed a stalactite that was near the ceiling’s atrium. After taking a few whacks at it, she manages to break the crystal ceiling and escape through there.

Back with Spike and the other she-beasts, they stopped to catch their breath.

“Jesus Christ, I never ran that fast in my life.” Spike panted between breaths.

“I-I think we lost him.” Twilight stuttered.

“I hope you’re right Twi.” Spike said. As he said that however, that was a flash of lightning and Shade suddenly appeared next to Spike.

The hunter grabbed Spike by the throat and pinned him to a tree.

“Hey! Get your hands off of him!” Twilight shouted. She then charged at Shade. Tackling him which causes the hunter to let go of Spike.

After a brief struggle, Shade shoves the pony-girl off of him. As he gets up, he brings out a small spear-like weapon. Pushing a button, the spear increased in length and Shade then got into a battle stance.

Realizing that they have no other choice but to fight, the other she-beasts got into a fighting stance as well.

Rarity attacked first, pouncing at the hunter. But Shade raises his spear in time before Rarity could bite or scratch him. Shade then swipekicked her legs, causing the leopard girl to fall to the ground in which the hunter picked Rarity up and threw her away from him.

Rainbow Dash swooped in, with her claws out, and Sunset Shimmer flanking Shade. But the Hunter managed to catch both attacks and collide them into each other.

Shade then heard a loud rumbling sound behind him. He turns to see Pinkie Pie preparing her Banana Bazooka. With inhuman speed, Shade dashed towards the pink monkey-girl and jabbed her right in the stomach.

“Ooof!” Pinkie groaned as she got on her knees and clutched her stomach, a small, tiny poot was heard from her byoo-tox.

Shade then notices Spike and slowly approaches him. Thankfully, Fluttershy tackles Shade and lets out a very loud shriek in his ear, disorentating the hunter. Shade manages to push the bat-girl off of him despite the loud ringing in his ears right now.

As Twilight was helping Sunset get up, the pony-girl noticed Shade had been exclusively targeting Spike during this whole battle. “Spike, you gotta get out of here!” Twilight shouted to him.

“What?! Why?!” He exclaimed.

“Shade seems to be only interested in you. We’ll keep him busy, you need to run!”

Hesitant at first, he knew he couldn’t argue with her and started to make his leave. Unfortunately, despite his ears still ringing like crazy, Shade noticed this and wasn’t going to let him get away.

Pressing another button on his spear, it quickly contorted into a whip. Shade then struck Spike in one of the latter’s legs. Spike instant fell to the ground after that, clutching his leg and screaming in pain.

“Spike!!!” Most of the She-Beasts exclaimed with Sunset rushing to his aid.

Meanwhile, the sky was getting really dark and the downpour increased tremendously. Applejack managed to catch up to her friends and saw most of them injured and Shade a bit disoriented.

Grabbing Spike, Sunset made a mad dash to the woods, hoping to lose Shade there. The hunter was onto her however, and attempted to use his spear-whip again but was grabbed behind by Applejack and was thrown across the field.

Getting up, Shade glared at the wolf-girl and AJ did the same. The two stared each other down until lightning struck a tree near them.

The flaming tree fell down between them and Applejack, along with the other she-beasts, use this opportunity to escape.

By the time Shade managed to get around the flaming tree, the she-beasts are already long gone and the hunter lets out a frustrated, almost inhuman, growl.

End of Song

Meanwhile, Spike was gently set down by Sunset Shimmer, after escaping from Shade Stalker.

Both man and tiger-woman were catching their breaths, underneath a tree, as the storm continued to rage around them.

Spike’s heart was beating hard, like a drum, he could barely even breathe from the adrenaline of the latest attack he experienced from the likes of a hunter, like Shade Stalker. Is this how animals feel to be hunted?

“For real this time, have we lost him?” Spike asked, almost breathlessly.

“I hope so,” Sunset Shimmer replied. “But I’m afraid we’ve lost the others!”

“I hope they got away,” Spike said.

Despite his gynophobia, at this point, Spike was more scared of Shade Stalker than any other women, including she-beasts.

“What do we do now?” Spike asked Sunset.

“First of all, let’s find someplace to hide out,” Sunset suggested. “Someplace where we can sleep for the night, and hide out from Shade. Even a storm like this won’t stop him!”

“Okay…”

Spike followed Sunset, when a sharp pain shots up through his leg, that he immediately dropped to the ground.

“ARGH!”

“Spike! What’s the matter?” A flash of lightning reveals a stream of crimson red, “Oh no! Your leg!” Sunset exclaimed in horror.

“I’m fine,” Spike grunted. “Just go! Leave me...”

“No! Not without you!” Before Spike could protest, Sunset scooped him, up in her arms, and jumped into the tree branches. “Just hold on tight!”

“Okay.”

Spike wrapped his arms around Sunset’s neck and shoulder, with his hands linking behind her back, while she carried him with one arm, and sprinted through the raining jungle on all three.

The sky roared with thunder, like that of a giant lion, and cracks of lightning pierced across the sky, illuminating the island’s dark jungle.

Spike can feel his heart beating rapidly from the adrenaline, all the while hearing Sunset’s rapid heartbeat, from his left ear, smothering up close to her soft fluffy chest.

Both man and tiger-woman were all running for dear life as they brushed their way through the jungles. Pelted by the storm’s intensive cold raindrops, the wind biting at them, the leaf blades cutting at their skins, and the hooting sound of other Beast-Folks calling all around them.

“Did we lose him?” Spike asked.

“I don’t know,” Sunset replied. “But I’m not taking any chances to look back,” Sunset tightened her remaining arm’s grip on Spike, reassuring, “Everything’s gonna be okay, Spike. We’ll get out of this!”

Unfortunately, Sunset spoke too soon, when she slipped on some mud, causing both her and Spike to trip and roll across the ground, falling off a cliff.

“WHOA!!!”

Sunset quickly caught Spike by the arm, before she also managed to grab onto a vine, saving both herself and Spike from a dangerous fall.

“Don’t worry, Spike!” Sunset shouted. “I’ve got you!”

“Don’t let me go!” Spike panicked.

“I won’t let you go!”

Unfortunately, the vine speaks otherwise, when it began to snap. It wasn’t strong enough to hold up either man or She-Beast. Worse still, in a flash of light, Shade Stalker stood atop the cliff, glaring down at the two.

Both Spike and Sunset realized then and there, they were stuck between a rock and a hard place. They couldn’t go up and risk capture by the hunter, Shade Stalker. But they can’t go down and take any chances either. But time wasn’t on their side. The vine was snapping more and more, by the seconds. It could break completely at any moment.

“Sunset?” Spike whimpered.

Sunset looked back up at the top, where Shade is waiting for them. Then, she looked back down. At that moment, the vine finally gave away.

During the fall, Sunset twisted around so that she would be at the bottom, while holding Spike protectively on top of her.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Spike and Sunset screamed as they plummeted into the River below.

*KER—SPLASH*

Upon hitting the cold water, Sunset’s life flashed before her very eyes. She could almost see herself, as a baby, to blowing her first birthday candle, her mother and father’s loving smiles, her first day at school. It was like living all over again.

This must be life’s way of making her death seem less hurtful. To relive all of her cherished memories.

Her flashbacks were interrupted by a flash of cracking thunder, above the water, outlining the silhouette shape of a body. Her eyes widened in shock, with her heart beating rapidly, as if she’s gotten a second wind.

She quickly kicked her feet and thrusted her arms out, swimming towards Spike, collecting him in her arms, until she resumes swimming.

With a loud gasp and a mighty splash, Sunset Shimmer broke the surface, carrying Spike in her arms.

“I’ve got you, Spike,” Sunset panted heavily.

With the fury of storm blowing across her face, Sunset could barely see the trees, or the banks of the river. It was when a lightning had struck a tree, setting it ablaze, that she could see where the nearest land.

Sunset swam to shore, while carrying the unconscious Spike in her arm. Once on land, Sunset gently set Spike on the ground to check up on him.

“Spike?” Sunset said, while smacking his face. “Are you okay? Say something!”

But she didn’t get a response. Spike was unresponsive. An overwhelming wave of fear gripped the Tiger-Woman. Sunset’s heart was beating more rapidly as her mind ran wild with her, as she feared for the worst.

She needed to do something quick. Anxious, Sunset pinched Spike by the nose and started to breath gusts of air into his mouth, before she pressed on his chest, repeatedly, for a minute. She hoped to get the waters out of his lungs, so that Spike would regain consciousness again.

Thankfully, her effort wasn’t in vain. With a cough, and a burst of breath, Spike was awoken.

“Spike!” Sunset smiled. “Thank goodness you’re…okay?”

Sunset’s moment of relief can to a quick stop, when she noticed the young man shivering, groaning, and moaning incoherently.

“So hot…” Spike groaned. “…Newt…Newt…”

Sunset puts her hand on Spike’s head and her fear was realized.

"Omigosh, Spike! You’re sick!" Sunset exclaimed frantically. "You've got a fever! You're burning up!"

"...Just let me...rest...in..." Spike said deliriously.

“No, Spike…don’t talk like that!” Sunset shook her head. “Just stay here. I’ll…I’ll do something.”

Sunset looked around her, before she spotted what appeared to be a Minotaur, trudging through the shrubs, nearby. It is definitely a Man-Beast, meaning its humanity is long gone, which meant Sunset Shimmer doesn't need to hold back, and it allowed her to see an opportunity.

"Let's hope there's still some good left in you, for Spike's sake," Sunset said, under her breath, as she got down on all four, and sprinted forward.

With a loud roar, Sunset lunged at the startled Minotaur, jumping onto its back, sinking her claws into its skin, and clamping her teeth viciously onto its neck. In retaliation, the Minotaur threw itself against the trees, even reaching from behind to grab Sunset by the shoulders, struggling to pry the Tiger-Woman off. Eventually, Sunset was thrown off, by the angry Minotaur, after it held a firm grip on her arms. But in the process, the Tiger-Woman had torn off a large chuck of flesh from his neck.

Angered for the attack, and injury, the Minotaur retaliated, by charging after the Tiger-Woman, intending to gore the She-Beast, with one of its large horns. At the last second, Sunset rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. She watched as the Minotaur tripped and fell into a muddy puddle. The large bovine-man hybrid tried to get up, but it slipped, lost its footings, and fell in the mud pit.

Seizing her chance, Sunset lunged forward and clamped her teeth hard on the Minotaur's neck. Letting instinct take control, she clamped hard, crushing the beast of the man it once was, by the neck, and fatally putting him out of his misery. The Minotaur had ceased its struggles. Its body fell limb, held in the jaws of Sunset Shimmer, whose eyes were seething with hunger. Her predatory instinct compelled her to eat, had her humanity's rationality not reminded her of the necessity.

"Whoever you are, I hope you're at peace now," Sunset said to the dead Minotaur, dragging its carcass back to Spike, whose fever has gotten even more hotter, it almost felt like a steam boiler.

"Newt...Newt..." Spike called in his delirious state.

"Hang on, Spike," Sunset quickly got to work, slashing her claws across the Minotaur's throat, down to its pelvis, cutting it open, and spilling out its innards. "This may smell bad, but it'll keep you warm until I find us some shelter," She crawled over to gently pick Spike up, off the ground, and stuffed him into the carcass sleeping bag.

"Newt..."

"Oh man!" Sunset grunted in disgust. "Can tigers eat raw meats, like this?"

After her work was done, Sunset Shimmer proceeded to look for a place, where she and Spike could sleep for the night, or until the storm passes. In the meantime, she hopes the other She-Beasts have escaped Shade Stalker.

Meanwhile, with the other She-Beasts

Somewhere in the island, the rest of the She-Beasts were hiding out, underneath some trees, after escaping from Shade Stalker.

"It's all gone!" Pinkie Pie hooted sadly. “The camp! Everything…”

“We’ve all lost a lot of things today, Pinkie,” Twilight sighed, stroking the Monkey-Woman’s back in comfort. “But at least we’re all here.”

“Not quite, Twilight,” Applejack spoke up. “Sunset Shimmer’s missing. And so is Spike…”

“Oh dear!” Fluttershy whimpered in worry of Spike. “The poor dear. He must be scared half-to-death by now!”

“Now, now Fluttershy,” Rarity began, soothing the scared Bat-Woman. “Let’s not assume the worst, just yet! After all, Sunset is with him. I’m certain she’ll take care of him.”

“I hope so.”

“That is, if Shade Stalker doesn’t catch them first.” Rainbow squawked, causing Fluttershy to panic again.

“RAINBOW!” The other She-Beasts spatted in outrage.

“What?!” The Falcon-Woman shrugged. “You gals all know from experience than I do, Shade’s a tough customer. Remember? And besides, we should be looking for them now, instead of hiding out here!”

“We can’t!” Twilight argued. “Not in this weather! And even without Shade Stalker, it’s still too dangerous for a search party!”

“But Spike and Sunset are still out there!” Rainbow exclaimed anxiously. “We gotta go and find them!”

“We’re waiting in here until the storm passes!” Twilight repeated.

Rainbow Dash grunted in defeat, falling to the ground, on her tail feathers. Rarity walked over and consoled the Falcon-Woman.

"I don't like it anymore than you do, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity reasoned with the Falcon-Woman. "But Twilight is right. We can't find them in this weather! Not so long as that horrible brute, Shade Stalker, is out there!"

Rainbow Dash wanted to snap back and argue. But remember from a post-traumatic experience, she slumped down in defeat, folding her wings.

In the meantime, Applejack's ears perked to the sound of tearful sobbing. She turned to see Fluttershy was covering her eyes with her wings, weeping another waterfall of tears.

"Oh, Fluttershy," Applejack consoled the Bat-Woman. "Shhh. It's alright."

"We've lost our...our home," Fluttershy cried. "We've lost Spike...and Sunset? And now, we're being hunted by Shade Stalker...can this...this..." Fluttershy sniffed as she continued to cry, with Applejack holding her close. "I'm scared!"

"I know, Sugarcube," Applejack whispered. "I know... But we gotta hold out and hope that...our friends are okay."

Meanwhile

“What…what…where am I?” Spike moaned.

His throat as rough as a tree bark, with a fever as hot as a fire, and his whole body coated in wet sweats. His nose was so stuffed up, he couldn’t smell, and could breathe properly.

The young man could hardly think clearly as he struggled to collect himself. It was at that moment he realized the bloody innards he was wrapped in.

“What is…what…the…” Spike looked down and was scared out of his mind, to realize he was in the body of the Minotaur.

“OH GOD! WHAT HAVE I BECOME?!!!” Spike screamed in horror. “I’m in a Minotaur! I’M A MINOTAUR!! I’M A BEAST!!! Which means…Oh no!”

A newfound horror gripped Spike’s frantic thought, as he realizes, “If I’m a Minotaur, then that means…I’m now a Man-Beast! And I’m…I’m a goner! If the She-Beasts see me like this, they’re gonna kill me! I GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE!”

In his delirium, Spike stood up on what he believed to be his cloven hooves. He struggled a bit, to find his balance, due to the newfound weight of his horns, on his head. Then, his ears perked to the sound of a haunting voice, calling out to him, on the winds of the storm.

“Spike…Spike…”

“Huh?” Spike turned his head to the side, and his fears were realized.

Standing before him, leaning against a tree, stood a strange looking woman, with wild hair, freckled face, and big loving hearts in her eyes. But the most bizarre features about her are an Adam’s apple, saggy breasts, few rotten old teeth, most likely gum disease, and a withered body of an old lady.

With a lustful howl, the woman roared, “A MMAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!“

“Zoinks!” Spike mooed at the very sight of this abhorrent admirer of his. “Not you again!”

Minotaur-Spike quickly turned tail and ran for his life, knocking down a tree in the path of the creepy woman chasing him. Unbelievably, however, her lips were strong enough to break through a tree, until she breaks the tree into smithereens.

“YOO-HOO! LOVER BOY! IT’S LENA HYENA!!!!”

“I’M NOT YOUR BOYFRIEND!!!” Spike shouted to the woman, not realizing he has run off a cliff.

“OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

Spike screamed, flailing his arms in desperation, until he grabbed ahold of a branch.

“Talk about a cliffhanger,” Spike moaned, when he looked up to see a familiar yellow tweety bird walking along the tree branch.

“Oh wook! Piggies!” Said the tweety bird.

“Hi Tweety!” Spike greeted.

“This whittle piggy went to market,” Tweety said, removing Spike’s index finger. “This whittle pig stayed home!” It said, upon removing the Minotaur’s middle finger.

“Oh no!” Spike pleaded.

“This whittle piggy had roast beef,” Tweety said, after removing Spike’s ring finger. “And this whittle piggy had—“ Before the bird could finish, Spike had fallen off and plummeted towards the bottom.

“Well what do ya know? I wan out of piggies!” Said the Tweety Bird, giving a sly smirk.

Spike kept on falling down to the bottom, screaming and hollering, wanting this cartoonish nightmare to end.

Spike kept on falling and falling, until his descent got so deep, his surroundings grew so dark, he could hardly see the bottom, until he landed.

*SMACK*

“Ow!” Spike moaned, picking himself off the floor to look at his new surroundings.

The supposed young man-turned-Minotaur is now, what he estimated to be fifty feet, underground, in a labyrinth. A single ray of light shines through the hole in the ceiling. The way he fell through.

“Oh man. Where am I now?” Spike asked, as he turned and walked. “I gotta get out—“

*CRACK

Startled by the distinctive cracking sound, Spike looked down to see he had stepped on the skull of a human.

“UGH!” Spike cringed in horror as he immediately stepped away, but ends up stepping on another rotting bone.

This time, it belonged to what appeared to be a little dog. Before long, Spike soon realized the floor of the labyrinth is littered with bones.

“No!” Spike exclaimed in horror. “Why is this happening? This can’t be happening!”

“But it can,” Called a voice, followed by another that echoed from the complex twists and turns of the maze.

“Who said that?” Spike asked. “Who are you?”

“We are you,” The voices answered. “We are nature at its core! We hear the calls if the wild! We are all Lords of the Flies! We are as one! As one!”

It was at that moment that Spike looked down to see the animal and human skulls, turning their empty eye sockets in Spike’s direction, with their nightmare-inducing grins.

This was unnerving as it is unsettling. How could anything, with no eyes, be possibly staring back at him?

Nevertheless, the skulls spoke in their haunting voices, “We are the very essence of your being. We are every voices you have ever heard inside your head.”

The voices continued, “You are afraid to be taken advantage again. You are angry. You hated being afraid. You hated feeling weak and sorry for yourself.”

“No! Stop it!” Spike shook his head. “Go away! Leave me alone!”

“You can’t escape, Spike,” The voices continued. “You can only survive. Give into the beast you have become. Humanity and beasts are all alike. We are two sides of the same coin. You live, you hunt, and you kill together. You either kill, or be killed.”

“Kill.”

”Kill.”

”KILL!”

“Spike!” Another voice called. A woman’s voice.

Spike turned his bull-like head to the source, to see the scary cartoon woman from before, running towards him.

”SPIKE! Wake up!” The woman shouted, in a familiar voice. “SPIKE! It’s me!”

Scared out of his mind, Spike retaliated by throwing a fist at the scary cartoon woman, who evaded and dodged his attack. The Minotaur then aimed his horns with the intention to gore the woman. But the woman was surprisingly strong, as she grabbed Spike by the horns, standing her ground, and repeated.

“SPIKE! Wake up!”

Without warning, a loud, throbbing, burning sting was slapped across Spike’s face, and his world turned white. With that, Spike’s nightmares were gone and the young man found himself staring back, into the eyes of the tiger-woman, Sunset Shimmer.

“Spike! Come on!” Sunset shouted. “Let’s go! I’ve found us shelter!”

“Shelter?” Spike moaned in his delirium.

“Come on! On your feet!” Sunset reached down to pick Spike up, by the shoulders.

However, instincts kicked in, “NO!” Spike spatted in denial. “Leave me alone! I don’t wanna go with you!”

“Spike! Snap out of it! Stop twitching so much! I’m trying to help!”

“You won’t take me alive!”

“You’re as stubborn as a bull!” Sunset said, metaphorically.

Spike, in his feverish delirium, continued to struggle with Sunset the rest of the way.

It continued to rain hard outside, as Spike and Sunset finally got settled into their new shelter. A cave.

Sunset Shimmer managed to get a fire going, as she and Spike sat around to warm themselves up. After the earlier “Minotaur” scuffled, there was nothing but an awkward silence, a few sneaking glances, with neither man or She-Beast uttering a single word.

Sunset Shimmer looked to Spike, who was still wrapped up, in the Minotaur she had stuffed him in, to save him from freezing to death. Though, he seemed rather withdrawn than before. His face boiling an alarming shade of feverish red, with sweating beads, or droplets from the rain, trickling down his face. Spike’s life was hanging on by a very thin thread.

Spike was the first to break the ice, when he suddenly let out a horrible, raspy, coughing fit. Sunset sprang to life.

“Spike!” Sunset exclaimed, springing to life to check up on the sick man.

The Tiger-Woman held a hand up to his forehead, alarmed to feel it has gotten hotter. Reaching for the pile of herbs she had collected, Sunset held a few specific ones to Spike’s mouth.

“Quickly, eat these!” Sunset instructed. “They should help bring down your fever and cure your coughs!”

Spike quickly did as he was told, resulting in him gagging, grimacing in disgust of the taste.

“What did you expect? Honey drop?” Sunset asked rhetorically, until Spike’s coughing calms down. “Get some rest. I’ll be right here if you need me…”

With that, Sunset turned and walked back to the other side of the cave, across Spike, pass the fire.

Sunset huddled herself up against the wall, resting her chin on her knees, all the while watching Spike, to see that he closed his eyes for a sleep spell. He looked very peaceful this way, it made Sunset relieved to see him not in any sort of pain, or suffering.

Deciding to get some sleep herself, Sunset stretched herself, on all four, like a cat, and instinctively plopped herself on the ground, resting her head on her arms. Sunset herself finds this sleeping posture to be rather unusual, uncomfortable, and yet, normal. Has she started becoming an animal herself to sleep this way?

She didn’t have time to ask, when she suddenly closed her eyes, plunging her word in darkness. She fell asleep to the warmth of the fire, the pouring rain outside, and the sound of her own breathing.

At least about an hour later, Sunset woke up to the sound of yawning. She looked to see the fire had gone out. But more important, Spike had awoken and was looking well.

“S-Sunset?” He called out quietly.

“Spike!” Sunset gasped, slowly crawling over to him. “Thank goodness! You really scared me there!”

“You’re…scared?!” Spike asked, weakly, but incredulously.

“So how are you feeling?” Sunset asked. “Any better?”

“…Just…a little…dizzy,” Spike moaned. “But okay…”

Sunset nodded in acknowledgment, before she asked, “Do you need anything, right now?”

“Water…I need…water…”

“Okay.”

With a kick of her legs, Sunset sprinted out of the cave.

Outside, the storm had turned into a gentle trickle, but it was still raining. Using the top half of the Minotaur’s skull, Sunset collected water from the rain. After the task was done, Sunset ran back to the cave, and gently poured the water down Spike’s mouth to drink.

“Thank you,” Spike said gratefully. “For saving my life.”

Sunset nodded in reply, “You’re welcome, Spike.”

“You’re really taking care of me…”

“Of course! I always look out for my friends!”

“I see…It’s just…I’ve never had a friend who is…a girl…so…”

“I understand.”

Spike’s eyes started to wonder, to which Sunset followed, and realized he was checking her out. When she looked back up, Spike’s face turned a shade of red, except it’s not a fever, and he squinted his eyes shut, as if bracing himself for a strike.

“Spike, there’s no need to be afraid of me,” Sunset Shimmer reassured. “I’m not going to bite.”

“I…I know,” Spike replied, still looking rather ashamed.

“And…I know I’m not much to look at..”

“No, no, no! I think you’re beautiful!” Spike instantly gasped, with his blush intensifying, realizing too late what he just said.

Sunset could hardly believe her ears, “You…think I’m…beautiful?”

“Uh…well, it comes with the territory of tigers, I guess,” Spike stammered on his words. “I mean, I know my big cats, and tigers are considered to be one of the most beautiful animals in the animal kingdom. And granted, you’re a tiger, but you also have a…a…an impressive build, b-b-but…I…”

“Spike…”

Spike ceased his babbling and sighed, “Yes, I think you’re beautiful…human, or tiger…” Sunset couldn’t help but smile at the compliment.

“Are you going to tear me to ribbons now?” Spike asked.

“What?!” Sunset exclaimed, almost chortling. “Why would I-Of course not! That was the nicest thing any man has ever said to me. Why would ever tear you apart for that?”

In response, Spike was hesitant to reply.

Wanting to get to the bottom of it, Sunset began, “Is it about the girl you mentioned earlier?”

“What?” Spike asked, sounding caught off guard.

“When you were delirious from the fever,” Sunset recalled, “And when you…you mentioned about how ‘I’ tried to…force ‘myself’ onto you…again. Was that why you are so…scared…of women?”

Again, Spike was hesitant to answer, “I—“

“Spike,” Sunset reassured softly. “I’m not going to bite you. I…I…You can tell me anything. Can you?”

Looking at the tiger-woman, Spike looked to see the calm eyes, without a hint of deception. Going with his gut feelings, Spike took a deep breath and explained his story.

“I was only six, when it happened. A sixteen, or seventeen, year-old girl, came at me, took off her clothes and forced me to do the same. She then started doing… things with me. Why did she do it? Her motive? I don’t know. I just know that she was soon arrested and charged for attempting to molest a minor.”

“Oh my goodness!” Sunset shivered. “That must’ve been awful.”

“It was traumatizing. I’ve never been so scared my whole life! Since then, I’m terrified of girls, older than me, or even bigger than me. Everywhere I go, whenever an older woman is around, I get so tense up, like, I’m being watched by vultures, circling around, getting ready to pounce.”

“Wow,” Sunset commented. “I mean, yikes. I…I understand. I mean, if I were in your shoes, I’d react the same way…if a man tried to force himself on me…”

Spike pulled his knees closer to his chest, as he hugged himself, for comfort.

“And since then, I can’t even look at a girl, and have a civil talk the same way, ever again. It’s like…that girl just flipped a switch in me, that makes me so afraid of women.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Spike…” Sunset expressed her sympathy.

“But…you know, Spike…” Sunset continued. “Not all of us women are like that. I know some of us can be scary, but there are some good ones too!”

“…Yeah, I know,” Spike replied, feeling regretful for any ill-feelings he had towards the girls. “Still, I just…can’t help but be afraid…”

“Baby steps, Spike,” Sunset advised. “Baby steps. We’ll help you get through this. Because for what it’s worth, you’re precious to us.”

Spike looked up, raising an eyebrow, at the tiger-woman.

“You were?” He asked. “I am?”

“Mmmm-hmmm,” Sunset confirmed. “You’re our friend, Spike. And we always look out for each other. I’m always looking out for my friends. Because friends are family.”

Looking at the tiger-woman, Spike stared deeply into her eyes, noting how calm, loving, and still they are. Definitely not the eyes of a hungry predator.

Spike wondered if he really means this much to the girls. Do they really value him this much? And how?

“Well,” Spike yawned. “It’s getting late. Let’s try to get some sleep. Hopefully, after the rain is over, that Shade Stalker might lose the trail and…we’ll find the others…”

Sunset nodded, “Okay then,” She proceeded to lay herself, on the ground, on her side, when Spike called to her.

“Uh, Sunset?”

“Yeah, Spike?”

“Uh…c-c-can I…sleep with you? This Minotaur’s skin is warm and all, but…it’s kinda…rotting?”

Sunset didn’t argue. She complied as she walked over to Spike, pulled the man from the Minotaur’s corpse, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him close for warmth and comfort.

"Like this?” Sunset asked.

“Y-Y-Yeah,” Spike stammered, when one of his hands happened to brush her midriff. “Wow!”

“Wow what?” Sunset asked, while still a little flustered from his hand on her stomach.

"What...shredded...abs you have..." Spike answered.

"Oh! Thanks," Sunset smiled, feeling her face burning red. "I never skipped ab crunches. Just ask Rainbow Dash.”

“Is…that also why you’re so…hot?” Spike asked, while panting heavily. “I mean, I get we’re warm-blooded and all, but…you’re on fire!” He said, while stroking her slender, but muscular arms.

“It’s not like that, Spike,” Sunset answers solemnly. “When you’ve been subjected to a number of tortures, like I have, and you came out with a full coat of fur, like me, you just couldn’t wear the same clothes from before.”

“I…I can see that, but Rarity…she still wears clothes, and…”

“Rarity’s fur are different than mine. Hers are short. Mine are engineered by Dr. Grogar to keep me from losing body heat,” Sunset gulped a lump in her throat, with her face blushing red, as she instinctively cuddles Spike. “Even a shirt would feel like fire…”

“Oh. Sorry I asked…” Spike apologized.

“It’s not your fault, Spike,” Sunset reassured.

In truth, Sunset herself felt rather embarrassed being made as a She-Beast wearing a bikini for modesty sake, otherwise she’d risk a heatstroke.

“But if it’s any consolation,” He began. “I think you’ve got nice curves!”

Sunset blushed and giggled in response, “Thanks. Hmmm?”

The Tiger-Woman looked down and noticed the man had already dozed off, sawing logs, and his face was practically buried deep in her fluffy chest.

This brought on a gentle smile to her face. This is proof that she’s making progress with helping Spike overcome his phobia. He’s finally opening up and accepting her, and her friends. The Tiger-Woman couldn’t wait to share this newfound progress with the rest of her friends.

Sunset gave Spike a quick peck on the head, before she wrapped her legs around him, holding him closer.

"Good night, Spike," Sunset whispered softly, before she too drifted off to sleep.

But all the same, knowing that Shade Stalker is on the prowl has made Sunset Shimmer restless, that she kept one eye open and her ears stood up at the alert. Half-awake, Sunset held Spike close, protectively, and vigilant for any signs of danger. It will be a long night to sleep and to survive.

12 – The Silent Sweet Stalker

All through the night, Sunset Shimmer and Spike held each other close, sleeping in each other’s embrace. By morning, the rain has stopped, and the sun has risen to start a new day.

Sunset Shimmer was the first to wake up. She blinked her eyes open to look and see Spike was still snuggling in her embrace. The tiger-woman couldn’t help but smile. He looked so peaceful and happy when he’s asleep.

‘He’s almost like a little kid again,’ She smiled in her thoughts. 'Heh, I didn't notice how cute he is.'

Deciding to have some fun, for a moment, Sunset stroke Spike’s hair, and playfully pinched his cheeks. Sunset breathed in and smelled Spike’s scent. No words can describe the fragrant smell of his scent as Sunset breathed it all in. It was indescribable, mainly because Sunset was smelling it differently.

From a human's viewpoint, it seems weird. But as an animal, it was rather enticing, imprinting, and intoxicating. Sunset couldn't think clearly, as both her human senses and engineered, newfound animalistic instincts clashed together. Then, as if driven by instinct, Sunset proceeded to slobber Spike with big wet kisses, waking him up.

“What the—“ Spike stammered, mid-sentence, when Sunset licked his face. “Ew! Sunset!” Spike spluttered, trying to get away, but to no avail. “Stop! Stop it! Cut it out!”

“Hmmm?” Sunset’s rationality soon kicked in, as both she and Spike broke away.

“Oh! Spike!” Sunset blushed, apologizing, “I’m so sorry! I-I-I didn’t know what came over me! I swear!”

“That’s…okay,” Spike forgave the She-Beast, while wiping the slobbers off of him.

Wanting to get out of the awkward moment, Sunset changed topic and asked, “Anyway, how are you feeling now? Is your fever better? And how is your leg?”

Remembering the recent attack, Spike looked down at his leg to see that the wound has closed up, but was covered in scabs, and the cut was still fresh.

“I’m not bleeding anymore,” Spike replied, before he puts a hand up to his head. “But I’m still a little hot…” His stomach also gurgled to have its say, “Not to mention hungry…”

Sunset nodded before she turned her attention to the opening of the cave.

“I should go hunting then,” Sunset said as she crawled her way out. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Spike nodded as Sunset was about to take her leave, when he called out to her.

“Sunset?”

“Yes Spike?”

Sunset turned and looked to see a hesitant look on Spike’s face, before he finally smiled, albeit shyly, “I had a pleasant sleep last night. Maybe the best one I’ve had in years. So thank you!”

Sunset couldn’t help but smile, “You’re welcome.”

With that, the tiger-woman took her leave, with a warm smile stuck on her face. She was still glad about finally being able to bond with Spike, getting him to come out of his shell. But also, she was practically glowing, at the thought of becoming friends with him. Her train of thoughts then went on to recall how she was kissing him.

‘Oh, why did I ever do that?’ Sunset berated herself, mentally. ‘Granted, he is kinda cute. And a little withdrawn, but he’s just so—No! What am I thinking?! We’re just…getting acquainted… Right?’

Shaking her head, Sunset cleared her mind of any distracting thoughts to focus on the task at hands, or paws. Hunting.

Speaking of which, Sunset looked down and realized the she had been crawling on all four, ever since she woke up. The tiger-woman couldn't help but feel worry. Is she becoming more beast-like? Has her loss of humanity begun? How much time does she have left before she loses herself completely?

Shortly after Sunset left, Spike was left alone in the cave to recover from his fever and injured leg. The young man leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes, and listened to the soothing ambient sounds of nature.

For a moment, Spike was truly at peace with the world. He felt all his doubts, fears, and worries melting away, like the gentle stream of water that cascaded nearby. The birds that aren’t the works of a madman were singing nature’s songs. And finally, the air was so clean, courtesy of the flowers and trees.

Without the Beast-Folks, or the other dangers that lurks beneath the trees, this island is almost paradise.

Spike was napping when he was awaken to the sound of approaching footsteps. He blinked his eyes open to the mouth of the cave.

“S-S-Sunset? Is that you?” Spike pleaded hopefully.

But the only response he got was the sound of approaching footsteps, that cracked the sticks and leaves beneath. Spike started to move, albeit feebly. For all he knows, it could be a savage Man-Beast, a Chimera, or worse, Shade Stalker.

Looking beside him to see the rotting Minotaur’s corpse, Spike picked up the head, putting it over his face, but immediately wretched from the foul smell.

“OH! That’s gross!” Spike barfed.

At that a moment, a shadow appeared at the mouth. With the cold grip of fearful realization slowly seizing him, Spike braced himself as he looked up.

There, standing at the entrance, looking down at him with the same purple eyes, is the silhouette of a slender woman with voluptuous figure. She was almost naked, wearing nothing but the same ragged brown bikini top and loincloth her fellow former She-Beasts wore.

The woman stepped forward, basking herself into the sunlight, to reveal she is in fact the tribal woman with pale pink hair.

Spike felt his whole body grow cold with sweat and goosebumps. His heart beating rapidly, with fear, that he could hardly move and speak. His gynophobia doubling with every second the closer the woman got closer to him.

Spike watched as the tribal woman got down on all four, proceeding to crawl towards Spike, while giving him a full show of her cleavage, but Spike showed no interest.

After he finally found his voice, Spike squeaked, “Wh-What do you want?”

The woman didn’t answer. She simply tilted her head to the side, before she proceeded to sniff him.

This was freaking Spike out immensely. Clearly, this woman doesn’t know the concept of personal boundaries, or has lost perspective of it.

Out of impulse, Spike smacked the woman across the face.

“Stay away from me!” Spike barked, but the woman was undeterred. “Hey! Are you listening to me?”

The woman didn’t answer. Instead, she continued her advances on Spike.

Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer was sneaking through the tall grasses of the island. She sniffed the air and had caught the pungent smell of a wild boar. She let the tiger, that was injected into her very being, to take over. She let her predator's instinct to drive her, to catch her prey.

To Sunset, it was both exciting and terrifying to know that even a majestic creature as big and fearsome as a tiger could move so silently and effectively to catch their prey. With a coat to camouflage, claws to rip into the meat, fangs for the killing blow, a tail for balance, and a nose to smell and track her prey from a great distance. And the former human was putting them to the test.

Sniffing the air, Sunset was locked onto the pig. She can practically taste the meats the closer she got to it. The closer she got, the stronger and fresher the smell grew, until it was ripe. Careful to not alert the wild pig, and scaring off her breakfast, Sunset dropped herself flat to the ground. From there, she carefully slinked her way across the ground, through the tall grasses, moving ever so slowly. Whether she knew from the start, or if it was the inner tiger speaking to her, she doesn't know. She was in the moment.

At last, Sunset had gotten close enough that she was within striking distance, with her hands, or paws. The boar was grazing the low grasses, completely oblivious to its approaching demise. Sunset almost felt bad for the animal.

Her human rationality say that it's inhuman, but her animalistic instincts continue to pressure her to make the kill.

Sunset, however, didn’t have to conflict herself any longer when a scream pierced the air.

“AAAAAAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!”

The scream was so loud, almost inhuman, that it frightened the boar to run away, while a startled Sunset Shimmer shot her head up, both frustrated and alarmed by the familiar scream.

“SPIKE!” Sunset cried out, already sprinting back to the cave, heart pounding, furs bristling, losing all intents to hunt and kill, with Spike’s well-being becoming her newfound priority. Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one who heard his cry...

Shade was sitting near a firepit he made, munching on a roasted piranha-gull he killed hours prior. He then grabbed a coconut and bashed it on the rock he was sitting on until he heard it cracked. Tearing a small chunk off, He then takes a swig from it.

Just when he was about to take another bite of his recent catch, he heard the shriek of a frighten man echoed through the jungle.

Shade doesn’t have to know what the sound was. Only that the hunt continues. He quickly finished up his meal, grabbed his gear, and went to where the sound originated from.

“GO AWAY! Leave me alone! LET GO!”

Still, like a cat refusing to let go of its owner’s arm, the woman wouldn’t comply. And due to his injured leg, Spike couldn’t get far away. All he could do was struggle against the woman’s hold.

The primitive woman was nuzzling her face under his chin, to which Spike tried to push her away. In response, she swiftly turned and wrapped the man’s arms around her. For being so primitive, this woman seems to exhibit some decent amount of witty and determination.

Unfortunately, for Spike, he’s far from impressed and more scared, since this brings up bad memories of his childhood trauma. And the more the woman was toying with him, the more uncomfortable he was becoming.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to worry for long.

“Spike!” Sunset called, upon arriving back in the cave. “Spike! What’s—Oh!”

Spike turned to see the stunned expression on the tiger She-Beasts’s face.

“Sunset!” Spike shouted, never feeling more than happy to see a female. “Thank go—GET HER OFF ME!”

Sunset Shimmer recovered from her stupor and let out a loud thunder roar that startled the woman, and Spike.

The roar was so loud and bloodcurdling, Spike didn’t just hear it. He felt it in his bones, nearly convincing him that Sunset is a beast than human.

Spike nearly turned white as a sheet, as his entire being was petrified in fear, and his hair stood on end, with goosebumps coating his skin.

And yet, because of his fascination of animals, Spike was more amazed of Sunset than he was scared of the jungle woman.

The jungle woman frantically retreated. But because Sunset was blocking her only exit, she had no choice but retreat to a the other end of the small cave and cradled herself in a fetal position.

Spike looked away from the woman, turning towards Sunset who crawled over to check up on him.

“Are you alright, Spike?” She asked. “She didn’t hurt you, did she?”

“Not… really,” Spike stuttered, slowly recovering from his recent fright. “Just…scared…”

Shaking his head to recover from his stupor, Spike stuttered, “N-N-N-Nice p-p-p-pipes, by the way… Y-Y-You c-c-c-convinced m-m-me!”

“Sorry, Spike,” Sunset apologized, with a slight grin that expresses her sheepish emotion. “Sometimes I don’t know my own strength. Same for the rest of us She-Beasts.”

Spike nodded in acknowledgment. All the while, he was amazed at Sunset’s transformation from animal to human, in a matter of seconds.

Both Spike and Sunset looked at the jungle woman, who has been reduced to a fearful mess.

“I remember Applejack telling me about…these types… before,” Spike began, remembering his discussion with Applejack the other day. “She’s formerly…a She-Beast? Right?”

“I’m afraid so,” Sunset confirmed, looking at the jungle woman with a look of sympathy and regret. “And soon, someday, that’s going to be me and the others…”

Once again, Spike couldn’t help but look in wonder at the contrast between both females.

Sunset Shimmer, an active She-Beast, who appeared animalistic, yet seems to behave the most human, with the amount of intelligence she retains.

As for the jungle woman, a former She-Beast before Sunset, has shown to display the curious, intimate, and now, fear, of an animal with little to no amount of human intelligence left.

It makes sense to see and believe these poor unfortunate souls are living a fate worse than death.

People who were once humans, became animals from the outside, until they slowly lose their humanity within, and become animals inside and out.

For the males, they are Beast-Folks for life, while the females regain their former appearances, but are nothing more than animals hosting an empty human shell.

Though, all the same, when Spike looked into the woman’s eyes, he could see a scared reflection staring back at him. Even without her humanity intact, she could still show emotions. This woman seemed more scared than he is.

He was still scared of her, but something nagging in the back of his head, and a tug in his chest, compelled him to reach out to her. Still, he was hesitant.

“What do we do with her now?” Spike asked, looking to Sunset.

The Tiger-Woman was about to answer, when her eyes widen in alarm and her ears perked up in alarm.

Sunset instantly grabbed Spike and hid behind a large rock.

“Sunset, what’s wrong-?” Spike tried to ask but was shushed by the tiger-girl.

Walking into the cave was none other than Shade Stalker. As he began to look around, he noticed the jungle woman coming up to him on all fours and started growling and hissing at the hunter like a cat.

Unamused, Shade just kicks her to the side and resumes his search. He then noticed the rock Spike and Sunset were hiding behind and was about to go and expect it when something suddenly bit his right leg.

Shade lets out an almost inhuman cry before looking down to see the jungle woman grabbing and biting down his leg.

Enraged, Shade repeatedly hit her on the head before she finally let go. He then grabbed the jungle woman and threw her to a wall. The angry hunter then brought out a large Bowie knife and approached her.

The jungle woman looked at the hunter with fear as Shade grabbed her and picked her up by the throat and was ready to skin her alive until Spike ran out from his hiding place.

“NO!!!” The young man screamed as he grabbed Shade from behind and wrapped his arms around his neck.

This causes Shade to let go of the jungle woman as he tried to get Spike off of him. The young photographer tried strangling the hunter, but sadly, didn't have the arms for it. Shade then started to elbow him in the ribs, causing Spike to let go and fall to the ground.

As Spike was clutching his now bruised ribs, he noticed Shade standing over him and raised his foot but Spike managed to roll out of the way before the hunter slammed his foot to the ground.

Sunset then pounced at Shade but the hunter managed to dodge out of the way. The two stared down at each other before Shade lounged at the tigress with his knife but Sunset instantly caught his arm before he could do so.

Using this opportunity, Sunset swipes her claw at Shade’s face which causes the hunter to cry out in pain as he clutches his face and back away.

As Shade lowered his hand, Spike, Sunset, and the jungle girl can see three rows of fresh scars across his left eye down to his upper cheek.

“Now we’re even, motherfucker…” Sunset snarled.

Spike noticed a flash bang grenade Shade just dropped and managed to grab it.

“HEY!!!” Spike shouted at Shade which caused the latter to turn to him, “Eat this!” He then tosses the flash bang at Shade which instantly goes off and disorientates the hunter.

Spike, Sunset, and the jungle woman immediately ran out of the cave.

After escaping the danger, Sunset, Spike, and the jungle woman were in a clearing.

“Spike, are you okay?” Sunset asked.

“Yeah,” Spike answered, tired, but triumphant.

Without warning, the jungle woman was already pouncing on Spike, pinning him to the ground, and nuzzling her face against his, while purring nonstop.

“And what am I?” Sunset asked the jungle woman. “Chopped liver?”

Once again, Spike struggled to pry the woman off, but the woman wouldn’t let him. She has a strong grip on him, to say the least.

“She’s…really…strong!” Spike moaned from the woman’s tight bear hug. “And…grabby!”

“Well, if I didn’t know any better, I guess she just likes you,” Sunset explained.

“Yeah…I got the impression… But why?”

“I guess this is the first time she’s ever seen a man in years. Remember how all the other men are permanently savage beast-folks?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, since you’re the first man she’s ever seen who is…isn’t a Beast-Man, then I guess she’s become attached to ya, and…and…”

“And what?” Spike asked, when the woman started to nibble on his ear. “OW!”

Sunset chuckled nervously, before she revealed, “I think she’s chosen you as her mate.”

“Mate?!” Spike freaked out in alarm. “As in…marriage? Oh no. No thank you!” Spike denied as he continued desperately to escape. “I’m not—She’s—We don’t even know each other!”

“She doesn’t know that,” Sunset sighed, with a shake of her head. “She only knows one simple fact that you’re a him and she’s a her.”

Sunset chuckled to herself, “I guess even Dr. Grogar can’t take the ‘heat.’ If you get my meaning.”

“Okay, that is not funny, Sunset!” Spike scowled at the laughing Tiger-Woman, as he continued to struggle with the jungle woman, who grabbed him by the cheeks.

“Just get her off me!” He pleaded, as the woman continued to peck his face, three times.

Spike tried to escape, but the woman had him pinned down again, until Sunset let out a light growl to gently shoo her away.

After which, Spike was allowed up as he got up, to stretch his smarten arms and spine, from the hug.

“Anyway, let’s keep moving,” Sunset beckoned for Spike to follow, with the woman trailing behind.

Spike looked to the woman, who remains silent. The man almost felt bad he doesn’t know her name. Her real name, that is.

“I think we’re going to call you…Sweetie,” Spike said, putting his hand on the woman’s nose.

In response, the woman, now dubbed “Sweetie,” proceeded to purr to the touch of Spike’s hand.

13 — A Right Purdy Leg 'o Lamb

After their recent escape from Shade Stalker, Spike, Sunset, and their newly acquainted feral woman, Sweetie, trekked deeper into the jungles of Dr. Grogar’s island.

They forded fetid swamps, entered treacherous ravines, and climbed rocky steps.

Nevertheless, Spike’s little group continued to search for their friends. Daring the lands where no ordinary human, nor the faint of heart, would ever explore, the journey continues.

As it so happens, Sunset Shimmer, gifted or cursed, with a tiger’s power, includes a sense of smell.

The tiger-woman was putting her nose to use, as she searches the forest floor, sniffing out the scents of her friends, across the island.

“Is it much far now, Sunset?” Spike asked.

“Not far now, Spike,” Sunset replied.

“Any chance the trail’s cold?”

“The trail’s never cold, Spike. You have to know what you’re looking for.”

With that, Sunset resumes sniffing through a myriad of scents, determined to track down her friends.

“The smell is still fresh,” Sunset sniffed, before she cringed. “Real fresh! It’s so ripe, Pinkie Pie must’ve used her banana bazooka surprise here…”

“Oh?” Spike decided to take a whiff of the air, and recoiled from the strong stench that lingers in the air. “Right…”

Not too far away, a giant gorilla-like chimera, lies flat on its back…dead. With a huge bite mark on its abdomen.

Sunset continued to track the scents of her friends, with Sunset and Sweetie following close behind. For what must’ve been an hour, Sunset Shimmer came to a sudden stop.

“Oh no,” Sunset Shimmer moaned with dread.

“What do you mean, ‘oh no?’” Spike asked the tiger-woman.

“Look!” Sunset pointed.

Ahead, Spike gasped in horror to see a large barren wasteland, so dull, so cold, so devoid of life.

Ravaged fields, trampled trees, and piles of animal bones. To Spike, it was as if he and his party had stepped into a graveyard. Or a huge necropolis of a savanna.

“This looks like an elephants’ graveyard!” Spike gasped.

“This ain’t no graveyard, Spike,” Sunset Shimmer explained. “We’re in Tirek’s territory!”

“Tirek?!”

“Yup. Last I hear, of all the criminals who got mutated by Grogar, he had it worst. He’s got a voracious appetite that can never be satisfied. No matter how much he eats, or drinks, he’s always hungry.”

“Always? Hungry?” Spike looked at the bones, feeling his entire being turn pale. “He ate all of them?” Sunset nodded in confirmation. “And our friends came here?” Spike asked.

“They had to…” Sunset sniffed the air. “This is where the trail ends. Either that, or the dry air in this area is so foul, I can’t smell anything…”

“So…we either go in there, or take our chances and go back out into the woods with Shade hunting us…” Spike listed the limited options they had.

A loud, agonizing inhuman scream was heard, howling in the distant. Human or animals, it doesn’t matter anymore. Either way, no one is safe from the hunter.

“Okay, I’ve decided,” Spike said frantically. “Let’s go!”

With that, out of impulse, Spike was the first to take off running into the wasteland, with Sunset and Sweetie chasing after him.

“Spike! WAIT!” Sunset called.

But it was too late. In his blind fear, Spike had stepped on an unstable cliff, which broke beneath his foot. The young man plunged into the depth below, screaming.

“SPIIIIIIKE!!!” Sunset screamed, watching helplessly as the man fell and rolled along the hilly slope, until he came to a stop.

His whole body aching, Spike slowly got up, wincing at the pain he’s certain to feel in the coming days. His whole skin was covered in bruises and dirt, his ears were ringing, and his leg was throbbing and burning from the painful sensation.

“Spike? Are you okay?” Sunset called from above the cliff.

“I’m fine,” Spike called back.

“Okay, stay right there! We’re going to find a way to you!”

With that, Sunset and Sweetie disappeared from the cliff, while Spike was left by his lonesome, in the skeletal graveyard.

Everywhere he looked, he felt as if he’s being watched, by the animal skulls, or something hiding inside of them. Either way, he couldn’t stop his teeth from chattering, his hairs standing on end, and goosebumps running all over his body, just knowing that something will jump out and surprise him.

Spike wasn’t looking where he was going, when he backed into a large decaying rib cage of a dead grootslang. Upon bumping into the rotten bones, Spike let out a yelp.

“AAAAAAHHH!!!”

“BAAAAA!!!”

A bleating cry was heard, to which Spike turned around to see the silhouette of a figure, trapped beneath the bones.

The creature kicked up the dirts beneath it, as it tries to get away. But the grootslang skull held it in place.

Spike cautiously stepped closer for a better look, to see that the creature is an anthropomorphic sheep.

Judging by its voluptuous, yet petite, body shape, a female one at that. Her skin was as light and warm as a human's, with her face bearing such resemblance, furthered only by a short snout than an average sheep. Instead of hooves, she has hands and feet, with five digits on each. The only sheep-like traits she has are a large clump of wool for her hair, large ears that droops to the sides, with one having a yellow tag that bears a number, and wide eyes that are bright and alert.

She was almost naked – possibly having been sheared – with only a few clump of wools wrapping around her chest and waist, resembling a bikini.

"Wow," Spike blushed, taken in by the sheep's near human appearance. "What a pretty leggy lamb!"

The frighten sheep looked up at Spike, quivering in fear and from the lifeless cold air, of the wasteland.

Still, Spike held his hand out to the trapped sheep. The sheep let out a terrified bleating scream, forcing Spike to retract his hand.

“No, wait! Shhh!” Spike shushed the sheep to no avail. “It’s okay, it’s okay! I’m here to help!”

After several failed attempts to escape, the sheep was exhausted, to which it finally let Spike get closer.

“Shhhh, it’s okay,” Spike gently stroke the sheep’s fluffy hair and chin as an added coaxing strategy. “That’s a good girl.”

“Spike!” Sunset Shimmer called, as she and Sweetie appeared. “There you are! What—“

Without warning, the sheep let out another frightful bleat, frantically kicking her legs, struggling to wriggle herself free from the bones she was trapped under.

Spike looked at the scared sheep, then back towards a concerned Sunset, and he quickly realized.

“Whoa, whoa, it’s okay!” Spike exclaimed to the sheep. “Sunset’s a good tiger! She’s not going to eat you!”

But the sheep was too frightened to listen. Instead, it continued to bleat wildly and frantically to break free.

Knowing that the sheep’s cry will soon attract some unwanted and dangerous attention, Spike quickly got to work, freeing the sheep.

"Easy, easy!" Spike said, as he picked up a stone to break off a chunk of the bones that caged the scared sheep.

Upon seeing what Spike was doing, Sweetie sprang into action to help, by picking up a stone and shattering another bone, allowing the sheep to have more room with her legs. In her fright, the sheep kicked Spike in the chest, knocking the wind out of him, and throwing him a great distance, had Sunset not caught him.

"Are you okay, Spike?" Sunset asked.

"...I've...been...kicked...worst..." Spike moaned breathlessly.

In the meantime, Sweetie quickly ran over to check up on Spike, allowing the sheep to break free from her imprisonment, without the others stopping her.

"Hey! WAIT!" Sunset shouted, chasing after the frighten sheep. "STOP! DON'T RUN!!!"

In the meantime, Spike was left in the care of Sweetie, who cuddled the young disoriented photographer close to her chest.

"Oh..." Spike moaned, slowly regaining his senses. "Man, who knew sheep could pack such a kick?" He asked, rubbing his head, to which Sweetie proceeded to mimic, as she rubbed his head with her hands, much to his discomfort.

"AH! Too hard, too hard!" Spike shouted, stopping the feral woman.

Just as Spike regained his footing, with Sweetie helping him up, there was a hissing sound that startled both man and feral woman in alarm. It sounded close, somewhere off to the right and left. The sound was coming from all around them. Something fast that kicked the rocks along the ground, crushing the rotten bones.

With his hair standing on end, Spike decided it was time for him and Sweetie to go. Just before they ran in the same direction as Sunset and the sheep, the shadowy outline of a dark hunched figure leapt up onto a pile of bones and glanced at the two humans.

Spike could hardly believe his eyes, while Sweetie snarled at the creature, hissing and arching her back, like a cat.

Unfortunately, the feral woman's intimidation did little to no good, as both she and Spike were surrounded.

Heart beat fast, her lungs pumping overtime, as Sunset Shimmer ran after the sheep as fast as her legs could carry her. But the sheep was faster and more agile than she is. At that moment, once again, instinct takes over. Out of frustration, Sunset got down on all four and sprinted faster than she's ever sprinted before.

With her strong arms, she can feel herself hooking the ground with her claws, then pulling herself forward with her arms, to thrust herself forward, almost throwing herself in the air. As an extra boost of momentum, her legs pushed herself off the ground, upon touching the ground with her feet. Her tail slithering in the air, to keep her balance. Finally, once she was close enough, the tiger-woman let out a triumphant roar as she pounced on the sheep, and they rolled across the ground in a cloud of dusts, until they crashed into a pile of bones.

"BAAAAAAHHH!!!" The sheep bleated upon the impact.

Once the dusts had cleared up, Sunset stood up, with the sheep pinned down. Setting her sight on the little lamb, the Tiger-Woman took one sniff, her mouth watering upon the fragrant smell of meat wafting over her. She looked down to see the sheep's frightened eyes, with a single tear cascading down her cheeks. The sheep ceased her struggles, closing her eyes, willing to accept the inevitability she knew was coming.

Sunset's predatory instinct was strong. So strong, her human rationality could barely hold it back. As if complying the sheep's silent request to end it already, the tiger-woman lunged forward to clamp her jaws around the sheep's neck.

"SUNSET!" Spike screamed as he and Sweetie caught up to the Tiger–Woman and sheep.

Upon hearing Spike's voice, the Tiger-Woman snapped her head back up, to see the young photographer running towards her, with the feral woman in tow.

"S...S...Spike?" Sunset stammered, nearly forgetting the man's name.

"Sunset! We've got a problem!" Spike said, huffing and wheezing.

Before the man could speak, the sound of barking was heard, followed by what could be described as the laugh of a madman, or even an entire pack of such. The sheep's ears perked up in alarm, with her eyes bursting wide open. She was just about to run off again, had Sunset not held a strong grip onto her arms.

Before long, shadows started to descend upon them, blocking out the sun. Everyone looked up to see the shadowy outline of a vulture. But then the creature leapt down from its perch, to reveal it has the face of a fiendish wild dog. The joint of its wings are tipped with sharp claws that can rip into flesh of any living creatures, like butter. Worse still, it wasn't alone.

Everyone all stood back-to-back as they looked up to find themselves surrounded by more of the savage vulture-dog creatures. They were stalking, slowly advancing upon the group from every direction.

"What are these things?" Spike asked. "Beast-Men? Chimeras?"

"No...worse!" Sunset Shimmer frowned. "They're Raptorians!"

"Raptorians?"

Before Spike could continue to question, one of the vulture Predators leapt from its perch and landed close too close to him and his group. It was at that moment that Spike realized these creatures have a large sickle-shaped claw on their toes. The man looked up at the creature, just in time to see it snapping its jaws open, baring its savage canine fangs.

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!" Spike screamed, nearly having a heart attack, with Sweetie screeching and jumping onto his shoulders.

The anthropomorphic sheep nearly took off running, had Sunset not held her by the arm. And for good reason. One of the Raptorians immediately snapped its neck at the sudden movement of the sheep. The creature licked its chops, as it sets its eyes on the sheep, eager for a bite, along with two of its pack members flanking behind.

Meanwhile, Spike kept his eyes on a large Raptorian, with an eye missing, and Sweetie hissing and swiping her hand at the dog-vultures. In response, one of the Raptorians slashed its claws at her, scratching her hand.

"AAAAH!!" Sweetie yelped, clutching her bloody hand, to which Spike checked.

Before the Raptorian could lunge in for the kill, Sunset Shimmer got in between it and her friends, letting out a thunderous roar, scaring the Raptorians to back away. But the dog-vultures were still eager for a meal, and they kept their eyes on the group.

"Ooh! That's...gotta hurt..." Spike winced at the bloody sight of Sweetie's hand.

Sweetie simply let out a low, whimpering meow, as Spike reached into his backpack to pull out a roll of bandages. Unfortunately, the minute he had his back turned, a Raptorian lunged forward to pounce on him.

"SPIKE!!!" Sunset Shimmer screamed, intercepting the attack, catching the Raptorian in mid-air and tossing it into the others.

"WHOA!" Spike shouted at the near-death experience. "That was–"

"No time!" Sunset interrupted, grabbing Spike by the hand, Sweetie in the other, while carrying the sheep over her shoulder.

[Chase Music Here]

With that, a chase was underway. Even if she was half-tiger, Sunset didn't want to run the risk of Spike and the others' safety. Maybe it's her humanity, or something else. Nevertheless, getting her friends out of harm's way is her number one priority.

"Sunset! Slow down!" Spike pleaded, as his legs could barely keep up with the Tiger-Woman's speed. Not to mention he was still limping from his injury, courtesy of Shade.

Unfortunately, the Raptorians weren’t giving the Tiger-Woman the option to slow down. Barking like wild dogs, with some that cackled like hyenas, the bird-dog hybrids were snapping their jaws, as they flapped their wings furiously, chasing after their preys.

At one point, Sunset tripped on some bones, causing her to fall on her front, with Spike, Sweetie, and the sheep to land on her back, as they all ended up a bumpy and scary slide, on the spine of a large animal.

Once they flew off the end of the bony slide, they landed on a hill of bones, with the Raptorians not too far behind.

"BAAAAAAHHHH!!!" The sheep bleated, to which Sunset looked down to see the anthropomorphic lamb was sliding down the pile of bones, frantically struggling to get a firm hold, but to no avail.

The more the sheep tried, the closer she was falling towards the Raptorians.

"Sunset!" Spike pleaded. "SAVE HER!!"

With that, Sunset Shimmer complied, running down the bony hill, just in time to slash her claws across the one-eyed Raptorian alpha, saving the sheep. Angered, with a bleeding scratch on its cheek, close to where an eye was, the one-eyed alpha snarled at the Tiger-Woman, who carried its meal away.

“I got her!” Sunset showed the sheep. “Now let’s go!”

With that, Spike followed Sunset and the sheep, while Sweetie followed Spike, turning around a corner, but were distraught to find a dead end.

“Oh no! We’re trapped!” Spike moaned, as he and his group turned around to see the Raptorians closing in.

“It was nice knowing you, Sunset,” Spike quivered, with Sweetie cradling her face against his. “And you too, Sweetie.”

“Just get behind me,” Sunset beckoned, as she stood between the Raptorians and her group.

Spike watched as the tiger-woman got on all four and bared her fangs out, with a loud roar and hissing growl, and a slash of her claws.

The Raptorians nearly backed away, but they didn’t retreat. Their numbers was on their side, as they clearly have the advantage. Even a She-Beast, like Sunset, doesn’t stand a chance to a whole pack of Raptorians.

The stand-off wasn’t prolonged any further, when the sound of thundering footsteps was heard. The ground shook with every second the footsteps got closer, until it became pronounced and distinguished to realize that the footsteps were, in fact, hoof steps.

The Raptorians looked up in alarm. The one-eyed alpha immediately barked a command, as it and the rest of its pack members quickly took their leave.

[End of Music]

Left by their lonesome, Spike, Sunset, and their two new female friends felt the ground quaking beneath their feet.

At that moment, something stepped on a pile of bones, shattering the rotten remains beneath it, snapping loudly in the air.

Spike and his group braced themselves for what was about to come. And then, trudging out from around the corner of a pile, stood a huge beast that resembled a centaur.

The creature looked almost like a man, except his entire lower body were the body of a mighty draft horse. His arms were as burly and fearsome as a gorilla’s, with sharp horns of a bull.

Upon a close look at the centaur’s face, Spike could hardly believe his eyes.

“Omigosh!” Spike exclaimed quietly. “Is that…Tirek?”

“I’m afraid so,” Sunset confirmed with a solemn nod.

“BAAAAAH!!!”

The sheep let out a frightful bleat, which Spike and Sunset quickly covered.

“SHHH!!!”

But it was too late. The centaur, that was Tirek, quickly snapped his head in the direction of the sheep’s bleat.

“Uh oh,” Spike whimpered.

With a loud bellowing roar, Spike and his group watch as Tirek beats his chest, like a gorilla, before he pawed at the ground with his cloven hooves, and aimed his horns.

Out of frighten impulses, Spike latched onto Sunset for protection, with his hands wrapped around her hard toned midriff, from behind. Sunset was slightly turned on at the feel of his hands stroking her abs.

Mimicking what Spike was doing, Sweetie did the same, with her arms wrapped around Sunset’s chest, practically groping the tiger-woman’s well-endowed breasts.

Even the sheep finally hugged Sunset, at the leg, for protection and comfort in its seemingly final moment. Sunset was surprised, and blushing, at how soft and warm the sheep felt, to the touch.

“Sunset! What do we do?” Spike whimpered.

“I’m thinking, I’m thinking!” Sunset replied, in a low growl. “But would you all kindly get yourselves off of me?!”

Realizing what they were doing to upset the tiger-woman, Spike and the others complied.

With the group ceasing their cuddling, Sunset can think properly as she looked at her surroundings and formulated a plan.

At that very moment, Tirek thundered closer and closer, and was just about to run the group down.

“SCATTER!” Sunset shouted.

Spike and the others all ran in separate directions, narrowly avoiding Tirek, who crashed into the walls.

Sunset Shimmer looked back to check on her friends, to see Spike, and the sheep, had landed close to a massive rib cage of an elephant. An idea lit up in her head.

“Spike!” Sunset called.

“Yeah?” Spike replied.

“Quickly! Put your index finger beneath one of your eyes!” She instructed.

“Uh, okay…” Spike reluctantly complied, with the obvious tone of uncertainty. “Now what?”

“Now pull it done!”

“Like this?” Spike did as he was told, pulling the bottom of his right eye, showing off the inner pink flesh.

“Yeah! Now stick out your tongue!”

Spike did just that.

“Perfect! Now look at Tirek!”

Spike realized too late what he just did, as Tirek let out a furious bellow that would even scare the mightiest of gorillas.

“Why did I let you talk me into these things?!” Spike moaned.

“BAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” The sheep bleated in fright, clinging onto Spike’s back, wrapping her arms around his shoulder, and her thick, strong legs, around his waist.

Tirek quickly charged at the man and sheep, “GET OUT! NOW!” Sunset called, which Spike and the sheep quickly did.

*BAM

The giant centaur crashed his head into the rib cages, with one of his horns stuck, and tangled among the bones.

“Great work, Spike!” Sunset smiled as she ran up to Spike and the sheep. “He’s stuck! He’s caught in the cage!”

“You couldn’t have just told me that ahead of time?!” Spike exclaimed incredulously.

“No time for that,” Sunset replied, before she looked up at Tirek, and grabbed Spike by the hand. “That won’t hold him for long! Let’s get the hell out of here and fast!”

Once again, Sunset Shimmer took off running, with Spike in tow. Meanwhile, Sweetie was sprinting on all four, as she followed her companions close behind.

Behind them, the group can hear Tirek bellowing out loud, signaling his newfound freedom. The ground shook as an added warning of the oncoming danger.

“HE’S AFTER US!” Spike wailed.

“Just keep running Spike!” Sunset advised.

But more dangers lay ahead. Before them is a large creek. It wouldn’t be so bad, if it weren’t for the fact it was home to an Octo-dile. Upon seeing the group approaching, the crocodilian and cephalopod hybrid immediately sprang to life, opening its massive jaws of wriggling tentacles.

“AAAAHHHH!” Spike screamed, almost sounding like a little girl.

Worse still, Tirek was right behind them. Sunset was certain that she and her group were stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“That’s it! We’re done for!” Spike whimpered.

Sunset looked between the crocodile and the centaur. She never felt more afraid in her whole life.

“Hey, Spike?” Sunset asked. “Remember how I made you let go of me, from before?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, I guess I could use one final embrace right now…”

“Okay.”

With that, Spike and Sunset hugged each other, tightly, as they awaited for the inevitable.

While Spike only stood up to the Tiger-Woman’s midriff, his cheek rubbing against her well-toned abs, Sunset stroke and pet her claws across his hair, as well as the leggy sheep. Wanting some of the affections, Sweetie wrapped her arms around all of her companions.

Sunset and her group all closed their eyes, awaiting for their untimely demise, when…

…the sound of a scuffle was heard, but it left them unharmed.

“Are we dead yet?” Spike asked.

Sunset opened one of her eyes to peek, at a fight to the finish, between centaur and octo-dile. The octo-dile had its tentacles wrapped all around Tirek’s arms, with its hooks biting into his flesh. As for Tirek, the monstrous centaur was tearing up on his hind legs, kicking with his front hooves, in an effort to break free.

“Uh, actually Spike,” Sunset began. “We’re still here. Look!”

Not long after Spike opened his eyes, did he see the scuffle.

“OMIGOSH! What a fight!” Spike shouted.

“C’mon,” Sunset beckoned. “Let’s just get while the getting is good!”

With that, Sunset and her group quietly slipped away, undetected.

Once they were far away, at a safe distance, everyone all gasped at the adrenaline of their near death experience.

“My life just flashed before my eyes!” Spike shouted.

“Mine too,” Sunset replied. “But I think we’ve lost them. And it will be a long time before Tirek can find us again…”

“What about those Raptorians?” Spike asked.

“Don’t worry,” Sunset replied. “They’re just scavengers. They don’t normally make their own kills, without Tirek.”

“That’s reassuring,” Spike replied, still feeling rather uneasy.

Deciding to change the topic, he turned to the anthropomorphic sheep they had rescued.

“So, what should we do with—Huh?” Spike was interrupted, when the sheep immediately wrapped her arms around him.

The sheep was soft and warm, with her remaining fleece as fluffy and soft as sheep would go. But the majority of her skin showing has made the sheep vulnerable and exposed to the elements around her. As an added fuel to the fire, her near human-like appearance, a result of Grogar’s experiment, makes her more humane.

Spike could feel his face turning red, while seeing Sunset having a mixed expression of bewilderment and amusement, while Sweetie appeared to be hissing in jealousy. That is, if cats could ever show a jealous expression.

The sheep let out a bleating cry, that sounded more like a woman sobbing, before she did something shocking.

“Thank…you…” The sheep bleated.

“Whoa!” Spike shouted, nearly jumping out of his skin. “She can talk?!” He asked Sunset.

“Who knew?” Sunset shrugged.

Nevertheless, Spike proceeded to gently stroke the sheep’s wool and back, to calm her. Though, he was finding hard to not be aroused in the slightest.

Unlike the sheep’s front, from the top of her shoulders to the tail, she doesn’t have any wools along the back. This makes the sheep appear topless from behind. But at the very least, her waist was covered up, all around.

Still, Spike had to keep his composure, and not get too aroused, lest he runs the risk of invoking the wrath of a tiger-woman and feral woman.

After a long while, the sheep has stopped her crying and calm down.

“There,” Spike spoke. “Feeling better now?”

The sheep nodded, as both she and Spike parted.

“Okay, let’s properly introduce ourselves,” Spike began. “I’m Nathan Draco! But my friends call me, Spike. Nice to meet you!”

“And I’m Sunset. Sunset Shimmer,” Sunset introduced herself. “And that’s Sweetie, our…feral woman,” She gestures to the feral woman, who continued to arch her back and growl lowly, like a cat.

“Sweetie, behave!” Spike scolded, to which the feral woman responded by looking at Spike with wide eyes.

“Anyway, now that you know who we are, can you tell us who you are? What’s your name?” Spike asked.

In response, the sheep let out a bleat.

“Baaah!”

“Huh?” Spike asked. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“Baaah!”

“Hmmm. I don’t quite…”

“Uh, tell you what,” Sunset began. “How about if we give you a name we can all refer to you as. Sounds okay?”

The sheep tilted her head to the side, as if to say she was curious to what these strange folks are saying.

“Are you…Pom?”

The sheep shook her head.

“Okay. Not Pom. How about Fluffy?”

In response, the sheep stuck out her tongue, and cringed her face, as if disgusted.

“Hehe, I guess not…”

“How does Chirin sound?” Sunset suggested.

“Chirin?” Spike asked.

“Yeah, like Chirin’s Bell?” In reply, Spike and the sheep both shook their heads in disapproval. “You’re right. Too depressing.”

“Hmmmm,” Spike looked at the sheep, up and down.

Aside from her least amount of wools, the only other distinguishing features she has are her angelic face, and her long, impressive thick, slender legs, like those of a fashion model.

“I don’t know what else to say, besides the fact that she’s a right pretty leg of lambs,” Spike shrugged, to which the sheep perked up in response.

“Wait a minute, Spike!” Sunset exclaimed. “What did you say?”

“Uh…I said she’s a pretty leggy lamb?” Spike stuttered on his words, to which the sheep responded again, with a bleat, and a nod of her head.

“I guess that’s her name then,” Sunset chuckled. “Leggy Lamb.”

“I don’t believe it…” Spike replied, before he was pounced on, by the sheep, now dubbed Leggy, who proceeded to smother him.

After she was done with Spike, Leggy moved onto Sunset, then towards Sweetie, who seemed more annoyed than thrill to be snuggled by the anthropomorphic sheep.

“Okay, now that that’s out of the way,” Spike began. “We gotta get back to finding our friends. Where to next, Sunset?”

“Give me a moment,” Sunset was about to sniff the air, when Leggy pulled on her arms. “What is it, Leggy?”

In response, Leggy made a slight nudge with her head, in a specific direction.

“I think she wants us to follow her,” Spike guessed, as he, Sunset, and Sweetie followed Leggy.

14 – Predator 00

Somewhere in the jungles, on Dr. Grogar's island.

Despite the seemingly morbid outlook, deep in the wilderness, natural faunas still thrive. A whole flock of sheep were grazing in a field, together with a herd of cattle, and goats.

The island wasn't entirely populated by Beast-Folks, on first glance. In some parts, the animals the mad doctor had transported from around the world have learned to thrive, with the Beast-Folks and chimeras alike. Unfortunately, this does not spare the dangers of predatory for most animals.

A little lamb, with a bell worn around his neck, was prancing in a field, chasing after a butterfly. Little did he know, danger lurks near. The little lamb had strayed too far from the herd, as he innocently chased the butterfly into the darkest parts of the jungle, where he had lost the insect.

Suddenly, something wet and slimy had dripped down from the trees, and splashed on top of his head, like raindrop. But there was no rain. Something was wrong. The little lamb felt a presence. He sniffed the air, cringing at the foul scent from what had splashed on him. But then, his ears perked up in alarm at the sound of something breathing. It was big and heavy. It was moving in the trees. The little lamb looked up and let out an alarming bleat, once his horror was fully realized.

It wasn't until a loud blaring bellow, almost as loud as a car horn, rang out in the air, startling the little lamb back to his senses. Instincts kicked in as he quickly turned and ran in the opposite direction, just as a trunk swung behind him, nearly swatting the lamb away.

With another angry bellow, the beast chased after the lamb, through the trees, crushing the underbrushes, determined to chase the young ungulate, out of parts unknown. The lamb turned its head to see the silhouette of an elephant, with horns and dangerously sharped and curved tusks, thundering behind him.

Why the beast wanted to hurt him, the little lamb doesn't know. All that mattered to him was to escape and get back to his mother as quickly as he could. Thankfully, the chase didn't last long.

Behind him, the monstrous elephant let out another bellowing roar. This time, it sounded more agonizing, as if the monster was in a great deal of pain. The little lamb quickly came to a stop as he looked behind him to see the monstrous elephant was no longer chasing him. The little lamb looked behind him to see the exit wasn't too far. Still, being curious, especially for an animal his age, the little lamb proceeded to turn back and see what might've happened to the beast that was chasing him.

The little lamb cautiously poked his head, from behind a tree, to find the monstrous elephant. Dead. At the claws of a much bigger threat. A creature shrouded under the shadows of the trees, hindering the lamb's perception of the sheep's shape, size, and identity. The lamb watched as the predator feasted on its latest kill. How it was able to bring down such behemoth is uncertain. And the lamb would rather not having to find out. He tried to leave as quietly as he could, until he accidentally stepped on a stick, emitting a loud snap.

*SNAP*

This unfortunately didn't go unheard. With a loud bleat, the lamb raced out of the trees, with his bell sounding the alarm for all the other animals in the herd to hear. But the alarm was sounded too late.

In a frightening grand entrance, a large chimera of indescribable nightmare thundered from the trees, roaring and screaming a bloodcurdling howl as it chased after the little lamb. The little lamb galloped like he's never galloped before, struggling to escape his untimely demise. However, the chimera's main interest wasn't on the small, meaningless ungulate. Instead, it focused its attentions on a whole herd of feast ahead.

In a mix of frightened moos, bleats, and cries, the herd immediately took off running from the predator, who continued to chase after its frightened meal. During the chaos, the mother of the little lamb had broken off from the herd, searching for her baby. Unfortunately, without the protection in the number of the herd, she became an easy prey for the chimera, who quickly lunged in and ate her up.

The poor little lamb watched in horror and grievance as the monster quickly ate up his mother. The monster then arched its head up to let out a triumphant roar that echoed for miles.

With a sad bleat, the little lamb sadly took its leave. Little does he know, unfortunately, that this will not be the last confrontation he has with the monster.

Meanwhile, up in his abode, high above the surrounding jungles of the island, built like a fortress, where he can look down on his land, his creations, as if he was a higher being.

Dr. Grogar looked out the window, fuming and brooding in silence. Deciding to break the silence, he reached out to his left, picking up a rusty bronze bell from its perch, on a wooden pedestal. With a flick of his wrist, he rang the bell.

As if replying to the call, the doors opened, with the sounds of footsteps, approaching him from his right. The footsteps grew louder the closer they approached him. Upon reaching a closing distance, the sound of a fine Chinese clicking on its plate was faint, but rang. Without having to turn his head and looked, the mad doctor reached out to pick up his tea and plate.

"Thank you, Bray," Dr. Grogar thanked his butler, and took a dainty sip of his tea.

The mad doctor grumbled in his wheelchair.

“If it wasn’t for this damn disease, I would be out and about, in polite society…” Dr. Grogar grumbled to his butler. "The fools had failed to see my pursuit at its full potential. My work was made to demonstrate of what humanity is capable of. We could change the world. The powers to create and to change, right at our fingertips."

"It's a pity your moment of triumph was marred by a little...accident, sir," Bray replied.

Dr. Grogar fumed as he recalled the tragic incident that had branded him an outcast forever and the days that lead up to it.

"The fools," Grogar muttered. "All their time, moneys, and resources wasted on some child fantasy's of attempting to bring dinosaurs back from the dead. Why wasting all our efforts on rebuilding the past, when we could've used our efforts to move forward into the future? To make something new? My first successful experiment, Predator 00, was proof of that!"

Bray, however, said otherwise, "Hmmm. If memory serves me right. Originally, it was a Megalania that they expected from you."

"They expected me," Dr. Grogar emphasized. "I, on the other hand, aimed to exceed their expectations. Which was precisely what I had succeeded.”

Dr. Grogar wheeled himself over to a holographic blueprint, detailing the genetic codings used in the making of a fearsome lizard-like beast.

“I have revolutionized biology,” Dr. Grogar ranted, while his trusty butler could do nothing but be the soundboard.

“The start of a new era of humanity,” Dr. Grogar continued. “The stepping stone to a grand evolution! A generation of a new breed of life forms with abilities and intelligence, unlike anything we’ve ever seen, in the world.”

“Playing God has always fascinated me since I was a boy,” The mad doctor said, with a moment of nostalgia. “If had my ways, then once I have succeeded in perfecting my experiments, I could find a cure to any genetic diseases. Only then, I wouldn’t be confined to this chair.”

“I expected nothing less of your potential, doctor,” Bray nodded. “But then, why are you still in this chair, if you wanted to find the cure?”

“My cure required dangerous genetic manipulations!” Grogar growled. “Experiments I could never perform on humans to begin with! I started with animals. When I became the chief scientist of Tambelon, my superiors expected me to bring back a dinosaur. Instead, I created a new beast, using one of the Megalania’s direct descendants. The Komodo dragon. By re-engineering its genetic makeup, I have created a new breed of apex predators. A perfect example of advanced evolution made possible by mankind’s scientific advancement. Predator 00 was created!”

Dr. Grogar turned his head and scowled at the portrait, with hundreds of darts, of an elderly man, in his 70s, with a long white beard and mustache.

“Dr. Starswirl, however, deemed that I went too far! Both he and his protégé, Celestia and Luna, had branded me a madman and irresponsible!”

“…Well, there was that incident regarding Predator 00,” Bray added. “Somehow, the beast got lose from his cage and attacked many people who had come to behold the fruit of your labor doctor.”

“But it wasn’t my fault!” Dr. Grogar exclaimed furiously. “It was a set up! In favor of an entire system that was rigged against me! Nobody believed me, but I had figured it out. My Predator couldn’t have escaped on his own. He was set loose, by the meddling of Sombra, Chrysalis, and their entourage! All so they could get me in their…partnerships.”

Grogar said the last word, venomously.

“They wanted me to make them an entire army of superhuman soldiers, to continue satisfying their selfish gain. Ha! But I showed them!”

Dr. Grogar laughed to himself, in glee at the memory of when he turned the table on the aforementioned criminal masterminds.

“And now, they will be hunted and slaughtered like the pigs they are, once I have perfected my next hunter!”

Grogar and his butler looked upon a large tank with a yellowish green liquid, within it contains a massive humanoid figure that is barely visible thanks to the liquid.

"Look at him, Bray. Magnificent, isn't he?" Dr. Grogar said with pride.

"Indeed, he is sir." Bray replied with a nod.

"My ultimate Hunter is almost ready. As soon as Shade brings that boy to us, we can at last begin the final preparations." The old doctor explained.

Within the tank, the figure drowsily opens his eyes and emits a low growl before closing them again.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the jungle

Spike, Sunset, Sweetie, and their new traveling companion, the newly dubbed Leggy Lamb, were trekking through the jungles in search of their friends.

Sunset Shimmer was sniffing the air with her nose, until she picked up a scent.

"That way!" Sunset pointed.

"You sure?" Spike asked.

"Sure, I'm sure."

"Okay. Here's hoping we don't run into another out-of-control freak, like Tirek back there...or even, Chrysalis..."

"You and me both, Spike," Sunset agreed, uneasily.

"Speaking of which...after seeing both Tirek and Chyrsalis mutated...what's the story with the others? Or do I even want to know?"

"Trust me, Spike. I think it's better you'd rather not find out," Sunset replied, with an eerie tone and disturbed expression to match. "But I can tell you this. From what the older She-Beasts have told us, before they..."

Sunset made a slight nudging motion of her head in Sweetie's direction. Spike immediately got the general idea that all other She-Beasts on the island have been – in a lack of better terms – humanized, and lost their identies.

"From what we've been told," Sunset continued. "After Dr. Grogar mutated them to be his own monsters, the criminal overlords went their separate ways to make their own turfs, on the island."

"Really?" Spike replied, feeling his whole body turning cold and covered in goosebumps. "So, where are they now? Not counting Tirek the Big Hungry Centaur..."

"Well, from what I've heard, Chrysalis resides in a large hive, somewhere in the swamps, just hatching a whole swarm of...parasites like her..." Sunset cringed in disgust, emphasized by how she stuck her tongue out, as if nearly throwing up.

"I'm sorry I asked," Spike frown.

Personally, to the young man, if he's never been more afraid of women before, then he's certainly is now. Except he only has one to worry about. Or so he presumed.

"Okay, enough about Chrysalis," Spike shook his head, getting back on topic, while also changing the direction, all the same. "What's the story about the other crooks? Where are they now?"

"Sombra was rumored to be taking up residents in the underground caverns," Sunset Shimmer answered. "The Storm King resides in the treetops. And Cozy Glow resides somewhere in the mountains."

Spike could barely swallow a lump in his throat. It took him almost an entire week to get used to the existence of She-Beasts. Chimeras, such as the Piranha-Gulls, the Octo-Diles, and the strange chimeric beast of a gorilla that nearly killed him and the girls on their first meeting. Now, he had to deal with knowing that five of the world's most wanted criminals are wandering on the island, as derange, psychotic, bloodthirsty beasts. And it was all the work of a mad scientist who owns the island, pulling the strings, as if he was an evil dictator – or even a god. There are things man was never meant to tamper. And one of them was playing God.

In his subconsciousness, Spike's hand reached out and clasped onto something warm, soft, but also strong, it gave him a feeling of security and safety. In response, it tightened its grip on his hand, with a firm and gentle hold.

"I'm scared too, Spike," Sunset spoke, with a caring and reassuring tone.

"Huh?" Spike looked to the Tiger-Woman on his right, before he looked down and realized he was holding her hand. "Oh! Sorry!" He apologized.

On his left, Sweetie let out a hissy fit, as she wrapped her arms around Spike, smothering him in her breasts, pulling him away from the Tiger-Woman.

"Easy there, Sweetie!" Spike yelped to the former She-Beasts, who continued to exhibit more cat-like traits by the seconds.

Sunset simply chuckled, with Leggy bleating that sounded almost like a chuckle.

It was still a surreal experience for Spike. He never thought that in a million years or so, he would ever find himself forming some kind of bond, or attachments, with the She-Beasts, or hardly any women, at all. Initially, female animals are different stories, prior to his arrival on the island. He gets along just fine with animals, both male and female.

Once again, Spike felt rather conflicted, since technically speaking, the She-Beasts are all female animals. It's the fact alone, that they started out as normal women, was why Spike still felt rather on edge in their very presence. Still, all the same, he was happy to have overcome his gynophobia, progressively. And in his honest opinion, there's no other women he would rather befriend with than the She-Beasts.

The friends hadn't gone far, when Sunset stopped them.

"Oh my goodness! STAND BACK!"

In response, Leggy let out a startled bleat and looked as if she was about to faint on the spot. Sweetie let out a startled yelp that sounded exactly like a cat.

"What? What is it?" Spike asked, while getting into a defensive stance, turning his head in random directions, expecting something to jump out and attack.

"Hey there, little guy!" Sunset cooed.

"Huh?"

Spike and others looked to see Sunset squatting down on all four, with her nose and eyes at the same level of a tiny little lizard. A gecko. The little lizard looked at Sunset curiously, licking its eyes with its tongue, when the Tiger-Woman slowly reached out for it. In response, the gecko quickly scurried away and disappear into the faunas of the jungle. Spike was still recovering from his shock, as well as the others, and was having trouble processing at what they just witnessed. Who would've thought Sunset had this side of her, especially towards such animals?

"I see you have a soft spot for the little guys," Spike commented. "All that fuss over a gecko? Really?" He chuckled, half-heartedly, due to the near heart attack from earlier. “I thought there was a poisonous snake, or something.”

"I can't help it," Sunset giggled, with a blush. "He reminded me of my pet gecko, Ray."

Spike was colored intrigued, "Ooh, you have a pet gecko?" He smiled. "Tell me more."

"Gladly," Sunset complied. "I first met him when Fluttershy was doing a charity pet photo shoot for the local animal shelter, in our town. I was the odd one out, because I didn’t have a pet. So, Fluttershy helped me to find one and when I first laid eyes on him… There was this…feeling, like we were made for each other!”

At the last part, Sunset had a heartfelt look in her eyes. The same kind of look that lovers would have for each other, their families, as well as their pets. Without a doubt, in Spike’s mind, Sunset was practically glowing at the thought of her gecko.

Spike smiled as he sympathizes the feeling, “I felt the same way about my parrot, Peewee,” He said.

But before their conversation could continue, Sunset, once again, stopped Spike.

“Shhh!” She shushed.

Spike, however, didn’t get the message, “No, really. When me and—“ He was immediately silenced, when Sunset covered his mouth.

“No, for real! Shhh!”

After seeing the dreadful look on her face, that spells alarm and genuine terror, Spike immediately complied.

Aside from the sounds of their breathing, all around Spike and his group, the surrounding environment was eerily silent. Not a single hoot, holler, or chirp of an animal was heard.

It was all too silent, that Spike was nearly convinced that he was all alone. It scared him, even more than his fear of women, which hardly mattered anymore, at this point.

All he could think of, at this moment was to survive. To be ready for the danger. To escape the danger. To live and breathe another day. Trouble is he has no idea what the danger is.

“Sunset?” He whispered. “Just…what did you hear?”

Suddenly, as if answering his question, a large crash was heard from the trees. Something huge was crushing the underbrush, breaking the branches off the trees. And with a loud thud, the ground beneath them shook so hard, that Spike and his group almost fell.

Soon as it was over, they all regained their footings.

“What was that?” Spike asked, still keeping his voice a whisper.

“Just follow me,” Sunset advised. “But be quiet.”

Very quietly, and carefully, Spike and his group all crept through the leaves and bushes, heading towards the source of the commotion, to investigate.

They gasped out of shock at what they found. A huge rhinoceros-like creature, with a thick coat of fur, laid still, on top of a pile of crushed branches, bushes, and trees.

Its eye was staring up at the sky, colorless and lifeless, with its tongue hanging open, releasing a vile stench.

“Is that…a woolly rhino?” Spike asked.

“A dead one at that,” Sunset confirmed, as she crept forward to sniff the corpse. “Yuck! And a fresh one to add to it…”

“What could’ve taken down an animal this size?” Spike asked, before he had a look of dread as a horrifying thought occurred to him. “Is it Shade? Has he found us?”

“No. I don’t think so,” Sunset shook her head, as she inspected some wounds on the rhino. “These patterns don’t exactly match up. Even for a hunter, Shade couldn’t have made scratches this deep.”

At the mention of scratches, Spike remembers the huge ugly scar that Sunset wore across her back. Remembering the night when Shade first attacked and destroyed their former camp, Spike was in total agreement with Sunset.

“But if Shade didn’t kill this thing, then…what did?” He asked.

Suddenly, from their left, the sound of trees rustling was heard, along with the sound of something huge and heavy, crushing the underbrush.

For further emphasis, the ground shook more violently the closer the heavy footsteps came.

“I think we’re about to find out,” Sunset said as she dragged Spike and leading the others, into the trees, in the opposite direction.

Once safely hidden behind the trees, Spike and his party peeked from behind, awaiting to see the arrival of the mysterious newcomer.

Squinting his eyes, straining for a better look, Spike felt his heart beating with anticipation, while anxiously hoping it wasn’t one of the criminal overlords Sunset had mentioned earlier. If it was Tirek, or something bigger, then there’s always a bigger fish. But, unfortunately, Spike gets the scary feeling that’s always the case on Grogar’s island.

Looking at the trees on the other side, Spike could see something big, misshapen, moving in the shadows of the tree. Spike strained to get a closer look at the cause of the movements, to see the colors of the foliage suddenly moving out of the place.

It was at that moment that Spike realized that some of the leaves from the trees were transforming into a different texture. The supposed leaves changed to reveal a thick body that is pitch black as coal, with a rocky and spiky surface.

"It can camouflage!" Spike gasped, screaming quietly, looking up higher, until he could see the face of the newcomer.

As if appearing out of thin air, stepping into the light of day, was a creature that Spike recognized, but didn’t expect to see.

"Whoa!" Spike exclaimed in a mixture of fright and amazement at what he saw. "Is that...a dragon?"

On first glance, the animal has the overall appearance of a Komodo Dragon, except it appeared to be ten times bigger than an average one, almost dwarfing a fully grown elephant. Its entire body was coated with jet black plated scales like those of a crocodile, enforced with long sharp bronze colored spikes along the neck, back, and tail, like a horned lizard. Its entire head appeared crocodilian, with rows of jagged sharp teeth protruding from the bottom and top lips, lining up the snout that curves and sharpens into a beak, like a hawk's. Its eyes are bright red and yellow, which are located beneath the spiky ridges, protruding from its brows. The creature stood on all four legs, with sharp claws that can cut meat like butter. Its spiky tail was slithering, like a very fat snake, but the tip snapped in the air, like a very long whip. A closer look reveals the flexibility and prehensile capability, like those of a chameleon, upon seeing the tail curling itself into the shape of a crooked hook.

Spike watched as the dragon crawled towards the dead woolly rhino. Using the sharp tip of its beak, tearing into the carcass, ripping it apart, and eating the meats. It even used its sharp claws to hold the dead animal in place, as it continued to feast. Almost as if the claws are the forks and the beak is the knife.

"...That’s not just any dragon, Spike," Sunset Shimmer confirmed, dreadfully. “That’s Ēferno! The Eternal flame. And Predator 00!”

Spike blinked his eyes in bewilderment, "Ee-what-now?" He asked.

“I’ll tell you later. But for now, let’s just…move very slowly,” Sunset advised. “Be careful not to make a sudden movement, or make a sound. We don’t want to alert him…”

Unfortunately, they hadn’t gotten very far, when Leggy peek from behind the brushes and was startled at the sight of the large dragon-like creature.

“BAAAH!!!” Leggy bleated in alarm.

In response, Spike and Sunset quickly covered the screaming sheep’s mouth.

Spike turned to look back, seeing the dragon snapping his head up, at the sound of the sheep’s scream. Fresh blood from the meat dripped from his lips and fangs, as the dragon turned his head in different directions, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound. The tail was swaying, slowly, left and right, as if it was also searching for anything, or anyone attempting to attack from behind.

After a long silence, the dragon resumed to feast on its meal, with a low growl. Spike and the others all let out a collective sigh of relief.

“That was close,” Spike exclaimed.

“Way too close for comfort,” Sunset agreed. “Come on. Let’s go. But be quiet.”

Without wasting another second, Spike and his group turned to flee from the dragon. Spike kept his head low, so that the dragon wouldn’t be able to see him. But at the same time, he kept his heaving and breathing chest off the short grasses.

He was sweating up a storm as he heard himself crushing the sticks, leaves, and grasses beneath him. His thoughts were running wild.

If he can hear himself, then would the dragon be able to hear as well? And if so, then how long will it take for the dragon to find him and eat him and his friends? What does death at the claws of a beast feel like? Is it slow and painful? Or was it just a quick relief of all mortal attachments?

Spike can’t think on those thoughts at the moment. He had to stay focus on the task at hand. Escape from the dragon called Ēferno.

Speaking of whom, Spike wondered how Sunset knew about the dragon? Turning to his right, Spike was in awe at the sight of the Tiger-Woman, silently creeping across the jungle floor, with minimal to no effort.

Even though Spike knows she’s half-tiger, he wondered how she learned to stalk the jungle as a natural predator.

As for Sweetie, even though she was no longer a She-Beast, the feral jungle woman was moving with the elegance and grace of a cat. Spike wondered if her original She-Beast form was a cat, or a panther. Either way, she seemed to be just as capable, which would explain for all the times he’s caught glimpses of her, in the trees, now and then, watching him.

How long has she been stalking him? And how long has she, and the other former She-Beasts, been on the island? And what could be the entire purpose of their dance? If only Sweetie could talk and understand him, then he would have all the answers he wanted to know.

Finally, for Leggy, the anthropomorphic sheep was only able to sneak, by mimicking what Spike and the other two women were doing. But she fumbled and tripped over a tree root, causing her to fall to the ground with a hard thud.

Luckily, her fall went unheard. Spike looked back to see he and his group were at a distance of roughly 28 feet between themselves and the dragon. It’s likely that they were out of earshot.

After they hide behind a tree, the group looked back to see the dragon was still consuming his latest kill, before moving on.

“I think we’re safe, for now,” Sunset confirmed.

“Oh! Thank goodness,” Spike breathed rapidly, with Sweetie copying. “I thought I was going to have a heart attack and die of fright!”

After a moment of relief and composure, Spike found his voice to ask some burning questions.

"Okay, Sunset," He began to ask. "What do you know about that thing?" Spike pointed towards the dragon, behind them. “What did Dr. Grogar used to create it? And why did you call it Predator 00?”

But before Sunset could answer, however, Leggy perked her head up and turned in a different direction.

“Leggy?” Spike exclaimed, as he and Sunset were both startled by the sheep. “What’s the matter?”

“Baaah!” With a bleat, Leggy took off sprinting.

“Leggy! Where are you going?” Spike asked, as he and the others gave chase.

“Come back!” Sunset joined, with Sweetie being the last to follow.

Running past the eaten carcass of the woolly rhino, with its fresh raw stench fouling the air growing duller the farther away Spike and the other ran.

It wasn’t long before Spike and his group were running under the dark shades of the trees.

As they followed after the sheep, Spike looked around him to see the downed trees, broken branches, and crushed grasses. Most likely the work of the dragon. It all looked like a crime scene, just showing what this dragon is capable of. Spike couldn't help but quiver at the very sight of the destroyed forest, knowing that they were the work of a huge animal. And no ordinary big animal for that matter. But a fantasy made real.

Of all the creatures from myths and legends that Spike was most captivated, the dragon has earned its spot in his heart. However, the extent of his admiration isn't in Dr. Grogar's favor, now that he's learned that the madman of a scientist had succeeded in making a living specimen possible. And Spike was not looking forward to being the monster's next meal.

'Sounds like a horrible way to go out,' Spike thought dreadfully. 'To be eaten by your favorite creature.'

Spike quickly cleared his head of all unwanted thoughts, on the dragon. He focused on the task at hand, with Sunset and Sweetie, until they eventually caught up to Leggy Lamb.

"Leggy!" Spike panted heavily, almost out of breath from all the running. "Come on. We can't stay here any longer. We gotta go! There's a dragon out here. Do you understand?"

But Leggy didn't budge. Her eyes were fixated on a clump of tangled thorny vines. Spike, Sunset, and Sweetie all followed Leggy's gaze to see what she had suddenly galloped away for.

Upon a closer look, they find, caught in a tangle of thorny vines, and quivering, was a small little lamb, with a bell worn around his neck. The little lamb let out a few frightful bleats, until Leggy bleated in response to calm the young one. Soon, the ringing of the bell stopped, as Leggy reached out for the little lamb. However, the thorns proved themselves to be a difficult obstacle between her and the lamb.

Sunset walked over and urged Leggy to the side, "Stand back."

Everyone watched the Tiger-Woman unsheathe her claws, slashing across the thorns, cutting the vines, to release their captive. Once freed, the little lamb leapt into Leggy's arms. She wrapped her arms around the lamb's head, pulling him close to her chest, like a mother soothing their child.

"Aw!" Spike and Sunset both said together, with Sweetie wrapping her arms around Spike, lovingly.

"That's so adorable!" Sunset squealed, with a loud rumbling purr. "Kinda makes me want to have a child of my own."

Spike didn't comment on that. His attention was all focused on the sweet tenderness between Leggy and the little lamb. A half-animal, half-human hybrid, like Leggy, behaving like a paternal parent to an actual animal, like the little lamb. It defies all logics, but seemed just right. Two different worlds, coming together, and yet, became one big happy family.

Wanting to get acquainted with the little lamb, to let it know that he's a friend, Spike slowly walked up to the lamb at a reasonable distance.

"Hey there, little guy!" Spike waved to the lamb and talked in a soft voice. "My name is Spike. This is Leggy. We're friends," He said, introducing himself and the anthropomorphic sheep.

The little lamb looked to Leggy, who responded with some bleats of her own, as if to confirm that both she and Spike are indeed acquaintances, or friends. With that, the little lamb walked over to check Spike out, before it looked nervously at Sunset Shimmer and Sweetie.

"Hi," Sunset greeted, much to the little lamb's fright, as it ducked behind Leggy's legs for protection. "Oh no! It's okay, it's okay," Sunset said, attempting to coax the frighten lamb. "I'm not going to eat you..."

"Yeah, this is Sunset. That's Sweetie," Spike introduced the Tiger-Woman and feral woman. "They're also our friends! And Sunset's a good tiger. She won't hurt you, I promise..."

With another bleat of encouragement from Leggy, the little lamb looked back at Sunset. While cautious and weary, especially for a young animal his age, the little lamb was still uncertain. Still, after a nudge from Leggy, the little lamb went up to Sunset, who slowly and gently held her clawed hands up for a gentle scratch, under his chin.

Though startled, the little lamb melted into the loving scratch from the tiger-woman.

"Wow! He's so soft!" Sunset commented.

Spike smiled as he joined in petting the little lamb's wool. Upon touching the lamb's fluffy wools, Spike's hands practically melted at the softness of the little sheep's wool. It was unlike any other sheep he had pet before. This lamb's wools were as soft as a pillow, with the bounce of a ball.

Sweetie too wanted to have a feel of the lamb's wool. Unfortunately, her sudden approach to the little ungulate startled him so much, in his frantic impulsive response, the little lamb was kicking his legs and screaming, squirming in Leggy's arms, trying to keep the feral woman away.

Spike and Sunset quickly pulled Sweetie away, while Leggy hugged the lamb close to her chest as she continued to stroke his wools, gently calming him down.

"I think we need to work on your peopling skills," Spike said to Sweetie, who could only tilt her head to the side, in confusion.

"What the...Oh my!"

Without warning, the ground beneath Spike and his group trembled, to what sounded like thunderclaps. But the fact that there was no cloud in the sky, let alone a drop of rain, Spike and his group knew for an obvious fact that it wasn't thunder. Something big was crashing through the foliage. The young man and his entourage of anthropomorphic female genetically altered humanoids, plus lamb, turned around, in time to see the trees waving in the winds. Behind them, Spike could barely make out the outline of a large creature, moving through the woods.

Then, as if making a grand entrance, in a display of magnificent and intimidation, the creature revealed itself, as if it appeared out of thin air. The tree barks turned into thick rows of grainy scales that are as black as volcanic soot and hardened lava, and pale sandy bronze spikes. It was none other than the dragon.

"IT CAN camouflage!" Spike screamed at the top of his lungs, which was quickly silenced by Sunset.

The dragon immediately snapped its head in their direction, as if it was attracted by the sound of Spike's voice. With a low hissing growl, the dragon crept forward, slamming its claws on the ground. Each step makes a more powerful tremor than the last as the dragon got closer and closer. Too close for Spike and his group's comfort. Then, to add to the unsettling atmosphere, the dragon bent down to flick its long forked tongue.

"Don't move a muscle," Sunset whispered. "As long as you don't move, he won't know that you're his prey..."

"I guess he's a just a hungry carnivore searching for his..." Spike immediately ceased talking, when the dragon's forked tongue came upon them.

Knowing his reptiles, Spike was certain that the dragon was "tasting" the air, with its forked tongue. The way its eyes were locked onto him and his group, it's certain to have registered them as prey. And yet, it didn't lunge in for the kill. The dragon seemed to be deciding on what its next move should be. Spike was hoping it wouldn't consider eating him and his companions, and would just leave already.

"BAAAHH!!!"

Everyone's attention, including the dragon, turned to the frighten little lamb, who kicked and screamed, until he finally freed himself from Leggy's grip and ran off.

"Baaaah!!" Leggy called out to the little lamb.

With a loud yowling, screeching roar, akin to a hawk, the dragon gave chase after the little lamb, and the group.

Chasing the Dragons – Michael Giacchino

"Great. More running!" Spike moaned, feeling his legs were burning up from the blisters, the muscle cramps, bruises, and Shade Stalker's recent attack he has had to endure, since being shipwrecked on the island.

"Ain't like you've got a choice, Spike!" Sunset replied. "You either run for your life, or be a dragon's meal!"

Without having to look back, Spike could hear the dragon crashing through the trees, and its hissy roar was practically next to his ears. It was enough to convince him that the dragon was catching up fast.

Taking Sweetie by the hand, with his other hand secured with Sunset's, Spike set his sight forward to see Leggy and the little lamb were far ahead of them. The young man and his two She-Beasts were all that stands between the dragon and its ungulate preys.

Suddenly, Spike felt something wet and slimy hitting him on the back of his neck.

"What is this?" Spike asked, cringing at the tingling sensation.

Still, he kept on running, not daring to stop to check on what it was. Though, the skin on his neck was beginning to tingle.

"We have to split up!" Spike suggested. "It can't chase all of us!"

"No!" Sunset denied. "That's exactly what he wants. If we scatter, then he'll pick us off like rats! We have to stick together!"

Again, Spike felt something wet and slimy hitting him from behind. This time, it struck him on his left ear.

"Where is all this coming from?" Spike asked.

"Don't stop, and don't look back, Spike!" Sunset advised. "Whatever you do, do not look back at Ēferno, lest you want to keep your eyesight intact..."

Spike was just about to ask the meaning of Sunset's warning. But in the rush of the life and death adrenaline they found themselves in, now wasn't the time for questions. All that mattered was for Spike and his companions to keep running until they were safe.

They all made a sharp turn, narrowly avoiding the dragon snapping its jaws. Still, the dragon was undeterred and relentlessly chased after the man and She-Beasts.

Eventually, Spike and his two companions were able to catch up to Leggy and the little lamb. But by then, their legs were all worn out, with Spike feeling he's stepped on thousands of burning thorns, and his ribs were about to explode.

"We can't keep running forever," Spike panted heavily. "What do we do now?"

"Baaah!" Leggy bleated, directing the group's attention to a large hollowed log, sitting nearby.

"I think Leggy's onto something," Sunset exclaimed. "Hurry! Let's hide in there!"

Looking back, seeing the dragon was catching up, and that there was no other options, Spike followed as he dived into the log with Sunset and the others. Once inside, the group were all cramped up, with Spike being smothered between Sunset and Sweetie's chests, while Leggy's thick legs were wrapped around his neck, while she held the little lamb close.

"This...is...awkward," Spike muffled, with his lips puckered out, due to having both his cheeks, inadvertedly, squeezed by the girls.

Outside of the log, Spike and his party could sense the dragon's approach. The log shook and rumbled repeatedly, every few seconds. The dragon was trying to pry them out of their hiding spot. Before long, the log was lifted off the ground, before it was dropped back down. If Spike had to guess, the dragon had them in its jaws, before dropping them back down, in an attempt to break the log open.

When that failed, Spike and his group could feel themselves being lifted off the ground again, to be carried away.

"Whoa!" Spike screamed, nearly biting his own lips. "Where is it taking us?"

"I don't know," Sunset replied. "But hold on, Spike!" Spike did just that, pulling Sunset and Sweetie close. "But...not that close..." Sunset whimpered, sounding rather aroused.

Consumed with anxious fear and uncertainty, Spike could hear the rapid heartbeats of his own and his companions, as they were carried away by the dragon. What was it doing? Where was it taking them? He doesn't know. Unfortunately, their fears were all fully realized when, from a burst of adrenaline that threw them off their stomachs, the dragon had thrown them off a cliff.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!" Spike screamed as he and his companions were sent falling down to the ground, at an alarming height.

They grunted and screamed with every bounce of the log, until they finally came to a stop.

"Ow..." Spike groaned, feeling a searing pain from the back of his head. "Oh man...that was intense..."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Sunset groaned. "But...are you okay, Spike?"

"Yeah...I'm fine," In actuality, Spike blushed from the fact he hadn't lost his head, completely, due to Sunset and Sweetie's breasts acting as cushions, with Leggy's legs as a makeshift seatbelt.

"Thanks."

End of Chase Music

After a moment to regain their composures, Spike and his group squeezed out of the busted up log, wobbling on their feet, as they struggled to stand up. After everything they had endured, every near-death experiences, it was a miracle that they were still standing.

Sweetie crawled away to lick a cut on her wrist, Leggy was cuddling up with the little lamb to calm it down, and lastly, Sunset checked on Spike.

"Nothing too broken," Sunset confirmed to Spike. "We've all got nothing but bumps and bruises."

The little lamb's bleat draws the entire party's attention to see that its head was covered in blood.

"Oh no, the poor kid!" Spike exclaimed as he, Sunset, and Sweetie went over to check up on it.

A stream of blood was trickling from the lamb's head, cascading down its cheek, to the bottom of its chin. Initially, Spike deduced it must've hurt its head during the fall. But upon closer look, he saw what he thought was a stone, piercing from the top of its skull.

"Hey...he's got a horn!" Spike pointed. "One of them, at least..."

"Oh he's got another one," Sunset pointed to the other side of the lamb's head. "It's just...smaller...and blunt than this one. Asymmetry. Interesting..."

"Well, with only one horn, he kinda looks like a unicorn," Spike commented. "No wait. A Kirin." The little lamb perked up at the last word.

"I think he likes that name," Sunset smiled. "Kirin."

The party's newfound fascination was brought to an abrupt halt, when the sound of the dragon's roar was heard, in the distance, atop the cliff. Spike and his group looked up to see the fearsome silhouette of the dragon. It was almost as if they were watching a movie of Harry Potter, or so.

"Something tells me this won't be the last time we'll see of him," Spike grimaced.

"Then we better get going. Now!" Sunset said as she, once again, took the lead.

Once they found a secluded area of the island’s jungle, Spike and his group, including the newly dubbed Kirin, gathered together to compose themselves.

“Man, I’ve got blisters on my blisters,” Spike frowned, before he remembered the substance on his back. “ICK! What is this stuff?” He asked.

“That would be poison,” Sunset explained. “For a dragon, as a compensation to not breathe fire, Ēferno was engineered to spit venom. One hit to the eyes is all it takes to render you blind.”

“Yikes!” Spike cringed at the revelation. “But…how do you know so much about that dragon?” He asked.

“Back in college,” Sunset began to explain. “When me and Twilight were study partners, we wrote an article on Dr. Grogar’s work. And during our research, we found that he was a promising researcher in biology and veterinary science.”

“Is that so?”

Sunset nodded, “We found out that he was one of the scientists who were tasked with bringing extinct animals back to life. But instead of something more…recent, like a thylacine, a woolly mammoth, or even a dodo, he targeted for something more…difficult.”

“Like what?” Spike asked. “A dinosaur?”

“Kinda. Something called a Megalania.”

“Whoa, for real?” Spike asked. “And…I take it that dragon...Ēferno, was his final result?”

“Not really,” Sunset shook her head. “Turns out, he had a different plan in mind than bringing something back from the dead. In actuality, he was conducting grotesque genetic experiments that were illegal and unethical. By the time the authorities could stop him, he succeeded. Thus, Predator 00 – a.k.a. Ēferno was born.”

It was a lot for Spike to process. He recalled every little details Sunset had told him, before repeating to make sure he understood.

“So, instead of reviving a dead species,” Spike began. “He thought it was a better idea to create a new species of chimeric monsters?”

“Exactly!” Sunset confirmed. “And it turns out, Ēferno was his first creation, whom he labeled Predator 00 at the time. He's only the prototype for a series of Grogar's first series of...Predators!”

“You mean…there are more? Now?!” Spike asked, silently and mentally praying that would not be the case.

“So far, no,” Sunset shook her head, much to Spike’s relief. “At least, not yet,” She added, much to Spike’s renewed horror.

“Dr. Grogar is rumored to be in the work of making some more Predators, for the sky and the sea. And if he succeeds, then the entire world is doomed.”

“And humanity will be the extinct species!” Spike muttered in horror. “This guy is seriously messed up. He should’ve been locked away in an asylum, or something!”

“My thoughts exactly,” Sunset nodded. “But no thanks to Chrysalis and Sombre, he was able to escape the law. Thus, beginning his connections with the criminals Twilight just told you about, earlier…”

“I see,” Spike looked away, feeling more troubled. “So, all this criminal masterminds. They’re all like his benefactors then? Supplying him with resources, equipments, and other…unfortunate humans, and such?” Sunset nodded to confirm. “But what did they all want from him? Like what did they have to gain?”

“I don’t know,” Sunset replied. “But frankly, I don’t care. And I’d rather not find out. All that I know was that they’re all psychopaths! They deserved to die! Grogar, especially, after what he did to us!”

Sunset looked down, distraught with her tiger-like appearance, on the brink of crying, even the sight of her claws.

“He made us all into freaks!” Sunset growled. “He…he broke us! He took away our futures, along with our humanity, and dashed them all to the winds!”

Spike felt sympathetic towards the tiger-woman. In truth, he’s grown rather fond of her She-Beast appearance. But all the same, Sunset and the She-Beasts’ happiness come first.

‘It’s still hard for me to remember that this is a woman, trapped in the body of a tiger,’ Spike thought to himself.

Subconsciously, Spike reached out to touch Sunset, scratching her behind the ears.

“I’m not a cat,” She frowned, showing indignant and disdain at Spike.

“Sorry!” Spike pulled his hands back in defense.

But quickly, Sunset’s scowl softened to a smile, “But thank you.”

Both Spike and Sunset walked up to each other and wrapped each other in a warm hug. In this moment, both Spike and Sunset felt at peace, like all the dangers they’ve faced no longer matters, as long as they have each other.

Once again, Spike felt content in his own little world, as he nuzzled into Sunset’s chest fur.

“Did I ever tell you you have soft furs?” Spike sighed.

“…I think you’ve mentioned it a couple of times,” The Tiger-Woman replied in a high-pitched whisper.

Still in his subconscious mind, Spike ran his fingers up, stroking Sunset’s back, over the fabric texture of her bikini top’s strap, and felt the bumpy and scratchy outline of a scar.

Upon feeling the scar, Spike was brought out of his stupor, as he traced the scar, scared to realize the length of it, starting from the shoulders to the waist, above her tail.

“Jesus...!” Spike exclaimed. “That is a big scar!”

“Tell me about it,” Sunset replied, sharing his grimace. “I’m lucky enough to be alive, after an attack like this, from Shade…”

“…I guess we’re all just lucky then, huh?” Spike asked, wanting to change the tone of the mood.

“I guess we are,” Sunset giggled, sounding human. “But let’s not push it. Come on. We still need to find the others.”

“Ok,” Spike complied, but quickly requested. “But…can we stay like this, just a little longer?”

15 – The Village

Spike, Sunset Shimmer, and their new companions, Sweetie, Leggy, and the anthropomorphic ewe’s newly adopted son, Kirin, resume their trek through the jungle.

During which, Spike took the moment to observe each and every one of the females, to analyze their key differences on what sets them apart.

Sunset Shimmer, a She-Beast, has demonstrated that she, and the other She-Beasts, displays the most intelligence akin to a human. However, it seems, that day by day, she began to exhibit animalistic instincts, as if the tiger within her was slowly emerging. For this, Spike kept his distance, albeit reluctantly, which he thought was strange because it wasn’t like him.

Secondly, the silent and sweet loving, Sweetie, a former She-Beast, who has become human, but is living a fate worse than death. She’s neither dead nor alive. A pale imitation of her former self. She wonders the jungle, in a daze, seemingly distracted nonstop. Though all the same, she would always flaunt her hips, her chest, arms, and legs, in a dance of some sort. What is the purpose of this dance? Spike, nor Sunset did not know. Still, she does occasionally show traits of a cat.

Lastly, Leggy Lamb, a She-Beast of little words, speaking mostly in bleats. Her humanity is displayed through her modesty and insecurity of her small amount of coverage. It was as if the sheep was becoming human, or she is just a woman trapped in a sheep’s body. Nevertheless, from the way Spike observed her doting over young Kirin, shows a mother hen side of her.

Spike was brought out of his thoughts, when Sweetie, once again, clings herself onto him.

Like she did before, the feral woman was rubbing her head against Spike’s, then caresses herself under his chin, across his chest.

“Cut it out!” Spike groaned, gently prying Sweetie off of him, who persisted and hugged his arm.

On his left, Spike can hear Sunset chuckling, “She’s a clingy kitty,” She joked.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she was a cat-woman,” He muttered, as he endures Sweetie posing on top of him.

At one point, the former She-Beast posed her large well-endowed chest on top of Spike’s head, much to his discomfort.

“She certainly likes you,” Sunset commented. “And I have to say, you’ve been taking her presence quite well, Spike!”

Spike felt rather uncertain, “Well, it’s…not like she’s going anywhere…”

“I could always scare her away,” Sunset offered.

“No!” Spike quickly answered. “I mean… As much as she…weirds me out, I…I don’t want her to be…hurt? Or… generally nothing bad to come to her. Y’know?”

Spike felt conflicted and confused to why he would say that. It wasn’t like him to be concerned with a woman’s well-being, given his gynophobia. This is all a newfound feeling he was experienced.

“What’s gotten into me?” Spike asked.

“I think I know what it is,” Sunset answered with a smile. “You’re coming out of your shell. You’re finally opening up!”

“I…I am?” He asked, to which Sunset nodded.

“Uh-huh! And how does it feel?” She asked.

Spike pondered at the question, searching his feelings, before he answered, “Well, admittedly…I’m still scared. But just a little. I…I’m afraid, but then I’m not. And…it felt like, how do you say? A breath of fresh air?”

“And that’s great! Right?”

Before Spike could answer, the sound of rustling leaves was heard, startling Spike and his group into alert, once again.

“Oh come on!” Spike groaned in exasperation.

After an entire day of escaping Shade, dodging ravenous, man-eating chimeras, including a recent run-in with a dragon, Spike was beyond stressed that they were far from done with life-and-death perils.

Sunset Shimmer was already snarling, with her unsheathed claws at the ready, as she stood between Spike and whatever creature was emerging from the thrushes.

“Spike! Sunset!” A familiar southern accent voice exclaimed. “Thank goodness you’re all okay!”

Emerging from the bushes, stood a familiar orange wolf-woman, wearing a brown worn Stetson hat.

“Applejack?!” Spike and Sunset both exclaimed.

What felt like a heartbeat, Spike suddenly found himself and Sunset, embraced happily by the orange wolf She-Beast.

“Ah…Ah can’t believe it!” Applejack laughed, barking with her tail wagging rapidly to match her excitement. “Yer all alive! Oh!”

Applejack immediately lets go of the hug and backed away, which Spike thought was confusing.

“I’m sorry, Spike,” Applejack apologized, with sad widen eyes and flattened ears, to express a look of regret. “I…I forgot. Personal space…”

As if struck by lightning, Spike immediately realized what Applejack was apologizing for. She did not know about Spike’s recovery from his Gynophobia. Nor did she know of Spike’s newfound tolerance of Sunset and the other She-Beasts’ presence.

Without saying a word, Spike rushed towards Applejack and wrapped his arms around her for a hug.

“Oh! Spike?!” Applejack exclaimed, startled by the unexpected development. “Wha-What’s…what’s the matter?”

Spike didn’t reply. He felt so much at peace as he continued to hug Applejack, snuggling his face, buried deep in the wolf-woman’s fluffy chest. All the while, he can still hear the bewildered Applejack talking.

“Sunset! What just happened?” The wolf She-Beast asked. “Is this…really Spike?”

“Long story, AJ,” Sunset chuckled.

“How did you find us?!” Spike asked happily.

“Easy!” Applejack held up a familiar boot that is chewed up.

Spike could hardly believe it, when he saw it. It was the boot he lost, when he and Rainbow Dash were flying through a swamp, inhabited by Octo-Diles. He remembered losing the boot to one of the giant crocodilians with octopus tentacles.

“I found this. And one sniff was all I need to track ya!”

“And what about the others?” Sunset asked. “Where are they?”

“The others are waiting for us at a village. C’mon!” Applejack said as she took the lead. “By the way, who are your friends there?” She asked, upon noticing the new party members in Spike’s group.

“Applejack, meet Sweetie, Leggy Lamb, and Kirin,” Spike introduced. “Kirin, Leggy, Sweetie, meet Applejack!”

“Howdy do there, sugar cubes!” Applejack greeted.

“Wow!” Spike exclaimed, upon arrival. “Why didn’t you tell me there was a village on the island?” He asked Sunset and Applejack.

“Because we didn’t know there was a village to begin with,” Sunset replied.

Everywhere they looked, the entire village appeared to be built into the harmonic tunes of nature. It is populated by small thatched-roof huts. Finally, like a wall, the village was surrounded by observation posts in the trees.

“Whoever lives here, they must be very smart!” Spike commented. “And very sophisticated to build all this!”

“Yeah? Why don’t you tell ‘em yourself, Sugarcube?” Applejack suggested.

Spike turned around and found himself face-to-face with three more She-Beasts, two of which greeted him with animalistic growls and snarls.

The first She-Beast appeared to be an anthropomorphic wolfdog — part grey wolf and part Alaskan husky. She has a pointed, dog-like muzzle with sharp and pointy teeth, and a dark grey nose. Her eyes have red sclera with white irises, and she wears dark grey eyeshadow. She has a piercing on her right eyebrow.

Her fur is white with grey encircling her face, grey patches on her shoulders, and long, voluminous silver hair swept to the side to reveal her dark grey ears - the right of which is pierced with two small hoop earrings, the left which is ragged. She has a large, dark grey bushy tail with white on the underside.

Her outfit features a spiked black choker. Her tattered grey, off-the-shoulder crop-top is held up at the neckline by a series of crisscross spaghetti-straps that form an inverted pentagram. She wears shorts that are tattered at the hems, with a crescent moon detail on the right side. Lastly, she accessorizes with fingerless gloves and black toeless stockings, with her black claws protuding due to her digitigrade stance.

The second Reverse-Hybrid appeared to have the traits of an octopus, with tentacles that protruded from the hair, framing her face.

Her hair is worn down with a light teal color gradient at the edges. Her eyes are a silvery/cool grey color as opposed to teal as well as eyelashes, with salmon pink hue in the center of her eyes. She appeared to be wearing a pair of teal headphones on her head.

For attires, she wears a short black sleeveless vest revealing her midriff, with the large silver zipper pulled most of the way down and grey low-rise shorts and fingerless black gloves that show her teal gradient fingertips. She wears teal tights under her shorts and has black boots that, like her vest, have their silver zippers pulled down.

Lastly, the third Reverse-Hybrid appeared to be an American Crocodile.

She has dark teal scales, with blue eyes. Three dark-colored, oblong scales are visible on the back of her head. She seemed to be holding a cigarette stick in her mouth.

For attires, she dresses in a goth-like manner, wearing entirely black clothing to convey a somber personality. Her long black dress displays an Ankh, a hieroglyph meaning "life", on the front. She also wears black tights or leggings with black boots.

The single common trait they all shared was that they each have numbered tags on one of their ears. Similar to the one on Leggy’s.

“Friends of yours?” Spike asked the anthropomorphic sheep, who simply hides away, while holding Kirin. “Guess not.”

The She-Beasts were all staring hard at Spike, which has somehow caused his gynophobia to resurface.

“Uh…h-h-hello there,” Spike nervously greeted, the She-Beasts. “N-N-Nice to m-m-m-meet y-y-you!”

The wolfdog was on all four, snarling aggressively, baring her fangs, with her ears folding back, and her hairs standing on end, threatening to attack.

Still, Spike was determined to not let his fear show, as he cautiously approached the anthro dog.

“She’s only a dog,” Spike muttered to himself. “She’s only a dog. She’s only a…a…a scared, angry, dog…but she’s just scared of you than you are of her, Spike…”

Slowly, and still keeping his eye on her, Spike carefully approached the dog, until he was a good distance from her.

“Hey…” Spike called to the wolfdog. “Hey there, girl… It’s okay. I’m…I’m not here to hurt you.”

In response, the wolfdog lunged forward and snapped her jaws at his hand.

“YOW!” Spike yelped, quickly retracting his hand, before she could snap it off.

“HEY!!” Applejack lunged at the wolf-dog, putting herself between it and Spike, and barked furiously at She-Beast, who barked in response.

“Almost got my hand!” Spike breathed rapidly, scared of knowing how close he was to losing his fingers.

“Are you okay, Spike?” Sunset asked, running up to the frightened young man.

Spike let out a frighten yelp, with his heart nearly bursting from his chest. He looked at Sunset and gradually calmed himself.

“I’m still in one piece,” He showed his hand, which is still intact.

“What’s going on out here?” A voice asked.

Spike and Sunset all turned to see the rest of their missing friends, coming out of the huts. The first to approach them was Twilight Sparkle.

“Spike! Sunset!” Twilight neighed, as she breaks into a gallop.

“Twilight!” Sunset roared happily, running forward to wrap her clawed hands around Twilight’s neck in a loving hug.

The pony-woman returned the hug, holding Sunset close.

“Thank goodness you’re alright!” Sunset exclaimed happily.

“Same to you, Sunset!” Twilight said, before she looked and smiled towards Spike. “Oh! And Spike! I’m glad to see that you’re safe!”

“Yeah, me too,” Spike smiled as he walked up to Twilight. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but…I’m glad to see you too, Twilight. And all of you girls,” He gestures to the rest of the She-Beasts, present.

“Indubitably!” Rarity exclaimed. “We’re relieved to see that you’re both okay!”

“Ahem,” Fluttershy cleared her throat, reminding everyone of her blindness.

Rarity flustered as she stammered to correct herself, “Oh! Uh, what I mean is…we’re relieved to know that you two are all alright! So…thank the heavens above!” The snow leopard-woman said, with a hammy act.

“Oh yeah, that’s convincing,” Rainbow Dash squawked in sarcasm.

“Also. I see you got yourself acquainted with Loona, Bea, and Marina!” Pinkie Pie smiled.

“Who?” Spike asked.

“Them!”

Following Pinkie’s finger, Spike soon realized she was referring to the She-Beasts from earlier.

“Oh…” Spike acknowledged their names. “Yeah. Well, acquainted. One of them almost bit my hand off!”

“Oh, that’s only Loona,” Pinkie scoffed. “She’s not used to meeting new people. But she’s secretly a playful little puppy, once you get to know her! Right, Looney Toony?”

In response, the wolfdog let out a growl, saying otherwise.

“I don’t think she’s in agreement,” Spike frowned.

“And we ain’t the only one, with new acquaintances,” Applejack barked. “We’ve got some newcomers in the crowd, y’all!”

With several clamors and exchanges of excitements, the She-Beasts, minus three, all gathered around Sweetie, Leggy, and young Kirin.

Spike watched to see Kirin and Leggy, looking a little freaked out, to be surrounded by a swarming number of She-Beasts.

But thankfully, Sunset Shimmer was able to help ease the tensions. Soon, the anthropomorphic sheep got to know each of the She-Beasts, one by one.

Sweetie, however, from the look of it, wanted nothing to do with the She-Beasts. Instead, she slinked away to be with Spike, resuming her cuddles with the reluctant young photographer.

“Sweetie, no!” Spike moaned, trying to resist her advances. “Get off of me!”

“Whoa, Spike!” Rainbow Dash chirped in a teasing tone. “Sunset told us you’ve gotten over your gyno…your fear of women. But damn! You’re stepping up, now that you’ve got yourself a girlfriend!”

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Spike grunted, trying to pry Sweetie’s kissing lips away. “Sweetie! Cut it out!”

“Oh my goodness gracious!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Uh, Rarity,” Spike panicked. “This isn’t what it looks like. I swear!”

“It can’t be!” Rarity exclaimed, as she stared in fascination at the former She-Beast. “Fleur de Lis? Is that you?!”

“Huh?” Spike asked.

“Fleur what?” Rainbow asked.

“Fleur who?” Pinkie followed.

“Fleur de Lis!” Rarity explained. “She’s a famous fashion model, all the way from Paris, France! She once co-starred in a Paris Fashion Week, alongside Adrien Agreste, the son of the mysterious and reclusive fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste. And since then, she has been on the cover of thousands of fashion magazines, worldwide!”

“Wow,” Rainbow Dash squawked. “Somebody knows their people…”

“And strange tastes,” Applejack added.

“Rainbow Dash, Applejack, honestly,” Rarity frowned. “It’s all very well to scoff. But the fact is, there’s more to fashion than clothing and a fit body. It’s how we express ourselves in such an elegant and extravagant manner.”

“Like how Fleur’s expressing herself being super clingy to Spike?” Pinkie Pie pointed. “Because it really goes along with the way Spike’s expressing his desire to escape!”

“Get. Her. Off. Of. Me!” Spike pleaded, with Fleur, formerly Sweetie, meowing in protest as she refused to let Spike go.

The feral woman wrapped her arms around his chest and neck, locking him in place, while she pressed her breasts into his back. Finally, as an added measure, she wrapped her legs around Spike’s waist, to weigh him down.

Spike was having trouble breathing. He doesn’t know if the former fashion model was snuggling him or choking the life out of him.

Thankfully, before he was on the verge of blacking out, or losing conscious, Spike was saved by the timing of Applejack, who barked at Fleur, scaring the feral woman off.

“Thanks AJ,” Spike breathed heavily.

“No problem, Sugarcube,” Applejack helped the man up. “Still, how do ya think someone like her came to this island?” She asked, turning her gaze at Fleur.

“Well…” Rarity tapped her chin. “I remember several months back, about a news article stating that Fleur was off on a cruise for a well-earned holiday. Come to think of it…she hasn’t been seen nor heard from ever since!”

“And we all know who’s responsible for that…” Rainbow Dash scowled, directing everyone’s attention to the menacing abode of Grogar, atop of a tall mountain, looking down on them.

“The fact that Fleur is here for so long,” Rarity scowled. “Who knows how many more poor unfortunate souls that villainous madman has kidnapped in the past.”

“And he’s been doing it, since the day he was exiled?” Spike asked rhetorically.

“How did you know about that?” Twilight asked the young man, in surprise.

“I told him about it, Twilight,” Sunset answered. “After we had a run-in with a certain…dragon.”

“D-D-Dragon?!” Fluttershy squeaked in fear.

“As in…Ēferno?” Twilight asked, in shock. “The Eternal Flame?!”

“Yup,” Spike and Sunset confirmed together.

“Whoa! Seriously?!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “You guys encountered Ēferno and lived?! No one’s ever seen that beast in years! And anyone who did…he was the last they ever saw, before they died…” The Falcon-Woman said eerily, in a teasing manner, at the last part.

“Uh, huh…so I understand,” Spike acknowledged.

“But enough about that,” Pinkie Pie said, as she tries to lighten up the mood. “We’re all together again. Which means…IT’S PARTY TIME!!!”

Faster than anyone could blink their eyes, somehow, the entire village was decorated from top to bottom, with colorful flowers, and there were an assortment of tables, decked with opened coconuts, adorn with tiny umbrellas.

Spike took a dainty sip from one of the coconuts, uncertain of the taste of the drink Pinkie had put, at first.

Once he got more than a lick of the liquid, Spike’s eyes lit up to the tropical, exotic juicy taste, with a twang that felt as if it lit up his mind and soul. With a smile, he proceeded to drink the whole drink.

While he was enjoying himself, Spike took the moment to look at all the She-Beasts, going about their ways in the party.

Pinkie Pie was busting out some dance moves that are reminiscent to the kind performed by street dancers. However, Pinkie Pie, as a monkey-woman, made it seem impossible for a normal human to pull off.

Next, Spike turned to see Rarity posing Fleur de Lis, adorning the latter with leaves, flowers, feathers, and all sorts of materials she could find. It would appear that Rarity was already working on another fashion design of the sort, and needed Fleur’s cooperation.

In another part of the party, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were competing in an arm wrestling match. Applejack was straining hard as she got one of Rainbow Dash’s wings, but the falcon-woman wasn’t going down without a fight.

Suddenly, Applejack let out a loud and strong sneeze, that somehow caused her to triumph over a bewildered Rainbow Dash.

Close by, Fluttershy was cuddling both Leggy Lamb and the young lamb, Kirin.

“Aw! You two are so precious and cuddly!” Fluttershy squealed, as she snuggles with the sheep, practically melting into the thickness and soft textures of their wools.

Somewhere down the street, the wolfdog She-Beast, Loona, was drinking from her coconut, with her tongue lapping. However, she seemed rather reserved to herself.

Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer was engaged in a conversation with Twilight Sparkle. Judging by the expressions on their faces, they appeared to be discussing something serious, concerning, but also relieving.

Curious, Spike was just about to walk over and join in on the conversation, when he noticed the octopus-woman, Marina, walking up to him.

“Hello?” Spike greeted the octopus-woman.

In response, Marina said something to Spike, but it sounded rather gibberish, if not alien.

“I’m sorry, what?” Spike asked, to which Marina repeated herself. “Come again?” Once again, Marina repeats herself, which Spike was unsure. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand a word you’re saying.”

“Hey Spike!” Pinkie Pie chirped, as she and the others gathered around him and Marina. “Wanna dance?”

“No thanks, Pinkie,” Spike gently declined. “Uh, Marina was trying to say something, but I don’t understand a word she’s saying.”

“Let me try,” Pinkie Pie walked up to the octopus-woman and asked, “What’s the matter, Marina?” With that, Marina explained herself to the pink monkey-woman, who simply nodded in response, before she answered, “I have no idea what she was saying.”

Spike nearly fell to the ground. Pinkie Pie’s random antics are sometimes so incredulous that he just can’t believe her at times. He wondered if she’s ever serious about anything.

“I have an idea,” Twilight suggested to Marina. “How about we play a game of charade? Like, you only need to act out something, and we’ll try and guess what it is you’re saying. Does that sound okay?”

In response, Marina simply nodded in approval at the idea. With that, she pointed at Spike.

“Okay?” Spike acknowledged, while looking unsure where this was heading. “Me? What about me?”

Marina held up her hands, before she used them to wrap around herself.

“You want Spike to squeeze you until you pop?” Pinkie guessed, to which Marina scowled.

“I think it’s a hug,” Applejack deduced, which Marina nodded. “Oh! You want a hug from Spike?” Again, Marina nodded. “Well, ya heard the octopus, Spike. Get in there!”

“What!?” Spike shrieked, before he blushed and walked away. “Oh no, no, no, no! I-I-I can’t!” He stammered, shaking his hands rapidly. “I mean, I love to, but I’ve seen enough—“

Unfortunately, Spike wasn’t looking where he was going and accidentally backed into the crocodile She-Beast, Bea. The anthropomorphic crocodilian was so startled, that she immediately reacted with a strong spin and a flick of her tail that tripped Spike.

The crocodile turned around and angrily snapped her jaws at Spike, who frantically crawled away to escape. Luckily, Twilight and Applejack quickly diffused the tension before it could escalate to a violent drama.

Afterwards, everyone resumed the party. Spike decided to spend the party, in the company of Sunset and Twilight, for safety reasons. During which, he observed the She-Beasts with the yellow tags on their ears.

He watched Leggy Lamb bleating to Marina, who responded in her gibberish words. In response, Leggy appeared to be nodding, before she continued the conversation with more bleats.

“They can understand each other?” Spike asked. “What kind of She-Beasts are they?”

“They don’t talk much,” Twilight explained. “But they’re not She-Beasts.”

“They’re not?!” Spike and Sunset exclaimed.

“But…what makes you say that?” Sunset asked.

“This,” Twilight showed a yellow weathered file, with a label of red words that read: “Reverse-Hybrids.”

“Whoa! This looks important,” Spike commented as he and Sunset took a look at the file’s content.

“Where did you get this?” Sunset asked.

“Marina gave it to us,” Twilight answered. “She may not talk perfectly yet, but she’s very intelligent…for a cephalopod.”

Knowing the file’s contents contains the works of nightmares, and Dr. Grogar’s names written all over it, Spike and Sunset braved themselves for what they were about to find.

Inside the folder, there were pictures, notes, and schematics of the sorts, detailing the DNAs of humans and animals. What’s even more startling was found on the written documents.

“This is insane!” Spike exclaimed in shock. “As if turning humans into animals wasn’t enough, Dr. Grogar had also conducted experiments to make animals more like humans!”

“Hence the name, Reverse-Hybrids,” Sunset deduced. “He’s reverse-engineering the animals. Forcibly adjusting their spines, legs, muscles, tendons, and vertebrae to make them walk on two legs. Very painful!”

Spike looked at the discomforted looks on Sunset and Twilight’s face. Without a shadow of a doubt, both She-Beasts were experiencing post-traumatic flashbacks.

Sunset turned to look at the Reverse-Hybrids present in the village, including Leggy.

“I already know how painful the transformation was,” Sunset grimaced, hugging herself. “But…just the thought of what they had to go through, it’s…”

“Uncanny,” Twilight finished.

“This is…beyond animal cruelty!” Spike said to himself in disgust. “It’s low! It’s just not right!”

Still curious to what other horrors Grogar had been cookjng up, Spike decided to look through the files, reading up some interesting documents.

The Good
Reverse-Engineering process was a success! Animals can become human!
Animals can age the same as humans.
Animals can build like humans.
Animals can now live like humans.

The Bad
Subjects’ brains have yet to fully develop.
Subjects seemed trouble at communicating the same we humans do.
Subjects logical capacity varies among the hybrids.

The Ugly
Only the females survive the process.
All male Reverse-Hybrids ended up dying through the process.

“Creepy,” Spike commented, at the cruel and unusual death of the male Reverse-Hybrids.

Experiment 666
Name: Loona
Race: Wolfdog (half Grey Wolf, half Alaskan Husky)

Notes:

Exhibits hostility

Fails to respond the simplest of commands

Lacks social capacity

Analysis:
Formerly an attack dog owned by I.M.P (Immediate Murder Professionals). Subject was stolen from BLITZØ by Cozy Glow. Subject was diagnosed with symptoms of syphilis.

Experiment 1958
Name: N/A
Race: Sheep

Notes:

Displays insecurity

Exhibits human need of coverage and modesty

Analysis:
Subject willingly shed wools to adjust to the island’s tropical temperature. However, the subject has exhibited a rising temperature, with excessive sweating. Suffers dehydration. Cause is likely from female homosapient DNA.

Experiment 71127
Name: N/A
Race: Octopus

Notes:

Exhibits advanced intelligence

Remarkable techno savvy

Language developing

Able to shoot inks

Analysis:
Found off the coast of Miami. Subject displays remarkable intelligence and appears docile compared to other Reverse-Hybrids. Oddly, though, it speaks in a different form of language that is not like any recorded human languages. Note: Subject has also showed to be very skilled with a computer, including hacking. So it needs to be kept a very close eye on when using said device.

Experiment 2017
Name: Beatrice Santello
Race: Crocodile

Notes:

Developed an addiction for smoking

Seemed rather aloof and somber

Prefers to keep to itself

Analysis:
Formerly owned by Radiant Hope, whom she named after her grandmother. Her fiancé, Sombra, considered flushing her down the toilet.

After genetic advancements, the subject displays a cold disposition and keeps to itself, preferring to smoke as a coping mechanism.

“Whoa,” Spike exclaimed after reading the Reverse-Hybrids’ files. “So each of these poor girls were originally owned by Dr. Grogar’s…benefactors. Or they were just simply wild animals who were randomly snatched up to be subjected to his gruesome genetic modifications.”

“And he did it without any consents, from the looks of it,” Twilight added, with disgust.

“When you think about it,” Sunset began. “These Reverse-Hybrids were just animals who have had a family, or were living their lives. But then…some madman came out of the blue and performed horrible experiments that…broke them…and ruined them…”

“Which explains for why my being here, has a lot of them on edge…” Spike looked down.

On one hand, he was fascinated at Dr. Grogar’s work of making animals somewhat as intelligent and sophisticated as humans. The village they now reside in seemed to be proof of it, if the Reverse-Hybrids were the ones who constructed their huts to begin with.

Unfortunately, the fascination stops there, as Spike felt himself riddled with the guilty conscience that a human was behind it all. A human who forced animals against their wills to become humans. This made wonder if humans were the villains all along? Humans have bickered, argued, fought, hunt, killed, and steal. So many have changed the course of history, while others have made a difference, for better, or worse. And most of the times, the animals and their homes were caught in between.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Later that night, Sunset Shimmer was getting ready to sleep. She had gotten herself settled in a hut, with a single bed that is surprisingly comfortable, complete with a pillow and a blanket.

“Wow, I don’t believe this,” Sunset exclaimed, marveling at the fabric of her new bed. “I forgot what it felt like, having a bed.”

She was just about to curl herself into a ball, when there was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” Sunset called.

“It’s me, Spike,” The man called. “Can I come in?”

“Sure, Spike,” Sunset called, granting the man permission to walk in. “What’s up?”

“I…I…” Spike stammered on his words, blushing hard, which Sunset thought was cute. “I know we’ve got our separate rooms now, but…would it be alright if…I sleep with you again? One last time?”

Sunset could hardly believe what she was hearing. She simply scoffed and shook her head in amusement.

“Why for the last time?” She asked, patting a spot beside her. “You can sleep with me, whenever you want.”

“Really?” Spike asked, uncertain.

“Really, really,” Sunset purred. “And I’m more than happy to comply because you’re my friend. And I want you to be happy with it.”

Spike smiled shyly, “Thanks,” He walked over and wrapped his arms around Sunset in a loving hug, which the Tiger-Woman gladly returned.

“I have to be honest,” Spike sighed. “The last couple of days, trekking through the jungles together, outrunning Shade, has been…”

Sunset looked deeply concerned at the young man’s sudden silence.

“Has been what?” She asked.

“I don’t know…” Spike looked up to Sunset with a mess of expressions on his face. “I was scared. But then, I was happy, ‘cause I felt so alive! I never thought I’d have such an adventure! And…I got to share it with you, Sweet—I mean, Fleur, Leggy, and…and Kirin.”

Sunset smiled lovingly, admiring the newfound burst of joy from the young man.

“I…I don’t know what to say,” Spike continued. “I don’t think the guys back home will believe this. But, all the same, I…I didn’t want to lose it. Like…like for some reason I…I just wanted to be with you. I don’t know why…”

The man has a troubled look on his face, as he clenched his head in his hands, unsure what to say next.

“Am I…going crazy?” He asked.

“No! No way!” Sunset consoled, taking Spike by the hands, and guiding his eyes up to make eye contact.

“I don’t think it’s crazy, Spike! Like I said before. It means you’re finally coming out of your shell!”

Sunset watched as Spike turned his head up, smiling at her.

“Well, I like it,” He said, hugging Sunset close. “I like coming out of my shell. And I have you and the girls to thank for it.”

“Aw!” Sunset smiled, as she gently stroked his back.

Suddenly, the door of Sunset’s hut fell down, to reveal a pile of colorful She-Beasts, plus jungle woman, spilling into the room.

Sunset and Spike both let out a yelp. The kind of yelp a woman makes, when she realized she was being watched, undressing.

“What are you girls doing?!” Sunset demanded.

“It was Pinkie’s idea!” Rainbow Dash pointed. “We weren’t spying or eavesdropping!”

Sunset, however, knew otherwise and was far from pleased, whilst Spike seemed freaked out.

“You just had to open your big mouth, didn’t you, Dash?” Applejack shook her head.

“I apologize for everyone on their behalf,” Twilight said. “I tried to stop them. But the truth was, we were all very anxious for Spike.”

Upon hearing the last statement, Sunset’s suspicion immediately turned to a mix shade of amusement and suspicion. She turned to see a perplexed look on Spike’s face.

“You are?” Spike asked. “Really? Why?”

“We’ve been worried sick about you and Sunset for a whole day, Sugarcube,” Applejack explained.

“And we all just wanted to keep you safe, Spike,” Fluttershy added.

“Plus, Sunset told us that you’ve been getting over your gynophobia,” Twilight brought up. “So, we were curious to know what had happened.”

“Well…” Spike turned to look at Sunset, looking like a kid asking his parents for permission.

Sunset simply gave him a gentle nod, as she beckoned for him to tell the whole story. And so, Spike did just that. Needless to say, the She-Beasts in the room could hardly believe such an interesting revelation.

“…And here we are,” Spike said, once he came to the conclusion.

“Oh my gosh!” Twilight gasped. “I’m sorry to hear that happened to you, Spike.”

“It…must have been…awful…” Fluttershy added.

“It’s okay…it’s in the past…” Spike said, as he tried, but failed to put on a smile. “I should get over it. Right? I’m a…I’m a big boy now…I think.”

“Spike, there’s no need to hide it,” Sunset consulted, as she put a hand on his shoulder. “Having post-traumatic stress disorder isn’t something to be ashamed about.”

“And again…I’m sorry for…falsely attacking you on our first meeting,” Rainbow Dash apologized. “I…That wasn’t a good first impression and…I was a real jerk…”

“It’s not your fault, Dash,” Applejack comforted. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s that lowdown scoundrel of a varmint, Dr. Grogar!”

“Ya damn right!” The falcon-woman agreed.

“But again, we’re glad to have you all back,” Twilight said, while focusing mainly on Spike. “Especially you, Spike… Now that we have your trust.”

The She-Beasts and Sunset all looked at Spike, waiting to hear his response, while reading the conflicted expression on his face.

He wasn’t scared as he was before. But the young man looked away, as if he was uncertain about something. Whatever the case may be, they didn’t have to ponder for long, when he let out a yawn.

“I’m bushed,” Spike yawned. “Can we all get some shut eyes?”

“Of course, Spike,” Applejack nodded, as she and the others were on their way out.

“Hold on!” Spike called out.

“Yes, Spike?” Twilight replied.

The young man seemed confused, as if uncertain on what he just said. Eventually, Spike took a deep breath to calm himself, and regain his composure.

“How would…I mean…would it be alright…if we all…sleep together?” Spike blushed a shade of pink for asking. “Y’know, just for tonight?”

Upon hearing such request, Sunset looked up and immediately shared the rest of her fellow She-Beasts’ delight.

“Of course!”

Soon, all the girls were all on top of Spike, in a bundle of colorful furs and feathers, snuggling up next to him.

Sunset Shimmer spooned him from behind, with Applejack laying her head on his right shoulder, and Fluttershy’s fluffy ruff was snuggling his left cheek. Pinkie Pie has spread herself across his torso, with Twilight on her left, and Rarity on the right, beneath Fluttershy. Only Rainbow Dash, who wasn’t fond of having her wings crushed, was roosting atop Spike and Sunset’s head. Lastly, their newest addition, former She-Beast and long lost fashion model, Fleur de Lis, had curled herself into a ball, and snuggled across Spike’s waist, next to where Pinkie Pie was sleeping.

“This feels really weird,” Twilight commented.

“But, are ya comfy, Spike?” Applejack asked.

The young man was blushing a shade of pink, with his voice pitching high.

“…This is a little…strange…and nerve-wracking…” He admitted.

“Well, you asked us to sleep together,” Sunset grinned. “But you didn’t say how.”

“Touché,” Spike shifted, until he got settled. “Though, if you don’t mind my saying…you girls all feel…fluffy. I mean, you’re all warm and…you’ve got some really nice…fur…and feathers. So soft, and…Sorry.”

“No need to apologize, Spike,” Sunset chuckled. “I think we all understand.”

“As long as you’re comfy, that’s fine by us,” Applejack added.

“We want you to be comfortable as much as you want,” Twilight reassured.

“Uh…thanks, I guess…” Spike replied, sounding unsure.

“Good night,” Fluttershy started.

“Sleep tight,” Applejack followed.

“Dream of bed bugs tonight!” Pinkie Pie finished, before she started sawing logs.

Sunset, Spike, and the others all exchanged some laughs, before they all fell asleep in each other’s embrace.

After a whole day in the jungle, escaping from Shade Stalker, staring death in the eyes of Tirek, Raptorians, and Ēferno, this was a calm after the storm.

Sunset closed her eyes, nuzzling her chin atop Spike’s head, while holding the man close. Knowing that tomorrow will be the start of another life and death survival, on the Island of Dr. Grogar, for now, the tiger-woman is content to just being with her friends again.

Outside of the hut, a pair of eyes watched, with a twinge of jealousy.

He was the first human she’s ever seen. To her, he is beautiful. When she first laid eyes on him, she just wanted to be with him. She wanted him all to herself.

Instead, she was helpless as all the others snatched him away from her. They are selfish. It wasn’t fair. Yet, deep down, she knows that someday she’ll have him.

16 – Strangers Like Me

Several Years ago

In the depth of some dark tunnels, a young Shade Stalker was sneaking through the corridors, trying to be quiet. He’s tired and was getting hungry. He ate his last ration almost twelve hours ago and didn’t have anything else to eat.

As Shade was walking through the tunnels, he heard something snarling to his left. He barely had time to dodge a larger shadowy figure trying to claw him. Shade brought out his hunting knife as he faced off with the figure, the two stared down at each other for a brief moment before the figure pounced at the young hunter. But Shade managed to once again dodge out of the way in time and managed to stab his assailant in the leg.

The figure lets out a painful, feminine wail before turning to the young boy. Despite being unable to see the figure well in the dark, Shade could notice the figure staring at him with a deep burning hatred in their eyes.

Present

The sun climbed high into the sky. Its rays of light shines down across the ocean, washing over the island of Dr. Grogar.

Eventually, the light finds its way into the window of the hut Spike and the She-Beasts were sleeping. The first one to wake up was Applejack.

The wolf-woman got up to let out a yawn, stretching her back and arms out. She looked down to see her fellow She-Beasts and Spike were still asleep in each other’s embrace.

Applejack was aglow at the adorable sight before her. But knowing that all good things must come to an end, she proceeded to wake everyone up.

“Up and at ‘em y’all!” Applejack barked, stirring them all awake.

“AJ, if we needed a wake up call, then we would’ve ordered for one,” Rainbow Dash grumbled.

“Now, Dash. As the old same goes: the early bird gets the worm,” Applejack quipped playfully.

“EW!” Rainbow stuck her tongue out. “Just because Grogar made me a bird, doesn’t mean I have to eat like one!”

“Still,” Twilight began, while yawning. “Applejack’s right. We need to begin the day. We cannot waste another minute, or so. I’m going to get back on charting our plan to get off the island.”

“How are you going to do that?” Spike asked. “All our supplies, map, and everything we salvaged from Newt’s shipwreck were destroyed, when Shade Stalker attacked the camp.”

“Not all of them,” Twilight held up a familiar map that is barely put together, smudged with dirt and mud. “I was able to save this map.”

“And I’ve got the handy, dandy compass!” Pinkie Pie chirped.

“Which leaves us a huge mode of transportation to carry all of us off the island,” Sunset stated.

“And a supply of food and water to last us the journey,” Applejack added. “So me, Pinkie, and Rainbow are gonna search this area for some food.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Twilight nodded. “Me and Sunset are going to work on charting our route back to the mainland.”

“Hey, Applejack?” Rainbow Dash asked the wolf-woman. “Would it be alright if we stop by the old campsite? I wanna have another look for something important.”

“Sure thing, Dash,” Applejack agreed.

With that, five of the seven She-Beasts left the hut, leaving Spike alone with Rarity, Fluttershy, and Fleur.

“So…” Spike began. “What should we do now?”

As if answering his question, Fleur crawled up to Spike and resumed purring and caressing herself around his legs.

“I think I should work on…re-educating Miss Fleur with some proper…etiquette,” Rarity suggested, as she lead Fleur away.

“Well, at least that gets her off my back,” Spike sighed, before he turned to see Fluttershy was still in the room. “What about you, Fluttershy? What’s your plan for the day?”

“I’m…I was hoping I might get to know the villagers more,” Fluttershy said, clearly referring to the Reverse-Hybrids. “The poor animals, they went through so much. The least I want to do is to help them see that we can be trusted.”

Spike nodded in agreement, before he asked, “Well…do you think I can join you then? I’ve…worked on some rescued animals, back in Montana.”

“I would love it, very much, Spike!” Fluttershy squeaked in approval.

Several Years Ago

The figure then charged at Shade which made the young boy run for dear life. Little did the figure know however, was that Shade was luring it to a trap.

After almost three minutes of running, Shade noticed a pile of dead leaves up ahead and jumped over them when he got closer.

Unfortunately for the figure, they didn’t and instantly fell down a pitfall when the leaves gave way and got impaled by the sharp rocks below.

Present

Spike and Fluttershy were walking into the center of the village, where Fluttershy rang a bell.

“Wake up everyone!” Fluttershy called. “It’s time for breakfast!”

With that, Reverse-Hybrids in the village woke up and came over, answering the call.

“Uh, Fluttershy?” Spike asked. “What exactly is for breakfast?”

“Oh, we all kept our food in storage,” Fluttershy answered. “They’re right over there.”

Unsure of the blind bat’s direction, Spike wasn’t sure of which of the hut Fluttershy was pointing at. Still, wanting to be sure, he walked over to a hut with a red door.

“You mean this storage?” Spike asked.

“I…I think so,” Spike watched as Fluttershy sniffed the air, while blindly navigating her way towards him. “Spike? Where are you?”

“I’m over here!” Spike called, guiding Fluttershy with his voice. “Warmer, warmer, warmer still. Now you’re cooling. Warmer again. That’s it! You’re getting hot. Hotter, hotter. OMIGOSH! You’re on fire!”

“What?! Really?!” Fluttershy shrieked in fear.

“No, no, it’s just an expression,” Spike reassured. “But seriously, you’ve found me!”

“Oh, I was worried for a minute there,” Fluttershy sighed, before she sniffed at the door and confirmed, “Uh huh. This is the food supply.”

Turning the door open, Spike and Fluttershy stepped in to find a whole stack load bags of food for herbivores and carnivores.

Spike went over to pick up the food for Leggy and Kirin, while Fluttershy went over and picked up a bag, meant to feed carnivores, such as Loona, Beatrice, and Marina.

While picking up the foods, Spike started a conversation.

“I know my bats,” Spike pondered, scratching his chin. “But are you sure your species is a fruit bat? Because fruit bats are one of the known bats that do not use echolocation and rely on their keen eyesights to search for food.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Fluttershy nodded, looking at Spike. “I don’t understand why I’m blind. Or what that awful Grogar did to me. But…I am what I am now…”

“Well, hopefully, when this is all over, and if it’s possible, maybe there’s a cure for you in this condition.”

“I hope so. I missed seeing my friends. I feel like I’m trapped in the darkness. And I’m scared of the dark…”

Spike was carrying one of the bags up, when he happened to trip and fell on the ground.

“WHOA!”

“Spike?!” Fluttershy exclaimed, upon hearing his cry. “Spike? Are you-AHHHH!!!”

Before Spike knew it, Fluttershy ended up falling on him. The young man felt a pair of soft, large, hard mounds pressing onto his back, with the fluffy hair of the Woman-Bat’s ruff brushing against the back of his neck.

“Spike?” Fluttershy can be heard calling above him. “Spike? Where are you? Are you alright?”

“You’re…squashing…me!” Spike muffled.

“Oh! Oh dear goodness!” Fluttershy frantically stood up to help Spike up. “I’m sorry, Spike!”

“That’s okay…” Spike dusted himself off. “What did I trip over?”

He looked down to see what appeared to be the latch of a trap door, covered in dirt and grasses.

“What’s this?” Spike asked, taking ahold of the latch and pulling it open.

To Spike’s astonishment, the secret passageway reveals a hidden bunker, beneath the hut, to reveal an entire warehouse packed with supplies of canned foods, medicines, bottled waters, film rolls, and a film projector.

“What’s all this?” Spike asked.

“What is it, Spike?” Fluttershy asked.

“There’s a whole crate of supplies down here,” Spike described to the woman-bat. “There’s food, medicine, and…film rolls here? What the hell is all this doing down here?”

At that moment, the sound of an alarm blared, to which Spike looked down, to see he had tripped on a laser tripwire, triggering the said alarm.

“Uh oh, Fluttershy,” Spike began. “I’m afraid I’ve activated a trap and…we’re about to die.”

“Oh! Oh dear goodness!” Fluttershy squeaked, frantically flapping her wings to get airborne. “We must escape this place!”

Spike and Fluttershy were about to climb out and escape, when they were suddenly piled on, by the sudden arrival of the Reverse-Hybrids, Rarity, and Fleur. They all landed on the floor with a hard thud.

“Oof!”

“Hey! What gives?” Spike asked, as he got up, and got his answers upon seeing the Reverse-Hybrids, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Fleur, behaving rather feral.

Loona was chasing her tail, barking, and biting like a savage dog. Marina was squirming and wriggling like a fish out of water. Beatrice was hissing, snarling, and snapping her jaws repeatedly at nothing.

Fleur was arching her back, hissing and clawing her hands out, with Rarity snarling and slashing her claws out in retaliation. Lastly, Leggy was on all four, kicking her thick legs out, and bleating wildly.

“What’s gotten into you girls?” Spike asked, before he got smacked in the face by Fluttershy.

Spike looked up to see Fluttershy, beating her wings, while screeching at the top of her lungs, like a scared bat that was startled awake.

“Not you too, Fluttershy…” Spike moaned, clutching his smarten jaw.

The young man looked to the side and spotted a button, labeled for the alarm, contained in a glass case. Walking over, Spike pulled the case up, and slammed on the button.

After a moment, the alarm stopped, and all the girls present ceased their antics.

“Are you alright?” Spike asked.

Marina tried to say something, but once again, it sounded rather alien and gibberish. Fluttershy, however, confirmed her condition.

“I’m terribly sorry, Spike,” Fluttershy apologized. “I…don’t know what came over me! One moment, I was fine. But then, I felt…I felt…I don’t know what happened…”

“My apologies as well, darling,” Rarity moaned. “I don’t know just what came over me…”

“You don’t remember hitting me with your wings?” Spike asked.

“I hit you?!” The woman-bat exclaimed in worry. “Oh dear goodness! Are you alright? You’re not bleeding, are you?”

“I’ll live…”

Before the conversation could continue, the machines came to life again. Spike and the girls present, beside Fluttershy, watched as a holographic recording was projected, displaying an image of Dr. Grogar, bound in his wheelchair, delivering a message.

“Greetings, my beloved creations,” The recording played, to which Spike noticed the Reverse-Hybrids, Rarity, and Fleur, growling angrily, in response.

“Dr. Grogar!” Spike muttered.

“If you are seeing this message, then I congratulate you for advancing to the next level of your evolution,” The mad doctor congratulated. “By proving yourselves resourceful in your survival and for living off the land, then you are now ready to begin your education.”

Spike watched as the hologram image of Dr. Grogar walked over to the other crates in the room and addressed.

“Inside these crates, you will find books, tapes, and records of humanity’s greatest wisdom, with which you can use to begin your education. And very soon, when you have all attained all the knowledge of mankind’s greatest accomplishments, only then will you all be my greatest creations! My children for a new era, of man and beast, together as one glorious evolution.”

With that, the holographic transmission ends, leaving Spike and the girls in the room, stunned at the message.

“So this whole village and everything was just some kind of simulation for him to test these poor animals then?” Fluttershy asked, with a hint of disdain in her tone.

“Sounds like it,” Spike replied. “Live off the land? Resources? Education? Humanity’s greatest accomplishments? This is bullshit!”

“They’re just animals,” Spike gestured to the Reverse-Hybrids. “And…and the rest of you are…are…”

“Women?” Fluttershy guessed.

“People!” Spike exclaimed. “There are rules! Limits! Some big quid pro quo for these kinds of things! No one should be playing God, like this!”

“My thoughts exactly!” Fluttershy screeched, with Fleur copying the woman-bat’s gesture, while Rarity nodded in agreement. “That Dr. Grogar is nothing but a horrible man! He kidnaps innocent people and animals, and then subjects them to horrible and painful experiments that forced them to change against their will!”

Fluttershy broke down in tears, covering her eyes with her wings. Spike could only step back and watch the woman-bat sobbing.

He felt himself gut-wrenched with a pang of guilt and sorrow. This was another show for him to see that despite her animalistic appearance, Fluttershy is still human, on the inside.

A fragile, traumatized, innocent woman who had endured so much, from the experiment performed on her. Spike would hate to imagine what trauma and torture the experiments dealt to her was like. How painful they were. But judging from Fluttershy’s tearful breakdown, he can guess that the process was very painful.

“Oh, there, there, darling!” Rarity shushed as she gently tried to console her distracted friend.

Taken over by instinct, Spike walked over to Fluttershy and threw his arms around her for a hug.

“S-S-Spike?” Fluttershy hiccuped, stuttering, and choking on her tears.

Spike didn’t reply. He doesn’t know what he was doing either. He just felt a sudden urge to comfort the crying woman-bat. Spike pulled Fluttershy close, smothering himself into her ruff, which felt soft and surprisingly pleasant to the touch. So soft, he could melt into the softness of her furry mane.

He gently stroked her along the neck and back, soothing her, with another pet along her ear as an added measure.

Continuing his hug, Spike could feel Fluttershy’s chest, with every heaving breath she makes, coming to a calm steady pace.

“Feeling better?” Spike asked.

“Yeah…much better,” Fluttershy replied, before she hugged him with her own. “Thank you, Spike! I really needed that!”

“…Yeah…no…problem…” Spike groaned from the woman-bay’s bear gripping hug, he felt his face burning red, as he struggles to breathe.

Furthermore, Fluttershy’s hug was so tight, he felt some joints in his back, shoulders, arms, and legs, popping.

Thankfully, it lasted for a few seconds. Once released, Spike fell to the ground, gasping for air to catch his breath. He looked up to see Leggy having a doting look in her eyes, similar to those a person would make when they see something cute.

Not too far away, Marina seemed rather annoyed, Bea looked rather indifferent, while Loona appeared to be stifling a laugh, letting out a wheezy chuckle, sounding almost like Muttley from Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines.

Lastly, Rarity simply smiled in admiration of Spike’s gesture for Fluttershy.

He looked and realized that Fleur was nowhere in sight.

“Hey…where’s Fleur?”

Spike got his answer, when the feral woman pounced on him, from behind, and pulled him in for an even tighter hug.

“Oh no, not again!” Spike wheezed. “Uh, Fleur? Fleur! Let go, let go, LET GO! HELP!”

Thankfully, for Spike, help did came, in the form of Marina and Rarity.

Marina sprang into action, wrapping her tentacle hairs around Fleur, prying the feral woman off. Rarity then pulled Fleur to the side and held her in place, like a parent restraining their excited children.

“Thanks Marina!” Spike thanked, to which the cephalopod-turned-humanoid answered in gibberish.

Turning his attention back at the items in the room, Spike pondered, “For education, huh?”

Meanwhile, at the ruins of their old camp, Rainbow Dash was frantically digging through the rubbles until she found what she was looking for. A photo of herself and the young girl bound to a wheelchair.

“Scootaloo,” Rainbow Dash croaked.

The falcon-woman sheds a tear, which cascades down her cheek, following the “tear” stained, on her face.

She looked across the horizon, where the sky and the sea meet. Somewhere, far away, is the mainland, where the little girl in the photo was waiting for her.

With each passing day, Rainbow Dash knew she has very little time left, before she and her fellow She-Beasts fully succumb to their inner beasts, lose their humanity entirely, and with it, any thoughts of their friends and families.

“Scootaloo…please stay strong for just a little longer for me, squirt,” Rainbow pleaded.

“Rainbow!” Applejack howled from a distance. “Ya ready? We’re heading back.”

“Yeah. I’m coming,” Rainbow called, tucking the photo away, and flapping her wings, to rendezvous with Applejack and Pinkie Pie.

“So, what you gals got?” Rainbow asked.

“I caught ourselves a nice plump wild turkey,” Applejack said, holding up the fowl.

“And I’ve got fruits for a fruit salad! Yummy yummy!” Pinkie Pie cheered.

“Great! Then let’s go,” Rainbow squawked as they walked back to the village.

On the way, Rainbow Dash struck up conversation, “Do you think we’ll ever get off this island?”

“We will Sugarcube,” Applejack replied. “We have to. Twilight’s working on it, nonstop. Give her time.”

“Something we don’t have…” Rainbow Dash muttered.

Along the way, Rainbow Dash’s eyes suddenly zoomed in on some movements, coming from the brushes. Hidden beneath the shades of the foliage, her eyes caught sight of a field mouse. The mouse was eating on a piece of nut, completely unaware of the approaching danger.

The falcon-woman’s stomachs grumbled. Her eyes fixated on the mouse, with her beak practically drooling with hunger. She raised her wings up and lunged—

“RAINBOW!” Applejack barked, startling Rainbow Dash back to her senses. “What are ya doing? Ya okay?”

Rainbow Dash looked back to where the mouse was, to see it had scurried away. It was likely alarmed by Applejack’s bark.

“I’m fine…” Rainbow Dash grumbled under her breath, “For now.”

Meanwhile, back in the village, Spike, Fluttershy, and Rarity were having some difficulty trying to teach the Reverse-Hybrids.

“Okay. Let’s try this again,” Spike sighed. “Repeat after me. A B C D—Fleur! Pay attention! Bea! Spit out that weed! Loona, stop staring at Leggy—No! Bad dog!”

It was no use. The Reverse-Hybrids weren’t taking any orders and they continued to make a lot of trouble.

“Ugh. Let’s try something else…” Spike pinched his temples.

“Perhaps I could try and give it a go,” Rarity insisted as she walked over to a blackboard. “If I can teach a parrot to sing God Save the Queen. Then I can teach these creatures a thing or two.”

Spike watched in amazement as Rarity draw a perfect drawing of an apple, like a real artist would.

“Wow! You can draw!” Spike commented in amazement.”

“Apple,” Rarity presented to the “class.”

“Apple,” Fleur repeated.

“I think she’s got it!” Fluttershy squeaked excitedly.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to last, when Fleur took the chalk and proceeded to scribble all over the board, all the while repeating: “Apple!”

“Or maybe not,” Spike shook his head.

“No! No, no, no!” Rarity scolded.

“No! No, no, no!” Fleur repeated.

It wasn’t long before both feral woman and snow leopard-woman got into a petty squabble cat fight.

“Hey! Break it, break it up!” Spike tried to stop the tension, but was pulled into the fray, with Fleur and Rarity tugging him by the arms.

“What is going ON HERR?!” Shouted a voice.

Everyone all turned and looked to see Twilight and Sunset, standing in the middle of the “class,” with the biggest bug-eyes look they could muster.

“Are we interrupting something?” Sunset asked.

“Hey!” Spike greeted. “A little help here? We’re trying to teach a class of Reverse-Hybrids and…”

“I think we could use some of your help with the teaching…” Fluttershy finished.

At that moment, Applejack’s group have returned.

“Howdy y’all!” Applejack greeted. “We’re here!”

“Whoa!” Rainbow Dash squawked. “Is class in session?”

“Ooh! Are we having a school party?!” Pinkie Pie asked.

Several Years Ago

After catching his breath, Shade walked over to his handmade trap and looked upon his dead attacker, tired and hungry but triumphant. However, he manages to take a better look at his assailant and is shocked to see that it turned out to be one of the jungle women.

“Well done, Shade!” Dr. Grogar said through the speakers within the tunnels, his voice echoing around the corridors. “You have proven that you are willing to kill to survive. However, you are not finished with your task just yet as you have one last objective.”

Shade was both confused and frustrated. He was tired, sore, and most of all hungry. What more could his father want!

“You must eat your recent kill.” Grogar explained to him.

Shade’s eyes widened at this. His father seriously wanted him to eat a human being! Sure she was a former She-Beast and also tried to kill him but still.

As if sensing Shade’s hesitation, Grogar then added, “Either you eat your kill or you can stay down there and starve. The choice is yours.” The cold-hearted doctor then ended the transmission.

Shade looked over to the corpse, unsure what to do. His stomach was growling in pain, demanding him to eat. Mouth drooling and tears streaming down, Shade didn’t seem to have much of a choice…

Present

Strangers Like Me — Phil Collin

With the film projector playing, Spike inserted a film roll, which begins the first set of motion pictures.

Fleur-de-Lis and the Reverse-Hybrids watch in awe as the projector shows a video of animals living in Africa. A herd of giraffes walking across the safari, a whole of elephants marching, with a baby elephant cuddling under its mother’s trunk.

Fleur curiously crawled up to the screen, running her hand across a video of a beautiful bird. She was fascinated at how such image could move, yet cannot be touched.

The She-Beasts exchanged chuckles, while the Reverse-Hybrids all shared mixed reactions. Leggy was starry-eyes, Bea appeared to be awake, Marina simply watched as if this wasn’t the first time she’s seen the videos, while Loona seemed only mildly surprised.

When Spike played the next film roll, it projected a video of a couple dancing. Getting the idea from the video, Fleur took Spike by the hands, and dances excitedly around the room.

Spike was taken by surprised at how strong the woman is, as she leads him through the dance. She was so strong, he felt his arms were almost ripped from their joints.

Spike pleaded to the others for help. Fluttershy was out of the question, because of her blindness. Rainbow Dash simply shrugged and shook her head impishly, with Applejack saying that Spike’s on his own, with Sunset in agreement. Pinkie Pie was clapping her hands along with Spike and Fleur’s dance. Twilight Sparkle could only giggle, with Rarity looking mildly annoyed for some reason.

Rarity had this pouting look that slightly resembles a spoiled child being refused.

Leggy was busy coddling Kirin in her laps. Bea looked indifferent. Loona seemed rather bored to care. Only Marina sprang into action to try and break up the moment between Spike and Fleur.

In the process, one of Marina’s tentacles happened to brush against the film projector’s buttons, switching to another moving picture.

This time, it showed a recorded video of outer space, from a space station orbiting the earth. All the girls in the tent immediately perked up, with rejuvenating interests upon seeing the stars and planets.

Getting an idea, later at night, Spike and Twilight took the Reverse-Hybrids and Fleur out to a clearing, close to the village.

The night sky was so clear and vibrant with the stars and the Milky Way, it looked as if the sky was painted, out of a work of art.

The group were standing atop of a hill, where they looked through a telescope that was among the many equipments found in the storage warehouse.

Twilight was the first to have a look, to make sure the telescope was properly adjusted. Then, she lets Spike have a look.

Needless to say, Spike was amazed and completely awestruck to see a close-up of a shooting star. It was his first time seeing such thing for what it really is. A ball of bioluminescence, flying across the empty vastness of the space, leaving behind a trail of space dusts.

After he’s had his share of fascination, Spike offered the telescope to Fleur and the Reverse-Hybrids.

Fleur had a look of wonderment and joy. The same kind that Spike had, seeing as this was also her first time seeing the shooting star up close. Not to mention seeing the planets, in the known galaxy, up close.

Soon after Fleur was done, one-by-one, each of the Reverse Hybrids all got their turns. And each of them looked fascinated at the stars and planets up close.

Leggy bleated in astonishment, before she picked up Kirin and encouraged him to have a look through the lenses. Bea’s eyes were widen so much, she looked as if she had just woken up from a nap to something spectacular. Marina had the biggest smile on her face, it was both cute and frightening. Lastly, Loona seemed to be taken in by the stars, with her wagging tail speaking for her.

The next day, Spike was teaching Fleur how to read and talk, which was a slow and steady process. The experiments have certainly done a number to Fleur’s mind, if Dr. Grogar had succeeded in reducing her intelligence to that of a child, with the clingy tendency of a cat.

Next, Spike and the girls were looking through the items Dr. Grogar had left, to find musical instruments, which included flutes, trumpets, and drums. Among them, surprisingly, is a disc machine. The kind used by DJs, or Disc Jockeys, to play record musics and to make record scratching sounds.

The She-Beasts got out a few of the instruments and proceeded to play a few notes.

Pinkie Pie was beating on some small drums, making some catchy beats, like the kind of tunes often heard at a poetry club. Though blind, once Fluttershy got ahold of some tambourines, the woman-bat was soon shaking the instrument, beating it against her hips, hands, making some ringing clinking tunes.

Rarity was strumming some tunes on the keys of a grand piano, in the warehouse. Lastly, Applejack was strumming her clawed fingers across the strings of a bass guitar.

“Whoo-wee! I still got it!” Applejack howled happily.

“Yippee for you,” Rainbow Dash grumbled, as she fumbled to play the strings of a guitar, correctly. “As much as I like to fly with my wings and all…THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES I NEED HANDS!!!”

“Here, I can be your hands,” Sunset Shimmer offered, as she took the guitar and played a few impressive notes for demonstrations.

“Alright, Sunset!” Rainbow nodded in approval. “Though, if I still had my hands, I would’ve shredded the axe 20% cooler.”

“Hey. Beggars can’t be choosers.”

Spike was enchanted with excitement and fascination to hear the She-Beasts showing off some of their musical talent retained pre-transformation.

“You gals know your instruments,” Spike complimented. “Were you all in a band together, before?”

“For sure!” Rainbow Dash grinned, and boasted. “Back in high school, we were called The Rainbooms! You got me as the lead guitarist, Applejack on bass guitar, Rarity on keytar, Fluttershy as our songwriter with tambourine, Pinkie Pie; drummer, and last, but not least, Twilight and Sunset as our singers!”

“Interesting,” Spike commented.

At that moment, Spike and the She-Beasts were startled to hear the sound of a disc scratching.

They turned around to see it was Marina, who was playing around with the disc machine. Judging by the excited expression on her face, with a wide grin that is as wide as her eyes, she liked the sound it makes when it scratches the record needle.

One of the record songs in particular contains a record of Phil Collin’s song: Strangers Like Me.

Hearing this song, combined with the other She-Beasts’ musical talents gave Spike the idea to throw a dance party of sort.

Later that evening, after a quick rehearsal, Spike hosted a musical show, starring the Rainboom She-Beasts, plus Marina as the DJ, put on a show.

Doing like they had rehearsed, the She-Beasts sang together as they played their instruments. Spike and the girls on stage looked down at the crowd to see Fleur and the rest of the Reverse-Hybrids, moving their bodies, feeling the urge to dance along.

Fleur was the first to make a move, by shaking her hips to the side, even bouncing her rear up and down, just for the sake of shaking her tail.

Leggy was bouncing and swaying her head to the side, to the rhythm of the Rainboom’s song. She tapped her foot, to the beat, and gently bounced Kirin on her lap as they listened enjoy the music.

Bea was just nodding her head, while tapping her foot. But after a few more minutes into the song, she was on her feet, drumming the ground with he strong tail, and waving her arms about.

“Wow, what do you know?” Spike asked. “I guess music does calm the savage beast! No offense, of course,” He assured to the Rainbooms She-Beasts.

“None taken,” The She-Beasts replied.

Back in the crowd, Loona, who seemed aloof and reserved at first, looked around to make sure no one was watching. Then she started to shake her hips in her attempt to dance, but tripped. Unfortunately, for her, it didn’t go unnoticed.

Spike and the others saw her epic fail and laughed out loud, much to the dog’s beet red irritation.

Sometimes later, after they took a break for some fun, everyone resumed educating the Reverse-Hybrids. Specifically, the subject of communication was where they needed to learn.

It was a long and tiring process. During which, Spike felt some growing urges towards the She-Beasts.

No matter how flawed they may be, whatever gestures and expressions they make, it only fascinated him more, day by day. It was as if he was being drawn towards them, like a piece of metal towards a magnet. He was seeing how human they can be, despite their beastly appearances.

Twilight Sparkle is a pony-woman who loves to read, is calculating, and tends to go off on long rambles and lectures on facts and figures. However, when she sets her books down, she’s rather quirky, but is generally a nice creature.

Sunset Shimmer is a tiger-woman with a fiery personality. As strong and fearsome as any tigers could be, pass her intimidating appearance, she is as endearing as all the other She-Beasts. With her creative outlook on the world, and her protective instincts, it’s hard to believe anyone like her was a bully, from high school, or even before.

Pinkie Pie is a loose cannon, in a fun and loving sort of way. She’s eccentric, loud, and always upbeat, many people would wonder if she’s even human to begin with. But all the same, she means well and her intentions were pure, because all she ever wanted was to brighten up everyone’s days.

Rainbow Dash’s loyalty, combined with her avian transformation, is a living example of the old saying: “birds of a feather must stick together.”

Granted, while her bird genetic makeup is a from bird of prey, Rainbow Dash’s heart overrides the predatory biology that Dr. Grogar has engineered into her very being.

While it is admirable, only time will tell how long her willpower would last, before she turns feral. Until then, everyone who is a friend of Rainbow Dash is blessed to have a friend as loyal as her.

Applejack is strong and hardworking, but looks out for her fellow She-Beasts and Spike, as a family. She’s as strong and fearsome as the wolf she had been transformed into, but all the same, she looks out for everyone, like a wolf to its entire pack.

Like Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer, who’ve been engineered by Dr. Grogar with predator DNAs, Applejack’s heart for family is working miracles. But for how long, no one knows.

Rarity, another She-Beast with predator DNA — specifically a snow leopard — is as beautiful and graceful as she is intimidating and, dramatically, haughty. Her coat is white and soft as marshmallow, with a thick tail that is even soft and fluffier than the rest of her body.

Personally, not wanting to admit it, fearing that Rarity and the other She-Beasts would take it the wrong way, Spike kept it to himself that he loved to snuggle up to Rarity, like a blanket and a pillow.

But all the same, Rarity is uncommonly generous. So it’s possible that she’s more than willing to let Spike snuggle with her now and then.

Lastly, Fluttershy is an uncommonly kind woman, as she is delicate and demure with the sweetest little voice. However, of all the She-Beasts, she is the most traumatized and hurt, because of Dr. Grogar’s induced blindness.

Seeing Fluttershy in such a state, to everyone, was like seeing a scared little child, in a mall, after losing their parents, in need of a hug.

Yet, despite her hinderance, her fears, and doubts, Fluttershy never stopped caring for her friends, and animals, including the Reverse-Hybrids. In Spike’s eyes, she is the bravest She-Beast than she is letting on.

These newfound feelings were all so new to Spike. He could hardly sleep a wink at night. Just being in one hut alone, at night, he just stayed awake, longing for the touch and the company of the girls. It scared him and excites him.

Three weeks have passed. By then, Spike and the She-Beasts have exhausted the educational resources that Dr. Grogar left behind for the Reverse-Hybrid.

“That’s it?” Spike asked. “That’s all of them?”

“Yup,” Sunset Shimmer confirmed, after another thorough look of the bunker. “Aside from the boxes of food and medicine, this place is empty.”

“We’ve gone just about all of the topics from math, reading, and science,” Twilight added. “I think now is the part where we test how much they have learned.”

“Well, let’s give ‘em a try y’all!” Applejack suggested, turning to the Reverse-Hybrids. “Howdy sugarcubes! Speak!”

The Reverse-Hybrids looked at Applejack, before they exchanged looks with each other.

“Can you talk?” Spike asked. “Do you understand?”

“I…understand…” Marina replied hesitantly.

Spike and the She-Beasts all gasped at their success.

“We did it!” Pinkie Pie cheered happily.

“Hallelujah! WE DID IT!!!” Spike cheered.

He was so excited, that he unexpectedly reached out for Twilight and kissed the pony-woman…ON THE LIPS!

“SPIKE?!!!” The rest of the She-Beasts, minus Fluttershy, exclaimed in surprise.

“Ew…” Bea muttered, nonchalantly.

Leggy quickly covered Kirin’s eyes, with Marina look incredibly outraged that if looks can kill, then anyone can easily die of fright.

“What’s going on?” Fluttershy asked.

In the blink of an eye, Spike snapped his eyes opened, coming back to his senses, struggling to process what he just did.

“Uh, I…I…I…I, um…” Spike’s stammered on his tongue, while Twilight looked beyond aghast.

“Apple cheese butter cake!” Marina said quickly. “I harmony mix whip apple pie!”

There was a moment of awkward silence.

“Or perhaps not…” Spike sighed.

“That’s just octopus talking for you,” A low, gruffly voice said fluently. “She’s trying to say she thanks you for your hard work….”

Everyone all stared in shock at the words spoken, and the owner.

“What?” Loona asked. “Don’t look surprised. You asked us to speak. Didn’t you?”

Meanwhile…

Shade instantly shot up awake, panting heavily and covered in cold sweat. He lets out a loud sigh, another memory of his “training”. This usually happens whenever he goes to sleep and he hates it. His father put him through some… rigorous training to make him as efficient and ruthless as possible.

Remembering the times when Grogar roped Shade up and had him whipped repeatedly to “harden his skin”, when he was forced to fight a boar-man that was three times his size and was beaten within an inch of his life, and had to run for his life from a large chimera beast.

Of course it wasn’t just him, his brother, Newt Chimera, received just as much of their father’s brutal exercises.

After their “training sessions” would come to an end, the two brothers would find comfort in each other and would often play games such as tag and hide & seek. They would also watch cartoons during the evenings, Shade was thankful that their father would let them use a TV.

Shade remembers watching this one show with Newt called Buster Beaver and Friendswhere it stars an anthropomorphic beaver who gets both himself and his friends into some wacky hijinks.

“S-S-Shade?” Speaking of whom…

Shade turns around and sees a cartoon beaver with a concerned look on its face approaching him. The beaver had light brown fur, sky blue eyes, a blue baseball cap, a blue Hawaiian shirt with green stripes over a white shirt with a symbol of a pizza on it. Pretty soon, other cartoon animals appeared as well such as a black sheep, a stallion, a mare, a pig, a goat, a fox, and an eagle.

”Sh-Sh-Shade…we know what you’re thinking, a-a-and you can’t deny it,” The beaver continued. “You don’t want to do this. Sooner, or later, you’re gonna have to c-c-c-confront your father about this!”

Shade remained silent. All he could do was watch Buster Beaver continuing to make some more talks.

“Remember when you were nine, and Newt was just a newborn then? You put yourself through hell and back again, just for his sake! After y-y-y-ya were tasked to hunt down the She-Beasts from C-C-Crystal Prep! And then ya fled and hid up in that tree! This is just like before.”

Again, Shade remained silent. Though his stoic expression softened to a neutral look that borders between angry and sadness.

“You can run and hide to hunt your prey. But you can’t run and hide from your problems forever! We’re your best pals, aren’t we? We’ll get your through this. We’re right behind you! You can do it!”

With that, all the cartoon animals all exchanged random agreements and encouragements for Shade.

Sighing once again, Shade just got up, grabbed his things and resumes his hunt. When Shade turned back to his cartoon friends, they were all gone, as if they weren't even there to begin with. In truth, his cartoon friends were right. He didn’t have to do this. He didn’t want to do this. But if he doesn’t do it, then Dr. Grogar will be displeased. And if his father and creator is displeased, then his brother, Newt, will have to answer for his failure.

For the very life of him, he wondered why they couldn’t have just been born normal? And have a normal life as humans?

Author's Note

The results from the Wheel of Smooches. Twilight’s the winner for this chapter.

Bea: 1
Rarity: 2
Twilight: 4
Fluttershy: 2
Pinkie Pie: 1
Marina: 1
Sunset: 2
Rainbow Dash: 1
Loona: 1

Twilight!!!

Where to kiss:

Mouth: 2
Ear: 1
Cheek: 1

THE MOUTH!!

Faithful readers, you know the drill. Let’s find ourselves another poor unfortunate soul to be smooched.

Who gets to be kissed?
https://wheeldecide.com/e.php?c1=Twilight+Sparkle&c2=Rainbow+Dash&c3=Applejack&c4=Fluttershy&c5=Rarity&c6=Pinkie+Pie&c7=Sunset+Shimmer&c8=Starlight+Glimmer&c9=Loona&c10=Leggy&c11=Marina&c12=Bea&c13=Fleur&t=Who+to+kiss%21&time=5

Where to kiss?
https://wheeldecide.com/e.php?c1=The+nose&c2=The+ear&c3=The+cheek&c4=The+mouth&t=Where+to+kiss%3F&time=5

17 – What A Feeling

It was a triumphant moment for Spike and the She-Beasts. Perhaps a triumphant moment for Spike and all of the hybrids in the village.

For three long weeks, Spike and the Rainbooms have educated the Reverse-Hybrids, while re-educating Fleur de Lis, on how to speak. Strangely, courtesy of the educational resources that Dr. Grogar had left for his Reverse-Hybrids in the village. It was a long and difficult process. But the results was worth it...so far.

“What?” Loona asked. “Don’t look surprised. You asked us to speak. Didn’t you?”

Fluttershy was beyond elated, “This is so amazing!” The woman-bat blindly stumbled her way to Loona and asked, “Tell me. What are you thinking right now?”

Everyone couldn’t help but slightly giggle at the embarrassing sight of Fluttershy, asking a rock.

“Uh, Fluttershy,” Sunset said, walking over to the woman-bat, directing her head to correctly look at Loona.

Judging from Fluttershy’s facial expressions, reading a look of embarrassing realization, the blind woman-bat catches on she was facing in the wrong direction.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy thanked Sunset, before she resumed asking, “Now tell me. What are you thinking right now?!”

Everyone all turned to Loona, anxiously waiting to hear what the wolf-dog reverse hybrids has to say.

“I think…” Loona began, searching for the words to say, before she answered, “I hate all of you…”

“Aw, that’s-Wait, what?!” Fluttershy squeaked.

The She-Beasts, Spike, even the other Reverse-Hybrids, were all aghast at what Loona had said. It was so sudden, so blunt, and so sharp like a knife was jabbed through the chest.

“Huh?” Spike gasped.

“What the what?!” Rainbow Dash flabbergasted.

“Ouch,” Pinkie Pie cringed.

“But…why?” Fluttershy asked.

“Why?” The dog growled, before she suddenly barked, “You know FUCKING DAMN WHY!!!"

"Such language!" Fluttershy gasped in shock.

"I'd watch my mouth if I were you!" Applejack barked, stepping in to defend Fluttershy and Spike.

"Well, you're not!" Loona barked in response. "Don't let the fact that you being part-wolf makes you my equal. For all I care, you're still the same disgusting human, maybe worse!"

"I may not be human," Applejack spatted back. "But I'm warning you. I'll bite way worse than your bark!"

"Bring it on then, human!"

Before either wolf-woman and reverse wolfdog could get into a literal dogfight, the reverse octopus hybrid, Marina, suddenly stepped in.

"NO!" Marina shouted. "French fries friends no fight black licorice!"

Needless to say, everyone present were as confused as the two dogs.

"What?" Spike and Applejack asked.

"What the fuck?" Loona asked.

"BAAAHHH!!!" Kirin suddenly bleated, kicking his legs out, in Leggy's arms.

"Now look what you've done," Pinkie Pie scolded both Applejack and Loona. "You've got poor little Kirin upset!"

"Well she started it!" Applejack pointed at Loona.

"Did not," Loona spatted back.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

Before the argument could continue, they suddenly hear the cries of birds that came flying out of the trees. The sort of cries that birds would make to alert other animals of dangers.

The hybrids all gathered around a single open window to see what the commotion was.

“What’s going on out there?” Spike asked, trying to get a look outside.

Once the girls allowed Spike an opening, he looked outside, just in time to see approaching danger.

High up in the trees, behind the dense leaves, Spike was able to see streaks of shadows leaping across, from branches to branches. They almost appeared to be flying.

As the shadows approached, Spike could hear loud bloodcurdling shrieks that sent the hairs on the back of his neck, standing.

They sounded like the cackles of a madman, but not human. Almost everything on the island are hardly humans anymore.

Spike and the hybrids anxiously watched, with the shrieks growing louder the closer they got to the village.

Suddenly, bursting from the trees, and landing atop the roof of a hut, stood what appeared to be a monkey. But it’s features aren’t like those of an average monkey.

It stood at about 3 to 4 feet tall, on all four of its limbs. It’s face is shaggy with canine teeth, like those of a baboon, but with pointed ears, 3-toed, razor clawed feet, and a long bushy tail.

It looked almost like a baboon, but with devilish traits.

Worse still, an entire troop of these devil monkeys suddenly appeared from the trees. Almost like the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz, except much more terrifying by the way the monkeys were looking at him and the girls.

The very sight of the devil monkeys made Spike want to scream. They were more terrifying than any females he ever met in his life.

A terrible reminder to the evil that Dr. Grogar is capable of. How many people and animals has the mad doctor subjected through to perfect his attempt of advancing evolution?

Spike didn’t have time to think of the question.

With a horrifying screech, the devil monkeys came charging into the village.

It happened so fast, it was all a blur and a whirl for Spike. He remembered falling to the ground, while the female hybrids rushed over him. No doubt in retaliation to defend the village from the primate invaders.

With his head ringing, and his vision disoriented, Spike looked up to find himself in the crossfire of the chaos.

Realistically, he appeared to be in a war zone. Much like from all the actions and documentary films he watched from back home, with a war veteran he knew.

From what he remembered, the stories were always the same. Two sides of an opposing war fought each other to gain power. And in every battle, the innocent lives who were caught in between the two opposing forces have suffered the greatest of casualties.

Spike himself is the innocent bystander, trapped in a battle between the devil monkeys and the hybrids he had come to know.

Spike ducked beneath a bush, on the sideline. He watched from behind the tall grasses as the battle rages on.

It was indeed a gruesome sight to behold. The devil monkeys clawed and bite at the hybrids, overwhelming each and everyone with their strength in sheer numbers.

Sunset Shimmer, though enhanced with tiger strength, with teeth and claws to match, was outmaneuvered by the monkeys.

Despite her best attempts to stave them off, fighting back with her superior strength, the devil monkeys outnumbered her 10 to 1.

They clawed and bit her arms, legs, and tail, with some even pulling on her hair. Splashes of blood sprayed from the scratches they cut on her.

Seeing her friend in peril, Applejack quickly rushed over, barking and slashing her claws at the devil monkeys, to drive them off of Sunset.

But suddenly, more devil monkeys lunged out and attacked Applejack. And despite the orange wolf-woman’s strength and teeth, they were only so much monkeys she could manage until she was soon overwhelmed.

Close by, Rarity was climbing up the tree branches, leaping from roof to roof of the huts, trying to loose the monkeys chasing her.

Spike could almost hear the enraged snow leopard-woman hissing, “This is no way to treat a lady!”

“AHHH!!!” A scream shouted.

Spike turned his head to see the scream belonged to Twilight, who was giving into her inner beast, frantically neighing and bucking her legs at all the monkeys that surrounded her and Fluttershy.

Fluttershy, confused by the ambient noises of the chaos, stumbled blindly, with her wings over her head. The poor woman-bat looked more like a lost frighten child, missing her parents at a mall.

Up in the air, doing her best to protect her bat hybrid friend, Rainbow Dash swooped down, like the falcon she’s become, but with the ferocity of an eagle.

At the last second, Rainbow Dash thrusted her talons out. Combined with her dive bombing speed, she killed a devil monkey on the spot, as if it had been struck by a bullet, to its head.

Unfortunately, the monkeys were undeterred. Their intelligence was shown on a terrifying display, by climbing up the trees, to attack Rainbow from the high grounds.

Spike watched as Rainbow Dash was taken by surprise, with the monkeys piling on her. Rainbow Dash screeched in her frantic attempts to throw them off, but all her efforts ended with her spiraling down, like a downed airplane.

With a loud sickening crashing sound of breaking sticks, maybe a few bones, Rainbow Dash had crash landed into one of the huts.

“Rainbow…” Spike called helplessly to the falcon-woman.

“DASHIE!” Pinkie Pie screeched in outrage. “No monkey makes my friend crash and gets away with it! THE APRON IS OFF!!!”

And just like that, Pinkie Pie disrobed her apron to the side, revealing she was covered with a bandolier of weapons. Strangely enough, a lot of them are actually coconuts, bananas, even red hot peppers.

Spike watched as Pinkie Pie took a banana, squeezed it tightly to shoot the pulp into her mouth. With that, her stomach began to rumble, which Spike knew full well what was about to come next.

“HIT THE DECK!” Spike screamed, with him hiding in the bushes and covering his head, and nose.

“I AM PINKIE PIE!” Pinkie Pie screeched at the top of her lungs, before her belly bloated and she aimed her rear at the attacking monkeys. “FEAR MY BANANA BA—“

Unfortunately, before Pinkie could fire, little Kirin came running past Pinkie Pie, with his adopted mom, Leggy Lamb, chasing him.

Not looking where she was going, Leggy ended up crashing into Pinkie Pie, causing the pink monkey-woman to misfire.

The entire village was clouded in the pink putrid cloudy stench of Pinkie Pie’s fartillery. Everyone was all disgusted and sick at Pinkie Pie’s friendly fire.

“EW! Pinkie Pie!” Fluttershy coughed.

“See a doctor!” Sunset coughed, somewhere in the village.

“P.U.” Applejack gagged.

Spike kept his hands over his nose, while the foul air stung in his eyes, causing them to water. He looked pass the smog to see the silhouette of the monkeys running away, most likely to get away from the awful smell.

The devil monkeys are retreating. They’re fleeing, after being repelled by Pinkie Pie. Unfortunately, it was at Spike’s and his hybrid friends’ own expense.

Suddenly, there was a loud howl, followed by the sounds of barking and growling.

Everyone who was still standing turned and looked, to see Loona was barking and growling, chasing her own tail, and biting herself. Her mouth was covered in foamy slobbers.

She appeared to have gone rabid. Was it from the devil monkeys, or from the afterburner of Pinkie’s banana bazooka?

No one had the answers then, nor had time to think, when the wolf-dog suddenly lunged and attacked. She snapped her jaws at everyone in sight.

Loona chased Fleur up a tree, and almost attacked Leggy and Kirin, if it weren’t for the intervention of both Sunset Shimmer and Applejack.

Of course, Loona wasn’t the only one who suddenly went rabid.

With a loud hiss and a low shaking rumble, Beatrice was thundering around the village, banging and smashing her head against the trees and huts.

Like Loona, upon setting her sight on Leggy and Kirin, she charged in for an attack. Almost as if her natural predator instinct has overridden her human rationality.

But Beatrice didn’t get the chance, when she collided into Rarity.

Soon, another fight broke out in the village. A battle between She-Beasts and Reverse-Hybrids.

Helpless, all Spike could do was cower within the grass, with his hands over his head, silently praying that it will all be over soon.

All was quiet, like the calming after a storm. After the dust had settled, the hybrids have all calmed down.

While the girls, and young Kirin, began to recover and get patched up with some first aid kits in Spike’s backpack, the young man checked on the devastation of the village.

Nearly half of their newfound settlement was almost gone.

Including the hut — their school — that once housed all of their collections of human knowledge to educate the Reverse-Hybrids.

How could this have happened? Where did those devil monkeys come from? And why would they attack the village, of all places?”

“Is everyone okay?” Sunset asked, before she turned to Spike. “Are you okay, Spike?”

“I’m fine,” Spike replied, and then he frantically asked, “But what the hell were those things? Are they devil monkeys?”

“Yeah…I’d say they’re devil monkeys,” Sunset nodded her head. “And hopefully, we don’t have to see them again.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Loona barked, as she came stomping over to Spike and Sunset.

Without warning, Spike was grabbed by the collar of his shirt, hoisted up into the air, and being forced to look directly into the fiery red eyes of the mad dog.

“Talk human!” Loona barked. “How did you call them here? What game are you playing at?”

Before Spike could scream for his life, or even protest in his defense, he was ripped away from Loona’s hands, and was dropped to the ground.

“HEY! Lay off, Loona!” Sunset Shimmer roared. “Spike has done nothing wrong, and you can’t prove it.”

“Who needs proof?” Loona barked. “I know plenty enough about you humans to know you’re always trouble! We got along JUST FINE without you humans to FUCK it up!”

“Now hold a pickin’ minute there!” Applejack began to protest, but was cut off.

“It’s always you humans who ruined everything!” Loona continued. “Why can’t you all just DIE for all I care?”

Spike and the She-Beasts were all shocked at what Loona had said. Never have they heard or known such hatred from a dog, let alone a hybrid. Leggy, Kirin, and Marina share the same expressions of shock. Bea seemed rather indifferent, while Fleur was hissing at the dog I retaliation.

“You humans believe you’re all so high and mighty that you think you’re above everything. Like you can just put your foot down on everything.”

“Miss Loona,” Twilight spoke up, in a reasonably and authorized tone, like those belonging to someone attempting to solve a diplomat issue.

Spike hoped that Twilight knows what she’s doing.

“Miss Loona, please, calm down. Just tell us what could we have possibly done to make you hate us so much?” She asked.

“Why?” Loona asked, with a growing gravel in her throat.

A warning that a dog would make that they’re going to bark very loud.

“Because YOU HUMANS ARE JUST THE ABSOLUTE WORST!!!” Loona barked furiously, before she went on and ranted.

“You’re always bickering with each other. You’re always loud and obnoxious! You’re ugly, you’re so gross, and if that wasn’t enough, one of you broke me and turned me into this!”

From the last part, Spike could understand right away that Loona was referring to Dr. Grogar. That torturous experiments he must’ve subjected Loona and the others in the process of making them almost humans.

The part where Loona mentioned being broken, Spike was squeamish at what she meant. It hurts him and disgusts him to imagine how the process must’ve been like. To break her entire strictures from the inside out.

If he had to guess, then it sounded as if her skeletal structures were crushed by a large hammer, before being rebuilt from the ground up. The outcomes would be having her joint bending out of proportion than her former shape. A classic Dr. Moreau trauma to an animal.

“Then, we’re on the same side,” Twilight explained. “We’re all victims of Dr. Grogar as much as you are, Loona.”

And yet, the stubborn dog refused to be reasonable.

“You humans are all alike,” Loona growled as she took her leave. “You can’t be trusted…”

Spike and the other female hybrids watched Loona disappearing into a hut. Needless to say, everyone are all in shock at what the dog had barked.

“I…I’m kinda missing the days when dogs go woof-woof and leave it at that,” Spike said.

“How awful!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

After the recent drama between the strange fiendish monkey creatures — now being referred to as devil monkeys — and Loona, Spike and the hybrids all go about their day, like normal.

But all the same, Spike can’t stop thinking about what Loona had said.

‘We’re not the bad guys!’ Spike thought to himself, mentally. ‘I mean, not every humans in the world are bad. There are some good people in the world too. But still…’

Spike stopped to lean against a tree and thought to himself with more puzzling and troubled thoughts.

‘Loona’s just unfortunate to have fallen in with the wrong crowd and…now she’s…Poor girl. But…maybe I can…’

Spike shook his head, clearing his thoughts of Loona.

‘I can’t think about what Loona said, right now,’ He said. ‘I have to focus on helping the girls get off the island. And while I’m at it, I should also help with setting up the village’s defenses. There’s no telling what will happen next.’

Most of the village huts were shattered, with the wooden debris scattered across the forest floor. Many of them appeared to be ransacked.

It is clear that the village was in need of some upgrades in its defenses.

They barely survived the first wave of attack. They need to get ready for the second wave, and hopefully it won’t end in them in a mushroom cloud again.

“We got along JUST FINE without you humans to FUCK it up!” Loona’s words still echoed. “It’s always you humans who ruined everything! Why can’t you all just DIE for all I care?”

‘Just what is that dog’s problem?’ Spike mentally asked himself.

“Spike?” A voice called, starting Spike out of his train of thoughts.

“AAAAHHH!!!” Spike screamed, jumping up with a start, that sent his heart beating so hard, it threatened to burst free from his chest.

Frantically catching his breath, his chest heaving in and out, rapidly, Spike turned around to see it was the snow leopard-woman, Rarity.

“Oh, goodness gracious!” Rarity exclaimed. “I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, Spikey-Wikey!”

“It’s fine,” Spike panted heavily, until his breathing got steady, matching his calming heartbeat. “Breathing first, talking later.”

Once he fully composed himself, Spike looked back up at Rarity.

“So, what’s up?” He asked.

“I was wondering if you are okay, Spike,” Rarity answered. “After the devil monkeys attack, and those awful things Loona said to you were uncalled for.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Spike sighed. “But don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’m a big boy now. I can handle it.”

In truth, Spike felt rather hurt and was struggling to swallow a lump in his throat, which threatens him to cry.

“Even so, what Loona said is untrue and downright cruel,” Rarity continued. “None of this is entirely your fault. You have absolutely no way of bringing those awful monkeys to our settlement. She has no proof and her words are all based on bias reasons.”

“Yeah, I know,” Spike sighed. “Still, I can’t help but wonder why she hates us so much. I’ve worked with rescue dogs before, helping them to rehabilitate with human interactions.”

Spike scratched his chin, pondering and recalling his past work experiences with dogs.

“It’s one thing to help some dogs let down their guards, and…well, be a dog again. But hearing from Loona, I…I don’t know where to start. Something must’ve really happen to her… If only my friend and psychiatrist, Dr.Wolf was here…”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out, darling,” Rarity insisted. “If you are as good with animals as you say you are, then you’ll put some senses into that dog.”

“Thanks, Rarity,” Spike smiled. “That makes me feel so much better to heart it from you.”

Spike still wasn’t fully confident in his resolve to get to the bottom of Loona’s animosity. But, after witnessing the She-Beasts’ and the Reverse-Hybrids’ terrible cooperation, something must be done. Everyone need to learn to trust and cooperate with one another.

Otherwise, they’ll never get off the island. Worst case scenario: Like in the story, The Island of Dr. Moreau, every animals-human hybrids will go out of control and the island will be overrun with chaotic wilderness.

“In the meantime,” Rarity began. “Would you be a dear and step into my humble settlement, darling?”

“Uh, sure. Okay,” Spike complied.

“WOW!” Spike exclaimed in awe at what he sees.

All around the hut, from top to bottom, is an entire studio of fashion line of colorful dresses, hats, and footwear.

Each clothing are made up of giant leaves, colorful flowers, and some feathers that appeared to be made from Rainbow Dash.

“Did you make these?” Spike asked.

“Indeed I have, darling,” Rarity smiled, while climbing up the wall, to perch atop a tree branch.

“Ever since that ruffian Shade Stalker destroyed our precious camp, all of my clothes were destroyed with it.”

Rarity recalled with an obvious hint of disdain and outrage in her tone of voice. The kind of tone an angry person would make, as if they’re ready to strangle the nearest unfortunate soul. It doesn’t help that a snow leopard’s growling was heard, coming from Rarity. It was a dreadful sign that she was closing to going full on beast mode.

Thankfully, Rarity was able to keep herself composed.

“Ho hum. So, I’ve had to make do with all the materials I could find around here to make new dresses.”

“You don’t say!” Spike said, taking a moment to marvel at Rarity’s handiworks. “Even Rainbow Dash’s feathers?”

“Darling, you would not believe how many feathers she sheds,” Rarity rolled her eyes. “Honestly, she may be half-falcon, but that’s no excuse to behave like a wild animal. We are still humans, deep down, and the least she could do was clean up after herself.”

Spike couldn’t help but chuckle as he continued to look up some of Rarity’s other dresses on display.

“Wow, that’s a pretty flower,” Spike commented at a pink flower that goes with a green dress that appeared to be made out of seaweed.

Spike then turned his attentions at some of the other clothes that piqued his interests. Among them were the ones made from materials that aren’t from the natural florals, or faunas, of the island.

“Hmmm,” Spike walked up to a dress to feel up its texture. “Hmmm. No offense, Rarity. But this…this kinda reminds me of a…it reminds me of that sail boat dress that Ariel wore, from Disney’s The Little Mermaid.”

“Oh?” Rarity mused with interest. “You’ve watched that movie? Color me curious, darling. But I thought you said you were afraid of women.”

“I am!” Spike flustered. “Or…I…used to. That was a long time ago, when I was young and…and Cartoon girls are more tolerable than real girls, anyway…”

“Uh-huh,” Rarity decided to let that slide, as she walked over to Spike. “Well, admittedly, you are right. This dress is in fact made from the sails of an old shipwreck nearby.”

“A shipwreck?” Spike asked with piqued interests.

“Yes. And quite old, if I do say so myself,” Rarity added. “Some of its contents must have dated back for more than a century.”

“Well, that explains the jewels,” Spike pointed to the beautiful glittering gems sitting on a crate, that acted as a nightstand.

“Oh, yes. The diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But quite miraculously, a lot of the fabrics have survived the wreckage. Thus, idea~!”

Rarity sang, as she showed Spike more of her latest designs, made from her findings in the aforementioned shipwreck.

“Fascinating,” Spike whistled. “You must really like to design a lot of clothes. Are you a fashion designer from where you came from?”

“Oh yes. I was quite the fashionista, darling,” Rarity smiled proudly. “And I would’ve gotten my big break and debut in the fashion world if it hadn’t been for that scoundrel, Grogar!” She scowled at the last part.

“…Yeah, he put quite the damper on my plans for a holiday too,” Spike cringed, trying his best to console.

He knew it wasn’t exactly comforting. But Spike was trying his best to remind Rarity and the others that they weren’t alone.

But then, an idea came to him. He only hopes that he doesn’t regret it.

“Hey, Rarity,” Spike began. “Since you’ve worked so hard to make these designs of yours. Any chance you could…how do you say? Model them? Just a few?”

Rarity turned to Spike with a surprised look.

“Are you asking me to…to give you a private fashion show, darling?” Rarity asked, with a grin, and a purr.

“Yeah…” Spike stammered on his words, sweating a storm, with his face turning red from an increasing heat, from feeling he does not understand.

“I’m sorry I asked, I….I just—“

“No need to apologize, Spike! In fact, I’d be most flattered.”

Rarity smiled with low-lidded eyes that made Spike tremble in fear.

What has he gotten himself into this time?

Spike was in awe as Rarity stepped out, from behind a wall, onto a table that acted as the runway for a fashion show.

Rarity was wearing a dark kimono that she recovered from the shipwreck. For Spike, he was between a rock and a hard place. He was doing his best not to stare at her thick, muscular legs showing. But then, he ends up sweating nervously and tries to keep his eyes averted from the cleavage Rarity was showing.

“What do you think, Spikey-Wikey?” Rarity smiled. “Don’t I look fabulous?”

Spike almost felt himself losing his breath. He was so taken by Rarity’s bold, confident, expressive beauty that he nearly fainted.

Trying to work up every amount of his willpower to remain conscious, he answered, “You look beautiful!”

Thankfully, Rarity accepted his compliment and went behind the wall to change into another set.

Soon, Rarity came out and stood in a Japanese schoolgirl uniform, complete with a handbag.

Spike felt his face turning red at how cute Rarity looked, and the way she was teasing him, with her backside in his direction.

Thankfully, the next dress Rarity puts on, from the shipwreck, is a red kimono with shimmering purple accents and a large blue ribbon.

It was less revealing than some of the other clothings Rarity puts on, which was a huge relief for Spike’s gynophobia.

“Oh yeah, this looks nice,” Spike commented. “You’re like an angel!”

“Aw, thank you, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity cooed. “But please, hold your applause. For I wish to astound you with some of my own ensembles.”

“Th-Th-There’s more?” Spike gulped.

Rarity winked as she disappeared to the side to change into another set of attires.

Soon, she came back out and stood in the kind of attires worn by hula dancers, from the islands of Polynesia — which includes Hawaii.

The same grass skirts, flower necklaces, a red flower in her hair, and coconut bra to hold up her surprisingly well-endowed assets.

No doubt, Rarity must’ve made it from the natural florals that grew on the island.

Spike let out a startled squeak, with his face heating up a burning shade of red. So hot, he believed he was on fire.

Even if Rarity’s a furry animal, she’s still showing a lot of skin.

“What’s the matter, Spike?” Rarity asked, in a whimpering voice, as if she’s on the verge of tears. “Do you not like it?”

“Uh…I’m a…I’m a…I’m a…” Spike was stuttering in his words, making himself sound as if he’s saying, “Humina humina humina…”

Rarity giggled, which made his heart beating intensively.

“I see I’ve rendered you speechless, darling,” Rarity smiled. “Please, hold your applause. There’s still some more to put on.”

Very soon, the next clothes that Rarity modeled became more risqué and revealing than the last.

She posed in revealing swimsuits. Though to Spike, they seemed to look more like lingeries.

Each outfits, one after another, Rarity proceeded to strike a sultry pose, like the kinds that are fit for the fashion runway.

At this point, Spike was at the point of no return. His face was entirely red, his cheeks were burning, his entire body was covered in cold slimy sweat.

He couldn’t feel his arms and legs. His eyes are opened wide and dried, feeling as if they’ve been staring into the sun for too long. Spike was just about to faint dehydration and loss of blood.

“I’m just about ready to turn in for the night, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity yawned from behind her changing wall. “But this will be my last garment and then we will go to bed.”

The last garment Rarity was wearing has long translucent silks that sparkles in the vanishing rays of sunlight.

It hugged and defined the outline of Rarity’s voluptuous body. It can’t be help, for Spike’s increasing arousal, that the garment is see-through.

It was clear. Whether it’s from ancient times, or modern day, even homemade, Rarity was simply dressing in style.

Including a haunting white dress, and large black hat, that looked as if it could be worn by a sexy vampire femme fatale, with an outrageous hourglass figure.

At this point, Spike has nearly lost all his common senses. He no longer has control over his own body’s actions or thought process.

He only has his eyes on Rarity, following her hips swaying side to side with every footsteps. The swirl of her tail, the boldness conveyed in her strides, up to the hypnotic gaze of her eyes that shines like diamonds in the sky.

All was going well, as Rarity did an elegant twirl, when she accidentally tripped, screaming, and fell on top of Spike.

But Spike hardly noticed. He was so petrified, of an arousing kind, that he couldn’t react or move out of the way.

Spike’s entire world went dark. The last thing he remembered was something wet, but warm, and sharp, pressing against his lips.

Not to mention the feeling of two round soft marshmallows pressing into his chest.

“…Where, where am I?” Spike moaned, finding himself in a dark void. “What’s going on?”

Spike continued to stumble blindly in the darkness he was trapped in.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to stumble for long, when a bright blue cone of light pierced the darkness from above.

Spike looked to see, standing in the spotlight, practically sparkling, is Rarity, except she appeared to be human, with blue dusts of diamonds in her long flowing hair. Furthermore, she is clad in a dark blue bodysuit that hugs her voluptuous curves, with matching gloves and high heels.

Rarity was posing in the spotlight, until she opened her eyes and spotted Spike.

Before Spike could speak, let alone find his voice, Rarity was already singing, in a haunting seductive tone of voice.

(0:00)
At first, Rarity started the song slow and low, with a passionate feeling that resonated in her voice.

(0:45)
Then, in the background, the music took a sudden turn for an upbeat tempo.

Very soon, without warning, the whole place lit up in a spectacle explosion of light, to reveal a huge stage.

Rarity swayed her hips and danced across the stage, with sparkling silhouettes of snow leopards surrounding her.

(0:53)
Rarity then resumed singing, but with dancing to the lyrics, to express the emotions.

Rarity even took a moment to waltz up to Spike, stroking his chin, to bring his attention up to her eyes. Some of the snow leopards even came up to Spike, caressing themselves all over him. One of them even gave him a wet kissing lick across his cheek.

(1:41)
Rarity lays herself down, sprawling across the floor, before she got back up, in a twisting, flexible dancing movement akin to a ballerina.

Once she was standing up in her feet again, Rarity proceeded to kick up her legs, almost above her head. Even doing some fast twirls and cartwheels.

(1:56)
Rarity resumed her singing, but paused her dancing to step away from Spike. What happens next completely threw Spike off his feet.

(2:10)
Upon spinning around, in a flash of blinding light, Rarity had torn off her bodysuit to reveal a sparkling pink bikini underneath.

Rarity’s next dance steps were all bold, expressive, and more tantalizing to the eyes. The sway of her hips, the swing of her arms, even the leopards appeared to be directing Spike’s gaze up at her sparkling display.

Now Spike was beyond flustered and terrified. There was so much skin to be seen, and the added sparkling bikini makes his eyes water. The kind of sensation experienced from looking into the sun.

He felt his heart beating so wildly and rapidly, he thought it was going to explode. His stomach felt abuzz with the fluttering sensation of literal butterflies in his stomach — though, personally, to him, they felt more like bees than butterflies.

Whatever sensation he was experiencing, he doesn’t understand why he’s feeling this way. He only knew he was feeling rather sick, hot, and queasy.

Spike wondered how did he ever get into this situation.

(2:45)
“Oh, oh, feel the rhythm of my heart~🎶” Rarity sang, sounding as if she’s pleading and begging for Spike. “What a feeling~”

Spike watched as chairs suddenly appeared, as if out of thin air. They danced and swirled around Rarity, until she sat on one of them, with the seat back covering her front, leaving her arms, legs, and face exposed.

(2:59)
Rarity proceeded to sway her head to the side, making her hair flutter. Furthermore, she crosses her arms over the chair, and lifts up her strong muscular, but slender legs.

At one point in the act, Rarity stood up on the chair, swaying her hips to further entice Spike, while holding her arms out to keep her balance.

She jumped off the chair and landed on the floor, walked around the chair to stand in front of Spike, showing off her front.

She turned and started to show off her reasonably sized backside, doing a sway to tease Spike.

Spike at this point can taste the blood…blood? He wondered, why is he bleeding? Is he dying?

“What a feeling!” Rarity concluded her dance, in a sudden downpour of cold water that splashed her and Spike.

“OW!” Spike screamed in pain.

He found himself, on the floor, after falling out of bed, headfirst.

“How did that happen?” He asked, before he found himself, inside his hut. “I’m…I’m back?”

After another moment of looking at his surroundings, to confirm that he is indeed awake, with nothing out of the ordinary, Spike heaved a sigh of relief.

“A dream. It was just a crazy flashy dream,” He said.

It was all just a dream. In some ways, Spike felt kinda relieved. And yet, a part of him felt disappointed.

Why did he have a dream like that? Is he losing his mind? Spike’s never once dreamed of a sexy women before, so why now?

Has he always wanted the companionship of a female, in spite of his gynophobia? Is it possible that he’s had these feelings buried deep down all along? Has his times spent with the She-Beasts on the island made him into a different man?

Does he really…love Rarity this much? Or could he find the possibility of loving all the Rainboom She-Beasts equally?

“What’s gotten into me?” Spike asked himself.

Author's Note

Okay, let’s see.

Girls who have been kissed

Twilight

Rarity

That leaves:

Rainbow Dash

Applejack

Fluttershy

Pinkie Pie

Sunset Shimmer

Starlight Glimmer

Fleur

Bea

Leggy Lamb

Marina

Loona

And from the Wheel(s) of Smooches #3, in the next chapter we have:

Beatrice “Bea” Santello or Loona

…Uh oh…

18 – Shipwreck of the Past

"Oh man..." Spike yawned, as he got out of bed and kept on yawning. "That was some dream last night...wow, what a feeling that was..."

Since having such a bizarre, and rather sultry dream, Spike hardly slept the night. Upon waking up, he was exhausted, and rather sweaty. It was as if the dream he had of Rarity, dancing in flashy ensembles had drained him of his energy.

"Maybe I...need a drink of water...or maybe just a cold splash to clear my head."

Turning to the doorway, Spike left his hut to find a layer of fog, covering the village.

The sun was barely rising above the horizon. The sky was painted in a pinkish hue of dawn. The village was eerily quiet, almost as if there were hardly any inhabitants. Spike was almost certain he was alone.

In a sense, he was very much alone. He is the only sane person on an island inhabited by ferocious animal-human hybrids, created by the work of a mad scientist. Day by day, Spike was certain he was living the story of H.G.Well's sci-fi novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau. And the more he thinks about the horrors that inhabit the island, the more he wanted to wake up from this horrible nightmare, hoping to wake back up in modern civilization, where he last left his bed.

But all the same, Spike just can't stop thinking about the She-Beasts and all the near-death experiences they've been through. Spike couldn't quite put it, but he was almost certain that his time spent with the She-Beasts have caused them to forge some sort of camaraderie. However, could it be possible that they are more than just...friends? Or comrades?

Although they seem beastly in appearance, they still retain a comfortable amount of their human intelligence. Enough for them to talk and to be reasoned with. But all the same, they were still genetically modified with animal DNAs, which makes them wild animals.

By the time he reached the nearest riverbank for drinkable water, Spike's questions were washed away, with his drowsiness. The cold wet texture of the water was both soothing as it bites at his skin.

More importantly, the water washing his face had successfully washed away the sleep from his eyes. Spike was fully awake.

"That's better," Spike sighed in content.

Nearly awake and alert, Spike resumed washing his face, while sneaking a few drinks of the water from the river. He was glad the water was fresh and suitable to drink.

At that moment, Spike heard the sound of nearby leaves brushing violently. They certainly weren't giving the impression of the winds blowing. The impressionable sound of footsteps, coupled with the crushing sound of the underbrush, were all the signs Spike needed to know that some creatures were nearby.

Spike was on high alert. On one hand, it could possibly be one of the She-Beasts, or even the somewhat tamed feral jungle woman, Fleur-de-Lis, stalking Spike through the florals. But on the other hand, it could be something dangerous. A Man-Beast, a chimeric beast, like the Piranha-Gulls, the Octo-Diles, or worst, either the hunter Shade Stalker or the draconic Predator 00 – Ēferno.

Careful not to make any sudden movements, while trying to keep himself composed in spite of his rapid heartbeats and the drenching sweat that coated his brow. Very slowly, trying his best to be as quiet as a mouse, Spike retreated to hide behind a tree. He hoped that he could be able to avoid being seen, while being able to see what the creature may be.

Spike gripped his fingers tightly against the tree's bark, steadying his nerves, or at the very best, trying to steel himself. He waited until the silhouette of an anthropomorphic creature stepped out from the side of a tree, followed by another. In the pinkish hue of the rising sun, Spike could make out the features of a crocodile and a dog.

It was only Loona and Bea.

With that, like the evaporating waters in the fog, his worries changed to curiosity. What are Reverse-Hybrids, like Loona and Bea doing outside of the village? Especially at this time of day?

Spike watched as both female hybrids dashed off into the trees, disappearing behind some large leaves. Wanting to know what's up, Spike decided to follow.

The fog covered the entirety of the jungle as Spike followed both Loona and Bea. The fog was about as thick as pea soup. The young man could hardly see either of the two Reverse-Hybrids ahead of him.

But hopefully, this also means that neither of them could see him either.

The only visible trail he could follow was the running river on his right. This way, Spike will have some way of retracing his steps back to the village.

Sticks and leaves cracked and crumbled beneath Spike’s boots as he tails close behind them. But then, up ahead, he heard the crashing sounds of waters and the caws of gulls. Without a doubt in his thoughts, it is a beach. Spike and the girls are at the beach.

Upon exiting the foliage of the jungle, Spike’s eyes widened at an astonishing sight towering before him, and he felt his breath taken away from him. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

Sitting on the sandy beaches, as if it was mooring to the nearby rocks, was a large ship.

Can it truly be? Is it possibly the coast guards? Have they come here to investigate, or possibly looking for lost travelers, like Spike?

Feeling a newfound joy and hopeful relief, Spike felt his mouth curling up into a smile so big, he was certain he could touch both of his ears. He dashed across the sands, heading straight towards the ship.

“HEY!” Spike called out. “HEY! WAIT! I’M HERE! WAIT! Hold the boat! Hold…the…”

The closer he got to the boat, Spike felt every bit of his hope, dashed away to the winds. Because of the foggy obscurant in the air, from a distance, the ship looked new. But upon closer inspection, to his dismay, the ship is a shipwreck.

‘This must be the shipwreck Rarity mentioned last night,’ Spike pondered.

It was an old cargo ship, with orange-reddish rusts that covered from the bow to the stern. A chimney had collapsed onto the deck of the ship. The bottom of the ship is covered in seaweed and mosses.

On the starboard side of the bow, a red and white painting appeared to have been peeled away. It looked like a red disc of some sort in a white and red background. Beneath it is a worn out painting of a number that barely reads: 731.

‘How long has this ship been here?’ Spike thought to himself, while surveying the wreckage from a distance. ‘Well, it’s no marine wildlife photographer’s ship. Doesn’t look like anything Newt would use for trafficking people from the mainland to the island. In fact, it looks like it’s been here for years…’

Spike cast careful glances to the left, then to the right, looking for any signs of any Beast-Folks, chimeras, and especially for Loona and Bea.

‘Where are they?’ He wondered. ‘And why would they come here of all places?’

It was still foggy that morning and both Reverse-Hybrids could be anywhere. Spike looked down and found tracks of footprints. One set has the distinctive shape of a dog’s paw prints, while the other has the webbed sharp outline of a crocodile.

Without a doubt, Loona and Beatrice were here. And their footprints points them in the shipwreck. With that, Spike followed the trail, treading across the sands that grew firmer and solid the closer he reached the water, where the footprints were washed away by the waves.

Soon Spike was standing in the water, where it touched his knees. On his right, a large hole was torn in the hull of the ship.

‘If Loona and Beatrice did came here, then they must be inside,’ Spike thought to himself, climbing into the shipwreck.

Inside, the ship was filled with the natural elements that have found their way in. The interior of the hull was covered with seaweeds from top-to-bottom. Barnacles have made themselves home, close to the breach, where the tide comes in. Droplets of waters were dropping from the ceilings, where the wooden floorboards of the ship’s deck have decayed and rotted away.

Clearly, the ship has seen better days. Though the majority of its cargos were still intact.

Deciding to check it out, Spike carefully creeped along the ship’s deck, being careful with where he put his feet. The floorboards were groaning and creaking beneath his weight, as if at any moment, they could break.

The air is moist and a little humid, but also salt and foul from the smell of rusty metal combined with the ocean’s saltwater. Spike’s nose twitched and his eyes were watering from the irritating air.

Then, to further add to the irritation, a foul stench of smoke wafted over his nose, causing Spike to let out a cough.

‘Smoke?’ He thought. ‘How can there be smoke inside a shipwreck? It’s impossible!’

Struck with epiphany, Spike realized the smoke was fresh. And it smelled close. Something was smoking. Or more specifically, someone.

Unfortunately, his deduction and realization was too late, as he didn’t have time to ponder, when something jumped from behind and pinned him down onto the floor.

“AHHHH!!!” Spike yelped, screaming at the top of his lungs while his assailant barked and grabbed him at the collar of his shirt, tugging him.

Spike scrambled and squirmed, trying to get the assailant off. He rolled onto his back and got a good look to see it was Loona.

“Loona! STOP! It’s me!” Spike screamed.

The wolf-dog’s eyes widened in surprise, before it quickly shifted to a look of disdain, “Oh. It’s you,” She growled. “What are you doing here?”

“I…I was going to ask you the same question,” Spike replied, nervously. “And…could you please get off of me?”

But Loona didn’t comply and snarled threateningly, with her a nose a centimeter away from Spike’s, that the man could smell her horrible breath.

“How did you find this place?” Loona interrogated.

“I followed you here,” Spike answered, to which Loona growled angrily. “I wasn’t spying. I didn’t mean to. I saw you and Beatrice coming down here, so I followed you both out of curiosity. Please don’t eat me!”

The wolf-dog continued to snarl until she stood up on both her hind legs.

“Too scrawny,” She huffed. “You’re not even a snack…”

Spike was miffed at the remark, but grateful to be spared, nonetheless.

“So, if you don’t mind my asking,” Spike began. “What are you two doing out here? It’s not really safe.”

“Ugh! You sound just like my pathetic owner,” Loona grumbled. “But if you want to know, then follow me. Or stay here, if it’s too dangerous for you, human.”

“No…I’ll follow,” Spike replied, wanting to prove Loona otherwise.

But all the same, he proceeded with caution.

Spike followed Loona through a maze of moss and seaweed covered cargos, until at last, they arrived to see Beatrice, sitting on top of a crate, smoking on a lit weed.

Spike was flabbergasted, “You’re smoking?!” He asked, hardly believing his eyes. “You two came here to smoke?”

“Yeah,” Loona barked, raising her eyebrow, as if not understanding the urgency in Spike’s voice. “Isn’t this what you humans normally do?”

“No! I mean, yes. Some of us, but no…” Spike stammered on his words, until he composed himself, “What I mean is, yes and no. Yes, some of of us do this kind of hobby. But the rest of us…no.”

“Hmph. Whatever,” Loona scoffed, before she walked over to a crate and picked up a roll of cigarette. “This place is full of a lot of things. Very old things. Some of them are even expired, but some others are well aged…”

Loona popped the cigar into her mouth, then reached into pocket on her pants and procures a lighter, proceeding to light one of the weeds.

“Uh, smoking is bad for you, y’know?” Spike exclaimed.

“Then why did you humans make these to begin with?” The wolf-dog countered.

“Like I told you! Not all of us are big on smoking! I don’t smoke!” Spike repeated, before he asked, “Also, how did you two even learned to smoke to begin with?”

“I just learned how to smoke, from Bea,” Loona pointed to the crocodile. “She is, how do you say? A pro at this. Ask her.”

Spike turned to the crocodile Reverse-Hybrid, who was smoking a roll of weed when she answered, “Bea Santello was little crocodile, living in see-through box. Bea watched owner makes fire to smoke on stick. Owner coughed, owner dying, but owner still smoking. Then, owner died…”

Loona proceeded to light up her own roll of weeds, but struggled to ignite her lighter, shaking and slamming it on a nearby crate, trying to get it to work.

“C’mon! Work dammit!” Loona growled, continuing to slam the lighter furiously. “Why won’t this thing work?”

“May I?” Bea offered, reaching into the pocket of her pants and pulled out a match.

Scratching the red tip against the side of a crate, Beatrice ignited a small flame and used it to light Loona’s weed, and the two proceeded to smoke.

For the last time, Spike cautioned, “Y’know, you two really shouldn’t be smoking. It’s really bad for your lungs and it’s unhealthy…”

“Don’t care,” Loona scoffed, taking a big breath of inhale and exhaled a gust of smoke from her mouth. “If you don’t like it, then you don’t have to be here, human.”

“I have a name, you know?” Spike said, miffed and at his wit’s end with this wolf-dog hybrid.

“Oh! I’m sorry,” Loona feigned her apology. “What was it?”

“Spi—“

“Don’t care! You know why? ‘Cause you’re a human! And I want you out of my sight!”

Spike has had enough of the literal’s bitch’s horrible attitude. As much as he liked animals, he wasn’t going to stick around for long for some dog to chew into him.

“Y’know, what? Fine by me,” Spike huffed as he turned around to leave. “You do you. I’m going back to the village.”

On his way to the exit, Spike takes a look at the crates in the boat. He wonder what other items were kept inside these boxes.

Curiosity getting the best of him, Spike started checking the boxes out for labels, or for the ones that had already been opened. Most likely by Rarity, Loona, and Bea.

Spike found a few boxes with labels, but they were written in a foreign language. Spike recognized them to be either Chinese, or Japanese, writings. But he doesn’t understand what they were saying.

He did happen to come across some open crates, allowing him to take a look at the contents inside.

From the looks of it, there were boxes of liquid medicines, pills, as well as face masks, the kinds worn by doctors, as well as gloves, hats, and suits worn by medical professionals to prevent contamination. Furthermore, there were syringes, needles made for stitching, and a scalpel knife, used to cut open a body.

‘Hmmm. Just your usual doctor stuff,’ Spike thought. ‘Except for Grogar, who is more unusual than your average every day doctor.’

Spike turned to see another crate, containing expensive looking clothes. ‘And these must be where Rarity got some of those dresses she was showing off to me last night.’

Spike looked up from the clothing materials, then back at the entire layout of the cargo ship’s interiors.

‘Tobaccos, cigars, weeds, doctor supplies, and expensive dresses?’ Spike continued to ponder. ‘Either this ship was on a tour around the world, or there was a doctors’ convention and they were putting together a party with all the aristocrats…yeah, that sounds way more convoluted in my head to be true…’

Believing that something more suspicious was going on, beneath his nose, Spike looked pulled the clothes aside to see what was hidden.

At the bottom of the crate was a trapdoor, which Spike pulled open. He was more than surprised to see the items underneath.

“What the what?” Spike gasped. “Guns? Bombs? What are these doing here?”

Inside the secret compartments are rows of guns all kinds. Hunting rifles, machine guns, Gatling guns, rocket launchers, even a regular handgun was found. Next to the guns are hand grenades, some which bear the resemblance of a drumstick, and sticks of dynamites.

Checking the other crates, which also have hidden trap doors, Spike was shocked to find that they were all packed with the same heavy artilleries.

‘I’m no retired soldier, or veteran,’ Spike thought. ‘But these kinds of weapons are reserved for the military! This cargo ship must be in business with the military. And judging by how old these items look, no one’s cleaned them out since World War 2.’

Spike didn’t have to ponder for long, when a blinding reflection of sunlight from the water found its way into the ship. Spike walked towards the exit to find that the morning fog had cleared up.

This means that Spike can find his way back to the village without any problem. Unfortunately, there was, in fact, a problem. The beach was overrun with boar-men, all armed with guns, and making their way towards the shipwreck.

Spike quickly retreated back into the ship, running towards Loona and Bea Santello.

“Loona! Bea!” Spike shouted frantically.

“Oh. You’re back,” Loona scowled.

“No time for that, Loona! We have a problem! Boar-men! Outside! With guns!”

“So?”

“We have to hide!”

Before another word was spoken between man and beasts, Loona’s ears twitched and her eyes widen in alarm as she immediately jerked her head up.

At that moment, a boar-man had poked his head through the breach of the shipwreck, holding his gun at the ready. The boat-men snorted as he sniffed the air, and cringed, judging by the way his head recoiled, as if he smelled something bad.

Spike looked to see the burning weed that Bea was holding in her hands. The boar-men must’ve smelled it and didn’t like the smoky stench.

After a moment, the boar-man shook his head, before turning his head, letting out a squeal to call for the rest of his herd.

Eventually, a whole squad of boar-men poured into the shipwreck, and started to pry open the crates with their tusks. They looked through the boxes, throwing it to the floor after they seemed to have turn up empty, and went to another crate. Some of them even shot the locks off the crates that were chained up.

Observing from his hiding spot, with Loona and Bea close, Spike asked, “What are they looking for?”

“How would we know?” Loona asked quietly.

The boar-men looked through the rummage of the ship when one of them found something that looked like a small briefcase. When the boar-man picked the thing up and opened it, his eyes widened when he sees a small orb-like object that emits a red glow.

“What is that?” Spike quietly asked, upon seeing the orb.

The boar-man lets out a loud squeal to alert his comrades of what he found. One of these boar-men, probably the leader, who had a darker shade of fur, longer tusks, and an eyepatch over his left eye, approached the boar-man with the briefcase. The boar-man showed the leader what was in the briefcase, after inspecting the object within the briefcase, the leader gave a quick nod to the boar-man before pointing at the exit.

The boar-man gave a quick nod back before sprinting out to the exit.

Soon after seeing his comrade gone out of sight, the leader snorted, saying something in pig squeals, most likely giving orders to the other boar-men.

With that, the boar-men proceeded to patrol the interior of the shipwreck, while the leader left through the exit. The beast-men proceeded to pry open the crates, searching for any more items worth salvaging. But for what purposes, neither Spike or the girls know.

Spike turned to the two Reverse-Hybrids, who were just as shocked.

“Did you two see that?” Spike gasped, breathlessly.

Neither Loona or Bea answered. They simply nodded their heads in response.

“Whatever that orb is, it can’t be good,” Spike panted heavily. “We need to get back to the village and warn the others about this.”

“For once, I agree with you human…” Loona said, squatting down on all four and crawled along the soggy floor. “Follow me.”

Spike and Beatrice both followed Loona’s example, creeping along the floor, hiding behind the crates to avoid being seen.

Spike was breathing heavily, practically hyperventilating, from the heart pounding tension of getting caught. It was really driving up his anxiety.

He could hear the boar-men snorting in low grunts from behind the crates. They sounded almost as if they were right next to him.

His anxiety is only furthered, knowing that these Beast-Men were carrying guns.

‘I know pigs are one of the smartest animals on Earth,’ Spike thought anxiously. ‘But are they really smart enough to know how to use a gun? I’d rather not take my chances…’

Spike kept on crawling after Loona and Bea, when the lid of a crate was suddenly dropped on top of his head.

“Ah!” He yelped quietly, hissing and swallowing in the pain.

This didn’t go unheard, unfortunately, as some of the Boar-Men squealed in alarm. The sound has confirmed the presence of intruders.

Spike quickly backtracked away and hid behind some crates, to avoid being seen. But the sound of the boar-men snorting and sniffing didn’t help with his growing anxiety.

Spike felt his whole body freezing up, covered in cold sweats that coated his whole body, his teeth chattering, his heart beating loudly in his ears, increasing with every seconds. Is this how he is going to die?

He almost felt as if the boar-men were just around the corner. They could either eat him, or shoot him, on the spot. He couldn’t decide which he would prefer. He didn’t want to die. Not like this.

Thankfully, the dread of death was relieved, like a heavy weight has been lifted off his shoulders, when the distant sound of scratching woods distracted the boar-men.

Soon enough, the sound of hoof steps and the boar-men snorting grow more quiet the further away they went.

Slowly and carefully peeking over the crate, Spike looked to see that neither Loona and Bea have left the shipwreck. Instead, they were sneaking and hiding behind some crates, with Bea beckoning Spike to come.

Spike immediately sprinted out from his hiding spot, dashing towards the Reverse-Hybrids, when a Boar-Man suddenly walked out from behind a stack of crate, and Spike crashed into him.

Freedom Planet Mix - Major Boss Battle (Original + Chiptune)

“OOF!!!” Spike grunted as he and the Boar-Man fell to the floor.

Spike scrambled up to his feet, but the Boar-Man had grabbed him by the shoulders and was holding the young man down with a strong, crushing grip.

“Let me go!” Spike struggled, kicking and punching at the Beast-Man, but to no avail.

The Boar-Man let out a dreadful high-pitch squeal, alerting the others to its location, while holding Spike in place.

Thankfully, a stack of crates had fallen on top of the Boar-Man’s reinforcements, cutting them off and slowing a few of them down.

With a loud bark, Loona lunged in and bit the boar by the throat, with Bea joining in to clamp her jaws around one of the swine’s arm.

With a twist of her neck, Bea ripped the Boar-Man’s arm off his shoulder, while Loona bites down hard on his throat so that his scream of agony could never escape his mouth. It was a bloody carnage, of predators hunting their prey.

Spike cringed and averted his eyes away from the bloody and gory sight. On one hand, he is scared to think that it could’ve been him. But on the other hand, he prayed for the Boar-Man’s former identity to be in a better place.

Spike looked down and noticed a label on the boar-man’s gun, reading: GladCo.

But he didn’t give much thoughts into it, when the other Boar-Men soon climbed over the fallen stack of crates, and started to open fire on Spike and the Reverse-Hybrids.

Spike ducked back down, with his hands covering his head, and his ears ringing from the loud gunshots.

He peeled his eyes open to see Beatrice picking up a crate and tossing it at the Boar-Men. Loona picked up a grenade and hurled it towards the Boar-Men.

But instead of an explosion, instead it exploded in an unusual cloud of green smokes. The Boar-Men ceased their fires, dropping their guns, and let out screams of agony.

Spike thought it must’ve been a tear gas. Instead, he was horrified to see most of the unfortunate pigs, covered in horrible blisters, as if the gas was corrosive and eating away their skins.

“What kind of grenade was that?!” Spike exclaimed in horror, ducking before another bullet could hit him.

Spike picked up one of the guns from the crates and started shooting wildly at all the boat-men in sight. However, the kickback from the gun was so strong that Spike ended up falling on his butt.

“How do they make it look so easy on television?” Spike asked.

Spike tried to shoot straight at the boar-men, until Loona walked over and yanked the firearm out of his hands, “GIVE ME THAT!!!”

With that, Loona proceeded to unload several rounds onto the boar-men. Spike could hardly believe what he was seeing, as Loona displayed remarkable intelligence, resourcefulness, in using the gun, and street smart in using the surround area to fight off the Boar-Men.

“What a dog!” Spike gasped.

Amidst the fight, a boar-man tackled Bea Santello. The boar-man pulled Bea Santello’s shirt up, exposing her breasts. Spike instantly covered his eyes with his hands, while Bea let out a high-pitch feminine scream.

Spike peeked through his fingers, to see that the pig’s attention wasn’t on Bea’s breasts, but more on her stomach.

The boar-man proceeded to rub on her tummy, attempting to soothe her to sleep, or at the very least, calm her down. But instead, Beatrice covered her breasts and punched the boar-man on the snout.

“Ooh! Right in the schnoz!” Spike winced, while Bea puts her shirt back on.

“Time to go!” Loona barked, leading Spike and Bea out of the shipwreck.

End of Fight

After escaping from the boar-men, the trio paused by the riverbank to catch their breaths.

“I think we’ve lost them!” Spike panted heavily. “Wow! That was really amazing back there!”

Spike ran up to Loona and Bea Santello, wildly expressing his newfound excitement rejuvenation.

“You were amazing! And you were amazing! Those pigs never saw it coming! And that says a lot because usually, scientists have said that pigs are smarter than dogs!”

Loona growled and shot Spike a death glare at that statement.

“Uh, except you, Loona! You’re very smart back there!” With that, Loona angry expression shifted to neutral as Spike turned to face Bea and continued, “And you were incredible back there, Bea! You showed that Boar-Man who’s boss!”

Bea simply nodded her head in acknowledgment.

“Phew! I never felt so alive!” Spike exclaimed. “Wow! What a rush of adrenaline that was! And the way we cheated death and back and…”

Spike looked back at the neutral expression on Loona and Bea’s faces.

Getting the hint that the feeling isn’t mutual and that the two Reverse-Hybrids are more annoyed than Spike’s enthusiasm, the young man wisely ended the conversation.

“…Maybe that’s enough excitement for one day,” Spike suggested quietly, trying not to invoke the hybrids’ ire than he already had. “Let’s go home…”

With that, Spike and the two Reverse-Hybrids followed the river, back to the village. On the way, Spike decided to strike up conversation.

“But seriously though, thanks for coming back for me,” Spike thanked the two girls. “I kinda thought you would’ve left me behind, back there.”

“…You’re welcome,” Loona replied surly. “But just so you know, I wasn’t doing it for you. I was doing it for…her.”

Loona pointed at Bea, who continued to smoke on her weed, indifferently.

“Spike friend of She-Beasts,” Bea replied. “Spike die, then She-Beasts mad.”

Spike simply shrugged and nodded his head.

“By the way, that was some nice shooting back there, Loona,” Spike complimented the wolf-dog.

“Thanks…” Loona replied, nonchalant.

“…If you don’t mind me asking, how did you learn to use a gun like that?”

“From my owner…I mean, back when he was my owner. My owner was a weird human, but I watched him and his pack members use a gun to hunt and kill other humans.”

“Interesting,” Spike quivered, tugging on his shirt, while sweating a storm. “Well, I have to say, you’re one smart dog.”

Spike notice that the edge of Loona’s lips curled up a little, nearly shaping into a smile. He looked down to see her tail wagging a little. She must be happy at his compliment.

Deciding to try and build up more on this, to establishing a genuine bond between the two, Spike continued, “I mean for real, we’re lucky to have you! I don’t know what me and Bea would ever do in that situation, if you weren’t there!”

“Yeah, well, just watch yourself, next time,” Loona advised. “I may not be there to bail you out a second time…”

Once again, there was just a moment of awkward silence between man and beasts.

“What is the problem?” Spike quietly muttered to himself, while also aiming towards Loona. “I was trying to compliment, and then you just…ruined the mood? Why?”

“Loona just insecure,” Bea Santello quietly answered, walking up to Spike’s side. “Loona not know love. Loona not know how to love. Loona had no friends.”

“Aw, that’s sad,” Spike frowned, pitying for the wolf-dog.

“Loona angry to hide sadness,” Bea added. “But Loona hate humans because humans hated Loona.”

Suddenly, without warning, Loona shoved Spike into Bea, all the while shouting, “BEA! HEADS UP!!”

Both Spike and Beatrice were so startled that neither of them could react in time, when Spike crashed into Bea, and they both fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Upon collecting themselves, Spike and Bea were wide-eyes at the shocking horror. Spike had kissed Beatrice, on the lips.

“AAAAAHHHH!!!” Spike and Beatrice screamed, and both of them worked up a drool as they spatted, while Loona was laughing to herself, amused at the scene in front of her.

“LOONA!!!” Spike shouted angrily.

“Hey, human?” Loona smirked. “I’d run if I were you.”

Spike turned and was horrified to see Bea Santello, so angry that she let out a furious rumbling growl that is as thunderous as a lion. She was baring her teeth and was stalking towards Spike.

“N-N-Now, Bea. D-D-Don’t look at me that way!” Spike pleaded desperately, before he turned and ran for his life.

“HUMAN GET BACK HERE!!!” Bea demanded, chasing after Spike.

“MAMA!!!” Spike screamed, running for his life, with Bea chasing him, while Loona was left alone, letting out a wheezing laugh.

‘For a human, he’s not so bad…a lot of fun, maybe,’ Loona thought to herself, while fidgeting her lighter, until she noticed she had successfully produced a small flame.

Dr. Grogar stared at the orb-like device in his hand, "It was about damn time that those scattered brain pigs found the power cell," He said before turning to a large cannon. The mad doctor approached the cannon and inserted into a slot of the massive gun. He then pressed a button, and the cannon began to charge up before it fired a red beam at a large statue which was blown to bits.

"Perfect..." Dr. Grogar said with a wicked grin before pressing another button which made the cannon turn into what looked to be a large robotic arm.

19 – Hello Kitty

Spike kept on running into the jungles of the island. He brushed through the exotic florals of the island, which cracked and rattled by his presence.

Spike didn't know exactly how long he had been running. To him, it felt like hours, given the excessive amount of grimy sweat he was soaked in, and the temperature of the air turning from the freezing morning to humid.

By the time Spike decided to stop, he was gasping for air, his lungs were burning, his legs were aching, his feet were sore, and his whole body ached from all the running. He had to stop to catch his breath. He rapidly inhaled and exhaled, until he was able to steady his breathing to a natural relaxing pace.

"Ten seconds in; ten seconds out," Spike breathed.

He looked behind him to see if Beatrice was still chasing him. He was both relieved and scared to see that the crocodile reverse-hybrid was nowhere in sight. On one hand, it would mean he has successfully lost the crocodile, and that she's given up and was no longer in pursuit of him. But on the other hand, it would mean that she could either be hiding and could pounce on him when he least expect it. Crocodiles are awfully known for their stealthy predatory.

However, if Beatrice wasn't hiding out of sight and she truly wasn't in pursuit of Spike, then this would mean that not only has Spike lost the crocodile, but he has also gone too far away from the village. He has not only lost the crocodile, but he has also lost himself, somewhere, in the jungle. He is lost.

"Oh, great..." Spike frowned in dismay at his predicament. "It's as the old same goes. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. I'm lost. Probably thousands of miles away from the village. And the odds are...I'm probably going to get mauled, or ripped to pieces..."

No matter where Spike looked, every part of the jungle looks the same. The trees are tall, with leaves and branches so thick that they blocked out the sun, so that little to no light could seep through.

There are no visible roads. No landmarks. And the only sounds that could be heard are the wind blowing across the florals, causing them to dance and sway in the breeze.

Furthermore, somewhere behind the trees, the hooting, howling, and calling of Dr. Grogar’s creatures can be heard.

“If I don’t find a way back home quick, I’ll be someone’s next meal,” Spike muttered to himself.

He has to admit, but the village has started to become his second home. Or at the very least, it felt like home for both him and the girls. He had a bed, a roof over his head, and foods which the girls provided for.

Upon thinking of the last part, Spike was struck with an epiphany. The girls really have provided all the food to eat. And how could they not?

They were genetically altered by a mad scientist to hunt, even kill for food, just to survive. And it got Spike thinking.

‘They did all the work,’ He thought to himself. ‘They pick the food. But what have I done for them in return?’

Spike thought back on his past experiences, since meeting the girls. He once saved them from a chimeric beast, and helped Twilight to salvage parts from Newt Chimera’s old ship to formulate their plan to escape. But that’s about it.

In the recent devil monkeys attack, he did nothing but hide, while the girls risked their lives, defending the village.

He didn’t hunt foods for them, since he was too uncomfortable at the thought of killing something, or someone who was originally a human. Like that one time he was against the idea of Rainbow Dash killing a fish-man.

At first, Spike was against it because he was afraid of descending into madness at the loss of his humanity. Or most of the time, because he was afraid of having a similar fate decided against his free will. Or maybe that was because, back when, he was afraid of the girls, much like how he was afraid every other women in the world.

But now, after everything, he has come to realize that they weren’t all dangerous or threatening he initially perceived them to be.

They are his friends and he had been taking them for granted.

‘I want to do something for them,’ Spike resolved mentally. ‘Maybe while I’m out here, I can probably look for some fruits to take back to the village.’

At the last part, Spike was struck with another sharp realization.

‘That is, hoping that the village isn’t too far away,’ Spike hoped.

The sun was shining high in the sky. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. By then, Spike was certain it was noon.

The young man wandered aimlessly through the jungle. Thankfully, he had found some edible fruits to take back to the village.

They were mostly mangoes, guavas, bananas, and some coconuts. Spike had eaten a few of them to save himself from the famine. But he was still hungry.

“Oh, at this point, I don’t even care anymore!” Spike moaned at the ravenous pit in his stomach. “One of Dr. Grogar’s boar-men sounded really tasty for bacon right now.”

Inhaling a strong gust of air, Spike let out a scream, “HEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!”

A few seconds have passed after Spike screamed for help. He sat down and waited for someone to come and find him. And hopefully, someone who isn’t threatening to kill him, like Shade Stalker.

Spike smacked himself on the forehead upon realizing at the last part.

‘Good thinking, Spike!’ Spike castigated himself mentally. ‘Now you’ve given yourself away to an even bigger predator! Now we’re all in danger of getting captured!’

Deciding not to stick around to find out, Spike got up and proceeded to resume walking through the jungle, searching for a way back to the village.

He kept walking for at least half an hour, and collecting some more fruits he figured the girls would appreciate, along the way.

Spike compromised using his shirt as a makeshift bag for him to carry the heavy loads of foods.

“Look at me, shirtless,” Spike muttered to himself. “Hope none of the girls sees me like this.”

Spike was never confident about his own body. He hardly has any muscles on him. He never quite saw himself as a bodybuilder, let alone have any reason to build up muscles for the intentions of impressing the ladies.

Spike just kept on carrying his load of fruits, determined to find his way back to the village. Hopefully, by then, Beatrice will have calmed down and have lost her intention of mauling Spike.

He hadn’t gotten far, however, when Spike heard the sounds of tapping footsteps, coming from the right. It sounded close, and it was pressing the underbrush.

It didn’t sound like a creature running. The pacing wasn’t fast enough. And it wasn’t slowing down, meaning it wasn’t a slow creature, or even an injured one. There was a certain rhythm to it. The kind of rhythm that dancers follow.

Curious, Spike decided to take a peek through the florals and was amazed to what he was seeing.

Dancing in a clearing, that looked as if it’s been tidied up, was Fleur-de-Lis.

The area around her was cleared of dead leaves, sticks, rocks, and any other objects that might’ve gotten in her way.

It also helped that a hole in the treetops allowed a ray of sunshine to shine through. Fleur was practically dancing in the spotlight.

And so the former She-Beast turned jungle woman was free to dance, without any disturbance, or any sort of interference.

Instead of recoiling at the amount of skin she was showing, nor did he cover his eyes, like normally would, Spike watched the show.

The young man watched the fluid movement of Fleur’s dance, following the wave of her arms, down to the sway of her hips, all emphasizing the curvaceous silhouette of her entire figure.

For the first time, Spike had taken notice of the tone of her muscular abs, complimenting her wide, ample hips supported by the thickness of her legs. Even more alluring, perhaps to lots of other men, besides Spike, is the bouncing of her well-endowed breasts.

Spike feels rather ashamed of himself for looking at Fleur like this, but his eyes just couldn’t look away from this hypnotic dance. To him, it was as if she was inviting him to ogle her, and beckoning him to come to her.

With his face heating up red from the embarrassment, or from the infatuation of the dance, the dancer, or the skimpy clothing she wore that hardly left anything to the imagination. Spike just couldn’t think clearly.

He forgot to look where he was going and tripped over a log. Before he could react, he already fell and hit his head against a rock, knocking him out cold.

“What happened?” Spike groaned, sitting himself up, with a throbbing pain on his forehead. “Ow, my head!”

Spike was interrupted when he bundle of hair rubbed itself, under his chin. He immediately blinked fully awake, when he felt a pair of soft mounds pressing against his chest.

He looked down, to see sure enough, Fleur was snuggling atop of him. What’s more, she had positioned her hands and feet atop his arms and legs, at the crucial points, keeping him pinned down.

“A-A-A-AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!” Spike screamed, trying to wriggle himself free.

But it was no use.

There can be no doubt. She had seduced him with her dance so that she could claim him all to herself.

For a jungle woman with her intellect deprived of common sense, or rationality, she’s as cunning as she is beautiful.

It’s possible that some amount of her intelligence, prior to Dr. Grogar’s experiment, were recovering. All the more reason for Spike to be afraid of her.

He looked up in horror, at the piercing violet eyes that stared into his soul. Fleur let out some vibrating chirping trills, as she closed the distance between her and Spike’s face.

Spike immediately shuts his eyes tightly and closed his mouth, turning his head away, bracing himself for what is to come.

He cringed as he felt the sticky wet texture of the woman’s tongue, stroking him across the cheek of his face. Even more alarming, the jungle woman proceeded to trail her lick, down his cheeks to the base of his neck, where she presumed to bite him.

“OW!!!” Spike yelled at the sharp pain.

It was so sudden and so painful, he lurched his whole body up, in response. His outburst was able to throw Fleur off, thus freeing him.

Spike immediately scrambled to his feet and tried to run, but Fleur was quick to chase after him, and pounced on top of his back.

“Get off of me, Sweetie! I mean, Fleur!” Spike grunted.

But Fleur wasn’t listening. Instead, she wrapped her arms and legs around Spike, and meowed in protest, every time he attempted to wriggle himself free.

“This is ridiculous!” Spike grumbled, and thought to himself at his predicament. ‘She’s not letting up. I gotta figure out someway to get out…I wonder.’

He looked down at Fleur, who was to busy snuggling against his bare chest to notice. Spike leaned his head forward and was able to clamp his mouth against her ear.

With that, Fleur ceased her antic. It was as if Spike’s sudden bold gesture had switched her off. But the loud, vibrating purr that escaped her confirmed her newfound arousal. Her ear is an erogenous zone.

Spike has dominated her.

Spike continued to suckle on Fleur’s ear, to render her completely helpless, and immobilized, until she was finally off of him.

Spike then got up on his feet, scrambled to pick up his shirt and the fruits he had dropped, and made a dash into the trees.

“OOF!” He grunted, when he collided, headfirst against someone, and they both fell to the ground.

“Ow!” The She-Beast grunted, revealing herself to be Sunset Shimmer.

Spike looked down to see his face was atop of her chest fur. He carefully got up, and awkwardly found himself straddling atop of Sunset’s midriff.

“Oh, Sunset!” Spike yelped, as he frantically got off the tiger-woman. “I’m sorry! I didn’t see you there!”

“That’s okay, Spike,” Sunset forgave him, as she brushes herself. “But what’s going on? I heard you screaming and…what happened to your shirt?”

“Long story short,” Spike began. “I may have accidentally kissed Beatrice. She got mad. Chased me into the jungle. I got lost, then I decided to pick fruits, and then I ran into her.”

He pointed at Fleur, who was rolling on her back, showing off her tone midriff. The jungle woman shot them an innocent look, but Spike knew otherwise.

“Oh my goodness, Spike!” Sunset exclaimed as she looked at his neck. “Is that a…a bruise?”

“Yeah. She bit me,” Spike confirmed. “How bad is it?”

“Hmmm. It doesn’t look too bad. It’s what we call a love bite, or a hickey. Totally normal.”

“Normal?!” Spike exclaimed in outrage. “Try sexual harassment! She seduces me, held me down against my Will, and then she…she bit me, and…that’s normal for you women?!”

“Spike, not every romantic advances are deemed sexual harassment,” Sunset replied. “And Fleur doesn’t know any better. I’m sure she didn’t mean any ill intent.”

As much as Spike wanted to argue, he was tired and he just wanted to get out of this awkward moment.

“Agree to disagree,” Spike sighed. “But now that you’re here, can you take us back to the village? Is it far?”

“Not at all.”

With that, Sunset walked over to some vines, pulling them back, like curtains, revealing the village, in sight. Except it was being surrounded by tall wooden poles, lined with thorny vines and branches that were sharpened into spears.

“What is all this?” Spike asked.

“Ever since the recent attack from those devil monkeys, we’ve been setting up defenses,” Sunset explained, as she took both Spike and Fleur into the village. “Watch your steps!”

Spike barely stopped, just in time, from putting his foot down on a pile of leaves.

“Sorry, Spike,” Sunset apologized, as she gently pulled Spike away, much to Fleur’s distinctive jealousy and annoyance. “We’ve been digging up and set some pitfall traps. Maybe a little too much…”

Just as Sunset finished explaining, an unfortunate Fluttershy had the misfortune to fall into one of the traps, “WHOA!!!”

“Fluttershy?!” Sunset called to the blind bat-woman.

“I’m okay,” Fluttershy groaned.

Not too far away, Pinkie Pie was testing out a giant slingshot she must’ve crafted, using two palm trees, and some vines for the sling.

“PULL!!” Pinkie Pie hollered, releasing the slingshot, firing a coconut, hitting Rainbow Dash in midair.

“OW!” The falcon-woman screeched. “Pinkie!”

Close by, Applejack was sharpening up some logs into spears to reinforce the walls, with Rarity keeping them together with vines.

Twilight was trying to teach Leggy Lamb and the other Reverse-Hybrids how to take shelter, in the events of another attack.

“As you can see, we’re still in the early stages,” Sunset Shimmer sighed. “It ain’t Fort Knox, but hopefully, it’ll keep us safe from whatever’s out there.”

Spike followed Sunset’s gaze and could feel the pit of his stomach with newfound dread. Just how many more dangers does he and the girls have to contend with? How much more can this one island have?

20 – Beep, Beep, I’m a Bat

That night, after an eventful day with Loona and Beatrice, and an awkward afternoon with Fleur, Spike was more than ready to hit the sack.

No sooner had he lay his head down, he already felt he was floating above the clouds, feeling light. He was at peace with the heavy weight of his existing and his attachments to the Earth releasing him to the heavens.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end.

Spike was rudely awaken by the sound of sheep bleating. He blinked his eyes open, which both felt sore and stinging, as if they were dried out by salt.

How long had he been asleep?

With a groan, while certain his eyes were colored in a pinkish hue, Spike sat up in his bed and looked out the window of his hut to see what the fuss was all about.

Though drowsy, and his vision blurry as they adjusted to the darkness of the night, Spike managed to catch a glimpse of some white cottons, leaving the village and into the jungle.

“Where are Kirin and Leggy running off to?” Spike asked himself.

Wanting to know what’s up, Spike got out of bed and was on his way out, when someone crashed into him, from the left. Next thing he knew, his face was enveloped by a whole pillow of fur with, what felt like, a couple of cushions the size of melons, smothering and crushing his head.

“Get off, get off, get off!!!” Spike screamed, muffled in the ground.

“Oh! Oh dear goodness!” Fluttershy screeched frantically, as she reached down for Spike, feeling him up. “Spike? Is that you?”

“No, it’s your grandma,” Spike replied in sarcasm. “But I got run over by a reindeer. Of course it’s me!”

“Oh my, I’m so sorry,” Fluttershy gingerly helped Spike up. “I…I…I…”

“It’s okay, Fluttershy,” Spike replied. “I understand.”

Fluttershy’s — or perhaps, Flutter Bat, as most of her friends have nicknamed — blindness is still a serious issue for the poor She-Beast.

Her clumsiness is a problem that nobody can hold against her. Instead, Dr. Grogar’s himself is to blame.

“Anyway, what’s up, Fluttershy?” Spike asked, wanting to get out of the awkward moment. “What’re you doing out so late?”

“I should probably ask you the same thing, Spike,” Fluttershy replied. “I may be blind, but I can tell from the temperatures in the air, the sounds of the crickets chirping, that it’s nighttime. Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?”

“I was…but then I heard Leggy and Kirin bleating and I saw them leaving the village.”

“Oh goodness! Are you sure?”

“Yeah?”

“OH NO! Why would they leave the village? It’s dangerous! The island is full of dangerous animals, especially at this time of night. We have to save them before something bad happens to them!”

Fluttershy immediately flapped her wings and proceeded to take flight.

“Wait, Fluttershy!” Spike shouted, stopping the bat. “They went the other direction.”

“Where?”

“Oh…right,” Spike groaned, contemplating on how to resolve Fluttershy’s blind issue. “Uh, here. Lower your head. Get down on your…thumb.”

“Huh? Okay?” Fluttershy complied, crouching down on her wings. “Um, may I ask why?”

As if answering the bat-woman’s question, Spike climbed onto Fluttershy’s back, positioning himself so that his legs were wrapped around Fluttershy’s waist, with his arms draped over Fluttershy’s wing joints.

“Uh, Spike?” Fluttershy squeaked, sounding flabbergasted. “What are you doing?”

“Uh…riding you, I guess,” Spike replied.

“…You’re riding me? Like a…a horse?”

“Don’t take it the wrong way. Think of yourself as a…a noble steed! This way, I can help you find your way through the jungle and you can take me anywhere I need to be.”

Spike cringed and nearly wanted to punch himself for his poor choice of words. Fluttershy response sounded less convincing.

“You think I’m a steed?” She asked, sounding incredulous. “Well, it’s better than being referred to as a doormat. I guess…”

“We can talk about this later,” Spike said, getting back on topic. “We have to find Kirin and Leggy…fast!”

“Okay,” With a flap of her wings, Fluttershy became airborne, with Spike onboard her back. “Where do we go?”

“Turn left,” Spike instructed. “No, turn right. Left! Stop! Go straight. Watch the tree! OW!”

“I think we need to take flight class…” Fluttershy muttered.

Out in the jungle of this dreadful island, in the dark of the night, she came for a drink of water, with her child.

Leggy Lamb couldn’t get any sleep. Not with her adopted son, Kirin, pestering her nonstop for a drink of water.

So they went to the river for a drink of water.

Leggy watched with pride and joy as little Kirin bent down to lap up the waters on his tongue. Seeing the little lamb like this brings satisfaction to the anthropomorphic ewe. At the very least, another sheep, whom she regarded as her own can live a normal life.

Leggy looked down at her reflection in the water. But instead of a sheep, she was greeted by a bizarre creature that is neither man, or sheep.

What has become of her? What has the awful human done to her body? She has the body of a female human, yet her face, and her instincts remain. But now, her mentality is conflicted by these new thoughts.

She can talk, she can think, but she wish she wasn’t. She was in so much pain.

She could no longer live the life she had as a normal sheep. Every steps she takes on her feet, painful sensations would shot up, all over her body. As if the needles that awful man had used to cut her open, breaking her bones, and performed other torturous procedures were still inside of her.

Worse still, for her, her precious coat of wools were all sheared off. The only remnants she had left were the ones on her head, the front of her chest, and a large tufts between her legs.

This made her feel vulnerable to the island’s breezy air, and to the eyes of every creatures staring at her. Any one of them would instantly be hungry for a piece of lamb.

‘Why is this happening to me?’ She asked herself mentally, questioning her existence. ‘Why am I sexy? Why am I so sexy?’

She just wanted to cry, right then and there. But she restrained herself for the sake of her son.

Suddenly, Leggy’s nose twitched upon smelling a bizarre fragrant stench. It smelled bitter, and revolting. It was so horrible, that it made her sick to the stomach.

Furthermore, it had a smell of blood. An animal’s blood. The sort of sour and bitter aroma that is a scent of death. Something dangerous lurked nearby, and it had recently killed another animal.

Reacting on parental instinct, Leggy reached out and pulled Kirin close. She hoped to at least put herself between the threat to keep her little lamb safe.

Her ears immediately stood up, turning in every directions to listen for sounds in every directions. She can hear the drumming beat of her heart, her own breathing, as well as Kirin’s.

She sniffed the air again, to determine the where the danger is coming from. The smell was fresh as it pungent that she almost gagged at the raw stench of blood.

But what was the most alarming of all was the sound of bones crunching and something snarling. Meaning something was eating. Some kind of predator, no doubt.

Very carefully, slowly moving behind a tree, being careful with where she steps, Leggy looked. And she immediately regrets with what she sees.

Out of impulses she has yet to understand, Leggy covered little Kirin’s eyes. She doesn’t know why, but she just wanted to spare the little lamb of a gruesome sight.

Close to the riverbank, but far enough to not contaminate the water, is the carcass of a half-eaten cow. Eating away at what's left of the cow are a pack of Raptorians. The same monstrous feathered dog-like creatures that Leggy barely escaped from, back when she first met Spike, the tiger-woman called Sunset Shimmer, and the strange woman who was formerly dubbed Sweetie, but now referred to as Fleur.

The only reason these Raptorians didn't eat her and her companions back when was because they were frightened off by a bigger danger. The danger called Tirek, she recalls.

Not wanting to stick around any longer to become their next meal, Leggy held Kirin closer, tightening her grip on him. Leggy stepped away, intending on returning to the safety of the village, when suddenly, she had inadvertently stepped on a twig.

*SNAP

In response, Leggy stood still as a tree. Unfortunately, the sound didn't go unheard.

The Raptorians let out startled barks. One of them can be heard sniffing the air. The Raptorians are on the hunt. The leaves from the nearest shrubs shake and rattle as the feathered-dogs brushed through them.

Two of them have leapt into view. But by then, Leggy had concealed herself and Kirin in the bushes, covered with flowers. That way, they can hide out of sight, and hide their scents.

With her hands wrapped around Kirin, preventing him from running and screaming, Leggy pulled him deeper into the bush.

The anthropomorphic motherly sheep didn’t get any deeper, unfortunately, when she felt something long, thick, and sharp sticking into a place it shouldn’t be.

Leggy almost yelped out of impulse at this awkward predicament. Her eyes began to water. It was so embarrassing, and painful. But for some reason, it was—as humans would say—turning her on.

It was driving her crazy, she felt the urge to bounce around. But she resisted, because she knows that such erotic notion would result in her’s and her son’s cruel and painful death.

The Raptors outside continued to hunt the area, sniffing the air, but failing to locate both mother and son.

Suddenly, something wet dripped down from the treetops, and splattered on top of Leggy’s head. It was disgusting, and it smelled horrible.

Thankfully, at that moment, the Raptorians came to sniff at the substance. Whatever it is, the Raptorians didn’t like the smell of it. They seemed to be both disgusted and frightened.

Whatever reasons it may be, the feathered dog-like creatures took off, in a yelp.

Leggy looked up, and her fears were immediately realized to see a pair of glowing red eyes. They stared intently at both her and Kirin. They even appeared to be staring into her very being.

Barely illuminated by the little amount of moonlight, shining through the openings in the treetops, the silhouette of a misshapen creature can be seen.

At this point, she no longer cared if she was bald, vulnerable, or even having an offending twig in her personal area. She’s more afraid than embarrassed and she didn’t know why.

“Leggy? Kirin?”

Leggy and Kirin nearly bleated in fright, upon hearing the shout. They looked up and we’re relieved to see that it was only the man named Spike, and the huge bat creature called Flutter Bat.

Little Kirin bleated as he ran away from his mother, straight towards the man, who climbed off of Flutter Bat.

Leggy immediately followed, and brushed the twig out of her crotch. At least she didn’t have to concern herself with marrying, or mating, the shrub.

However, out of impulse, Leggy felt her face heating up. She feels rather flustered to be seen by Spike, every time. So much that she would cover herself with her arms and legs as much as possible.

“What do you think you are doing?” Spike asked. “You shouldn’t be out here. C’mon, lets get back into the village.”

Leggy bleated, trying her best to explain and to warn Spike and Flutter Bat of the danger.

“Me…Kirin…water…drink. Danger!” Leggy tried to explain.

“What?” Spike replied, with a confused expression on his face.

“Danger…danger!” Leggy pointed up to the free, but was perplexed to find the tree branches were empty.

It looked as if there’s nothing there.

Spike looked at Leggy, simply shaking his head, “Come on. Let’s go.”

“Hold on, Spike…” Fluttershy stopped.

Leggy watched as the strange bat creature turned her ears in different directions. Could it be the bat creature is hearing the danger?

“Uh oh…Spike?” Fluttershy whimpered. “We’re not alone…”

“And…what gave that away?” Spike asked.

“Shhh!” The bat creature shushed, immediately silencing Spike.

It was at that moment, the sound of a low, vibrating growl can be heard. Leggy frantically turned her head in different directions, searching for the danger in the treetops.

But all she could hear was the rapid drumming of her heartbeat, combined with the sweat coating her exposed skin, tied together to the anxiety of her fear.

Even when she was just an ordinary sheep, she’s always been afraid. But never this much. Is this how it is to fear as humans fear? Is she becoming human?

She didn’t think much on the questions. She just wanted to know where the danger is and how to escape it.

Both she and Flutter Bat listened to the ambient sounds of the jungle, determined to distinguish anything out of the ordinary. But then, there was silence.

Is it over? Has the danger passed?

“Can we go now?” Spike asked, with a slight tremble in his voice.

Before they could, however, all three animals and human saw something in the trees that stopped them in their tracks.

An eerie ball of light was dancing in the trees, barely touching the tall grass. The way it moved, so smooth and so natural, made it looked as if it was a living creature. But all the same, the glow was too intense and neither too bright, or too dim, to be made by a bug. Or fire.

Curiosity against their better judgement, the group cautiously stepped towards the light, all sharing the intent to see what it really is.

Spike picked up a stick, careful touching the light, which immediately bounced from the touch.

Still, the light remained. It didn’t get very far, but the light was hovering above their heads, out of reach. Leggy and the others watch as the light danced in the air, flying circles around them.

Everyone find it relieving at first. But then, Leggy’s nose twitched again to the familiar smell of danger from before. The sheep looked up and all warm good feelings she had were immediate drained away. Replaced with the cold grip of dread, she was certain her exposed skin has turned whiter than the remaining wools she has.

“Baaah!” Leggy yelped, alerting the others.

Everyone all looked in the same direction she was staring, and she can tell, by the expressions on their faces, they share her fear.

“Good feelings gone,” Spike whimpered.

With a loud bloodcurdling roar, a massive dark figure dropped down from the branches, slicing its massive paws and snapped its fangs at the group.

Leggy picked up Kirin in her arms and ran into the shrubs of the jungles, while Spike took Flutter Bat by the wings and took her elsewhere.

Leggy looked behind her and she was horrified to see the monster had its eyes on her, and Kirin. It was hunting them. Worst still, it was all dark in color, making it hard to be seen, in front of her, in the dark of the night.

Leggy kept running as fast as her human legs could carry her. Though, she misses the days when she can gallop at full speed, on all four hooves. Back when she had hooves, to say the least. But Leggy can’t think about that in the spur of the moment. She just has to get herself and Kirin out of harm’s way.

But in her haste, she tripped over a log, causing her to fall and drop Kirin. Her child rolled out of her arms. She looked up to her son, just in time to see the look of dread on his face.

Before she had time to get up, Leggy felt something cold and sharp piercing her legs. She howled and bleated at the agonizing pain.

She tries to get up…except she couldn’t feel her legs, or even move. She couldn’t even crawl away to escape. She couldn’t feel her hands or any parts of her body. She’s trapped in her own body.

The horrible realization took ahold of her as she acknowledges the horror that she was helpless on the ground. She was paralyzed and could do nothing to save herself, or her son. She couldn’t even turn her head to see the approaching danger of the predator that caught up to her.

Tears in her eyes, the foul smell of blood, the cold grimy sweat that coated the skin of her whole body, even Kirin’s frantic cry was all overwhelming for her to process.

Is this all over for her? Is this how she dies?

She just closed her eyes, bracing herself for the killing blow.

A few moments earlier…

Fluttershy had no idea where she was going. All that she knew, from Spike, was that Leggy and Kirin have left the village for whatever reason and the both of them are now in perilous danger.

They must be saved. But first, they needed to be found.

It’s just a question of figuring out how and where. How can a blind woman-bat like her find two little lost sheep? And where are they? Or where are she and Spike in the jungle?

Spike’s compromise was for him to navigate, on her back.

“Turn left,” Spike instructed. “No, turn right. Left! Stop! Go straight. Watch the tree!”

Fluttershy was able to fly safely pass the tree. But judging by the wrenched sound of a branch snapping and leaves rustling, Spike wasn’t so fortunate.

“OW!” Spike groaned, to which Fluttershy is certain he’ll have bruises in the coming days.

“I think we need to take flight class…” Fluttershy muttered as she continued to flap her wings in the blinding darkness.

“I’m okay, Flutter Bat,” Spike sniffed, sounding stuffy in the nose. “Let’s just take it easy and fly slowly.”

“I…I don’t know if I can!” Fluttershy squeaked, frightfully. “I can’t even tell how fast I’m flying!”

“You’re doing fine. Don’t panic!”

“I am panicking! I’m flying! I’m blind! And I’m—“

“Lean right! Right, RIGHT!!!” Spike screamed loudly, tugging Fluttershy’s scruff to the right, shifting his weight int he said direction.

“AAAHHHH!!!” Fluttershy screamed, rolling to the right, and her toes barely brushing the bark of a tree.

“Whoa!” Spike yelped, to which Fluttershy could feel the man bouncing himself up on her back, shifting to the left, to set himself upright.

“Spike! Are you okay?” Fluttershy whimpered.

“I’m fine, Flutter Bat,” Spike can be heard muttering. “Anyway, you’re good at hearing. How far are they?”

While Fluttershy is unable to see, her hearing makes up for it. It was almost as if Dr. Grogar’s experiment had sharpen her hearing, but at the cost of her eyes.

It was almost indescribable. She could hear the cry of animal and could almost determine its exact location, near or far. This is perhaps the first time she’s gotten to explore with her hearing.

The woman-bat turned her ears to listen for the bleating of the sheep, which didn’t take long.

“I could almost hear Leggy’s baa!” Fluttershy screeched. “She sounded distress. She must be in trouble!”

“Then head towards it!” Spike instructed.

“But…what if I crash into a tree?” Fluttershy asked worryingly.

“You won’t! Don’t worry,” The man reassured. “I’ll worry for both of us…”

Unsure of what Spike meant at the last part, Fluttershy found it comforting that the man hasn’t given up on her. It made her more comfortable to know that she at least has someone to guide her through this darkness.

“I see them!” Spike shouted. “They’re down there, by the river! Slow your wing flaps.”

“Ok.” Fluttershy did as she was told.

“Gently glide down.”

“Alright.”

“Prepare to land, so stick your feet out and your knees bent.”

Feeling the wind in her face, Fluttershy was thankful for her wings slowing her descent, like parachute.

Upon touching the ground, her feet nearly skidded across the forest’s dirt. The follow through of her landing caused her upper body to lurch forward, which nearly through Spike off her back.

“Leggy? Kirin?” Spike called, as Fluttershy can feel a weight lifting and falling off her shoulders.

Fluttershy could hear the sounds of a single boot running, followed by the bleating cry of a little lamb, a full grown ewe, close to running waters in the river.

“What do you think you are doing?” Spike asked. “You shouldn’t be out here. C’mon, lets get back into the village.”

“Me…Kirin…water…drink. Danger!” Leggy bleated in broken English.

“What?” Spike replied.

“Danger…danger!” Leggy bleated, sounding even more frantic.

Even if Fluttershy can’t see, judging by the frantic tone and the urgency in the high pitch of Leggy’s bleat, it’s obvious she was in distress.

Perhaps the sheep is alerted by something very dangerous in the area. But what could it be? Fluttershy resolved to try and listen for it.

“Come on. Let’s go,” Spike said, with an urgent tone.

“Hold on, Spike…” Fluttershy stopped.

Fluttershy perked her ears up and listened intently. And that was when suddenly, she heard the low growl of an animal. It sounded loud, and vibrating, like that of a lion.

“Uh oh…Spike?” Fluttershy whimpered. “We’re not alone…”

“And…what gave that away?”

“Shhh!”

It was at that moment, the sound of a low, vibrating growl can be heard. Fluttershy turned her head, with her ears following in the direction the sound was coming from.

She listened to the ambient sounds of the jungle, determined to distinguish anything out of the ordinary. There was a faint sound of something breathing and it was moving in the branches, above her head.

It was moving very slowly. A faint hissing can be heard, with a strong and foul scent of bitter air, which Fluttershy recoiled at the smell.

Whatever it was, it was hunting them.

“Can we go now?” Spike asked, with a slight tremble in his voice.

Fluttershy didn’t answer. If she could see, then she might be able to see for herself what kind of animal is hunting her and her friends. Unless it’s not an animal, but another of Dr. Grogar’s monstrosities.

Yet, all the same, in spite of their differences, Fluttershy can’t help but consider some of Grogar’s creations as living creatures.

They breathe the same air, they share the same sky, and they live on the same planet, on the same island she and her fellow She-Beasts have been trapped on, for the previous number of months.

It was only a miracle that Fluttershy and her friends were able to preserve their humanities. But for how much longer before they become as aimless, or worst, brain dead as Fleur-de-Lis?

“Baaah!” Leggy yelped, practically sounding the alarm.

“Good feelings gone,” Spike whimpered.

Before Fluttershy could ask, the sudden screeching roar of a lion was heard, followed by the sound of the tree branches shaking, and the sound of something large and heavy landing on the ground.

It sounded big, estimated to be the size of a lion, or a panther, judging by the loud audible thud created from the crushing of the twigs and underbrush.

Next, Fluttershy was alarmed to hear the sounds of sheep bleating, with the rhythmic footsteps pressing atop of the grasses. Leggy and Kirin were on the run.

“Oh! Goodness! What’s happening?” Fluttershy asked frantically.

“In a nutshell: Leggy and Kirin are in trouble! I have to save them!” Spike said frantically.

“What about me?” Fluttershy asked. “What should I do?”

“Go back to the village and get the others!” Spike answered.

“But…I can’t!” Fluttershy whimpered. “I don’t know where—“

“Fluttershy! There’s no time for this! You gotta fly back to the village, and hurry! You can do it! Just call out for the others and you can follow their voices!”

Though unsure, time is of the essence, and Fluttershy nodded in compliance.

“Okay, Spike…” What happened next, caught Fluttershy so much by surprise that all her doubts and worries instantly fell off her back.

She felt Spike’s hands on her cheeks, pulling her closer to him, and she felt his lips kissing her.

“Go get ‘em, Flutter Bat! I believe in you!” Spike said, as the sound of his footsteps left her alone in an awkward silence.

Fluttershy stood still as a statue, struggling to process what had happened. Every time the realization replayed in her mind, over and over again, her heart was beating faster with every seconds. Her chest was swelling beneath her scruff, with her face heating from a newfound love struck.

“Oh my,” Fluttershy whispered. “He kissed me!”

With a happy trill, Fluttershy flapped her wings and immediately take to the air, screeching, “HE LOVES ME!!!”

Out of impulse, Fluttershy proceeded to fly some loops and danced happily in the air, in some twirls.

In that moment, Fluttershy’s empty blinding darkness faded away and she found herself flying above the clouds.

And there, standing above the clouds, in front of her, bathing in an bright sunny aura that is divine to the eyes, like an angel, is Spike himself.

Fluttershy happily flapped her wings and flies after Spike, with the loving intent for another kiss.

“Oh Spike~” Fluttershy sighed heavily. “What is this feeling? What have you done to me? I…I…”

“Fluttershy?” A voice called, startling the woman-bat out of her happy little world, plunging her into darkness.

Once again, blinded, Fluttershy dropped out of the sky, and crashed into a mass of feathers. And hearing the grunt of a female, there is no mistake, she crashed into Rainbow Dash.

“He kissed me~” Fluttershy said happily in a hush tone.

“Fluttershy? Are you alright?” Rainbow Dash asked. “What’s going on?”

Meanwhile, with Leggy and Kirin in mortal danger, Spike gave chase after the two sheep and the predator that was chasing them.

He hoped that Fluttershy can find her way to the village and return back in time with help.

‘Why did I just kissed her like that?’ Spike thought to himself, and realizing, ‘Wait. I KISSED HER?!’

Spike’s bewildered thoughts were soon interrupted and brought back to reality, by the scream of Leggy and Kirin.

Remembering the current situation, Spike kicked his legs and ran like he never ran before. He quickly caught up to the two sheep, and he was stunned to see the attacker’s appearance.

Barely illuminated by the light at the tip of its tail, the creature is revealed to have the face of a man, with jaws that jutted out like a goblin shark, with teeth as jagged and sharp as a piranha’s, a shark’s, or a lamprey’s. The body of a large black panther, covered in quills. The tail resembles that of a scorpion, with the tip glowing a luminescent light — the same mesmerizing ball of light from earlier — all covered in thorn-like spikes.

It bears a striking resemblance of a manticore – a mythical creature from Persian and Indian Legends.

Not too far from the manticore, Leggy was sprawled across the grass, with little Kirin bleating helplessly from a distance. The adult anthropomorphic sheep has some matching quills, from the manticore's, punctured in her thighs. Leggy was hardly moving. Almost as if she had been petrified on the spot. The manticore's quills must be poisoned.

The predator was closing in for the kill. Spike needed to act fast, or Leggy Lambs is lamb chops. Looking around the area, searching for something he can use to distract the creature, Spike picked up a rock.

"HEY, YOU UGLY CAT!" Spike shouted, throwing the rock at the manticore, hitting it on the head.

With an angry snarl, the manticore turned its hideous face and let out an unsettling hiss, with its large, seemingly lifeless eyes glaring intently into Spike's soul.

"Come and get me!" Spike stammered on his words.

In truth, he has no idea what he was doing. But in his mind, without a doubt, any rational person would say that he's being suicidal. Still, for Leggy's sake, he has to do something to save the sheep.

'Ugh, no sheep, or any females are worth this...' Spike thought to himself, as he ran for his life, pursued by the manticore.

With nothing but the dark thickets of the jungle in front of him, with little to no lightings from the top, Spike staggered and tripped over the vines and roots of the jungle. The branches snapped and scratched at his arms and legs. Behind him, the manticore can be heard roaring, growling, and hissing at its attempts to catch the young man.

But then, in the blinding darkness, Spike ran his face into a tree branch, disorienting him and he fell to the ground, on his back.

"Ow..." Spike moaned, wobbling as he rolled onto his hands and legs, with the putrid smell of fresh blood wafting from his nose, trickling down his lips, letting him taste the bitter flavor on his tongue. "Gross..."

Moaning at the bloody nose he'll have in the coming days, Spike got up and searched the dark trees for any sign of the manticore's light. He didn't have to look for long, when his ears perked up in alarm to the sound of chittering rumbling rhythm of low hissing growls.

'Where the hell is that thing?' Spike mentally asked himself in his frantic thoughts.

If the night wasn't so dark, then he could probably be able to see it moving within the trees. Instead, in the darkness, Spike had to rely on his senses of hearings. He turned to the left, then to the right, listening for any sounds of movements, or for the spotlight on its tail.

Suddenly, without warning, a gentle leaf fell down and lightly touched at the top of Spike's head, alerting him to look up, feeling himself widening his eyes, with the cold wetness of fear in his pants, to see two large glowing eyes staring back at him from the treetops.

"OH CRAP!" Spike yelped as he backed away and tripped over a log, causing him to fall on his rear end.

With a loud roar, the manticore jumped down from its perch. Spike ducked his head, behind the log, with his hands over his head, to avoid a swipe of its claws and tail, even a snap of its jaws.

Overhead, the cracking sound of woods breaking and splintering can be heard. The manticore had swung its tail at Spike, but had unwittingly got itself stuck in the thick barks of a nearby tree. Not waiting around for the manticore to pull itself free, Spike gingerly crawled across the forest floor, hoping to sneak away, undetected.

Once he was certain he was at a safe distance, Spike sprinted on his feet and ran back to Leggy and Kirin, with the latter struggling to help the former up.

"Stand back, Kirin," Spike ushered the little lamb as he bent down and gently wrapped one of Leggy's arms around his shoulder. "I've got ya, Leggy. Let's get back to the village before...Uh oh."

The three hadn't gotten very far, when they were stopped in their path, by the sudden appearance of the manticore.

"Well, it's been...it's been nice knowing you," Spike said to Leggy, as he instinctively held her close, putting himself between her and the Manticore, with his back facing the predator.

Spike wondered why he was doing it. Why was he so willingly offering himself up to the beast, for a couple of sheep like Leggy and Kirin? Why didn't he just run and try to save his own skin? Has he lost his mind?

Nevertheless, Spike held Leggy close, shutting his eyes tightly as he braced himself for the killing blow. But it didn't come. Why isn't it getting it over with already?

Curious, while cautious of what he might see, Spike slowly turned his head around to see a rather peculiar sight. Instead of proceeding to maul both him and the sheep, the manticore appeared to be mesmerized by a swarm of fireflies. Fireflies that were startled and disturbed by the commotion, causing them to fly from the grasses, as if they were sparks of fire, ignited in a blazing inferno.

"Uh...what just happened?" Spike asked, before ultimately deciding not wanting to stick around for an answer.

Using the opportunity, Spike took both Leggy and Kirin in the opposite direction of the manticore, hoping to find somewhere to hide, for the time being.

“I hope we lost it,” Spike said, as he hides himself and the sheep under a rocky structure.

“Leggy? How are you feeling? You alright?” Spike asked, looking to the sheep, who let out a quiet bleat that sounded more of a trill.

Spike pressed an his ear against her chest to hear that her heart was beating fast, if not rapidly. It sounded rather irregular, for a sheep, compared to a human’s regular heartbeat.

The man placed a hand, up to her forehead, checking that her temperature is rather hot than normal. She must be having a fever.

“Just hang in there, Leggy,” Spike tried his best to comfort the sheep. “We’ll get out of this…somehow.”

Spike wrapped his arms around Leggy and pulled her close. He was doing his best to comfort her the best to his abilities. Out of impulse, his fingers, unwittingly, proceeded to pet and stroke her hair.

At first silent, Leggy spoke up, in a bleating whisper, “Spike…”

“Yes?”

“Why…Spike…help me…and Kirin?” Leggy asked. “We…hurt. Spike…no…leave us?”

“Well, sheep or not, I can’t leave you two unprotected,” Spike replied. “It’s just not right…”

“Human Spike is crazy,” Leggy commented in more broken English. “Crazy, stupid, and brave…”

“Well, people do crazy things when they’re…when they’re…”

Spike almost said love, as if to say that he’s in love with Leggy. This wasn’t the case as he was simply quoting a popular quote from a Disney movie, that: “People do crazy things when they’re in love.”

Thankfully, he corrected himself.

“When they’re protecting their friends,” He said.

Leggy didn’t say anything, but bleated that sounded like a purr.

Before the tenderness between man and sheep could continue, Kirin suddenly sprang to life and bleated in alarm.

“Kirin! No! Shush!” Spike shushed to the little lamb. But it was too late.

Before long, the familiar haunting chitter of the manticore can be heard, as the beast made its presence known. From the tall grasses, the manticore’s ball of light emerged from the florals, dancing in the air, in another attempt to lure its preys out of hiding.

Spike held Leggy close, without knowing he had wrapped one arm across her wool covered breasts, and another arm across her midriff with his hand across her crotch.

Leggy almost let out a bleat, alarmed by such physical contacts. She was immediately silenced, however, when Spike gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

Once again, Spike questioned himself on why he did what he just did, like he did with Fluttershy.

Meanwhile, Kirin pawed at the ground with his hooves, lowering his head down, horns at the ready to defend his adopted mom. Although, it’s apparent, the odds of a normal sheep, like him, fighting and surviving a manticore are slim to none.

Suddenly, without warning, the manticore finally revealed itself when it emerged from the tall grasses, like a ghost, with its blank, lifeless eyes staring into the hearts and souls of Spike and his companions.

The manticore looked at its three cornered preys, as if deciding its next move. Such as deciding who to eat first.

Tired and frustrated from feeling all helpless and scared, Spike let go of Leggy, pulled Kirin away, and stood in between the beast and the sheep.

“What are you waiting for?!” Spike screamed loudly at the manticore, watching it reel its head back in surprise at the man’s outburst.

“You hungry? EAT ME! EAT ME!!!” Spike screamed in defiant.

Spike, at this point, no longer cares about what becomes of him. If he is going to die, then at the very least, he died knowing that he protected someone.

As if complying at his demands, the manticore let out a bloodcurdling shriek as it thrusted its tail forward and stabbed Spike on the shoulder.

It was so sharp, yet so quick, that Spike hardly knew he was stung. Overwhelmed by the shock, Spike immediately collapsed to the ground. All he could do was look up to the starry night sky, feeling the ground trembling as the manticore was on the move to collect its latest meal.

It got closer, closer, and closer, until…

“HEY, UGLY!” Cried the screech of a falcon-woman. “PICK ON YOUR OWN SIZE!!!”

Soon, a new sound was filled in the air. The sound of Rainbow Dash screeching and the manticore roaring angrily, yowling in frustration for having its hunt disrupted.

But Rainbow Dash wasn’t the only one. Soon, just about a whole army of She-Beasts, and some Reverse-Hybrids, were heard, screaming, yelling, shaking the ground, charging at the beast. The sound of a battle.

A falcon screeching, a tiger roaring, to the sound of canines barking.

Spike listened to the sound of a scuffle, as everyone all drove off the manticore. The rustling sounds of the nearby florals were the tattletale signs of the beast retreating into the woods.

Spike felt a huge relief washing over him, and his frantic heartbeat came to a steady calming beat. That is, until a foot stepped on the side of his head, nearly crushing him.

“Spike? Spike? Where are you Spike?” Fluttershy called.

“You’re…standing on me!” Spike groaned, which thankfully didn’t go unheard.

“OH! I’m sorry, Spike!” Fluttershy frantically apologized, reaching down to pick the man up.

Much to Spike's embarrassment, Fluttershy had blindly picked him up by the waist and was holding him upside-down, so that she was talking to his backside.

"Are you alright?" Fluttershy continued to ask frantically brushing her wings across, what she assumed was his face. "Here, let me clean you up."

Spike let out a squeak, struggling to hold in a scream, with his face turning a shade of pink at the sensation of the She-Beast fondling with his butt. Even if it's not exactly her fault. The other She-Beasts and some Reverse-Hybrids couldn't help but laugh at the awkward sight, until Applejack came over to break it up.

“We came as soon as Fluttershy told us,” Applejack said. “Thank goodness we found y’all in time.”

“Still, have you lost your mind, Spike?!” Rainbow squawked. “Standing up to a monster like that? What? Do you have a death wish, or something?!”

“Everyone STAND BACK!!!” Fluttershy let out a deafening screech. “Give Spike some air! Both he and the poor sheep have had a horrible night!”

“Fluttershy’s right,” Sunset was heard calling. “Come on. We have to get them back to the village.”

With that, every She-Beasts present carried Spike and the sheep back to the village. Spike strained to turn his head, managing a glimpse of Leggy Lamb in the arms of Sunset Shimmer.

Little Kirin stayed close by Leggy's side, wanting his adopted mother to be safe.

Once back in the village, Spike and Leggy were treated to their wounds in the medical hut.

Twilight had put one of her hands on Spike's forehead, to check his temperature, while her other hand was feeling one of his wrists, checking for pulses from his heart.

The rest of the girls and Kirin were gathered around the two victims, anxiously awaiting to hear the news of their conditions.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is it?” Spike asked.

“Well, Spike,” Twilight began. “I have good news and bad news.”

“What’s the good news?” Fluttershy asked.

“The good news is: you’re not going to die!“ Twilight confirmed, to the relief of Spike and Leggy.

“Yay!” Fluttershy cheered quietly.

“But then, what’s the bad news?” Spike asked, on behalf of Leggy.

“The bad news is: you’re stuck paralyzed like this, unless you could get the poison out of your systems.”

“And how do we do that?” Rainbow Dash asked, when she suddenly noticed Fluttershy approaching Spike. “Uh, Flutters? What are you doing?”

But Fluttershy didn’t answer. Instead, she appeared to be letting instincts take her over. The bat-woman lowered her nose towards Spike, sniffing him across the head and shoulders, until her nose was pointing directly at the wound, where the manticore had stung him.

“Fluttershy?” Spike asked.

Then, without warning, Fluttershy opened her mouth to reveal a pair of sharp fangs, which she used to gently cut a bigger hole in the skin.

“AH! I’ve been bitten!” Spike moaned in pain, rather dramatically.

“Oh no!” Pinkie Pie screamed, playing up on the drama. “Fluttershy is turning Spike into a vampire!”

“Pinkie…” Sunset scolded.

“What’s she doing?” Rainbow asked.

“Just watch,” Applejack advised.

Everyone watched as Spike’s blood proceeds to flow even more freely, while Fluttershy proceeded to lap up the blood, with her tongue. The bat-woman spits out some of the bloods that were most likely contaminated by the manticore’s poison.

This kept on going until Spike was able to move his whole body again.

“Wow!” Spike gasped. “I can feel my fingers and toes again! Thanks Fluttershy!”

“You’re welcome, Spike!” Fluttershy smiled.

“Now that Spike’s cured,” Applejack turns to Leggy Lamb, pointing, “Let’s give Leggy the same treatment!”

“Okay. Where’s the sting?” Fluttershy asked.

“On…leg,” Leggy bleated.

Fluttershy stumbled blindly for a while, until Spike helps guiding her snout, pointing it directly at the spot, the manticore had stung her. Like before with Spike, Fluttershy proceeded to bite into the wound, to lap up the blood, removing the poison.

“Um, I think that’s done,” Fluttershy confirmed.

“Wow, Fluttershy. I’m impressed with you!” Rainbow Dash complimented. “How do you know where the poisons are? Is that part of being a fruit bat?”

“Not really,” Spike spoke up, as he begins to explain, “If I know my bats, that’s actually one of the perks for a vampire bat. They have a special sensor in their noses, that lets them detect where the warmest blood flow is, and bite it, to drink them.”

“Are you saying Fluttershy’s a mix between a fruit bat and a vampire bat?” Applejack asked.

“A vampire fruit bat…” Rainbow Dash worded. “Huh. It’s got a nice ring to it.”

“Actually, now that you mentioned it,” Twilight began. “It makes a lot of sense now!”

Spike and the rest of the group present exchanged confusing glances.

“Care to share the rest of the class, Twi?” Rainbow asked.

“Well, back in college, I remember reading a book about bats,” Twilight began to explain. “And from what I remember, vampire bats use echolocation to navigate their way in the dark and find their preys.”

“And?” Rainbow asked.

“And at first, we thought Fluttershy was genetically altered with DNAs of a fruit bat,” Twilight explained. “But what if it wasn’t just a fruit bat?”

Spike snapped his fingers at what Twilight was getting at, “You could be right, Twilight! I mean, after what we saw of Chrysalis and Tirek, I’d believe it. Fluttershy has the DNAs of a fruit bat and a vampire bat in her system.”

“So, her being a vampire is the reason she’s literally blind as a bat?” Sunset asked, before realizing her choice of words. “Uh, no offense, Fluttershy!”

“None taken,” Fluttershy shrugged.

“Why that low-down son of a bitch, Grogar!” Applejack snarled. “I’d tear out his throat and skin him alive for this!”

“Maybe some other time, AJ. But for now,” Twilight walked up to Leggy and asked, “So Leggy? How do you feel?”

Leggy slowly and carefully stood up on her feet, wobbling on her legs for a bit.

“Better…” Leggy bleated. “Spike…kiss…leg?”

“Huh?” Spike asked.

“WHAT?!” The other girls cried out in surprise.

“Can…Spike kiss…my leg?” Leggy Lamb bleated, holding up one of her curvy legs, while patting a spot on the kneecap for him to kiss. “Please?”

Spike was rather weirded out by the request. Although, since Leggy had asked so pleadingly, in a way that almost sounded like a child begging for candy, Spike just couldn’t find it in himself to say no.

“Uh…what the heck?” Spike shrugged. “But what happens on the island, stays on the island. I guess…”

With that, Spike gently picks up Leggy’s foot, gently caressing his fingers up her shin, up to the underside of her knee. In turn, this seemingly ignited a human moan from Leggy. It sounded as if Spike was pleasing her. What sealed the deal was when Spike gives her a quick kiss on the knee, close to where the manticore had stung her.

This made the other girls jealous, with Fluttershy being the exception, due to her blindness.

“Ooh, Spike kiss good…” Leggy bleated happily.

“Hmph!” Applejack huffed, “Two can play at that game!” The orange wolf-woman marched up offered her curvy muscular legs for Spike. “Well, Spike? Good enough for ya?”

Before Spike could answer, Applejack was shoved to the side by Rainbow Dash.

“Move it, wolf breath!” Rainbow Dash screeched, before she showed off her talons. “Mine are 20% cooler!”

“Kiss mine! Two of them!” Pinkie Pie screeched, holding up her feet.

The three She-Beasts started to get into a squabble with each other, until a rumbling roar bellowed, silencing everyone present.

“We just had a rough night,” Sunset Shimmer began. “You should all be thankful that Spike and Leggy are still with us, and you’re bickering each other like children? Really?”

“…Since you put it that way…” Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack looked down, clearly ashamed by their petty squabbles.

“We’re all very tired now,” Sunset continued. “Let’s just get some sleep.”

Everyone all exchanged agreements, as they all headed back to their huts to sleep.

Spike was on his way to his own hut, when he heard Leggy passing by, saying, “Spike brave…”

This made Spike feel good. But all good things must come to an end, and Spike ended the night, plopping into his bed, and was out like a bulb. Tomorrow is another day.

Author's Note

Up next, Starlight Glimmer’s She-Beast debut!

21 – Sharktopus

“BEACH PARTYYYYYYYYY!!!!” Pinkie Pie hollered at the top of her lungs.

With that, a day at the beach commenced as Spike and the girls hit the water.

While most of girls — namely Sunset Shimmer, Leggy Lamb, and Marina — were practically dressed for the water, the rest had to make a quick wardrobe change into proper swimwear for the water.

Twilight wore a practical light blue one-piece swimsuit with a pink bow at the front of her chest.

Applejack wore a dark sea blue swim top with long sleeves, white stripes along the sleeves, green lines along the hems of the sleeves and top, and matching short shorts.

Fluttershy needed help to put on her swimwear, which is a black one piece swimsuit, with yellow and green stripes on the sides, and an open back, almost wide on the sides, for her wings to fit through.

Rainbow Dash wore a black sleeveless tank top, with yellow, green, and hot pink lightning bolts decorated on the front, back, and a hot pink short, with a hole in the back for her tailfeathers.

Rarity, still being the elegant of the She-Beasts, wore a large black hat with a blue ribbon wrapped around it, embedded with a purple jewel at the center. Her swimwear is a two-piece, colored purple with black outlines, and stripes that shaped into triangles. Also, she wore a baby blue sarong around her hips, with her tail poking from beneath.

Pinkie Pie wore a perky frilly pink one-piece swimsuit, with a yellow bow, and seemingly a white corset.

Fleur wore a leaf bikini, showing off her curvaceous figure and so much skin.

The sight of the girls adorning revealing swimsuits arouses Spike with a burning shade of blushing. A feeling he doesn’t fully understand.

Loona and Beatrice, however, are the odd ones out. Loona preferred to sit under the shades of the trees than playing in the water.

As for Beatrice, the Crocodile Reverse-Hybrid had made herself another roll of weeds to smoke on, and was sunbathing on some nearby rocks.

Lastly, regarding Spike, he had originally packed a swimsuit for the occasion to swim with the dolphins. Unfortunately, he had lost it, amongst his other belongings after the shipwreck.

Therefore, Spike was left in his briefs, much to his discomfort, but to the girls’ arousal.

Nevertheless, Spike and the girls intended on making the most of the day they have at the beach.

Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride · Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu · Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus

It was hard to believe that he would be trapped on an island, with a pack of seven animal-human hybrids, who were once human. Plus, four female reverse-hybrids, who started out as animals, and he would be sharing camp with all of them, let alone team up with them. He still finds them scary, if not intimidating, but considering they've saved him a few times, he needs all the help he can get. The she-beasts weren't all that bad, though, once he got to know them more.

Fluttershy is a gentle, and kind Woman-Bat, but clumsy because of her blindness.

Applejack is a strong and honest Wolf-Woman, with a strong ideal of family and hard work, looking out for her friends like a wolf to its pack.

Twilight is smart Pony-Woman, who is a natural-born leader, who keeps the peace between the girls, but seems to overthink every little details. Nevertheless, her intelligence is highly invaluable for the girls and Spike's survival.

Pinkie Pie is a funny Monkey-Woman, he'll give her that, and fun, but rather reckless. Plus, he definitely never wants to be on the receiving end of her Banana Bazooka. Then there's Rainbow Dash, a competitive flyer, with a daredevil passion for adventure, but like Pinkie, is just as reckless.

And who can forget, Rarity, who was mutated with the DNAs of the Snow-Leopard, and was, intentionally or not, made into the most beautiful of the bunch. Like Twilight, she too tries to keep the peace. Not to mention she's very pleasing to look at.

And last, but not least, Sunset Shimmer, a firecracker, befitting of a Tiger-Woman. She's just as smart as Twilight, as strong as Applejack, and a temper like Rainbow Dash, but thankfully, just as caring as Fluttershy.

Spike was lucky to have met these she-beasts. He wouldn't know what to do, without them. Had it not been for them, then he would certainly have met a cruel, gruesome demise on the island, at the claws and teeth of all the horrible creatures that Dr. Grogar had created.

Speaking of which, special mention also extends to the Reverse-Hybrids.

The first to come to mind is the bashful, and curvaceous, anthropomorphic sheep, Leggy Lamb. Formerly an ordinary sheep, until Grogar had transformed her entire structure to resemble a voluptuous woman's body. Her legs are her defining features and stunning to the human eyes — Spike’s eyes.

Furthermore, it is endearing to see how much a paternal figure she can be with young animals, such as Kirin.

Next is Loona, a wolf-dog, with a complex personality. Possibly pertaining to a troubled past. Though, given to her aloof and hostility towards him, Spike gets the impression she doesn’t like him that well. He wonders why.

Marina is an octopus-woman whose intelligence are on par with Twilight and Sunset. The only issue the octopus-turned-woman had yet to overcome was her inability to communicate fluent English.

Last of the Reverse-Hybrids, is Beatrice. Like a crocodile, she has a very gloomy and cold attitude. She hardly ever smiles and seemed to be a person who is grounded in reality. Her only coping strategy is to simply smoke on a roll of weed to pass the time.

Despite her dour outlook on life, Bea possesses a strong sense of responsibility and duty.

Finally, rounding off the entire group is Fleur-de-Lis. Granted, Spike’s first impression of the feral woman was that she has no understanding of personal boundaries. Though, she seemed to display the behavioral traits of a cat.

Without a doubt, in Spike’s mind, Grogar must’ve transformed her into a feline She-Beast, sometime before Spike came to the island. And post-transformation, she reverted back to her human form, retaining her cat behavior, but her mind was fractured. It was as though it’s been reset to that of a child.

Only time will tell if Fleur can recover.

Snapping his attention back to the present, Spike intends to enjoy himself, with the girls, on this beautiful day at the beach.

He looked to his right to see some of the She-Beasts were playing a game of volleyball. One team consisting of Applejack and Rainbow Dash with the opposing team being Pinkie Pie and Sunset Shimmer. Twilight stood on the sideline, serving as a referee.

Spike turned to his left to see Rarity and Fluttershy, buried in the sands. On first glance, they appeared to be at a spa, bathing in the relaxing mud.

“Mmmmm, nice and heavenly,” Rarity sighed. “Wouldn’t you agree, Fluttershy?”

“Oh yes, Rarity,” Fluttershy smiled. “This feels relaxing. Like a warm heavy blanket on a cold night.”

Not too far away, Leggy was building sandcastles with her son, Kirin. The little lamb was scooping up the sands with his hooves, while using his longer horn to help shape up the castle his mom was making. The two sheep laughed and bleated together, like a mother and her child.

Turning his head forward, Spike looked to see Marina was swimming in the water. Either to hunt prey, or just exercising her natural swimming abilities.

Spike sat down on a towel, underneath the shade of a large palm tree, and reclined to relax. Little did he know, he was being stalked.

Breaking the surface of the water, without Marina noticing, a pair of moderate persian blue eyes watched the man, relaxing. They watched the man, relaxing and not knowing the danger he was in.

“HEADS UP!!!”

Spike didn’t nap for long, when a pile of sand was kicked up into the air and fell onto him.

“Ugh!” Spike groaned, wiping off the sands off of him.

“Spike! Are you okay?” Twilight asked, as she and the others who were playing volleyball came over to check on him.

“I’m okay,” Spike coughed up some sands out of his mouth.

Applejack crept down and helped dust him off, with Rainbow Dash joining.

“Sorry about that, Sugarcube,” Applejack apologized. “Looks like our volleyball got away from us.”

“So I’ve noticed,” Spike replied, rubbing some sands from his eyes. “Where is it, anyway?”

“There it is,” Pinkie Pie pointed, to which everyone turned to see the ball, floating out in the water, far from the beach.

“I’ll get it,” Spike offered, as he got up and waded in the water to retrieve the ball.

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash screeched, “SPIKE! GET BACK!”

Startled, and before Spike could ask, a massive jaws of teeth burst out of the water and snapped up the volleyball whole.

The jaws belongs to a huge crocodile and it’s eyes were set on Spike, who let out a scream as he frantically ran back to shores.

Before he could get to a safe distance, however, a large tentacle burst out from the water and ensnared his legs, dragging him closer to the crocodile’s waiting jaws.

"AAAHHHH!!" Spike screamed, frantically digging his fingers into the sands, trying to get a firm grip, prying himself away from the tentacles. “HELP!!!”

“SPIKE!!!” The She-Beasts yelled as they all sprang to the rescue.

Only someone else was already on it. Just as the massive tentacles could pull Spike an inch closer to the snapping jaws, their grips suddenly loosen, freeing the man.

Spike fell forward and landed, face first, into the water. He splashed a bit as he got up, helped up by the She-Beasts, Leggy, and little Kirin.

Everyone all turned their attention at the crocodilian-cephalopod hybrid, just in time to see a watery scuffle.

Freedom Planet Mix - Major Boss Battle (Original + Chiptune)

Splashing around in the water, wrestling the hybrid’s mess of writhing tentacles appeared to be a shark. Except it has arms, instead of flippers, and a pair of strong legs with webbed feet, between the arms and tail.

The shark creature snapped its jaws, biting and clawing away at the tentacles. Yet, by some miracle, the shark escaped and was soon upon the crocodile, biting into its neck.

The crocodilian monster let out a bellowing roar as it rolled onto its back, throwing the shark off.

“Wow, what a fight!” Spike exclaimed.

Everyone watched as the shark creature stood on its legs, just in time for the giant croc to snap the shark up in its jaws. The chimeric beast ran off into the water, where it disappeared below the surface.

Spike and the girls all helped their breaths, anxiously waiting to see the outcome of the fight.

After a few minutes of collective breathing, the water suddenly broke with a mighty splash. The shark creature was tossed out of the water and landed on the beach.

The crocodile chimera soon followed, with a bellowing roar of triumph.

Spike and the girls looked to see the wounded shark creature, flopping on the sands, like an actual fish out of water, struggling to breathe.

Everybody’s attentions soon fell on the crocodile to see it dragging itself on shore, stalking closer towards the shark.

Out of impulse, Spike quickly acted fast. He picked up a scoop of sands and hurled them at the crocodile, aiming for its eyes.

“Go on, shoo! Get out!” Spike yelled, trying to scare the crocodile off.

Angered at the interference from the man, the crocodile chimera snapped its jaws at Spike, before releasing its tentacles after him.

Fortunately, the She-Beasts quickly reacted in time, defending Spike and fending off the beastly hybrid.

Sunset Shimmer let out a bellowing roar and lunged at one of the crocodile’s legs, biting and sinking her canine teeth, piercing its thick hides.

Rainbow Dash let out a bloodcurdling shriek, akin to a red-tailed hawk, and with a flap of her wings, she leapt to the air and slashed her claws, scratching across the top of the crocodile’s head.

Lastly, Applejack joined in the fray, twisting herself on her hands, aiming her hips at the crocodile, and thrusted her legs at its snout, landing a powerful kick.

Unable to defend itself from so many attacks from three different directions, the Octo-Dile retreated back into the water.

End of Fight Music

After the giant Octo-Dile monster took its leave, Spike turned his attention to the shark-creature that was thrown on the beach.

The young man ran over to check on the shark, finding it flopping around, revealing that it is very much alive. But upon closer inspection, he finds that the shark is also another hybrid. A female at that.

In appearance, she has pale, light grayish heliotrope skin, with a white underside, and moderate purple hair with pale aquamarine highlights. Her attires are a turquoise bikini, with purple spots. She still possess a pair of webbed arms and legs, but doesn't seem to know how to use them.

The shark-woman was gasping for air, as she frantically flops around.

"...water...water..." She gasped.

“She needs water!” Spike shouted, as he strained to pick her up, linking one of the shark creature’s arms over his shoulders.

Sunset Shimmer, Marina, and surprisingly, Beatrice, all came over to help Spike carry the shark-woman up off the sands, and back to camp. They hoped to make it back, before anymore unwanted attention from any predators could arrive.

On the way, Spike looked at the shark hybrid, getting the strange feeling he might’ve seen her from somewhere before.

“Who are you and why do you look so familiar?” He asked the shark-woman.

Spike and the girls followed the river upstream, until they arrived at the waterfall, close to the village.

Both Sunset Shimmer and Applejack held the unconscious shark-woman in the water and kept moving her in circles, to get a reaction.

“So, explain to me again how this is supposed to be saving the shark?” Rainbow asked.

“Sharks are obligate ram ventilators,” Twilight lectured. “Apparently, due to their unique anatomy in their biology, they have to be in constant motion in order to receive oxygen from the water, through their gills.”

“In English?” Rainbow demanded, clearly lost on Twilight’s lecture.

“She means that sharks need to keep moving to breathe,” Spike clarified.

“Eeyup!” Fluttershy confirmed. “I hope we’re not too late…”

For what must’ve felt like half-an-hour has passed, the sun was setting lower, behind the trees. By then, Sunset and Applejack have grown tired of wading in the water, with the unconscious shark-woman.

“It’s hopeless,” Sunset sighed. “We must’ve walked for what felt like hours, and she’s not waking up!”

The girls and Spike pondered on what to do next. Spike was scratching his chin, when an idea came to him. An idea he was hoping that he wouldn't have to do and that he dreaded.

“Uh, I hoped it didn’t come to this…” Spike said, walking towards the shark-woman, clamping his mouth against hers, and blowing air into her. “Ugh! That’s nasty!” He recoiled at the foul taste of blood, fishes, and chum.

Some of the surrounding girls looked at Spike with irked envy. Though, Marina seemed to be the most irritated of them all.

“Why Spike kiss shark?” Leggy asked.

“Spike is kissing a shark?!” Fluttershy screamed, in horror.

“No, he’s not kissing her,” Twilight replied, before she reassured, “He’s trying to revive her with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.”

“Purple monkeys eat banana dumplings?” Marina inquired, much to everybody’s confusion.

“Uh, I don’t know what you’re trying to say octopus,” Rainbow began. “But I don’t think that’s it.”

Suddenly, the sound of coughing and gasping rang in the air. The girls all looked to see that the Shark-Woman has been awaken.

“It worked!” Spike gasped, while gagging at the horrible taste in his mouth. “But I’m not doing that again!”

“Huh, what do you know?” Twilight gasped. “Despite her genetically altered anatomy to resemble a shark, I guess she still attains some human genetic makeup to breathe like a normal person!”

“That’s a relief,” Sunset commented.

“Uh-huh,” Rainbow said, annoyed. “Whatever you say, Eggheads.”

“Oh…wha-what happened?” The shark-woman asked, rubbing her head, before she got a good look at her surroundings, “Where?! Where AM I?!?”

“Whoa, whoa, take it easy there!” Rainbow Dash coaxed the shark-woman. “We’re not gonna hurt you!”

“Aw, the poor dear sounds terrified!” Fluttershy said.

“Who are you?!” The shark-woman asked.

“We’re friends,” Twilight assured. “My friends call Twilight Sparkle. And these are Sunset Shimmer, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie!”

The She-Beasts all exchanged random greetings to the Shark-Woman, which made her appear less scared.

“And over there, are the Reverse-Hybrids,” Pinkie Pie pointed. “You’ve got Leggy Lamb, with her adopted son, Kirin. Beatrice the crocodile smoking on them weeds! Marina the octopus, or octoling, as I like to call her. Oh! And Loona’s the dog, but she is a real puppy, once you got to know her!”

“I hate you all with burning passion,” Loona growled.

“And I’m-Ah!” Spike was interrupted, when Fleur, once again, smothers herself up against him. “Fleur! Stop it! Down girl!”

“The jungle girl with a cat’s mindset is Fleur-de-Lis,” Sunset Shimmer introduced. “A long-lost supermodel from the fashion industry. And the man struggling with her is Spike.”

“Did you say, Spike?” The shark-woman asked, with piqued interest. “As in Nathan ‘Spike’ Draco?”

Everyone looked at the shark She-Beast with wide eyes, with Spike being the most astonished.

“How do you know my name?” Spike asked.

“From Newt!” The She-Beast replied. “He told me a lot about you!”

“You knew Newt Chimera?!”

“Uh-huh! I’m Starlight Glimmer!” The Shark-Woman introduced herself. “I was a part of the marine photography crew, when we were looking for dolphins! Or at least, when we originally were looking for dolphins…”

“Starlight Glimmer?” Spike pondered, before he remembered. “Oh yeah! I remember now! Newt mentioned you back when, before we washed up on the island! He said you’ve been wanting to meet me in-person for sometime…”

“Yeah, that was my plan at first…” Starlight began, but sounded rather sadden. “But then he told me about your condition, so…I didn’t want to bother you then…”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that,” Spike cringed, before deciding to change the topic, “But enough about that…” Spike searched the words, before he decided on an icebreaker. “How’ve you been, Starlight?”

Starlight Glimmer and the surrounding She-Beasts, and Reverse-Hybrids, looked at him with irritated looks, to say he asked a dumb question. Spike mentally wondered if he could’ve asked a different icebreaker.

“Well, I recently fought a mutant crocodile with tentacles, and almost died from that experience,” Starlight muttered. “How do you think I felt?”

“I was just asking,” Spike clarified nervously. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be insensitive, or anything.”

Starlight let out a sigh, “It’s fine, Spike. I…I’ve been having some really rough days, after what he did to me…” She said venomously on the pronoun.

“Dr. Grogar,” Spike muttered. “Yeah, I’ve had the displeasure of meeting some of his handiworks up close…”

Whether they know he didn’t mean it personally, or they took offense to that statement, the other She-Beasts and Reverse-Hybrids expressed their annoyance at Spike, with death glares, barks, squawks, and all sorts of animal noises.

“I don’t mean you, girls,” Spike quickly reassured. “You’re all victims. Big difference,” With that, the girls softened their annoyance in acknowledgement.

“Anyway, what exactly happened to you, Starlight?” Spike asked.

“Shortly after we were shipwrecked, I woke up in time to see myself and the rest of the crew being taken by those Boar-Men,” Starlight explained. “We were taken into Dr. Grogar’s mansion, down to his laboratory. They strapped me down onto a table and…”

Starlight hesitated to continue, but Spike and the girls have already gotten a clear picture as to what came next.

“I think I speak for all of us when I say, we know how ya feel, sugar cube,” Applejack sympathized with the shark-woman.

“Doesn’t change the fact that I’m now a freak,” Starlight Glimmer sobbed. “He TURNED ME into a freak!”

“So are we,” Rainbow Dash said sympathetically. “But hey…you’ll get used to it…”

“For how long?” Starlight Glimmer sobbed. “I can’t live like this! I never wanted to be a shark! I wasn’t even asked to become a shark!”

“So, why did you?” Sunset asked. “I mean, why a shark?”

“I don’t know! Honestly, Dr. Grogar’s a madman! He said he was on the verge of creating the ultimate apex predator of the sea! So, he decided for the best to not settle on one shark. But a variety of sharks!”

“You mean he made you from more than one shark?” Fluttershy asked.

Starlight nodded as she relays the details, “The bull shark for its durability and ability to survive in both fresh and salt water; The mako shark for its speed and agility; The tiger shark for its ferocity as well as its stripe patterns, and the great white shark for its strength.”

“Wow!” Spike gasped in awe, before he cleared his throat. “I mean, after seeing the way you took on that Octo-Dile, I believe you! You saved my life and you’re one strong fish!”

A light chuckle escaped from Starlight’s lips at the compliment from Spike, “You’re welcome, Spike.”

“So…how’s Newt?” Spike asked anxiously. “Is he okay?”

“Shortly after my transformation was complete, he helped me escape,” Starlight answered solemnly. “He asked me to find you and he wanted me to give this back to you,” Starlight reaches from the top of her swimsuit, searching for something.

In the process, Starlight briefly flashes her breasts, causing Spike to look away with his face turning red and a drop of blood dripping from his nose.

“Mmmm, I smell blood!” Fluttershy gasped, with her nose twitching.

Spike remembered that Fluttershy is still half vampire bat. Therefore, her nose is sensitive to the smell his blood.

“Uh, Fluttershy, just take it easy there,” Spike whimpered, trying to coax the Bat-Woman before she might’ve had the chance to attack him for blood.

“Here it is!” Starlight said, holding up a familiar camera towards Spike.

“My camera!” Spike exclaimed, taking the camera from Starlight, practically holding the device close, as if it was a lost child. “I thought I’d never see this thing again! Thanks, Starlight!”

Starlight simply smiled and nodded in response, happy to have returned the young man’s precious camera.

“Anywho,” Pinkie Pie began. “Now that we’ve got the whole reunion out of the way, what should we do now?”

“Mince sheep soup clam spaghetti!” Marina answered.

“What?!” Everyone looked at Marina with the biggest confused looks on their faces.

“I thought you are the smart one…” Loona grumbled at Marina, who looked down, even more annoyed and embarrassed. “…And you can’t speak proper English?”

“Loona! Be nice!” Applejack barked, reprimanding the Reverse-Hybrid dog. “Marina’s trying to improve. She’s getting there.”

In response, Loona simply rolled her eyes and flipped a bird, much to the ire of Applejack and the shock of everyone present.

“Getting back on topic,” Sunset reminded, turning to Starlight. “What should we do about her? Do we have another hut for her to stay in?”

“I can’t sleep in a hut on land,” Starlight Glimmer dipped herself beneath the surface of the water, to moisturize herself. “I’m literally a fish out of water. I need to stay moist…”

“Then let’s make you a water bed!” Pinkie Pie suggested.

“Uh, Pinkie?” Applejack reminded. “They fill them up with water from the inside. It’s not exactly a bathtub…”

“Oh! Right…”

“Maybe you can sleep with Marina?” Fluttershy offered. “She’s a cephalopod Reverse-Hybrid, and her sleeping quarter is in the water…”

“I don’t think Marina likes that idea…” Spike pointed to the frightened octopus Reverse-hybrid.

“Ooh! Maybe she can bunk in with Beatrice!” Pinkie Pie chattered.

“Bad idea, Pinkie,” Twilight pointed to the crocodile hissing and snarling at Starlight, as if eager or threatening to eat the latter.

“Uh, y’know what? I think I’m better off staying here, in the river,” Starlight said nervously.

“Are you sure?” Applejack asked.

“Absolutely,” Starlight replied. “I’m part bull shark, so I’m perfectly adaptable to both fresh water and salt water. Right?”

“Right,” Both Spike and Fluttershy confirmed in agreement.

“It’s not fair! Why did she get a kiss from Spike? When is it my turn?”

Marina was furious. She has had her eyes on Spike, almost nonstop, since day one.

She wanted to tell him how she feels for him. But no matter how hard she tried, he just couldn’t take a hint. And all because he didn’t understand a word she is saying.

This shouldn’t come off as a surprise, because she started off as an octopus. An animal. Now, she is what Spike and the She-Beasts referred to her as a Reverse-Hybrid. A creation made possible from turning an animal, such as herself, with human DNA.

She was becoming human, and she knew it. Her engineered human traits are making her attracted to the human male.

And she loved every second of it. Just seeing Spike every day is enthralling as it is torturous.

“I just can’t seem to get my words right! I want to tell Spike that I really like him and that we should hang out together more! But…I’m afraid I’ve yet to master the English language. What am I doing wrong?”

In response, Bea Santello simply blew a puff of smoke, then answered, “You’re trying too hard. The human doesn’t understand our language well enough for words. And if you really want to learn how to talk human, then ask Loona. She could help.”

“I don’t know,” Marina replied. “On the topic of human interaction, Loona isn’t exactly the best at communication.”

“Okay. Maybe instead of trying to talk to him about how you feel, then maybe you should show him how you feel,” Bea Santello suggested.

“Hmmm,” Marina pondered on Bea’s words. “That’s not a bad idea! Thank you, Bea! You’re the best!”

Marina smiled, happily hugging Bea, who slowly returned the hug.

“And if he ever breaks your heart, then you can tell me so I’ll tear him apart,” Bea whispered, much to Marina’s discomfort.

Later that afternoon, Spike was on his way to a hut to join the girls for dinner, when he was approached by Marina.

“Oh, hi Marina,” Spike greeted the octopus-woman. “What’s up?”

But rather than answering his question with words, instead, remembering Bea’s advice, Marina gestures for Spike to follow her.

“Okay?” Spike complied, following Marina down a path, until they arrived at a beautiful clearing, close to the beach and close to the village.

Spike, however, was amazed at the sight of a table covered in cloth, with plates of fruits, cooked fishes, and boiled crabs. What really set the mood is a cup of flower on the center, with a bowl of lit incenses.

“Oh, wow!” Spike gasped in awe. “Did you really put together all of this?”

Marina nodded her head, before she walked over and pulled out a chair for Spike to sit in.

“Uh…thanks?” Spike thanked, while finding it weird that a woman, let alone a female Reverse-Hybrid, would pull up a chair for him to sit in.

Nevertheless, both Spike and Marina proceeded to have their dinner.

Marina was happily munching on her crabs, as crabs are the octopi’s favorite seafoods. She looked up to see that Spike was taking some rather dainty bites out of his crab legs.

“Mmmm,” Spike grunted as he peels bits and pieces of the crab shell off, to feast on the soft fleshy inside. “Wow. This is good! It’s no five-star cuisine, but it’s good. Did you boiled this crabs?”

Marina nodded her head, happy that Spike was enjoying the meal.

During the dinner, Marina looked up at the night sky. She said something gibberish and garbling, alerting Spike to look up.

“Oh wow! Look at the stars!” Spike gasped. “The moon is nice too!”

Marina smiled, and said something in her language, which is her way of saying, “It’s beautiful!”

“I know I’ve said this many times before,” Spike began. “But this is the night! Way better than the city and all the light pollution it gives off.”

Marina was curious to what a city is, and how could light pollute. But she figured that they’re questions for another time. Perhaps sometimes after her English has improved.

Speaking of which, Marina got up from her seat and pulled out some music boxes and the DJ turntable.

“What are you doing?” Spike asked.

To answer Spike’s question, Marina turns on the music devices to play a song she had written and sang in her language.

Ebb & Flow (Demo) - Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion OST

By the end of the song, Marina took a bow, while looking up, awaiting for Spike’s response.

Spike looked at Marina with wide eyes, and slacked jaw, to say he was surprised and shocked by her performance. At first, Marina that she had fumbled, until Spike applauded.

“Wow!” Spike clapped his hands. “You’re good!”

Happy to see that Spike really enjoyed her singing, Marina smiled happily and resumes her bow.

Afterwards, they finished eating their dinner and sat down on the sands to watch the stars together, with the soothing ambient sounds of the crashing ocean.

“Look! Up there!” Spike pointed to the stars. “That’s Polaris, the North Star! Which means, that’a Ursa Major! And…those are the only two constellations I know. My dad knows a whole lot more about constellations than I do.”

Marina chuckled wholeheartedly as she listened to Spike talking. His voice was music to her ears. She tucked her chin on his shoulder, enjoying herself in his company.

This is where she belongs. This is who she wants to cherish for the rest of her life.

They both stayed that way until Spike fell asleep.

Marina took Spike back to his hut to sleep. Once she pulls the blanket over the man, she paused for a moment to look at his adorable face.

To her, he was just so irresistible. She just wanted to take his face, by the cheeks, and kiss him full on the lips. But then she pauses. Could she be pushing her luck? Is she being too hasty? She wasn’t sure.

So she just settled on kissing Spike on the nose and left.

Author's Note

Starlight Glimmer's shark design is Mechazilla’s idea, based on this image:

23 – Tigers in Heat (Clopping)

Author's Note

Warning: This chapter may contain detailed depictions of rape.

Readers’ discretion is highly advised.

23 – Tigers in Heat (Clopping)

“Oh…yes…right there…” A woman’s gasp exclaimed, in a sultry and alluring tone. “Oh…yes. A little to the left…”

“Do you have to make those sounds when I’m massaging your back?” Asked a man.

“I can’t help it, Spike,” Sunset chuckled. “It just felt so good. We haven’t had a decent massage like that in months. I never pegged you for a masseur.”

“Well, back home, before I got into the pursuit of studying animals,” Spike began. “I once had to massage my mom, after she got home from a stressful day at work. I guess, I just developed some kind of…talent…”

“Well, I have to say…this is heaven…” Sunset chuffed, and let out an even louder moan of ecstasy.

“Can you just like please…stop making that noise?” Spike asked. “It’s kinda freaking me out.”

Understanding where Spike was coming from, though a little disappointed, Sunset Shimmer complied, but barely.

Her whole body was heating up so intensely, as if she was on fire, that she must scream. But all the same, the touch of Spike’s hands, massaging and rubbing her tight muscles relaxes her, to a degree, as if she was soothed by the water.

‘Water,’ Sunset thought to herself. ‘Water…water…’

It has been such a scorching day, that even the ocean breeze was hardly a breeze. Sunset Shimmer was drenched in the sweats that trickled all over her body, but she couldn’t feel them from under her thick orange-black striped coat.

Despite her limited amount of clothes, she is literally a walking fur coat, in the middle of summer. The heat was so intense that she couldn’t think clearly.

She felt herself on fire and the touch of Spike’s hands were all electrocuting her. She was in a lot of pain. But still, for Spike’s sake, Sunset kept it in. She bit at her own lips, hissing to swallow in the moan of her pleasure.

“There!” Spike said, after finishing up with her massage. “Feel better?”

Sunset gingerly stood up on all four, until she was back up on her two legs. She slowly moved her arms around, and then her legs, relieved to feel that all the knots in her aching body were relieved.

“Yeah. It feels good,” Sunset smiled. “Thank you, Spike.”

“Hey, no problem,” Spike said, getting up from his seat, walking away, until Sunset stopped him.

“Wait, Spike?” She called.

“Yeah, Sunset?”

Sunset felt her heart beating fast, upon seeing Spike’s blazing emerald eyes. She could feel herself mesmerized by the windows to his soul, which, to her, is beautiful.

Sunset felt her knees shaking as if her legs were weakening beneath her weight. Her head was spinning with so many thoughts, she could’ve sworn she was dizzy. She could walk on air at any moment.

“Sunset?” Spike called out, starting Sunset back to reality. “What’s the matter? You sick, or something? You zoned out for a whole minute there. What’s up?”

“Oh. Sorry, Spike,” Sunset panted heavily, feeling her face burning hot. “I…I…I’m going by the river to wash up. I think a splash on the face will do some…good. I’ll see you later?”

Thankfully for Sunset, Spike bought it, “Okay, Sunset! Just take care! See ya!”

After she walked a distance away from the village, Sunset pulled the shrubs to the side, revealing a beautiful crystal clear river, close to a waterfall.

Upon arriving, Sunset Shimmer sniffed the air and looked to the sides, making sure she was really alone. Neither Starlight Glimmer, Marina, nor Bea Santello could be found.

Without wasting a second, Sunset waded into the river and completely submerged herself.

The tiger-woman kicked her legs and waved her arms, swimming with the fishes, before she breaks the surface with a gasp for air.

“Ah, this is refreshing,” Sunset sighed in content.

The island certainly is beautiful with its rich florals and clear blue waters. If it wasn’t dictated by an evil madman of a scientist, and populated by his dangerous creations spawned from sci-fi horror genres, then this island would’ve made for a wonderful destination for vacations.

Sunset sighed and thought back on the predicaments she and her friends have gone through to get to this point.

How they watched Twilight winning a robotic competition, how they were lured to the island by Newt Chimera, and the torturous experiments performed on them by Dr. Grogar. And how they’ve been stuck on the island for what felt like years, hunting and fending for themselves, prior to meeting Spike.

‘Oh, Spike…’ Sunset sighed lovingly.

Just the very mention of his name, or even the image of his cute face was enough to make her heart a flutter.

Sunset purred loudly at the buzzing feelings in her stomach, with her whole face burning she was convinced she was turning red.

Granted, while they haven’t known each other for long, the past several days Sunset got to spend, with her fellow She-Beasts, bonding with Spike has brought them closer than ever before.

Without a doubt in her mind, Sunset was convinced that they all share a kinship with the young man, even if he was still overcoming his gynophobia.

Until then, Sunset waited patiently for when she could have a turn, to experience the same intimacy the others all got to have with him. When he got to kiss each and every one of them, even if it was on the cheek, the nose, or the ear. But hopefully, she wishes hers to be on the mouth.

“Hmph!” Sunset huffed and proceeded to rant. “Why do the others get to be so lucky? What is it they have that I don’t? What? Is it all the luck of a draw, or whatever? Do I have to wait in line? Or am I…I…”

The tiger-woman’s ranting was interrupted upon feeling an itch, between her legs. It was irritating and was getting more bothering by the seconds.

And it doesn’t end there. Beneath her fluffy chest fur was another itch, beneath her tops.

“Oh great…” Sunset moaned, swimming up the rivers until she was behind the curtains of the waterfall.

Looking behind her, Sunset was content that the running waterfall was covering her, or at the very least, obscuring her image.

She then traced her hands up her hips, to the front of her chest, caressing her breasts, up to back of her neck, until she got ahold of the clasp. With a click, she undid her straps and pulls down her bikini top, freeing her breasts. Her bottoms soon followed.

With her clothes off, Sunset stood behind the waterfall, not a human, but a creature with no trace of her humanity.

Somewhere in the jungle and not too far from where Sunset is, a lone tiger-man is roaming about, hunting for prey.

In appearance, the tiger-man had Pseudo-melanistic white fur, crimson eyes, and had a bit of a buff built. He also had quite a few scars across his body.

The tiger-man sniffed the air, hoping a meal would be nearby. However, he caught the scent of something else. Something that has awakened his long dormant hormones.

The tiger-man smirked as he at long last may have found a potential mate.

His body beginning to burn with lust, the tiger-man went on his way while following the scent.

Sunset was bathing herself within the waterfall, trying to quench the intensive heat of her loving daze about Spike.

“Spike…” Sunset moaned in pleasure, at the intimate desire of wanting the man all to herself.

She knew it was selfish, but as of late, she finds herself desiring the man, more and more, day by day.

‘Oh Spike. How are you doing this to me? How are you turning me on? You’re driving me crazy that I could just pounce on you at any moment and fuck your all day!’

However, remembering his gynophobia, Sunset Shimmer restrained herself from making any unwanted advances toward him.

This sense of self-restraint extends to her mentality, which she was struggling to take control of.

‘No! No, no, no! I can’t think like this!’ Sunset chastised herself. ‘I just can’t! I…I don’t want to frighten poor Spike more than he already is now! I don’t want to betray his trust…I just have to wait until he’s…better.’

Even if it hurts her a lot, she was willing to endure the burning intimacy that was scorching inside her head, making her feel lightheaded and her heartbeat to pound rapidly.

‘Come on, Sunset, keep it together!’ Sunset mentally chastised to herself. ‘You’re better than this. Don’t want a repeat of your bad girl days. This isn’t even your first time with boys, or even with some other girls. But Spike is different…he’s just so…so…’

Sunset was at a loss for words. What was it about Spike that attracted her to him so much? He’s not as tall as all the other men she slept. He hardly has any muscles on him. Also, he does tend to get scared very easily, especially around Sunset and her friends.

However, he does have moments when he did crazy things, such as hitting a chimera of an ape’s nuts, acting as live bait to distract a manticore, even fending off an Octo-dile to save a shark-woman.

But aside that, she cannot deny that he’s also a nice guy. Once he got to know Sunset and her friends better, he has been nothing but a sweetheart to them all.

‘Yes, that’s it,’ Sunset thought to herself in ecstasy. ‘He’s a real sweetheart! Ooh!’

Sunset continued to scrub all the sweat and grime from her fur and hair, with the pouring water cascading over her breasts, trickling down her midriff.

Using her hands to squeegee excess water from her body, Sunset fondled one of her breasts, barely concealed by her floof, while feeling up her abs.

She blushed and remembered the time when she and Spike were escaping from Shade Stalker, and how much Spike admired the feel of her toned abs.

Out of lust, Sunset proceeded to run one of her hands up her midriff, pretending that it was Spike who was pleasuring her.

‘Oh Spike~’ She purred.

As an added fun to her pleasure, Sunset’s other hand grabbed and stroked the end of her tail, imagining it to be Spike’s member.

‘Look at me! What have I been reduced to? A sexual horny beast…I’m so ashamed, but I don’t care. I’m so in heat…’ Sunset sighed to herself, with tears falling from her eyes.

‘Face it girl, you’ll have to play with yourself until Spike overcomes his fear of women. And that’s a tall order, because even if he, hypothetically, does get over his gynophobia, then who’s to say that he’ll be onboard at the thought of fucking me like there’s no tomorrow? I’m afraid I’ll be doing this for a long, long time…’

Unfortunately, Sunset was so enveloped by her sexual daze, her senses have been switched off. And she hardly noticed the presence of an unexpected visitor.

It wasn’t until Sunset opened her eyes, she jumped up with a startled gasp and fell into the water with a big splash.

Upon resurfacing, Sunset pulled the curtains of her hair to the side, to see the face of a black tiger poking through the waterfall.

The tiger looked at Sunset with interest, and his eyes followed hers, as she stood back up on her legs, unintentionally revealing her entirety.

The tiger-man seemed to let out an arousing purr, and walked through the waterfall, revealing his tall, muscular build. Dwarfed, if not intimidated, by the hulking feline, Sunset Shimmer’s heart beats rapidly against her chest, as she felt her face burning.

“AH!” Sunset yelped, impulsively covering her herself with her hands. “Wh-Wh-What? What are you looking at?” Sunset stammered, in embarrassment and shivering to the cold water that caught up to her.

But instead of answering, the feral beast-man inched closer to sniff Sunset Shimmer’s aroma. Sunset Shimmer immediately freaked out, and rebuffs the tiger-man’s advance.

“Hey! Personal boundary!” Sunset roared, and resumed covering her ample buxom and crotch. “Also, I’m sorry, but…you’re not exactly my type and…I’m kinda taken.”

Sunset then tries to take her leave, around the tiger-man, to reclaim her bikini. She hoped that the tiger-man at least retains some amount of rationality and intelligence to understand and leave her be.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The tiger-man pounced on top of Sunset, causing them both to fall to the water in a great big splash.

“Back off!” Sunset roared, coughing up the water, and struggled to throw the beast-man off.

“I said back OFF!!!” Sunset roared trying to push the tiger-man away but the latter was having none of it.

The tiger-man made another advancement, this time he made a mad dash and kissed Sunset on the lips. The tiger-woman tried to push the tiger-man away again but he wrapped his arms around her to keep her from escaping with one hand groping one of her butt cheeks. As the tiger-man was locking lips with her, his tongue breached into her mouth and wrestled with hers.

Sunset’s eyes widened at this as she still tried to push the tiger-man away from her. However, something deep within her has begun to stir. Something she’s been trying to push back for so long. Something that has been long awakened.

Just then, Sunset’s eyes became slit and she did something very unexpected, she returned the kiss. The lust and beastly instincts she’s been trying to hold back for nearly a year now has finally surfaced and took total control of her.

Happy that the She-Beast has finally accepted him, the tiger-man continues to kiss Sunset passionately. The two tigers went back and forth in their little make out session, trying to dominate each other.

The tiger-man got bold and began to grope her massive tits which made Sunset moan. The tiger-man squeezed the soft melons constantly and pinched her nipples, Sunset made a low growl at this but didn't do anything about it.

The two broke away from the kiss, leaving a bridge of saliva between their mouths. Sunset then felt something prodding against the lower part of her stomach, she looked down and saw the tiger-man’s full mass, throbbing and ready to go.

Sunset knelt down where her face was up close with the phallus. It had a pretty decent size and was almost human shaped. Sunset then started to give it a few kisses before starting to lick it which earned her a guttural moan from the tiger-man.

Sunset continued to lick the member like a lollipop before putting the head in her mouth and slowly began to bob up and down before picking up speed which caused the tiger-man to moan louder.

Admittedly, This isn’t Sunset’s first time giving sexual pleasure to someone. During her “bad girl phase”, she slept with several guys and even a couple girls, so she knows quite a few things about sex. However, when she became a better person, she stopped doing these kinds of things.

The tiger-man continued to moan as the lust induced She-Beast sucked him off. He then growled as he began to feel a build-up within the base of his dick. The tiger-man grabbed Sunset’s head and made her go faster, he did his best to hold off his explosion but knows that it’s only a matter of time. His growl grew louder as the build-up increased before letting out a loud roar as he shoved his prick further down to Sunset’s throat, causing the She-Beast eyes to widen, before his tip exploded with cum.

Sunset recovered from her shock and did her best to gulp down as much as she could.

The tiger-man kept cumming for a good minute before it finally died down.

The tiger-man then lurched forward to bite Sunset Shimmer, at the neck. Sunset let out a startled roar, which intensified when the beast-man trailed his tongue down her neck, cascading her collar bones, until he finally reached one of her breasts and proceeded to suckle at her nipple.

Sunset made a lustful growl from this. After a good couple of minutes of the tiger-man sucking on her tits, Sunset pushed him to the ground. The tiger-man growled at Sunset for that before the She-Beast stood on top of him. Sunset grabbed his member before lowering herself while aligning his dick with her pussy.

With a quick movement, Sunset inserted the tiger-man’s member into her womanhood. This caused both tigers to let out a roar of pleasure as they have now become one.

Sunset took a couple minutes to get used to the large member that was now inside her. It’s been a long while since she had done something like this after all. Very soon, she slowly began to go up and down on the tiger-man’s member which earned her a pleasurable moan from the man-beast.

Very soon, Sunset began to pick up the pace, making both her and the tiger-man moan louder.

The tiger-man was in absolute heaven right now. His member was in the confines of the She-Beast’s velvety walls, massaging it with every movement. He has finally found a mate that he would not only love and care for but one that might bear his children as well. At last, he would have a family.
Sunset humped with all of her fury. Sweat began to trickle down her entire body and her pants have gotten louder. She then lowered herself to the tiger-man and they both began to kiss like crazy with the She-Beast still moving her hips.

After a couple minutes of kissing, Sunset broke away and picked herself up before gyrating her hips even faster.

The tiger-man smirked as he felt the build-up once again. This time, it was going to be a big one. The tiger-man gritted his teeth and his claws gripped the ground ever so tightly as he felt his seed slowly but surely going through his member. It was almost time to claim this tigress as his mate.

Once again, Sunset let out a loud roar of pleasure as she felt the tiger-man’s member bulge and harden. It was then that she had a sudden flashback to her bad girl phase, when she would stroke, fellate and eventually sleep with every man back home.

But then, at the thought of every man she knew, Sunset was struck by an epiphany, like a lightning bolt, at the reminder of Spike.

“Spike!” Sunset gasped. “What am I doing?!”

The Tiger-man grunted heavily as he was seconds away from firing his load with a small white bead forming at the tip of his dick. But before he could do so, Sunset immediately jumped off of him with his dick leaving her pussy. The tiger-man was shocked to say the least. However, the growing pressure in his dick was too much to bear any longer and let out another roar as his member begins firing his seed everywhere. The tiger-man grunted as he kept cumming for a couple minutes before finally calming down.

Both tigers laid on the ground catching their breaths for a few good minutes.

“Okay. Playtime’s over,” Sunset said as she got up, out of the water, picking up her bikini from the branches they were hanging, ready to head back to the village.

Unfortunately, the tiger-man wasn’t having any of it. With a loud roar, the tiger-man pounced atop of Sunset, causing her to fall into the water with another splash, dropping her swimwear.

“GET OFF!” Sunset roared, struggling to throw the beast-man off.

But the tiger-man wouldn’t listen. Instead, he pinned Sunset down, on her chest, in an incomparable position so that she wouldn’t escape, or even fight back, and was about to insert himself through her opening before he heard someone yelled, “GET THE FUCK OFF OF HER!!!!!!”

Before the tiger-man knew it, he felt a sharp kick to his cajones which caused him to yelp in extreme pain.

The tiger-man immediately keeled over to the side, clutching his sore and smartened crotch.

Sunset turned to look at her savior, revealing himself to be none other than Spike.

“Spike!” Sunset shouted with a mix of relief, joy, but also shame and sadness.

“C’mon! Let’s get out of here!” Spike shouted, taking Sunset by the hand.

“Wait! Let me just—“ Sunset reached down to pick up her bikini, but the tiger-man made another grab at her, forcing her to run with Spike. “Never mind! Let’s go!”

With that, both Sunset and Spike scrambled out of the water, leaving an angry tiger-man behind, in the water, watching his runaway mate being taken by a human.

After awhile of running, Spike and Sunset eventually found a place to hide, in a forest of thorny trees.

“I think we’ve lost him,” Spike panted heavily. “How are you holding up, Sunset? You okay?”

But the only response Spike got was the sound of a woman crying. He gingerly looked over to see Sunset, huddling to herself in a fetal position.

Her legs were pulled close so that her knees were up to her chest, her face in her hands, to hide the tears pouring down her cheeks.

For Spike, he wasn’t looking at a tiger. But a woman who was traumatized, victimized, and vulnerable, just like he was. In a way, it was like looking in a mirror.

“Sunset?” Spike asked.

“Spike, I feel so awful about this!” Sunset sobbed tearfully.

“It’s not your fault, Sunset,” Spike said uneasily. “I mean, it’s not like you intended on that tiger-man to just come and have his way with you.”

“That’s just it, Spike,” Sunset sobbed. “I’m not a virgin. This isn’t my first time having sex and…it almost felt like I walked out on you!”

The tiger-woman resumed pouring out her emotions while Spike stood on the side and watched on.

“It’s high school all over again…” Sunset Shimmer continued to sob. “I was a horrible person, I’ve broken so many hearts, and…I-I-I was such a whore, it embarrasses me to think about it.”

Sunset continued to cry and rant, “And now…I did it once again… I deliberately had sex for pleasure… I broke one of my own rules post-reformation. I gave into my lust and… I’m not a human. I feel so much worse! I REALLY AM!”

Sunset Shimmer lets out another loud tearful outburst. Spike tried to calm her down, worrying that her crying would attract the tiger-man to their hiding spot. Or something far worse.

Reacting fast, out of desperation, Spike quickly took Sunset’s hands to the side, revealing her tearful face.

“What are you—Ooh!” Sunset was immediately caught off guard, by surprise, when Spike wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and pulled her in for a kiss.

Initially surprised, Sunset gradually melted into the kiss, which she then returned. This kiss was not like the one she had with the tiger-man. It felt just right. She felt her whole being burning as if she was a lit. Her entire body was covered in goosebumps and her hairs were standing up, as if she was electrocuted. Her heart was beating so rapidly, it hurts, yet she didn’t care.

She was truly kissing with someone she loved.

After awhile, they eventually parted. Spike looked at Sunset, seeing her lost for words, but was no longer crying. Instead, her whole face was burning a shade of red.

“Better now?” Spike asked.

“Y-Yeah…but why?” Sunset asked. “Why did you do it? Even after you saw what that tiger-man was doing to me? Or what I was doing to the tiger-man?”

“Honestly, I…I don’t know,” Spike answers inquisitively. “Why did I do it? But we obviously can’t hide when you’re crying so much.”

“Oh…”

“That and…you’re hurting. It runs deep. And…like you did for me, before…when we were running from Shade…maybe it’s time we talked about it, if it helps you feel better.”

Spike watched Sunset looking to the side. The kind of look a person would make, when contemplating their action, and making sure that they’re truly alone.

Finally, Sunset took a deep breath and sighed, “Spike…remember when I told you about my…bad girl phase, in high school?”

Spike pondered for a bit, “I remember you mentioning it before in the old hideout…”

Sunset squinted her eyes shut, with a solemn expression, “Please don’t think of me too poorly when I tell you the whole story…”

Spike sat down beside Sunset, leaning his shoulder next to hers, on his left, “I’m listening,” He encouraged.

With a sigh, Sunset Shimmer began to explain, “Back in high school, I was a real queen bee. A bitch you might say. I was vain about my looks and my standings, as much as I was about my accomplishments.”

“Sometimes, I would sleep with boys and some girls from my school. But it was never for love…just for some exploitation to fulfill my personal gains.”

Sunset closed her eyes, and a tear rolled down her cheek, “There was this one guy who I’ve done wrong…I only dated him just to be popular…And then I crushed his heart.”

“Whoa,” Spike replied. “Were you really that evil?” Realizing what he just asked, Spike stammered, “I mean…I find it hard to believe you could be that cruel! I mean…you’re so nice and…I…”

“I understand what you mean, Spike,” Sunset reassured. “And trust me…even the prettiest of roses can hide a sharp thorn. And believe me. My thorns were incredibly sharp…”

Sunset Shimmer sobbed aloud, wiping away some tears as she continued.

“And back when…I was so bad that I…I drove another student to commit suicide. I was expelled. My family disowned me. And I…I…I had to take some horrible jobs as a…I’m so ashamed! I feel so guilty and…I’m so disgusted with myself! I didn’t want you to know that part of me! Not after that awful incident of your childhood!”

Sunset sobbed more hysterically and apologized even more frantically,
“I’m sorry you had to see that! I…I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me for reopening some old wounds! I just want you to know how sorry I am!”

Sunset Shimmer resumed crying so much that she appeared human. While it may hard to believe that someone this nice was so evil in the past, it’s even harder watching them cry, and suffering the pains of their humiliations.

Spike’s heart ached watching the tiger-woman being so vulnerable with her feelings that he couldn’t find it in himself to be afraid of her. He knew that he had to help her and fast.

“Sunset…” Spike whispered, walking over to hug her. “You can’t keep beating yourself up like this. Especially if it’s about me. Because I believed you! The girl who molested me before was…seriously messed up. But you… You’re different. I would prefer you any other day, because you’re so apologetic. And…I love you for it.”

Sunset looked up at Spike, with surprised wide eyes, “You…love me?”

“Well, yeah?” Spike replied sheepishly. “I mean…I’m stuck on this island with you and the girls for what must’ve been a month now, or two…I think we’re pass the — how do you say — friendship? The friend zone? The profession? I don’t know! I’ve never had a girlfriend before, or two, or…hardly any girls were my friends.”

Sunset’s tears of sadness turned to joy, and her sobbing became a chuckle, amused at the man’s awkward stutter.

“Oh Spike…” Sunset reached out and kissed Spike on the mouth, silencing him to stop his stammering. “You’re lucky you’re cute. But thanks…”

“…I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m glad I got to know the real you,” He said.

“And we’re glad we got to know who you are as a person, Spike,” Sunset licked the man’s cheek, with a loving smile. “Thank you.”

Spike can feel his whole face burning red, as he finds himself lost in Sunset’s eyes. They were piercing into his soul, as they were enchanting and intimidating.

“Wow…It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the queen of the fight,” Spike muttered.

“I love that song!” Sunset smiled.

“Me too. We should sing it sometimes.”

“I can also play a guitar.”

Spike and Sunset stayed that way for a long time, with both of them forgetting that Sunset Shimmer was au natural, because they only had eyes in each other’s eyes.

But before the intimate moment can continue between man and she-beast, a loud thunderous noise shook the ground, startling them from their trance.

“What was that?!”

Spike and Sunset looked around, feeling the ground shaking beneath them, and the sound of a tree breaking, and crashing down, onto the ground. Something big was coming.

Spike and Sunset dug themselves deeper into the thorny thicket the best they could.

“Oh! Oh…” Sunset moaned.

“Shh! Quiet, Sunset!” Spike hushed.

“But Spike…”

“Shhh!”

“Spike…!”

“What?”

Spike turned to see Sunset Shimmer’s eyes watering, her cheeks flushing, and biting the bottom of her lips. She looked to be in an even more aggravating state of pain.

“What’s wrong?” In response, Sunset pointed, directing Spike’s gaze to her backside, which is caught in tangled mess of thorny branches.

“This…shrub wants to…marry me…” Sunset sobbed in embarrassment.

“Ugh! You’ve got to be kidding me…” Spike pulled the bottom of his eyelids. “Well…just get off of it!”

“I…so can’t!”

“Why not?”

“I can’t move!”

“ARGH! Why do I feel like you girls are going to be the death of me?”

Spike crawled over to try and free Sunset from the thicket’s hold on her. Unfortunately, like a rose, the thorns cut at Spike’s fingers, repelling him from free Sunset.

“Ugh! If only I hadn’t left my pocket knife back at the village,” Spike turned to Sunset. “Uh…I could use a hand in this,” Spike requested, holding a hand out for one of Sunset’s claws.

He looked up, seeing Sunset in all her vulnerability, holding a hand out to him, while using her other arm to cover breasts, while some under boobs and sideboob peeked through her fingers.

Something about it made Spike blush. He doesn’t understand why. But he didn’t think too much on it. He can’t let it distract him on the issue at hand.

Taking Sunset by the hand, using one of her claws, he cuts the thorny shrubs, pulling off some of the thorns from Sunset’s butt.

While this was going on, the ground suddenly shook. The sound of a loud hissing was heard, almost like the sound made from a running semi-truck. Unfortunately, there are no semi-trucks running on the island.

“Uh…Sunset?” Spike asked the tiger-woman. “Was that you?”

Unfortunately, Sunset shook her head, confirming that an even bigger creature was nearby. Neither man, nor She-Beast, needed to wait long for the creature to make its presence known.

As if appearing out of thin air, via camouflage, emerging from the thorny brushes stood the dragon-like predator, Predator 00.

“ĒFERNO!!!” Sunset Shimmer screamed.

The dragon looked at both Spike and Sunset, tilting his head from side to side, as if he was inspecting them. Or maybe, from Spike’s observation, he remembers them. The dragon remembers they had escaped him, and intends to finish what he had started.

Both Sunset Shimmer and Spike frantically tried to escape, except Sunset was held back by one last thorny vine.

“SUNSET! LOOK OUT!!” Spike pointed.

Sunset looked up and screamed, narrowly avoiding a snap from the dragon’s fang-filled beak. Ēferno reared his head back and lunged his head again for another snap.

Reacting fast, Sunset dodged again. This time, the dragon’s bite had cut the vine that held her captive to the thorny shrub.

Once freed, Sunset Shimmer and Spike ran deeper into the thorny thickets.

The sharp thorns cut and scratched at their skins and pulled on their hairs. Not far behind them, the furious hiss and growling of Ēferno rang loudly, with the ground shaking at every footsteps the dragon stomped.

Spike and Sunset Shimmer soon hid underneath some thorny vines, sprawling themselves across the ground.

Overhead, Ēferno’s massive horned head blotted out the sun, shrouding both man and tiger-woman in his silhouette.

The thorny branches crumbled and fell to the ground, as Ēferno poked his head through the thickets, brushing past the thorns. The dragon was flicking his tongue in the air, inhaling and exhaling a gust of hot air from his nostrils, that brushed across Spike and Sunset, making their hairs to stand on end.

It lasted for a few seconds, until Ēferno pulled his head out and turned to another direction.

“Go!” Sunset whispered to Spike, once they had an opportunity to sneak away, unnoticed.

Still, the loud shaking sounds of Ēferno’s roar and footsteps reminds them that the dragon is nearby, trapping them in their hiding place.

It was all bone chilling as it is spine tingling for both Sunset and Spike, as they have become the preys to a larger predator, on the prowl.

The longer the seconds went by, the more worrisome and painful the wait grew, as if Spike was awaiting for the terrible inevitability to happen.

It was almost as if Spike wanted the dragon to eat him and Sunset already, just to get it over with. However, Spike’s rationality and resolve to escape, his primal instinct to survive, and desire to live, forbade it.

“He’s got us trapped,” Spike whimpered, clinging onto Sunset Shimmer. “Sunset. I’m scared!”

At this point, Spike’s more afraid of the dragon, more than any women in the world.

“I’m scared too, Spike,” Sunset replied, in a high-pitch, stuttering voice, revealing she had been sobbing.

Seeing Sunset Shimmer so scared and tearful broke Spike’s heart. A reminder that despite her fearsome genetically modified tiger-like appearances, strength, and ferocity, she is still human, like him.

It was almost convincing to Spike that she’s more afraid than he was of her.

Another ground shaking footstep brought Spike out from his thoughts, reminding him of the pressing matter at hands.

Ēferno can be heard, patrolling outside of the thicket, stalking the surrounding area, looking for his preys.

What truly adds fuel to the nightmare was that the dragon can’t be seen. His camouflaging ability has made him invisible to the naked eyes.

The only hints of his presence are the sounds of his hissing growl, the quaking tremors of his footsteps that almost knocked Spike and Sunset off their feet, and the swaying of the thorny branches that looked as if they were moved by the winds.

“How are we going to escape something we can’t see?” Sunset asked anxiously.

Spike thought for a moment, until he suggested, “We could try to listen for him, instead?”

Sunset looked worried, but nodded in agreement. Spike didn’t understand how Sunset could be more scared, if not anxious, than usual. It wasn’t like her to be this scared.

Upon glancing down, seeing her arms covering her naked breasts and crotch, with a spool of thorny vines wrapping around her waist, Spike remembered that she was naked, which made her looking rather vulnerable.

‘I keep forgetting that the girls are still humans in animal bodies,’ Spike thought to himself, while mentally blushing in embarrassment. ‘Though, sometimes their limited wardrobes leaves very little to the imagination and I just took it as a norm. And I never considered their needs for—What am I thinking? Now’s not the time!’

“Let’s both close our eyes and listen for him,” Spike whispered.

Sunset nodded and was the first to close her eyes, with Spike following along. The ambient sounds of the surrounding area rang in the air. The dried thorny branches snapped, as if something huge and heavy had crushed them beneath its large masses.

The ground trembled at and shook at every thunderous footsteps heard. Lastly, like an approaching storm, the sound of a ravenous beast’s growl sounded loudly in the air. It was so loud, it even shook Spike’s whole body, with the forest of thorns.

Suddenly, the flicking sound of a hiss was heard. Ēferno was flicking his tongue. It sounded loud, distinct, and close even, to the left of Spike, as if it were right behind him.

At that very moment, the sudden gust of warm air blew across the back of Spike’s head, which confirmed his paranoia.

“SPIKE, LOOK OUT!” Sunset screamed, which startled Spike to open his eyes.

The man turned to look, just in time to see Sunset throwing herself towards him, pinning him to the ground, just as the fiendish head of a giant serpent burst through the thorny trees, almost snatching up his preys with a snap of his jaws.

The dragon turned his head to snap again, at Spike and Sunset. But Sunset responded by crouching atop of Spike, roaring loudly at Ēferno, trying to intimidate the dragon.

Spike looked up, but he immediately blushed intensely, and has a nosebleed upon seeing Sunset’s voluptuous body up close.

Feeling a sudden urge growing, Spike curled himself up into a fetal position, curving his back, bowing his head, and pulling his arms and legs close, to hide his reaction.

“Come on, Spike! Let’s go!” Sunset grunted, grabbing the man by the arm, picking him up onto his feet.

“AAAH!!!” Spike yelped, from Sunset suddenly grabbing him.

But still, he followed the tiger-woman, as they made a run for it, through the thorn forest. Behind them, Ēferno let out another loud bloodcurdling roar, accompanied by the ground shaking thunderous footsteps, and the cracking sounds of the trees being torn off their roots, with the snapping branches.

But neither Spike and Sunset looked back. They wouldn’t even dare to. They just kept running, with the thorns scratching at their arms and feet, pass the trees.

Below their feet, the skeletons of all the unfortunate creatures that have been eaten by the dragon, cracked and jabbed at their tired feet.

Then, without warning, something wet and slimy struck Spike at the back of his neck. It brought back dreadful memories when he recalled his last encounter with Ēferno.

It was the dragon’s acid spit. It was disgusting as ever and the foamy texture from the substance has already started to burn at Spike’s skin. But the dragon was trying to aim for his eyes.

The relentless predator kept on chasing after Spike and Sunset, until he was no more. The ground had stopped shaking. Could it be? Has the dragon given up and left?

Spike turned around to look, only catching a glimpse of the dragon’s tail disappearing into the trees, in the side.

“I think he’s given up,” Spike panted hopefully.

“I don’t think so,” Sunset replied. “He’s smarter than he looks. We have to keep going!”

Eventually, both Sunset and Spike were out of the forest of thorns, and were running through the jungles. Ahead, they could hear the sounds of frightened birds and animals, ringing in the air. No doubt about it, they must be frightened by the presence of Ēferno, and were sounding the alarm.

Suddenly, without warning, Spike was hit with an excruciating pain in his eyes. It was so horrible, it felt like knives stabbing him through the back of his skull.

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!” Spike screamed loudly, falling to the ground and throwing his hands up to his face, touching the foamy substance. “MY EYES!!!”

“SPIKE!” Sunset Shimmer heard screaming.

The dragon had ambushed him and Sunset Shimmer, and had spit in his eyes. Spike squeezed his eyes tightly, as he tries to wipe the spit out. All he could see were flashing dots in the darkness.

He felt something wet and rough, wiping across his face. It almost felt like a cat, but bigger. It didn’t take long for Spike to realize it was Sunset, trying to clean his eyes of the acid, recoiling with disgust, judging by the sound of her grimacing and gagging.

“Ugh! That’s disgusting!” Sunset heard gagging.

Suddenly, the earth shook beneath them, and even in his blind state, Spike could tell the dragon was approaching. Next, he could hear the thunderous roar of a tiger, with a mix of a woman’s scream.

Sunset Shimmer was on the attack. She was trying to protect him from Ēferno. The dragon let out another bloodcurdling screech.

Before long, there were the sounds of two fighting animals, biting and clawing at one another. Everywhere, all around Spike, he can heard the crashing sounds of trees falling over, with the Earth shaking at the footsteps of a colossal behemoth. The air blew across Spike’s face, as if something had rushed by, narrowly missing him by an inch of his nose.

Spike felt more scared than he’s ever been. More nausea and anxious. He was lost in a world of darkness, with nothing but the sounds, the smells, and the touch of the world around him speaking to him. But he doesn’t understand where to go, how to navigate, or even how to escape.

He didn’t have to question for long, when he was hoisted up by a pair of arms, and felt his cheek smothered against something fluffy, large, and warm.

Probably, for the first time, he never felt so relieved to feel a woman’s body up close, as his savior whisked them to safety.

However, there was more to the story than Spike was aware of.

Sunset Shimmer was running as fast as her legs could carry her, while she was carrying Spike. Sunset looked back, but her eyes widened in horror when Ēferno leapt up into the air at a tremendous height. It was an unbelievable to sight to behold, as it is terrifying.

Unfortunately, where the dragon landed was ahead of both Spike and Sunset. The impact of the landing shook the ground violently enough to knock both Spike and Sunset Shimmer to the ground

Before Sunset could help Spike stand up, Ēferno leapt forward and had pinned both of them, beneath his claws.

The dragon looked into Sunset Shimmer’s eyes, as though it were looking into her very souls.

Sunset could see her whole life flashing in Ēferno‘s eyes, with his drooling mouth opening up as though it were the gateway to hell.

“This is it!” Sunset Shimmer cried. “Goodbye, Spike! I love you!”

“Me too!”

Chris Classic — Here We Go

Sunset closed her eyes, awaiting for the inevitable, when a loud thunderous roar of a tiger was heard.

Curious to where the roar came from, and wondering why Ēferno didn’t eat them already, Sunset cautiously peeked an eye open.

Standing atop of a rock, with the setting sun shining behind him, was the tiger-man himself.

He has gotten Ēferno‘a attention, who immediately forgot about his preys, stomping off to let out a loud bloodcurdling scream at the tiger-man. But the tiger-man was undeterred, letting out another roar in defiance to Predator 00’s.

The tiger-man then cast a glance to Sunset Shimmer, and nudged his head, as if beckoning her to run. The tiger-man then turned to look back at Ēferno, and leapt towards the dragon.

The tiger-man landed at the base of Ēferno‘a neck, biting and clawing at the dragon’s thick scaly skin. Ēferno relentlessly thrashed his skull, side to side, before he repeatedly snapped his jaws at the tiger-man, until the former grabbed the latter by the tail and threw him off.

The tiger-man grunted when he crashed against some of the thorny trees. But the man-beast quickly got up and rolled to the side to avoid a bite from Ēferno. The tiger-man quickly ran through the forest, until he was able to flank Ēferno, pouncing forward and bit at one of the dragon’s legs.

But Ēferno saw this coming. In retaliation, Ēferno reared his leg up and thrusted it backward into a powerful kick, hitting the tiger-man in the face.

“Ooh! Right in the schnoz,” Sunset grimaced, as she continues to observe the fight, while carrying a blinded Spike in her arms.

During the fight, Ēferno’s tail suddenly reared up and shaped itself in the curve of a hook. Then, with a swift movement as fast as lightning, the dragon whipped his tail at the tiger-man.

But surprisingly, the tiger-man was able to dodge the attack, and the follow up. It was amazing to see the tiger-man evading the rapid strikes from Ēferno‘a jaws and his tail.

The dragon was displaying a flexible and graceful agility, like that of a snake, as if he were dancing. A movement that would make some of his attacks seem impossible to dodge.

But the tiger-man wasn’t backing down from the fight. Somehow, the tiger-man was able to an anticipate and dodged almost every blows, as if he had seen them before. And he only attacks, upon spotting an opening, as shown when the tiger-man bit at one of Ēferno‘a claws, and attacking the dragon’s underbelly.

Could it be possible that both the tiger-man and Ēferno have fought each other at one point? And they have been fighting each other since then?

At one point, Ēferno reared his head and lurched forward for a bite. But in a surprising show of strength, the tiger-man caught Ēferno by the teeth, wrestling the dragon from closing his mouth.

A loud hissing was heard from the back of Ēferno‘s throat. Sunset immediately knew what was coming.

“Hey! LOOK OUT!” Sunset Shimmer called to the tiger-man.

But it was no use. A burst of Ēferno‘s blinding acids shot out from the dragon’s mouth and splashed into the tiger-man’s face.

The tiger-man let out a loud agonizing roar of pain, and was forced to release his hold on the dragon’s mouth.

Ēferno reared his head back for a killing blow.

“NO!” Sunset roared, already dashing forward to push the tiger-man out of the way.

The tiger-man resisted at first, until he sniffed Sunset, to which he immediately purred and nuzzled his snout against her chest fur.

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Sunset gently brushed the tiger-man off her person. “Now let’s get you and Spike out of here!”

Sunset quickly took the blinded tiger-man by the hand, while carrying Spike in her other arm. And together, the three took off running from Ēferno, who pursued behind them.

“And by the way,” Sunset said to the tiger-man, wondering if he might understand her. “Thank you for saving me and Spike…I guess I kinda owe you one…”

End of Song

Eventually, Sunset Shimmer and her two companions managed to outrun Ēferno, after leading him into a mess of vines.

The dragon got entangled, as if he were caught in a large net. The dragon let out a loud bloodcurdling screech in frustration at the loss of his preys.

After escaping from Ēferno, Spike and Sunset Shimmer soon arrived back at the spot, in the river, where Sunset had bathed, to wash the man’s face clean of the acid.

Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer had lead the tiger-man off in a separate direction, away from the village. Last she saw of him, he was at a watering hole, to wash his face, and to recuperate from his recent battle. The tiger-woman was confidence that the tiger-man would be fine on his own.

Also, Sunset wanted to have more time with just herself and Spike.

While Spike was cleaning his face, Sunset went to retrieve her discarded swimwear, and to pull some of the thorns that were stuck to her personal area.

“Oh, finally,” Sunset sighed as she pulled the thorns off of her backside. “I’ve never been so humiliating than that time, in high school, with the broken gym doors! This is the last time I’m running around naked with thorns in my p…p…private area,” She coughed at the last part.

“Really? This wasn’t your first?” Spike asked, with his eyes still closed, to let the waters wash away the acid, until the irritation was gone.

“I…rather not talk about it…” Sunset replied, with an obvious hint of embarrassment in her tone. “Can you see now, Spike?” She asked worrying.

Spike slowly blinked his eyes open, wincing at the strong ray of light that nearly blinded him, as if he had just stepped out of a dark place, for the first time.

His vision was rather hazy at first. But eventually, the colors returned to him and his eyes were able to adjust to the lighting and the shades of his surroundings.

Spike looked up, to see Sunset Shimmer, looking at him with worried concerns in her eyes.

“I…I can see…you’re standing way too close to me,” Spike confirmed.

“Sorry,” Sunset Shimmer apologized, backing away to give Spike some space.

Spike looked down to see the tiger-woman was wearing her black bikini again.

“And…I see you’re dressed…so to speak,” Spike stammered, awkwardly.

“Heh. Yeah. I’m definitely not streaking…if that bothers you…”

“Well, don’t see what the big deal is,” Spike shrugged. “I mean, technically speaking, furs are clothes to an animal.”

In response, Sunset shot Spike a glare, as if threatening to tear him to pieces for saying such a bad joke.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” Spike yelped, pleading Sunset not to kill him. “Still, on the bright side, I…I did saved you from that tiger-man before he — how do you say? — unload?”

At that, a small grateful smile appeared on Sunset’s face.

“That’s true, I guess,” She agreed.

“Though…what do you think might happen if you…uh…if a She-Beast mates with a Man-Beast? Then what?”

“…I’d rather not have to find out.”

“…Yeah. Me too.”

Spike mentally castigated himself for being so stupid, so insensitive to asking such a question. Especially in the aftermath of a rape trauma.

“Besides, I’d rather do it with you,” Sunset blurted, rather absentmindedly.

“Huh? What?” Spike asked.

“NOTHING!” Sunset meowed, with her face blushing pink.

“…Okay?”

Picking up on the embarrassed and awkward tone in Sunset’s voice, Spike knew it was best not to pry any further.

“Still…thank you for saving me, Spike,” Sunset smiled. “If you hadn’t come, then I…I don’t know what I would do…”

“Don’t mention it,” Spike replied.

“Still…what were you doing around here?” Sunset asked. “How did you know I was in trouble and saved me?”

“I was out for a walk, like for places where I can shoot some photos, when I heard you screaming,” Spike answered. “I followed your voice, when I saw what that tiger-man was doing to you. Then I…you know what I did next.”

Sunset smiled in admiration and in gratitude for Spike’s action that saved her.

“I honestly didn’t know what came over me like that,” Spike continued. “Have I gone crazy?”

“Well, a little,” Sunset purred. “But then again, that wasn’t the first time you’ve done crazy things. And for that, I owe you my life.”

Spike blushed and chuckled sheepishly in response, not realizing Sunset was slowly walking towards him, until she kissed him on the lips.

At first, Spike was taken by surprise. However, like before with Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Spike didn’t resist the kiss. Instead, he finds himself returning the kiss. Even wrapping his arms around the back of Sunset’s head, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss.

Spike can feel her tongue, entering his mouth, wrestling with his for dominance, all the while feeling her large canines biting at the outer edge of his mouth.

It was only for a few minutes, until Sunset pulled away.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry,” She cried. “I-I don’t know what I was thinking!”

“Wow…” Spike said as he reached a hand up to touch his lips. “That feels kinda good…”

Sunset blinked an eye open, from which her shame melted away, “You…you like it?” She asked timidly.

“…Yeah.”

“…Do you, uh…want to kiss again?”

“Uh…what the heck?”

With that, Spike and Sunset resumed kissing each other in a passionate make out. Both man and tiger-woman, eventually fell to the ground, where they wrestled each other for dominance, until Sunset stood triumphantly over Spike.

Acting on instincts still, Spike traced his hands down Sunset’s neck, over her shoulders, tracing around her breasts, taking a moment to feel up her toned midriff, before linking her hands around her waist.

Sunset, in turn, tenderly strokes her hands down his neck, across his chest, until she finally held him, under his arms, lifting him off the ground, smothering his chest against hers.

Sunset then rolled on her back, wrapping her legs around Spike’s back, to pull him even closer.

Eventually, they parted their lips away from each other, creating a bridge of saliva between them.

“Wow…what a woman,” Spike said in a daze.

“Wow, what a man,” Sunset smiled in an equal loving daze.

With a smile on his face, and still acting on some newfound instincts he never knew, Spike reached forward to stroke Sunset’s face. Sunset reached her hand up to clasp hers over his, holding it in place. The gaze deeply into each other’s eyes.

It lasted for a long time, until they got up.

“I…I think we should be heading back,” Spike stammered.

“Yeah…we should,” Sunset nodded solemnly.

Spike didn’t understand what’s come over him, as of late. But for some odd reason, he felt rather sad. In his honest opinion, he strangely didn’t want the day to end. Nor did he want to stop kissing Sunset, or any of the girls for that matter.

‘What’s gotten into me?’ Spike asked. ‘But I…I just…’

“Hey, Sunset?” Spike spoke up in a whisper.

“Yes, Spike?” Sunset replied.

“You…uh…want to sleep with me, tonight?” Spike asked, awkwardly. “Y’know, if you want, that is.”

He looked up to see Sunset Shimmer grinning in response. She accepted.

Later that night, Spike was in bed, in his hut, with Sunset laying beside him, holding him close.

Spike was sound asleep, his head snuggling under Sunset’s chin, atop of her soft chest fur.

‘Boys really are cute when they’re asleep,’ Sunset thought fondly to herself.

Sunset gently stroked his cheek, with her finger, and continued to think to herself.

‘Spike is definitely a catch. I never thought I’d ever meet a man as cute and as endearing as him.’

Sunset’s thoughts turned sad, when she recalls a memory she deeply regretted.

‘Well, there was that one guy. But back then, I didn’t date him out of love. I only dated him because I thought of him as a mean to an end. A way to become more popular in high school, to get the crown of the Fall Formal Princess, and then some.’

Sunset felt a sting at her chest, from which the tear’s trickled down her cheeks.

‘And the moment he realized the truth, he and I broke up. I shouldn’t have been mad at him. After all, he was in the right to be mad. After the way I…deceived him. Played him like a harp, like all the other boys and girls I had manipulated…’

Sunset eventually ceased her crying when she thought fondly of her friends.

‘I’m just lucky that Twilight and the others found me at my lowest, and how they were more than willing to give me a second chance.’

Sunset Shimmer continued to think fondly of the memories.

‘I finally became a better person. I realized the importance and the value of friendship. And I was able to make amends for my past…misdeeds.’

The tiger-woman’s thoughts turned sad, upon remembering the boy, whose heart she had broken.

‘Almost everyone… I never got to see Flash Sentry again. I didn’t even get to say goodbye, or tell him how sorry I was for the heartbreak. All I can do now is hope that wherever he is, he’s happily living his life.’

Sunset looked down at Spike in her arms, and thought some more.

‘Cause right now, I have a new guy to take care of. Poor Spike. He’s such a sweet little guy, but he’s been through so much. I can imagine the fear he has for that girl who nearly molested him, all those years ago. The fear and confusion he has from the recent events that happened to us. But still, I’d be more heartbroken if he is still afraid of me and my friends, because of that girl.’

Sunset thought to herself, feeling more guilt-ridden of her past karma.

‘Sometimes I wonder why I was so bad to begin with? Why do people like me hurt innocent people who didn’t deserve it?’

Returning back to the present, Sunset held Spike close, like he was a teddy bear and that hugging him may be the last thing she gets to do in this world.

‘Doesn’t matter now. We’ve come too far now to win Spike’s love…and kisses. And we are not going to betray his trust.’

Without waking Spike up, Sunset licked his cheek, before she fell asleep beside him.

‘We love you, Spike. I love you.’

“So the man is in the village?” Dr. Grogar asked.

Shade Stalker had been hunting Spike down for days. It was only until quite recently, the Hunter has discovered his targets have taken refuge in the village, where the island’s Reverse-Hybrids inhabit.

“Hmmm, interesting,” Grogar pondered, as he stroked his goatee, before turning to Shade Stalker. “Well, for the time being, you will continue your observation of Spike Draco and his companions, do you understand? I would like to see the results of the simulation when this is over. Do not make contact with Spike, or any of the girls, until otherwise. Do you understand?”

Shade said nothing, and simply nodded. The hunter then made his leave, leaving Grogar with his thoughts.

His butler, Bray, then approached his master, “Sir, I don’t mean to question you or anything but why not just simply use the Signal on those girls? It would drive that young man away from them.” He asked.

“Because those particular ladies have been a very interesting case Bray.” Dr Grogar replied, “Those girls have been She-Beasts for a year now and they still manage to retain their sentience. Much longer than the others.”

“Could be their strong bond with each other? That young man having something to do with it? Or are they just simply lucky? Who’s to say, but I want to see if they can last a little longer before I use the Signal.” The mad man finished.

“If you say so sir.” Bray said.

24 — Something There

Days turned into weeks. Weeks turn into months.

By now, it had been a whole month since Spike was shipwrecked on the island.

The young man grew a small goatee and mustache, with his hair unkempt. The She-Beasts began to assume some more animalistic stances, as most of them started to crawl on four, while occasionally walking around on their hind legs.

Nevertheless, both Spike and the girls continued to work side-by-side, with Spike having grown accustomed to the girls’ presence.

In fact, he’s become rather fascinated in the She-Beasts and Reverse-Hybrids. It was an unfamiliar feeling he hadn’t felt before.

Is he going insane? Why is he feeling this feeling? Why did he never felt that way before?

On the other hand, Spike wasn’t the only one experiencing such newfound emotions.

The She-Beasts and their Reverse-Hybrid friends were feeling a slight attraction towards Spike. After a whole month on the island together, they all grew closer and closer, up until they all shared the same mutual respect.

All the same, as animalistic as they were becoming, their love for Spike remains. And they wondered why they hadn’t felt that way before.

Only Loona, remained distrusting towards Spike and stubbornly kept her distance from the man, and every other females in the village, except for Bea. Though, eventually, the crocodile soon left her for Spike, leaving the wolf-dog by her lonesome.

However, on a few occasions, Spike has caught sight of Loona, checking him out, or stalking him. But she would quickly brush it off and pretend to be ignorant about it.

On one such morning, Spike was having a breakfast of fruit salad, with fish, crab meat, and oysters, that Starlight and Marina had worked hard to catch from the sea.

By this point, Spike was now more than tolerant of eating his meals with the girls.

Spike was just eating his breakfast like any normal humans, in polite society, when he looked up and was aghast at what he was seeing.

The She-Beasts were slobbering and fighting over every scrap of food they could get their hands or claws on, like the animals they were becoming.

Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack were viciously chewing and tugging on the legs of a roasted pig.

Rarity, having lost a majority of her etiquettes, by her newfound choice of revealing attires, was hissing and puffed the furs on the back of her neck, as she stood defensively over her meal.

Fleur was also guarding the fish she was eating, hissing and scratching at anyone who gets too close, like a cat.

Pinkie Pie was screeching at the top of her lungs as she bangs her hands against her chest, making her breasts bounce repeatedly.

Twilight Sparkle was stuffing her face in a whole stack of daffodil sandwiches, hay burgers, and a bowl of oats. It was a far cry from her collected and calculating maturity of a leader, who kept everyone in order.

Only Fluttershy and Starlight have kept to themselves.

Starlight Glimmer appeared to want nothing to do with the antics of her new friends, who have succumbed to their genetically altered animalistic instincts. Unfortunately, at one point, she ended up on the receiving end of a bite, from Fleur.

“NYA!”

“OW!” Starlight screamed, turning her head to see the tip of her tail, in Fleur’s mouth.

Fluttershy was simply hanging upside down and was not fully aware to the exact awkward scene her friends were making.

Not too far away, the mixed reactions on the Reverse-Hybrids’ face was as clear as day

Marina looked disgusted.

Leggy was horrified and covered Kirin’s eyes, like a mother trying to save her child’s innocence.

Beatrice seemed rather indifferent about it.

Lastly, Loona appeared to be snickering to herself in amusement. For Spike, this is one of the few rare moments he actually sees Loona smiling, or at the very least, happy.

Regardless, none of the She-Beasts seemed to notice Spike, as if they’ve forgotten he was there. It wasn’t until Spike cleared his throat, which finally got their attention.

The girls stopped to look at Spike, seeing the bewildering, and disgusted, look on his face. The girls immediately turned to look at themselves and realized what a scene they were making.

The only saving grace was that they weren’t in public, or they were certain to die of embarrassment. Unfortunately, their embarrassment remains, due to the fact that they had made a mess in front of Spike.

Trying to salvage what they can of their lost manners, the She-Beasts sat back down in their seats and tried to use the forks and spoons to pick their foods. However, they seemed to have forgotten how to use the utensils.

Pinkie Pie was licking her spoon as if it was a lollipop, Rainbow Dash was unable to hold anything with her wings, where her hands used to be, and could hardly hold a fork straight, with her claws.

A wheezy, rasping laugh was heard, to which everyone turned to see it was none other than Loona. The wolf-dog was enjoying herself at the She-Beasts’ expense, until Applejack and Marina both shot her a death glare, to which Loona merely shrugged in response.

Spike, not wanting the girls to feel anymore awkward, decided to try and meet them in the middle, by holding up his plate of foods.

Twilight was the first to see this, and smiled as she too held up her plate, with the other girls following along. Fluttershy had some help, from Pinkie Pie, holding the mango fruit she was eating.

This display of mutuality got the Reverse-Hybrids interested, and they also raised their meals up. Even Loona followed along, seemingly not wanting to be left out.

With that, Spike and the girls raised their foods in the air, to each other, and proceeded to eat their breakfasts.

Later that day, Spike and the She-Beasts were once again setting up traps to strengthen their defenses around the village.

They had set up ground snares all around the outer edge of the village’s perimeter, designed to sound an alarm, using several bamboo sticks, designed to be wind chimes, attached to some small flimsy trees.

This way, if anything trips up and gets caught in these ground snares would end up shaking the trees, sounding the alarm.

Further inward of the village perimeters, are the pitfall traps, covered by sticks and leaves.

Finally, in the remote areas of the surrounding area in the village’s perimeter, should anything ever got past the ground snares, the pitfall traps, are the spear-spring traps.

In case any would-be invaders sound the alarm and somehow got pass the pitfall traps, then Spike and the girls will have enough time to set these lethal, but effective traps at the ready.

Once sprung, these traps will swing and impale any unsuspecting invaders, or any unfortunate creatures, with the sharpened wooden spikes.

Once the outdoor traps were set up, Spike and the girls can turn their attentions to set up defenses along the village wall and inside.

However, as of late, it has become more difficult for Spike or any of the girls to concentrate any of the tasks at hand.

One such moment was when Spike and the girls were checking on one of the wind chime alarms, when both Spike and Sunset suddenly fell down a pitfall trap.

Sunset landed first, on her back, with Spike accidentally landing on her stomach.

“Ow!” They both groaned, upon landing, until they looked and blushed at each other.

“Hi Spike,” Sunset chuckled sheepishly.

“Uh, S-S-Sunset?” Spike yelped.

Spike looked up to see the other girls, and little Kirin, laughing at their awkward predicament, with Pinkie Pie being the loudest. Only Loona is the exception, as she seemed to have a rather confused experience on her face.

Nevertheless, everyone all gathered together to help up both Spike and Sunset out of the hole.

Later, Spike was helping Applejack fortifying the palisade that served as the wall, surrounding the village.

The vines they gathered from the jungle were used as makeshift ropes, to suspend the wall of two-story wooden stakes together.

It was like looking at a wooden fortress built in medieval time. But the fortress isn’t what Spike was interested in. His main focus were on Applejack.

The young man was tickled pick, with his face burning red, from the island’s heat, as he gazes and marvels at Applejack’s muscular arms, legs, and toned abs.

‘Wow, Applejack,’ Spike thought to himself in arousal. ‘Look at her muscles. I could just rub my hands all over them all day.’

It’s hard to believe that a wolf-woman could be so strong, with muscles to show for it. This made Spike wonder if she was this strong, when she was human.

But aside from her strength, Applejack has shown herself to be diligent as she is honest. Spike wondered why he didn’t see her this way before.

Spike watched as Applejack pulls on the collar of her shirt, to get some breeze, before she took her hat off to wipe the sweats off her brow, and shakes her golden hair.

Spike was enchanted by such display, he thought he was looking at an angel. Before it could go on, however, Applejack turned her head and she caught sight of Spike checking her out.

Startled, Spike accidentally tripped and fell into the pitfall trap he dug up.

For the very life of him, he never felt so embarrassed, ‘Damn, she saw me staring at her!’ Spike thought in despair. ‘Now she’ll think I’m weird! I-I-I want to diiiiiiie!’

“Hey Spike?” Applejack poked her head into the hole, from above.

With the sun shining behind her, with the clouds and the blue sky as the background, she really looked like an angel.

“Y’all right, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked, a her voice breaking a little, sounding like she was holding in a laugh.

Watching from the bushes, Loona watched and observed Spike’s embarrassing moment.

She was outright delighted at the stupid human being for falling into one of his own traps. How utterly stupid can this man be?

Nevertheless, she really enjoyed watching the man make a fool of himself, in front of the orange wolf creature.

She half-expected the wolf to maul him, bury him alive for all she cared. Now that she has seen him for the inferior human he is, then she would make the smart move and kill him. That would make one less human being to worry about.

Instead, her joy of entertainment was dashed to the wind, when she saw Applejack leaning down to help the man up.

Loona couldn’t believe her eyes, nor did she understand. Why would this wolf help a human being from his own traps? The same traps these wretched humans would use to hunt and capture animals, like herself?

And why is she licking him? Why is her tail wagging? Does the orange wolf actually love him that much?

Although, Loona did remember seeing a similar scenario, such as this.

It was back when Loona was a normal dog, living out on the streets. She would scavenge throughout the humans trash, and fighting tooth and nails against even bigger dogs for scraps of her meals.

But on some occasions, she would be passing by the dog park, where dogs and their humans would go to play together. It was a rather wholesome sight to behold, as it is infuriating and mocking to Loona.

The sight of so many dogs living the life that Loona will never have. A family born of love. Nobody wants her.

Returning back to the present, Loona was more than disgusted and confused as to how this human could have a family born of love, with Applejack.

Eventually, both the human and Applejack parted and went their separate ways. Loona continued to follow the human, without alerting him. Humans are very primitive with such limited senses. But Loona wanted to find out more, of why this human male is so special to the girls?

After he helped Applejack with the wall, Spike walked back into the village and happened upon Rarity fixing one of the huts’ rooftops.

Fluttershy, being a Bat-Woman, was hanging upside down, from a tree branch that hangs above the hut.

“Oh! Spike! So good of you to come!” Rarity greeted.

“Hi Rarity! Hi Fluttershy!” Spike greeted the two She-Beasts. “What’s going on?”

“There’s a dreadful hole in the rooftop of this hut, darling,” Rarity replied. “And I’m trying to get it patched up, by…I’m rather short on hands, right now.”

“And I want to help,” Fluttershy squeaked. “But…I…”

“Now, now, Fluttershy,” Rarity assured to the insecure bat-woman. “No one is blaming you.”

“Maybe I can help!” Spike said, while surprised to hear himself say that. “Fluttershy can hold me, while I help you weave the roof, Rarity.”

“Oh, would you, darling?” Rarity asked, gratefully. “I wouldn’t want you to trouble yourself on our accounts…”

“It’s no trouble at all, I insist!” Spike continued to surprise himself. ‘Where did that come from? Am I really offering to help…to some women? She-Beasts?’

Since being shipwrecked on the island, the only company Spike has had are the She-Beasts, and later the Reverse-Hybrids, little Kirin, and Fleur-de-Lis. Not that Spike has had a choice in the matter.

The mere thought of being in their presence was overwhelming for Spike’s gynophobia. However, they were the only friends he has left. Including the wolf-dog, Loona.

Only one month later, Spike was still a little intimidated, if not scared by the girls. However, by this point, he has gotten more tolerant of being close to them, to the point he was even talking to them on a casual level.

He can look at them in the eyes and engage in a civilized conversation, without so much as sweating up a storm, or the risk of a panic attack. By now, he see has come to see them as human beings, just like he is, and no longer has the fear of possibly being torn to pieces and eaten.

But all the same, he can’t stop feeling nervous around them. A new kind of nervous that includes his face cheeks burning, sweating, and his voice stammering.

Poor Spike has yet to fully understand the mixed feelings he’s been experiencing. But in a way, it does feel good. He wondered why he didn’t felt that way before?

Returning to the present, Spike found himself being carried up a tree, by Rarity, who then passed him to Fluttershy.

Both Spike and Fluttershy had some troubles getting themselves adjusted. Almost as difficult as mountain climbers getting their harnesses adjusted for climbing.

The main trouble was climbing down on Fluttershy, without running the risk of putting his hands on some place inappropriate.

“Oh! My leg!” Fluttershy gasped. “Spike, be careful. Oh!”

“Sorry!” Spike blushed, after he had inadvertently puts his feet on a couple round steps, underneath the bat-woman’s ruff.

Nevertheless, both Spike and Fluttershy endured the awkward moment, as Fluttershy gingerly flapped her wings, until she hooked her opposable thumbs at Spike’s ankles.

With that, Spike did a trust fall and fell backwards, with Fluttershy holding onto him still, stopping his fall, where his nose was barely an inch away from the rooftop.

“Whoa! Whoa,” Spike groaned, from the sensation of the fall, and an even rushing sensation from hanging upside down.

“Spikey-Wikey!” Rarity called. “Are you okay, darling?”

“I’m okay,” Spike replied. “Just feeling the flow of blood rushing to my head.”

“But how are we doing Rarity?” Fluttershy asked. “Are we close to the hole?”

“Just a little more to the left, darling,” Rarity advised. “No! Your other left! A little more. Stop! Now gently lower Spike down. Easy does it.”

“I got it!” Spike shouted, upon grabbing the edge of the hole.

“Brilliant!” Rarity smiled and started to hand a clump of straws and reeds, to Spike.

From there, Spike followed Rarity’s instructions to weave the reeds and straws together, patching up the hole. Afterwards, they set the palm leaves over the patchwork, finishing the repair.

“And done!” Spike confirmed.

“Oh, what would we do without you darling?” Rarity asked, with a grateful sincere smile.

“Oh…I’d…hate to…imagine,” Fluttershy grunted, until she lost her grip on the branch, with her feet.

“WHOA!” Both Spike and Fluttershy screamed as they fell on the rooftop, and rolled to the ground, collapsing onto Rarity.

Once again, Loona was baffled at the interaction between the human and the two She-Beasts.

Rather than leaving the leopard and the bat creatures alone with their lives, the human still intervened. Except it was to help.

Admittedly, she was in awe at the teamwork of the human and the bat creature called Fluttershy, or Flutterbat.

To fix a hole on the rooftop of a hut, the human climbed up the tree, with the leopard’s help, and he was hung, by the legs, by the opposable thumbs on the bat’s wings.

Together, both human and Flutter Bat managed to patch up the hole, with more leaves, hays, and sticks, which the leopard was able to secure.

It was an amazing sight.

‘But still, why bother in the first place?’ Loona asked. ‘Why not just ask for someone else to do the work? Someone more capable, like that Twilight pony? Ugh! Humans are so weird. And this one is no exception.’

Again, Loona followed the human around the village. She couldn’t seem to fully understand why she was so interested in the human, as of late. Nor does she care. She just wanted some answers.

Who is this human? What is he doing on the island? Why is he helping?

The human was just walking through the village, minding his own business, when he was suddenly hoisted up in the air, startling Loona to a halt.

“AAAAAAHHHH!!!” The young man screamed, upon stepping into a snare trap, and found himself hanging upside down, by a leg. “HEY! HELP!”

At that moment, a familiar chirpy voice was heard singing and ringing in the air.

“Spider-monkey! Spider-monkey! Does whatever a spider can~” The monkey creature called Pinkie Pie sang, as she swung across the vines, reaching the human.

Flying by her side is the bird creature, Rainbow Dash.

“Hey, Spike!” Rainbow Dash chortled, finding a place to perch, on a branch. “How’s it hanging?”

“Good one, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie hollered loudly, which irritates Loona, from the treetops to the forest floor. “How’s it hangin?’ Because Spike is hanging upside down in our snare trap!”

“What gave you two the idea for a snare trap, huh?” The human asked.

Rainbow Dash was wiping a tear from her eyes, before she cleared her throat and explained, “Well, we thought that in case one of those Devil Monkeys, or any unwelcome guests, get pass the pitfall traps and somehow got through the wall, then they’ll be in for an even bigger surprise, with the snare traps me and Pinkie have been setting up.”

“Plus, a whole web of vines, designed to look like a spider’s web, made by yours truly!” Pinkie smiled, proudly pointing up.

Hanging above the village was a whole mess of vines, woven in intricate designs and patterns, like a spider’s web. It was so convincing, intimidating, as it is huge, Loona felt herself dwarfed in comparison to scale. She almost felt like a fly in a spider’s web.

‘How can this be?’ Loona asked herself in her thoughts. ‘This is impossible!’

“Hi!” Pinkie Pie greeted, jump scaring Loona.

“BWAH!!!” Loona screamed, before punching the monkey-woman right in the face.

Pinkie fell to the ground and clutched her face, "Owie..."

"Serves... you right... you... pink putz..." Lonna growled as she panted heavily, and rapidly beats her chest to soothe her frightened heartbeat, before storming off in a huff.

How could this strange pink monkey have succeeded in sneaking up on Loona? How could Loona have not seen nor heard her coming? Even to this day, no one knows how.

Rainbow then approached the downed Pinkie Pie, "Told you it was a bad idea..." The falcon woman muttered.

Twilight Sparkle was in her hut, going over all the documents, map, and charts that she and Spike had been able to salvage from the shipwreck of the ship that Spike had previously arrived on.

She and Sunset Shimmer had been coordinating the charters, plotting out all the possible routes leading from the island and back to the mainland.

And recently, with the involvement of Starlight Glimmer, their plan to return home looked more possible than it was before.

Twilight was suddenly brought back to the present, by the sound of knocking on her hut’s door frame.

“Hey, Twilight,” Spike greeted the pony-woman.

“Hi Spike!” Twilight returned the greeting. “What’s up?”

“Pinkie’s got a whole web of vines, above the village. That’s what’s up,” Spike answered. “She’s got snare traps, rope bridges, vines coated in honey, and now she’s thinking of installing a zip line, or two.”

Spike shook his head incredulously, “Whatever goes on in that pink monkey’s beehive?”

“That’s just Pinkie being Pinkie,” Twilight chuckled. “Best not to think too much on that…”

Spike simply shrugged in response, before he sat down besides Twilight, to look at the map.

“So, what’s the plan?” Spike asked.

“Well, so far, the island we’re on is about 200 kilometers away from the mainland,” Twilight explained. “It’ll be a two day sail. So we need to stock up on foods that can last us long enough for the journey. And thanks to Starlight, for providing us with some weather charts, we’ll be able to pick the perfect day to go sailing. Otherwise, it will be suicidal to sail in a hurricane.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Spike grimaced, at the thought of sailing in a hurricane. “Though, where did she get all these?”

“From Newt Chimera,” Twilight answered. “Starlight told me that Newt wanted us off the island as much as we do. But he has some…complications. So this is his way of atoning for his mistakes.”

Spike looked at the documents with weary hope, “I hope Newt’s right, for all of us.”

Even if Newt Chimera was revealed to have become a hybrid, like the rest of Spike’s crew mates, Spike still hoped that the man himself was still alright.

Looking over the map, the sea charts, and documents of the weather forecast of the surrounding area. It wasn’t until Spike noticed something quite peculiar.

A red circle on the map, with an arrow drawn, and a message that reads: “Go here!”

“Hey, Twilight! Look at this!” Spike pointed the indicator on the map, much to the pony-woman’s interest.

“Where does that take us?” Twilight asked.

Before long, Spike and the group were following the map, to the spot, where Newt Chimera had circled.

After a bird’s eye view, from Rainbow Dash, to help them pinpoint exactly where their village is — while using the beach, the shipwreck that Beatrice and Loona hangout at, for landmarks — the group were able to confirm their location on the map, and the direction they need to take.

While looking at the map, Spike was alarmed to see five certain locations that Newt had also circled, with crude drawings of skulls, to confirm the areas not suitable for visitors.

But the names written next to them, were more than alarming.

“Looks like Newt’s been keeping track of the Berserker’s’ locations,” Spike said, showing the map. “Look at this! Chrysalis’s hive in Devil’s Bayou. Tirek’s Elephant Graveyard. Sombra’s Snake Pit. Cozy Glow’s Skull Mountain...”

“And from the looks of it,” Twilight read the map. “The Storm King is also somewhere in the area, close to where the village is! We need to be careful. If he’s as dangerous as he was, when he was human, then I’d hate to find out what Dr. Grogar had turned him into…”

“I just hope we don’t have to worry about running into the likes of Chrysalis,” Rarity expressed her disgust.

Eventually, the group finally arrived at what appeared to be a dead end. There was nothing in sight, except for a thick wall of shrubs, bushes, and trees.

“Now what?” Rainbow Dash asked Spike.

“I-I don’t know,” Spike replied, as he looked back at the map. “This…The map told us to go here!”

“Maybe you read it upside down,” Pinkie Pie guessed.

“It wasn’t upside down,” Rainbow Dash argued. “I flew up and almost circled the entire island! I memorized the layout to the exact details on the map!”

“But if that’s true, then why would Newt tell us to come here?” Applejack asked.

“I’m sure Newt wouldn’t peg us wrong,” Spike sighed. “Would he?”

“Of course not!” Starlight exclaimed. “Even if he was under Dr. Grogar’s control, Newt would want us all to be free and back to civilization! He’d never lie to us!”

“Oh please! Open your eyes, shark-girl!” Rainbow Dash screeched impatiently. “In case you forgot, he tricked us all to a tropical vacation, or even a trip to photograph some dolphins! All just to get us here, and have us subjected to becoming mutations to his employer, Dr. Grogar! This could be another of his tricks!”

“But…even if he was working for Dr. Grogar, then why did he try to free me?” Spike asked.

“I…I don’t know,” Rainbow said silently, at a loss for words.

“Look everyone,” Sunset Shimmer called. “It’s getting late. How about we all go back to the village and we can figure this out later…”

The girls were all exchanging mixed agreements and suggestions, while Spike walked over to a wall of shrubs, with little Kirin following.

“I know we came here for a reason,” Spike sighed, leaning against the wall, and fell right through it. “WHOA!”

Spike screamed, disappearing into the wall, alarming the girls and Kirin of his predicament.

“OH NO!” The girls cried out as they raced to the wall and poked their heads through the shrubs, to find a long dark tunnel.

“Spike! Where are you?” The girls called out to Spike, with their voices echoing. “Are you okay?”

“Check this out!” Spike’s voice echoed back.

Curious, the girls all slid down the tunnel slide, with Kirin sliding with his adoptive mother, on her laps. Upon arriving at the bottom of the slide, the girls meet Spike, standing on a rickety old wooden platform, covered in mosses.

“What is it, Spike?” Applejack asked. “What is it ya want us to see?”

“That!”

Everyone all looked up and could hardly believe their eyes. Docked in a cave, with an opening to the ocean, is a large white yacht — a cruise ship type — big enough for passengers of at least twenty people.

At the left of its bow, the ship’s name reads: The Ark.

“See? I told you Newt wouldn’t peg us wrong!” Starlight Glimmer exclaimed happily. “We got ourselves a ship!”

“We got ourselves a ride back home!” Applejack exclaimed.

“Our journey home is secured!” Twilight added.

“THIS CALLS FOR A YACHT PARTY!!!” Pinkie Pie hollered at the top of her lungs, already stripping off her apron, to reveal her swimsuit.

As the sun was going down, Spike and the girls were all dancing, splashing, and swimming around the yacht.

Rainbow Dash was flapping her wings, while dancing besides Fluttershy and Applejack. But Fluttershy accidentally smacked her wings against Rainbow Dash, knocking the falcon-woman onto Applejack, and they both fell on top of each other.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack were both blushing a storm, while Fluttershy stumbled blindly to apologize, “I’m sorry!”

Pinkie Pie jumped into the water, while hollering, “CANNONBALL!!!”

Pinkie Pie landed in the water with a mighty splash. Upon resurfacing, Pinkie looked up to see Starlight Glimmer shaking her head, with a competitive grin.

“You call that a dive? Watch this,” Starlight Glimmer then leapt up in the air, doing a spectacular somersault, landing a perfect nosedive into the water.

“WOW! That’s so awesome!!!” Pinkie Pie hollered, until both she and Starlight were hit by a big splash of water.

They turned to look and see a ring of ripples, where someone had dived in the water.

The assailant soon resurfaced, revealing herself to be Beatrice, scoffing, “Amateurs.”

Rarity was just resting on the yacht’s lounging chair on the bow, with Sunset Shimmer on her left.

“Oh yes!” Rarity smiled. “This is how a lady’s holiday should feel!”

“You said it, Rarity!” Sunset smiled. “Never thought I’d get to have this experience again!”

Kirin was galloping around the yacht, bleating with excitement, with Leggy Lamb chasing him. When suddenly, Kirin ran between Spike’s legs, which leads to Leggy colliding with Spike.

“OOF!!!”

Spike and Leggy fell onto the deck, dazed and disoriented from the collision. Upon regaining their senses and composures, Spike and Leggy looked at each other, blushing at the sudden physical contact with each other.

“Uh, you okay, Leggy?” Spike asked, checking the Reverse-Hybrid’s head for any bruises. “You have a fever? Why is your face glowing?”

“I’m…okay,” Leggy bleated bashfully.

By this point, the Reverse-Hybrids, besides Loona, have slightly improved their English.

“Are you having fever?” Leggy asked, checking Spike’s head.

“I’m…fine,” Spike stammered.

“Ahem.”

Spike and Leggy looked up with a start, to see the mischievous grin on Sunset’s face, with the other girls giggling. Though, Marina looked rather irritated and Loona seemed rather annoyed.

“Are we interrupting something?” Sunset asked.

“Uh, nothing happened!” Spike squeaked.

Unfortunately, Kirin wasn’t convinced. The little asymmetry horned lamb jabbed his longer horn at Spike’s stomach.

Feeling the wind knocked out of him, Spike keeled over, and felt himself being dragged along the deck, by the leg.

As of late, Kirin has become rather protective of his adopted mother. And the lamb makes sure everyone, especially Spike, know it.

“Are you okay, Spike?” Twilight giggled, to which Spike awoke to find himself in the care of the pony-woman, as well as Marina, and of course, Fleur.

“I’m okay,” Spike grunted, clutching his smarten stomach. “I never knew that little lambs could pack such a punch.”

“That Kirin,” Twilight smiled. “I guess he thought his mom was in danger and was just trying to protect her.”

“So I noticed,” Spike soon found himself being snuggled by Fleur-de-Lis.

By now, Spike has gotten used to Fleur’s feline affectionate snuggle.

“So, Twilight?” Spike asked. “Did you check the ship? Is it operable?”

“Well, it’s ship shape and sea worthy,” Twilight replied. “But it’s low on fuel. We’re going to need a lot of it, if we’re going to sail off the island. And we need a week’s worth of rations to last the journey.”

“Well, at least we’ve got a ship…” Spike said. “And if there’s any fuel on this island, then we’ll find it…somehow.”

Marina was checking Spike’s stomach, looking for any bruises, cuts, or any possible signs of an injury he might’ve gotten from Kirin.

However, the touch of Marina’s tentacles and hands tickled Spike’s stomach.

“Whoa, whoa, careful there,” Spike giggled. “I’m ticklish!”

“Ticklish?” Marina repeated, which gave her the idea to tickle Spike some more, with Fleur and Twilight joining.

Afterwards, they resume the party with the rest of the group.

Only Loona seemed to be the less “party animal.” She still had her eyes on Spike, looking rather suspicious of him.

The stubborn wolf-dog was not fully convinced that Spike can be trustworthy.

Beatrice took notice of Loona’s observation and walked over to the wolf-dog.

“Is there a problem?” Beatrice asked the wolf-dog.

“Yeah. Him!” Loona pointed at Spike, who had been the bane of her existence.

Beatrice followed Loona’s gaze towards Spike, then turned her head back to Loona.

“What’s wrong with him?” Bea asked.

“He’s so irritating just from looking at him! That’s what’s wrong!” Loona growled. “He makes me sick!”

Bea simply blinked her eyes, rather indifferent towards her friend’s rant.

“Why? Did he hurt you?” Bea asked.

“No.”

“Did he try to touch you again?”

“No.”

“Did he look at you the wrong way?”

“No.”

“Then, why hate him?”

“I don’t know!” Loona barked. “Something about him just makes me…he makes my stomach hurt! He makes me sick. But then I’m not! But then I am again. He’s driving me crazy!”

Bea simply smoked on a weed and puffed out a cloud, “You like him.”

“LIKE HIM?! I HATE HIM!” Loona screamed in denial.

“You tell yourself that,” Bea responded calmly. “You say you hate him, but your heart actually starts to like him, after all this time. And your stomach is upset about it.”

“Then what do I do to make it stop?”

“Talk to him.”

Loona seemed rather disgusted at the idea of talking to Spike.

“Why would I want to talk to a human, like him?” Loona asked. “He’s nothing but shit!”

“He’s a good human to me,” Bea shrugged.

“There are no good humans! Just shit! You of all creatures should know that better than I do!”

“I know there are worse humans. But I know there are lots of good humans. And I know to give them a chance…and to cut them some slack.”

“Cut some slack, huh?” Loona asked, finally having some second thoughts.

“Eeyup,” Bea smoked. “You may not like him now. But I like him. And you’ll see…he’s better than her.”

Loona flinched at the very mention of…her. But there can be denying. If Loona were to at least choose any humans, be it Spike, or her, right now. Then it would be Spike.

Loona looked back at Spike, deciding to give him a chance. Later.

Afterwards, Beatrice requested another weed to be lit. Loona took out her lighter, clicking on it, which immediately flickered, lighting up a flame.

‘Wow. That’s a first,’ Loona thought to herself.

“ALRIGHT, EVERY CREATURES! GATHER AROUND!” Pinkie Pie shouted, into a conch shell, sounding the call of a horn. “It’s that time again, for all of us to SING AND DANCE! HIT IT, RAINBOOMS!!!”

After a countdown of four taps, Pinkie Pie started off her fellow She-Beasts, sans Starlight, in an upbeat song.

I’m On A Yacht — Equestria Girls

Throughout the song, the She-Beasts Rainbooms danced and sang, letting their wild party animals shown.

Starlight Glimmer even joined the dance.

They eventually got Fleur-de-Lis, and all the Reverse-Hybrids to dance along.

Even Loona joined the groove, but only because she didn’t want to feel left out

Throughout the dance, the Rainbooms danced alongside a nervous and blushing Spike, beckoning him to dance.

Spike felt rather put on the spot. He was shaking and sweating nervously, with his knees buckling. He has gotten stage fright.

But then he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, to which he looked up to see Sunset Shimmer, giving him a warm and assuring smile.

The tiger-woman then inhaled a deep breath, with a hand to her chest, which Spike followed along. Then she exhaled, moving her hand away, and Spike followed along.

As if carried away, on the exhale of his breath, Spike’s anxiety left, calming him down.

“You don’t have to dance if you don’t want to,” Sunset reassured. “Sorry for putting you on the spot…”

“It’s okay,” Spike replied. “Let me just…just…phew!”

Breathing deeply, composing himself, Spike started to shake his hips, wave his arms, kick his legs, and do all kinds of dance moves he can think of.

The girls all cheered him on, encouraging him to keep on dancing. Complying, Spike kept on dancing without his fears and doubts holding him back. He felt so much alive than he has in a long time.

The girls gathered around Spike and danced so more with the man. The Reverse-Hybrids joined in, with Kirin dancing by his mother’s side, but Loona still kept her distance.

At one point, Twilight was on all four, dancing rather awkwardly. Nevertheless, Spike followed along.

Seeing this, Loona looked at Spike with interest, wondering to herself why she didn’t see him that way before.

Everyone were all having a good time.

The girls, minus Loona, gathered around Spike and smothered him up with kisses, licks, and pecks.

End of Song

After the party, everyone were all on their way back to the village.

“Wow! That was so much…fun!” Spike panted heavily, catching his breath.

“You really killed it with those dance moves dude!” Rainbow Dash screeched happily. “Though…you could be 20% cooler.”

“Oh? Like ya could dance any better, Miss Chicken Hawk?” Applejack asked the falcon-woman.

“I’m a falcon, bitch!” Rainbow snarled in Applejack’s face.

“Well, whatever happened, you can really dance, Spike,” Sunset ruffled the man’s hair. “Better than, Twilight, honestly…” She muttered at the last part.

“I heard that!” Twilight scowled, much to Sunset’s amusement.

“Well…who says music can’t soothe the savage beast?” Spike joked. “The way I say it. It brought out their inner party animals!”

The girls all laughed out loud, along with Spike’s joke, when they arrived back to the village, and the sound of a wind chime alarm rang in the air.

“What the hay?” Twilight asked.

“What was that?” Spike asked.

“Barium, cobaIt, Einstein, KooI-Aid!” Marina exclaimed.

“What?” The group, except Pinkie Pie, asked the octopus Reverse-Hybrid.

“She said one of my patented snare traps caught an intruder, Southeast in the cool shades!” Pinkie Pie translated.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

“How did you know?” Spike asked.

“Eh. When you’re stuck on an island for a month, with an octopus who can’t speak proper English…you know a lot of things,” Pinkie answers a matter a factly.

Everyone all rushed towards the direction of the alarm. By the time they arrived, they were all startled to find a large creature, about the size of a large man, or gorilla, trapped in one of Pinkie’s large net traps.

“Yup!” Pinkie Pie hollered. “It worked!”

“But what exactly have we caught?” Spike asked.

“We’re about to find out,” Applejack replied, as she turned to Sunset Shimmer and Rainbow Dash. “Get ready y’all. No telling what kinda beast we caught ourselves could be.”

The three She-Beasts all approached the captured beast with caution, triangulated the surrounding area of their captured quarry.

“Let me go!” The beast shouted in a masculine voice, which caught Spike and the girls by surprise.

“The beast can speak?!” Spike exclaimed. “You can talk?!”

“Of course I can talk,” The beast responded. “And I kindly ask that you gently set me down and release me at once!”

“Okie-dokie-artichoke!” Pinkie Pie chirped, cutting down the net, dropping the beast.

“I said gently!”

With an indignant grunt, the beast stood up, brushing the net off, to reveal himself as a gargantuan creature that bears the resemblance of a gargoyle.

He has the muscular hulking body of a gorilla, the mane and tail of a lion, the wings of a bat, and the face of fearsome baboon.

“Wh-Who are you?” Spike asked.

“And how is it that you can still speak?” Twilight added.

“My name is Scorpan,” The beast introduced himself. “And I am the brother of the criminal you know as Tirek.”

“YOU’RE TIREK’S BROTHER?!” Everyone exclaimed.

“Not much of a family resemblance,” Pinkie Pie commented.

“Pinkie, shush!” Applejack berated.

“What? I’m just saying—“ Rainbow Dash quickly covered Pinkie’s mouth with one of her wings, silencing the monkey-woman.

“Uh, continue, Mr. Scorpan,” Sunset Shimmer beckoned.

“While it is true, we are brothers, we are not of the same business,” Scorpan continued. “I worked for the FBI. I assisted Interpol’s Agency in the hopes of catching my brother and bringing him to justice, though Tirek was always one step ahead of me. Eventually, he got tired of our game of cat and mouse, and baited me in a trap, before handing me over to Dr. Grogar, who turned me into this.”

“Sorry we asked,” Spike replied. “I mean, from what the girls told me, the transformation process Grogar had subjected you all must’ve been…painful.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Scorpan shook his head. “Though, I must ask, how is it that you are not one of Dr. Grogar’s beast-folks yourself?”

“Well, as luck would have it, Newt Chimera busted me out before that insane madman of a doctor even had the chance to turn me into…a beast-folk.”

“Hmmm. I see. And to have survived for so long, a torturous existence that would drive a man mad. You are all truly exceptional.”

The girls and Spike all looked at each other to exchange blushes and awkward sideway glances.

But then, Twilight realized something more intriguing, “Hang on! Mr. Scorpan, sir,” She began to ask. “If you don’t mind my asking, then how is it you are still intelligent?”

“I have to agree with Twilight on this one,” Sunset Shimmer joined. “From what we have seen, a lot of men usually lose all their senses of reasoning and become fully feral, after the transformation process.”

Scorpan looked rather solemn for a moment, before he opened his eyes to look at Spike and the girls.

“Yes. It’s true,” Scorpan sighed. “For most of us men, we are all doomed to live the rest of our lives as beasts, for all time. I, myself, included. As to how I could’ve been able to retain my intelligence, whereas my brother could not…I don’t know if it makes sense, but I suppose…it’s all about acceptance.”

“Huh?” The group replied, unsure of the man-beast’s answer.

“What do you mean, by that?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Rather than struggling, or fighting, to control my inner beast,” Scorpan began to lecture. “I somehow came to terms with my new existence for the long-term…and I was able to gain self-control of myself. At least, that’s how I would interpret it.”

Spike and the girls exchanged confused glances, before Spike looked back up and asked, “So…what you’re saying is…in case I become a man-beast…I should just accept it, instead of fighting it? And then I can control myself?”

“Possibly,” Scorpan nodded.

Before the conversation could continue, Scorpan turned his head in the distance, as if he heard something rather alarming.

“Tirek is near!” Scorpan alerted. “I must divert away from all of you. You must get back to your homes at once, and stay inside.”

With that, Scorpan proceeded to flap his wings, until he was airborne.

“Hold on!” Spike called to the bat-like man-beast. “Will we ever see you again?”

“We’ll meet again,” Scorpan nodded, before he disappeared into the trees. “Be safe, my friends!”

At the end of the day, like everyone else, Spike returned to his hut, where he lies down on the bed, staring up at the thatched roof, in wonder.

He was more overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect of being able to go home.

‘Imagine us, leaving the island so soon!’ Spike thought in excitement. ‘I can hardly wait to see my parents again! And my parrot, Peewee. And my guys! The boys back home will never believe this.’

Spike’s thoughts were then set on the girls, wondering what will become of them, when they get home.

‘I wonder what will become of the girls, when we get home?’ He thought. ‘Hopefully, nobody will freak out at the sight of them, and call on somebody to have them…dissected, or vivisected, or anything bloody, gruesome, and gory. Yuck!’

The thought of his new girl friends being killed, cut open, is an unpleasant and squeamish fantasy that Spike hoped wouldn’t come to pass.

But then, it had Spike worry on what their loved ones would think.

‘These girls have friends and families back home,’ Spike thought in worry. ‘Even some of the Reverse-Hybrids have owners. Or had owners…’

‘But still, the question is: what would their families think? How will they take the fact that their missing relatives are now…She-Beasts? Will they still take them back? Or worst, will they be kicked out?’

Spike shook his head, to clear out any negative thoughts, “Come on, Spike! Don’t think too much on the negative!” He said to himself. “Try to think positive. And I’m positive that…we’ll somehow find a way through this. Because deep down, the She-Beasts are still humans.”

Spike paused as he had another epiphany.

‘Humans. Are they?’ Spike wondered. ‘Well, they’re She-Beasts, but still…they’re humane enough to let their humanity show. I mean, at the end of the day, humans and animals are more alike than we believe, or know. And I’ll admit, the girls are cute that way.’

Spike paused at another epiphany.

‘Do I really like them that much? Do I want them to be humans again? Or do I prefer them to stay as She-Beasts?’

Spike shook his head, “No, Spike! No! Don’t be so selfish!” He said to himself. “That’s for the girls to decide! And…they wanted to be human again…so let them be human again!”

But Spike’s thoughts were once again running wild at the possible outcome of the girls becoming humans again.

‘But will I like their human forms?’ Spike asked. ‘And will they be as feral as Fleur? Or…if by some miracle, we can actually find a way to reverse engineer this genetic mutation from Dr. Grogar…somehow.’

Spike sighed and slumped back in his bed, knowing the last notion of his thought is a suicide mission.

“Then I guess the girls are either doomed to be She-Beasts, or feral jungle women, like Fleur is currently,” Spike sighed. “But either way, I’ll still love them for who they are.”

‘Love?’ Spike realized in his thoughts.

The thought of loving someone, especially a woman, or many, has never crossed Spike’s mind before. Does he truly love the girls? And do they love him back?

Spike thought back on all the experiences they’ve been through, remembering all the kisses they’ve shared. With Loona being the only exception thus far.

But all the same, without a doubt, in Spike’s opinion, the girls all loved him, and he was reciprocating the feeling.

‘I wonder why I didn’t see them that way before,’ Spike thought in wonder.

‘I wonder why I didn’t look at him that way before?’ Loona thought to herself.

The wolf-dog was having trouble falling asleep, as all her thoughts were running wild about the human male.

Try as she could, she can’t deny the fact that he is anything different than every other people in existence.

‘Get a grip on yourself, girl!’ Loona berated to herself. ‘He’s a human! He’s just like every other one of his kind! I hate him! Do I?’

Loona flinched at the sudden question at the end. She wondered why did she suddenly question her own reasoning to hate the human?

‘How could I not hate? He’s a human! He’s…he’s whiny. He’s…weak. He’s nice…’

Loona whined to herself, despondent at the epiphany that she had been hating on someone who had been nice to her and the other girls.

‘He is a nice human, I’ll admit,’ She admitted, but brushed it off. ‘Ugh. Whatever. It hardly makes any difference. He’s so…irritating. He’s just as worst than…him.’

The wolf-dog felt a sting at her nose and eyes, as the salty feeling of a tear trickles down her left cheek. She didn’t want to admit it out loud, but she truly does miss her previous owner.

Even if he was annoying and knew no personal boundaries, he was still a good owner. She misses the feel of his arms, wrapping around her shoulders for a hug. Even if she never reciprocated the feeling.

She even misses the pathetic little human who her owner would make fun of. Especially when he lets her attack the pathetic little human, on the butt.

But all the same, her owner was a good human. The same with Spike. To Loona, they’re the opposite of her. The bratty human child who dog napped her to this island.

Loona shuddered at the very thought of Cozy Glow. She wishes that she never has to see that twisted little girl of a human for as long as she shall live.

Somewhere on the island, as if being carried on the winds, a voice can be heard, saying…

”Oh where,

Oh where,

Has my little dog gone?”

“Oh where,

Oh where,

Can she be?”

25 — Monkey See, Monkey Do, Monkey Business

For what felt like an eternity, Spike truly felt himself lighter than air, as if he was floating on the clouds, in his sleep. For the first time in his life, Spike truly felt himself at peace.

Almost as if the teenage girl who almost tried to molest him, the phobia he developed against the opposite sex, and all the troubles he experienced on the island of Dr. Grogar were all trivial compared to the entire cosmos of the universe.

It could be that his thoughts have recently been brimming with pleasant memories and fantasies of the girls he had been stuck with, since being shipwrecked on the island. It was all surreal for Spike to realize that he has befriended a group of girls. Even after all the camaraderie they've experienced together, he was still rather afraid of them. He loves them, and is scared of them.

Long story short, the thought of them being his friends were enough to freak him out.

All the same, Spike hardly cared if they were humans, or She-Beasts, or even animals to begin with. He loves them dearly for who they are. His friends. Though he wondered if they could be more. Or if they were already more than friends.

Spike thought back to the times when he, impulsively, kissed Twilight on the mouth, after they succeeded in teaching the Reverse-Hybrids how to speak English, to better communicate. He had kissed Twilight so suddenly, on the mouth, when initially, he meant to go for her cheek.

Afterwards, Spike had been kissing, even receiving kisses, with Rarity, Beatrice Santello, multiple times from Fleur-de-Lis, Leggy Lamb, Fluttershy, Starlight Glimmer, Marina, a deep and intensive kiss from Applejack, a sharp painful kiss from Rainbow Dash, and his latest, Sunset Shimmer.

Which leaves Pinkie Pie and Loona next. It was as if Spike's fate were all decided by the turn of a wheel.

Spike wondered how Pinkie Pie would kiss, while putting Loona as the last girl he would ever kiss with, knowing the wolf-dog's intensive hatred and stubborn attitude. Best not to invoke the wrath of a rapid dog if he wants to save face.

The more Spike thought about it, the more he felt a weird indescribable feeling that wasn't like any sort of emotions he felt before. It was driving him insane at the thought of the girls. He couldn't help but smile, which he originally doesn't often make, especially at the thought of any girls. But he could hardly care how much the feeling hurts, or how crazy he was about the girls. He loves the girls for their charisma, beauty, and unique traits of character.

Spike was sound asleep in his bed, smiling happily while rolling onto his sides, and hugging onto something soft and comforting, which resembles a large body pillow. It had the fluffy and sticky texture of cotton candy, with a mixed aroma of strawberry, cherry, raspberry, even watermelon. Furthermore, it has the rhythmic beating of a melody that is soothing and relaxing, as if it were alive.

Spike's eyes slowly blinked open, to find himself staring into the baby blue eyes of the pink monkey-woman, Pinkie Pie.

"HI!" Pinkie Pie chirped.

“Ah! AH! AAAAHHHH!!!” Spike screamed, startled awake by the unexpected appearance of Pinkie in his hut.

Spike was so surprised, he frantically scrambled out of bed, and collided his head into Pinkie’s.

“OOOOH!!! OOOOWWW!!!” They both grunted in pain.

Spike fell back onto his bed, hissing from the blow on his smarten forehead, while Pinkie Pie was hopping around his bed, hooting and crying from the pain to her head.

“Pinkie Pie? What…What are you doing here?” Spike asked. “And…are you alright?”

“Yeah. I’m fine,” Pinkie Pie replied, rubbing the bruise on her head. “I’ll live! And to answer your first question: I came here because I want to show you something awesome and fun!”

“TA-DA~!” Pinkie Pie hollered, presenting her presentation to Spike.

Spike could hardly believe what he was seeing. Pinkie Pie had made good on her promise of installing zip-lines to her web of vines.

Even more impressive, was that Pinkie Pie had somehow gotten wooden planks to put together rope bridges, with her vines, connecting from one tree to another, branches by branches, and so on.

“Oh my goodness!” Spike shouted. “Is this all for real? You just…you…how long did it—“

“Just one night,” Pinkie Pie answered, anticipating his question.

“One night?!” Spike was further incredulous as he is skeptical. “But how?!”

“Spit! Grit! Elbow grease! And a whole lot of wooden planks from Shipwreck 731!”

Confused, as if not fully understand the whole meaning of the answer, Spike decided best not to probe any further.

However, the last part of Pinkie’s answer at the end did piqued Spike’s interest.

“Shipwreck 731?” He asked.

“Yeah! It’s that old shipwreck, where Bea and Loona like to hangout to smoke and stuff. And also where I got the wooden boards from the ship’s deck to build my bridges! It had a number written on the nose that reads 731, so I named it, Shipwreck 731!”

“Oh yeah,” Spike remembered. ‘I haven’t thought about that old ship in awhile,’ He thought. ‘But now that Pinkie said it out loud, there’s something oddly familiar about 731. But what?’

Suddenly, the sounds of chittering, chattering, and leaves rattling were heard. Among the ambience sounds of the jungle are the distinctive sounds of wooden wind chimes. The alarm has been sounded. Something has entered their territory.

“What the hell is that?”

Spike and Pinkie Pie turned to look in the direction the noise came from. Pinkie Pie pulls down a pair of binoculars hanging at the end of a vine, above her. The way she was holding the binoculars, with the vine attached, made her looked almost like she was looking through a periscope on a submarine.

“I spy with my little eyes,” Pinkie Pie observed. “Devil monkeys. Devil monkeys?!” Pinkie Pie looked through her binoculars again to realize her horrors were indeed true.

“WE’RE UNDER ATTACK! Quick, Spike! Sound the alarm!”

“What alarm?” Spike asked.

“Come in TOKYO!” Pinkie Pie grabbed ahold of Spike’s nipples, through his shirt, and gave them a hard twist.

The pain was so agonizing as it is shameful to Spike’s masculinity, that he let out a loud shrieking scream.

”AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—OW!”

Once Pinkie Pie released him, Spike turned to look at her in outrage, “WHAT WAS THAT FOR?”

“You’re the alarm! Duh!” Pinkie Pie chuckled. “And now, WE GET TO THE BATTLE STATIONS!!!”

With that, Pinkie Pie picked up Spike and proceeded to zip down on a zip-line, screaming all the way.

“WHEEEEEEEEE!!!” Pinkie Pie cheered.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Spike screamed, louder than a fire truck’s siren.

Back in the village, the girls and little Kirin were all awaken by the sound of Spike’s screaming. They all emerged from their huts to see what the commotion was all about.

“What in tarnation is goin’ on out ‘ere?” Applejack asked. “I jus’ heard Spike screaming! Is he alright?”

“Maybe the human was just scared of his own shadow and is running scared in the forest,” Loona guessed.

“Highly doubt it,” Sunset shook her head. “Spike may be scared, but not that scared.”

“Yeah. And is it just me? Or do I hear a police siren?” Fluttershy asked.

At that moment, Pinkie Pie was zipping overhead, carrying a screaming Spike.

“The devil monkeys are coming! The devil monkeys are coming!”

At the mention of the devil monkeys, with the distant sounds of wind chimes ringing, thus validating Pinkie’s words. With that, everyone sprang into action to defend their home.

Leggy took Kirin to a nearby hut to hide, with Rainbow Dash leading Fluttershy into the same hut.

“You gals and kid stay here,” Rainbow Dash advised. “We’ll handle the rest.”

Rainbow Dash soon turned and flapped her wings, flying off into action.

“Man the catapult!” Applejack barked.

“Everyone! Get to your stations!” Twilight ordered.

“Uh, excuse me?” Starlight asked, confused by the situation. “What is going on?”

“The devil monkeys are coming!” Twilight explained to the shark-woman. “They’re savage monkeys that are engineered by Grogar to be deadly killing machines. And unless we can drive them off, they’ll ransack the entire village and steal everything we’ve worked hard to collect and saved!”

“So then…what can I do to help?” Starlight asked.

But everyone were too busy and too focused on the upcoming danger at hand to answer. Starlight simply turned her head to the left, then to the right, vice versa, and so on.

That is until she felt a hand on her webbed fingers, to which she turned to see Bea taking her to the side.

Before long, the entire village’s gates were closed, preventing any of the invaders, on the ground, from getting inside. Meaning the only way in would be over the walls, that are heavily guarded, thanks to the girls’ preparations.

With Pinkie Pie’s tangled web of sticky vines — some covered in barns and sharp thorns — hardly any monkeys would be able to get in.

Up in the trees, Spike and Pinkie Pie watched, until the both of them could see the front of the charging troops.

They were just as ghastly as Spike remembered from the last attack. Gigantic baboons, with long canine snouts. They come equipped with long tails and kangaroo-like back legs, allowing them to jump insane distances.

Spike and Pinkie Pie watched as the devil monkeys charge towards the village, like a flood pouring through the woods, on a stormy downpour.

Thankfully, as expected, many of the devil monkeys literally fell victim to the pitfall traps that were set around the village.

Others were even caught in the snare traps, while the even not so fortune bunch were gruesomely killed on the spots, after becoming the victims of the spear-spring traps.

And yet, despite all the traps set in place to hinder their progress, the monkeys could hardly care less. They kept on charging towards the village.

“FIRE THE CATAPULTS!!!” Applejack howled, as she, Rarity, and Sunset Shimmer cranked on the levers, firing their ammunitions at the attacking monkeys.

Many of the monkeys scattered and flee from the flying barrages.

“It’s working!” Sunset Shimmer shouted. “They’re retreating!”

“Don’t count her chickens, just yet, Sugarcube,” Applejack cautioned the tiger-woman. “They’re still plenty more of them, in the trees!”

Spike and Pinkie Pie looked up to see several more devil monkeys climbing up the trees, leaping from one branch to another, like trapeze acrobatic.

“Here they come!” Spike shouted.

“And here I’ll give!” Pinkie Pie reached into her apron, pulling out a large coconut with a lit fuse.

Spike looked with wide eyes, “Is that a bomb?” He asked.

“Coconut bomb!” Pinkie Pie smiled proudly, before she chucked it at the devil monkeys.

KA-BOOM!!!

The monkeys were blasted off the branches, by the explosion. Before they could recover and recollect themselves, Pinkie Pie was already chucking her second and third coconut bombs, scaring away the monkeys.

KA-BOOM!!! KA-BOOM!!!

“BRING ME AMMOS!” Pinkie Pie demanded in a heavy gruff tone. “It’s the watermelon, Spikey-Wikey!” She pointed with a giggle.

“Uh…okay?” Spike picked up the watermelon and gave it to Pinkie Pie, who started eating, “But I don’t think now’s a good time to…eat?”

Spike was taken by surprise when Pinkie Pie started shooting out watermelon seeds, as if they were bullets, faster than a machine gun.

Spike watched in awe as Pinkie Pie continued to pelt the monkeys with her watermelon seed bullets, until she run out.

“Uh oh! I’m out of ammos!” Pinkie Pie screeched.

At that moment, the loud screech of another primate was heard. Only it sounded almost like a man, then a monkey.

“Aaaaah-ah-ah-aaaaaaaaaah-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaaahhhh!!!”

This made Spike, the girls, and the monkeys to look up, and see a lone humanoid figure, standing atop of a tree branch, basking in the sunlight, striking a pose, as if he were a superhero.

The humanoid then grabbed a vine and proceeded to swing down, into the fray, without a care in the world. Which was quite unfortunate for the creature, had he paid more attention to his coordination and surrounding area.

Spike and the rest of the girls screamed and pointed, "WATCH OUT FOR THAT–"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!" The humanoid screamed in terror, as he crashes into the tree, with a loud–

BAM! BOOM!

“Oooh...” Spike and the girls cringed.

The monkey-man slides down the thick bark, until he landed on a branch, between his legs.

"OOOOOOH!!!" Some nearby chimpanzees howled, emphasizing on the pain.

The monkey-man keeled over to the side and plopped down onto the forest floor, as if he were a doll. Nevertheless, the monkey-man soon got up, brushing off the leaves and twigs, revealing himself in the light of day.

In appearance, he light brilliant arctic blue eyes, with a mane of light amber blond hair that framed his face, and a coat of white fur that coated his entire body, except his face, hands, and feet.

“YOU?!!!” Rarity screamed in outrage, upon recognizing the monkey-man, which caught the attention of Spike and the other girls.

“Him?” Pinkie Pie asked, sharing Rarity’s shocking outrage.

Sunset Shimmer and Applejack walked up to the monkey-man, sniffing him up and down.

“HIM!” Sunset and Applejack confirmed Rarity’s ire.

“You!” Rarity hissed at the monkey-man.

“Ah who?” The monkey-man hooted.

“Uh, Rarity?” Spike asked the snow leopard-woman. “You know this guy?”

“Unfortunately,” Rarity scowled. “Spikey-Wikey! Meet Vladímir Blueblood. My ex-boyfriend.”

“And a traitor,” Applejack growled, baring her fangs. “He ratted us out to Dr. Grogar.”

“Just to try and save his skin, which backfired and made him into a literal butt monkey,” Sunset added.

“What?” Spike was more than confused, as he turned to look at the monkey-man, then turned back to the girls. “I thought you said Newt Chimera was the one who ratted you girls out.”

“We’ll talk later, Spike!” Applejack replied. “Right now, we gotta get rid of these varmints!”

Planet Freedom — Boss Theme OST

And so the battle resumes, to drive out the fiendish primates.

Sunset Shimmer was roaring loudly as she viciously slashed her claws and bites at some of the devil monkeys. Blood spilled from the unfortunate monkeys that were caught in her way, while the rest flee in terror of the tiger-woman.

Up in the trees, Pinkie Pie was swinging along the vines, tossing her coconut bombs to scatter the monkeys and hurled bolas to entangle some more that weren’t blasted away by the explosions.

“Dashie! HEADS UP!” Pinkie Pie squealed, throwing one of the monkeys to the falcon-woman.

“Got ’em!” Rainbow Dash replied, spinning her body to land a quick and sharp spinning kick, knocking the monkey to the forest floor.

The winded out devil monkey finds itself in one of Applejack’s catapult, which the wolf-woman didn’t hesitantly to fire.

“FIRE!!!” Applejack howled, as she fired the monkey back to its troops, knocking them all down, as if they were bowling pins.

Spike was up on the rope bridges, with Pinkie Pie, when he suddenly tripped and fell to the forest floor, screaming.

“WHOAAAAAAA!!!”

“SPIKE!” The girls shouted.

Thankfully, one of Spike’s legs was caught by a vine, tangled around his ankle. Spike soon finds himself face-to-face to the monkey-man turncoat, Blueblood.

Blueblood, for some odd random reason, proceeded to slap Spike across the face. In retaliation, Spike returned the slap, slapping across Blueblood’s face. Very soon, both man and monkey-man were exchanging blows with each other. Until Rarity stepped in.

“Under normal circumstances,” Rarity began. “A lady should act proper and not resort to violence, but she will gladly finish a fight!”

Rarity leapt into the fray and glared at Blueblood.

“I’ve been waiting to do this to you for a long time!” Rarity growled, much to the monkey-man’s horror.

“Oh, he’s gonna get it,” Applejack smirked, with Rainbow joining.

“Get it good, you mean,” Rainbow Dash smirked, while Spike watches.

With a loud roar, Rarity pounced onto Blueblood and proceeded to give him a piece of her mind.

Spike watched in awe and horror as Rarity viciously scratched her claws at Blueblood’s face. The monkey-man let out a loud screech from the brutal agonizing pain.

“She used fury swipes attack!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Emphasis on fury!” Spike added.

“Yup!” Applejack commented.

Next, Rarity twirled her whole body and landed and powerful spinning hook kick to Blueblood’s skull, sending him flying into the vines, which resulted in the monkey-man getting tangled up.

“Whoa, that’s one nasty hook kick!” Spike exclaimed.

“I taught her that!” Applejack added.

“Maybe a little too well…” Rainbow grimaced.

Blueblood was hooting and hollering in pain, while hanging from the vines, as if he were a piñata, tangled in an embarrassing position that leaves his buttocks exposed. But Rarity could hardly care less.

The angry snow leopard proceeded to kick the monkey-man, between his legs, repeatedly.

Spike couldn’t help but wince, cringe, while almost feeling sorry for the monkey-man, if he wasn’t acknowledged of his betrayal.

"Ooh! Ouch! Yikes! That’s gotta-Yikes! I know he ain’t having any babies after—Ooh! Right in the batteries…”

Eventually, Rarity was done blowing off her dreams. In the meantime, Blueblood was taken away, by some of his devil monkeys, while the entire army continued to attack.

Spike joined the fray, using his camera’s bright flashes to stun the monkeys in their tracks, allowing the girls of finish them off, much quicker.

Unfortunately, the girls and Spike were starting to get exhausted from the ongoing battle, while the devil monkeys kept on coming.

“There’s too many of them!” Spike shouted.

“And we’re running out of ammunition!” Applejack barked, before she proceeded to crack her knuckles. “Guess we’ll do this the old fashion way!”

“Good!” Sunset Shimmer panted heavily. “You take over…I’m…catching my breath…”

“Sunset, LOOK OUT!!!” Twilight shouted, but it was too late.

One of the devil monkeys had lunged at the tiger-woman with a spear. With a loud bloodcurdling screech, the evil monkey thrusted a spear at Sunset Shimmer, nearly stabbing her heart.

In retaliation, Applejack took the monkey’s spear and snapped it in half, with her legs. Then, she loudly barked at the monkey, snapping her jaws, threatening to bite at the frightened primate.

But then, more devil monkeys jumped in to take over the fight for their frightened comrade. Their increasing numbers grew so that it was overwhelming Applejack.

Thankfully, she was rescued by the arrival of Spike, who flashed his camera to repel the swarming monkeys.

Assisting Spike, in rescuing Applejack, were Rainbow Dash, Sunset Shimmer, and Rarity.

“Everyone! Get back in the village!” Twilight neighed, beckoning everyone to come in.

“Get her inside!” Spike shouted, beckoning the other three She-Beasts to take Applejack out of the battle. “Go, go, go!”

Without wasting a second to think, Spike turned and started flashing his camera at the attacking devil monkeys. Many of them were stunned and frightened by the sudden flash of light that disoriented them. They staggered, crashing into trees, tripping over logs, some of the snares, and bumping into each other.

But so much more kept on coming. Still, Spike refused to leave, and kept on standing his ground, to buy the girls more time to recover, or to escape.

But he didn’t have to for long, when a loud sharp sound exploded in the air. It made his ears ringing, but it was enough to scare away all of the monkeys into scattering.

With his ears still ringing, and his aching head rattling, as if it were a bell, Spike covered his ears and looked up. His eyes widened in amazement to what he had seen.

Almost as if he was watching an action-packed movie, Loona came running out from the front gate of the village, with a machine gun in her hands. Most likely from the abandoned cargo of the old shipwreck she and Bea used as a hangout.

Following Loona are Beatrice Santello, Marina, and surprisingly, Starlight Glimmer. Each of them were armed to the teeth and nails with guns, harpoons, machetes, and all kinds of weapons that were found in the shipwreck.

While Loona was rapidly gunning down every devil monkeys in sight, Beatrice leapt into the fray, snapping her jaws at the monkeys, whipping her tail out, hitting several monkeys and making a gruesome bone snapping sound.

Some of the monkeys jumped and bit at Beatrice on the back. But the crocodilian reverse-hybrid immediately follows through into a roll, throwing the monkeys off her back, while crushing a few of the unfortunate ones beneath her weight.

Spike was in awe, for this is what animal experts have referred to as the death roll.

Amidst the battle, Marina was using her tentacles to ensnare some of the monkeys, before she shot them through the heads, and hurled some grenades, all of which exploded upon impact.

Lastly, Starlight Glimmer was firing several harpoons at the devil monkeys, hitting them either on the chests, or at their legs. Once hooked, Starlight pulled the monkeys towards her waiting jaws and snapped their heads off.

“Ugh! Hairball!” Starlight spatted in disgust.

“Wow! Who called in the calvary?” Pinkie Pie asked Spike, who simply shrugged in response.

It didn’t take long for the newfound firepowers to scare off the devil monkeys to retreat, back into the gloom of the jungle.

End of Fight

The girls and Spike all let out a cheer at their victory, against the monkeys. Including Blueblood.

“And stay out!” Loona barked.

“Yeah! What she said!” Spike pointed, when suddenly, both he and Loona were unexpectedly grabbed by Pinkie Pie.

"Wa-hooo!" Pinkie Pie hooted and hollered, spinning the two around. “We did it! WE DID IIIIITTT!!!”

With that, Pinkie Pie proceeds to kiss both Spike and Loona on the lips.

“BLECH!” Loona cringed in disgust, pushing Pinkie away to run off, working up a drool.

“Hmmm!” Spike smacked his lips together. “Do I taste…Chocolate?”

“Yup yup yup!” Pinkie Pie smiled. “Even on an island, miles and miles away from civilization, with your best friends, there’s never a shortage of chocolate milk to go around!”

“Hmmm. And where’d you get the milk, pray tell?”

“Oh! I milk them from the local cows! And then I mix them with all kinds of ingredients, like cocoa powders from the cocoa beans that grow on this island! And voila! Chocolate milk!”

“There’s cocoa beans on this island?” Spike asked.

“Yeah! But don’t let Loona have some. She’s allergic to chocolates.”

“Actually, chocolate is poisonous to dogs.”

“Oh sure. Now you tell me. Harumph!” Pinkie Pie then wrapped an arm around Spike, pulling him close, smothering his cheek next o her bouncing breasts, and shouts, “ATTENTION BOYS AND GIRLS! Tonight, WE CELEBRATE! CHOCOLATE MILKS ON ME!!!”

Little did Spike or any of the girls know, their battle against the devil monkeys was observed by Shade Stalker. The hunter watched through a pair of binoculars, while hidden behind the leaves of the shrubs he hid himself in. Needless to say, Shade was intrigued at seeing the young man, along with the She-Beasts, having integrated themselves in a small community of Reverse-Hybrids.

Though their tactical and strategic coordination needed some work, they have shown the capability of functioning together as a whole group. Like a pack of wolves coordinating together to hunt their preys. Like a family.

This was all too overwhelming for the hunter to comprehend. It was an overwhelming sight to behold. A beautiful family between human and animals. A family born of love. Something Shade has always wanted for himself and his brother.

He looked down and sees the cartoon beaver character, gently putting a hand on his arm.

"I-I-I-It's not too l-l-late Shade." Buster told him. "I-I-I-It's not too late to do the r-r-r-right thing. For both you and your brother..."

Shade said nothing and just continued to look on.

Later that day, everyone were all gathered together in the mess hut to enjoy their well-earned victory against the devil monkeys.

Like animals, the girls were still making a mess at the dinner table. For the carnivores, they tore away at the roasted meat of a wild pig. The herbivores were loudly munching into their salads, as if they were pigs.

Spike still ate his meal like a civilized person, with Marina following his example.

During the meal, Spike decided to strike up conversations, “So…about Blueblood.”

“We don’t talk about Blueblood! No, no~” Pinkie Pie sang. “But seriously,” She began in a solemn tone. “We don’t talk about him.”

“Actually, Pinkie,” Rarity began. “After today, I believe he has the right to know.”

Noting the change of mood in the atmosphere, when the rest of the She-Beasts suddenly went from their jovial celebration to silent as death. Spike was certain that this was not a pleasant story and wondering if he would soon regret asking.

“Ugh! Where do I even begin with that uncouth swine?! THE NERVE HE HAS!!!” Rarity roared loudly. “On first glance, he seemed like a gallant and handsome man, befitting of a gentleman, or a prince. Instead, HE WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A ROYAL PAIN!!!”

Rarity was practically pulling her hair out, as she let out a loud screech, sounding almost human, but with a leopard’s growl.

“He treated me more like a servant, a maid, even a slave!” Rarity continued to rant. “He’s all about taking, but never giving. He expected me to open the door for him, or pay our meals! And if that wasn’t bad enough…HE! TRIED! TO! RAT! ME! OUT! TO! DR. GROGAR!!!”

Needless to say, Rarity’s outburst had blown everyone out of their seats. Spike’s ears were ringing, while his eyes were wide open from the shock, as though they had been frozen in shock.

“See. This is why we don’t talk about Blueblood,” Pinkie Pie explained to Spike.

“Yeah…I’m sorry I asked,” Spike apologized. “I mean…to have this guy betray you girls to Dr. Grogar, I can’t even begin…”

“No need to apologize, Spike,” Twilight reassured. “You didn’t know.

“But we can tell you this,” Rainbow Dash smirked, “That the joke was on him! Even Grogar was disgusted by his betrayal, that he made a monkey out of him!”

“Ya darn right, Dash,” Applejack smiled, which turned into a scowl. “Dr. Grogar made Blueblood the first of us to experience his genetic experiments.”

“And made Blueblood into…a butt monkey! Literally!” Pinkie Pie giggled, with some of the others joining in.

“I guess even derange mad scientists have standards,” Spike commented, as he laughed along with the group.

“Well, hopefully that will be the last time we ever saw of Blueblood,” Rarity huffed.

In the meantime, up in the trees, Blueblood was screeching and howling nonstop at the agonizing pain of his humiliating defeat.

His devil monkeys could hardly get any rests to recuperate from the injuries they sustained from the battle, or cope with the many losses of their own.

It was going to be a long night for the whole troop.

Suddenly, there was a rustling in the tree leaves, which caused every monkeys to instantly perk up in alarm.

Emerging from the tree leaves, under the cloak of darkness, the silhouette of a large hulking creature revealed itself.

It was flanked by even more monkeys, that are much bigger, bulkier, and fiendish than Blueblood’s monkeys.

The large creature crawled along the tree branch, until it towered over Blueblood. Blueblood immediately shuts up, when he gazed up into the soulless icy cold blue eyes that stared into his very being.

Later that night, with nothing but the sound of the crashing ocean, the damp and humid air, with rusty smell of the shipwreck.

The sound of a clicking metals echoed around the shipwreck, as Loona struggled with her lighter. Once again, she was trying to light up her stick of cigarette, but to no avail.

“Argh! Why doesn’t this thing work when I want it to?!” Loona growled, angrily banging the lighter against some crates.

The rattling sound of the old, beaten wooden crate rattled all around the hull of the ship. But just as the rattles died down, her ears perked up to a new sound. The sound of footsteps, with a single boot. Loona turned her head to the entryway, baring her fangs, and arched her back, ready to attack.

"Loona?" The familiar call of the human man was heard, to which Loona calmed down, only a little, because she still felt rather intolerant of the human's presence.

"Loona? Are you in here?" The human called out to her.

"What do you want?" Loona scowled. "Don't you know this is where I'd like to be alone?"

"I know and I meant no disrespect, or anything," The human said in his defense. "I just came here to say thank you. What you did for us today was incredible! Really amazing!"

"Hmph, you're welcome," Loona muttered.

This wasn't the first time she's been praised for something that is as trivial as fighting some monkeys, so Loona hardly cared.

"I don't care what anyone says. You're an okay kind of dog to me," The human shook his head. "No. You're a really good dog! I should say!"

'Good dog?' Loona instantly perked up.

In all her years, never once had she been referred to as a good dog. She had seen many other humans say and address their dogs as good dogs, but hardly anyone ever referred to her as such, until now.

"Me? A good dog?" Loona whispered to herself, smiling, just a little, when she felt a weird sensation.

Loona looked down to see her tail wagging. Why was her tail wagging? It was embarrassing to her. She wanted it to stop.

'No! No, no! Stop!' Loona desperately pleaded, sitting down on her tail, to try and keep it from shaking.

"Anyway, I'll head back to the village," The human turned to take his leave. "Goodnight, Loona!"

"Y-Y-Yeah...goodnight...human," Loona grumbled.

The dog reached for her lighter, trying to get it to light up again, which finally worked. The wolf-dog was just about to light up her cigarette again, when she suddenly heard a sound. A sound that made her whole body frozen in place.

”Oh where...

...Oh where...

...Has my little dog gone?”

“Oh where...

...Oh where...

...Can she be?”

It was the sound of a little girl singing. She sang in an eerie cheerful tone that was malicious and made the hair on the back of Loona’s neck to stand.

She sounded like she was singing in the distance, in the jungle. But to Loona, she sounded close, as if she was approaching.

“Oh no…” Loona whimpered in fright. “Not her!”

"What was that?" The human asked, having heard the singing.

"SHHH!!!" Loona shushed, jumping at the human man, covering his mouth with one of her hands. "Keep your voice down and be quiet!"

Very slowly, the human and Loona crawled along the ship’s deck and hid themselves behind some crates. The place reeked of the salty sea air, the smell of rotting fishes, rusty metal, and foul stench of gunpowder from the old guns. It was very horrible to the nose. So horrible that it almost made Loona and the human vomit.

“PU!” The human groaned. “This place stinks! Like something just crawled in here and died!”

“Good!” Loona cringed. “If you don’t like the smell, then neither does she!”

“She? Who are we talking about?”

“SHHH!! Quiet!”

At that moment, the singing can be heard again. Except this time, it was even louder and it was coming from the beach.

”Oh where...

...Oh where...

...Has my little dog gone?”

“Oh where...

...Oh where...

...Can she be?”

“Please no!” Loona whimpered, begging and pleading for her, and the human, to not be found.

Loona felt herself growing smaller, as if she was becoming a puppy. She felt so vulnerable, and so terrified that she could hardly stand up on her own legs.

It was one of those moments when she desperately pleaded for her mother’s comfort. For something, or someone, to save her. To wake her from this nightmare.

The nightmare inducing singing can be heard again. This time, it was coming from the opening, and was heard inside the ship’s hull, right next to Loona.

”Oh where...

...Oh where...

...Has my little dog gone?”

“Oh where...

...Oh where...

...Can she be?”

Loona was so anxious from all the pent up fear, that she couldn’t think straight. She could hardly take it anymore. She had to escape.

Compelled by instinct, Loona made a frantic dash for the exit, leaving the human behind. This proves to be her undoing, as she was suddenly grabbed by several pairs of strong and powerful hands.

“My beautiful doggy!” The cry of a child squealed, which Loona cringed in horror. “I’VE FOUND YOU!!!”

Loona turned and looked, to see the most horrible creature to have ever walked the Earth.

The creature appeared to be a mix of a bird and a pony, with the front-half of a large pink fluffy bird, that resembles an owl. Her lower-half appeared to simply be a little white horse’s hindquarters, with light blue tail.

The creature was also surrounded by tall, brutish ape-like creatures that stood upright, like a man.

“Oh golly! Looney!” The little creature squealed happily. “You had mama Cozy Glow worried sick! You remember your mama, don’t you? DON’T YOU?”

“Cozy Glow…” Loona whimpered. “H-How can I f-f-forget?”

Cozy Glow exclaimed happily. “My beautiful Looney! You remembered! You’ve been a naughty girl for running away from mommy! You need to be punished!”

“No, no! Please no!” Loona begged, with her voice cracking up so high, she heard herself sounding like a scared cat. “I can be a good girl! Please! Don’t punish me!”

But Loona’s words fell on deaf ears as she was immediately dragged away, by the ape-man, barking and screaming for her life.

To keep her from calling out for help, Cozy Glow had the ape-man clamped some kind of harness over Loona’s mouth. Furthermore, both her hands and legs were tied together with thick ropes of vines, and another was tied to her collar, forcing her to come along.

“LEAVE HER ALONE!” Another voice shouted.

Everyone around Loona stopped in their tracks. They all turned to the source of the voice, revealing himself to be none other than the human.

The human man was holding one of the old rustic guns at the ape-man, trying to look tough. But his quivering legs and chatting teeth were all the obvious signs of him being afraid.

“Let her go!” The human barked. “Let her go now, or…I’ll shoot!”

But Cozy Glow was unfazed, “Oh golly! A man! A new playmate!” She cooed, as she flapped her wings and flew up to the human. “It’s been so long since I’ve last seen a man, who isn’t Grogar! SEIZE HIM!”

With that, the ape-men were all swarming the human, who screamed and struggled to shoot at the ape-men. In the meantime, Loona resumed struggling to break free from her bondages, until her whole world suddenly went black.

26 — Brat of the Mountain

With his head ringing in irritating pain, Spike wearily opened his eyes to find himself, sprawled on the cavern floor.

“Where…where am I?” Spike asked, gingerly getting up on his legs, blinking his eyes, until his vision was cleared.

Once he got a better look at his surroundings, he looked around him to see he was in a nightmare.

The young man found himself in what appeared to be a gladiator ring. The floor is littered with bones, likely belonging to all the past unfortunate souls who were thrown into the ring. Some of them appeared to be humans, if the obvious and familiar skulls of men, or a women, are any indication.

The only source of lights are the burning torches that lined up, along the wall of the ring, behind a large fence of sharp sticks and bones, and a large opening in the ceiling, from which the night sky can be seen.

High up along the walls, Spike looked in horror to see an entire audience of Beast-Men, hooting, hollering, and beating their fists with excitement.

“SILENCE!!!” A loud screech bellowed, to which Spike and the Beast-Men turned their attention to see Cozy Glow, perched atop of a balcony.

“My friends!” Cozy Glow began, with an evil grin. “By the power vested within me, I, Empress Cozy Glow, hereby announce tonight’s gladiator battle TO BEGIN!!!”

With that, all the Beast-Men bellowed out in an uproar of an applause.

“Oh no!” Spike moaned. “Oh no, no! I…I can’t do this! I can’t fight! I’m not a fighter! I can’t even beat my grandma in a thumb wrestling match!”

But his words went unheard, as Cozy Glow continued to play up the drama.

“In this corner, is a green-haired twig man!” Cozy Glow insulted Spike, “And in the other corner, is his opponent!”

With that, the gate, in the opposite direction of Spike’s, opened up, and a large ravenous beast burst from the darkness.

The creature stepped out into the ring, practically basking in the spotlight, to reveal it is a manticore, much like the one that nearly attacked him and Leggy Lamb, some time ago.

Once it set its eyes on Spike, the beast let out a deep rumbling growl.

Spike tried his best to be intimidating, by buffing up his chest and screamed as loudly as he could at the beast. But in response, the beast fired back with a dreadful roar that made Spike’s hairs stand on end, shook his entire body, and nearly wetting his pants.

“Nuh uh!” Spike whimpered, as he took off running for his life.

This, in turn, triggers the chimerical beast’s hunting instincts, automatically registering Spike as a prey, and it gave chase.

Knowing that the beast is after him, Spike did his best to outrun the beast, by making several sharp turns to throw it off.

His only hope was to keep running, to the point that eventually, the beast would tire out, and he might be able to figure out a plan to escape.

Up on her ledge, Cozy Glow announced, “Enjoy the show my friends!” Spike briefly looked up, to see Cozy taking her leave. “I gotta go and check up on a little naughty dog of mine.”

Meanwhile, with Loona, the wolf-dog had been taken away to another part of the cave, by Cozy Glow’s Ape-Men.

“Let me go!” Loona barked angrily, as she continued to struggle to break free.

Eventually, they arrived in a large room, that seemed to be built and decorated as a throne room of sort.

And there, sitting on a throne that was carved from the walls, is the dreadful being who made Loona’s blood freeze in horror.

“Oh golly!” Cozy Glow cooed. “My beautiful doggy! Looney is back!”

“My name is Loona!” Loona barked, only to be silenced with a crack of the whip.

“Bad dog! No talking back to your master!” Cozy Glow shrieked angrily, before she resumed her sweet, bubbly, high-pitch tone. “You were a naughty dog for running away. You nearly gave your poor mommy Cozy Glow a heart attack!”

“And I’d like for it to stay that way…” Loona grumbled.

Cozy Glow then proceeded to cuddle with Loona, as she continued, “But now, mommy Cozy will keep you safe and she will never, ever, ever, EVER, let you go!”

Loona felt the air, and her bones, crushing out of her, from Cozy Glow’s fearsome assert of never “ever” letting the dog go.

Loona felt a rush of air pulling her hair. She quick realized that Cozy Glow was sniffing her, which creeped her out.

“Yuck! You’re a stinky puppy!” Cozy Glow gagged. “You need a bath time!”

“No! No way!” Loona tried to escape, but the Ape-Men had already restrained her.

With a crack of her whip, Cozy Glow ordered, “Take her away! And have her washed and cleaned!”

And the big apes did just that. They took Loona to another part of the cavern, where a large pool of water was running from a huge waterfall cascading from an opening at the top.

It would’ve been a sight to behold for Loona, if she weren’t being dragged to the water, stripped of her clothes against her will, and being forcibly brushed from top to bottom.

Loona instinctively would’ve covered up her shameful, self-hating human body, or scratch the Ape-Men for uncovering her shame, with her claws, if they weren’t restrained. She couldn’t even bite them either, since they had a strong firm grip around her jaws.

With her face burning in rage at the loss of her pride and dignity, Loona was forced to bear and endure the humiliation. The Ape-Men washing her used a brushing tool to scrub her arms, legs, and to her discomfort, her chest, and her nether region.

The harsh reality of such barbaric creatures touching her most personal and sensitive area was so unnerving, that Loona wanted to cry with her shattered spirit. She wanted to let out a high pitch-whine. The kind of sound normal dogs make when they’re in utter distress — be it pain, or fright.

As an added insult to injury, the Ape-Men grabbed her by the tail and proceeded to brush it, sending jolts of electricity throughout her body. Furthermore, they scratched and brushed behind her ears, which she shamefully enjoyed in spite of the pain she’s in.

It was all too much for Loona that the sting in her eyes was immense and she couldn’t help but cry.

After they were done forcing Loona to have a bath, the dog was wrapped in a towel, and was soon presented before Cozy Glow.

“Now that my pretty doggy is pretty and cleaned again,” Cozy Glow giggled. “Now we get to play our favorite game: DRESS UP PARTY!!!”

“Argh, fucking dammit,” Loona moaned.

“And I have a pwetty dress for you to wear!” She said, presenting the said dress.

Loona, however, was appalled at the very sight of it.

“I will not wear that thing!” Loona snarled. “Where are my old clothes?”

“Your old clothes were ruined and dirty,” Cozy Glow answered. “I threw them away. Now Looney must wear the pwetty new dress, and wear it now!”

“No!” Loona barked.

“Don’t talk back to me!” Cozy spatted, more angrily. “Put on the dress, now!”

“I said no!” Loona was startled by the crack of a whip, frightening her into silence.

“Put on the dress now!” Cozy Glow screeched, raising her tone even higher.

Unwilling to be deterred, or to show her fear of the whip, Loona stood her ground, “I-I-I-I’d rather be naked!”

The appalled and angry look on Cozy Glow’s face was as clear as day.

“Doggy is going to bad talk, huh?” Cozy frowned. “Fine! You heard her gents!”

With a crack of the whip, the Ape-Men ripped the towel off of Loona, who was then shoved out, naked, and was presented before an entire packed of Beast-Men, that all stared at the wolf-dog’s vulnerability.

She couldn’t cover her humanized body, for the Ape-Men have held her arms, legs, even her tail in place.

Out of impulse, Loona strained to bark at the Beast-Folks present, trying to intimidate, and salvage what was left of her pride. But her barks went unheard, as her bites were far out of reach. With each passing seconds, Loona’s barks were dulled into whimpers, until she finally relented in defeat.

“Fine. I’ll wear the dress,” Loona whimpered. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll like it!”

“Yay!” Cozy Glow clapped her claws cheerfully. “I knew my pretty doggy will see things my way!”

Once again, against her will, Loona was forced to wear the dress. Cozy Glow’s two Ape-Men butlers draped it over Loona’s head, before they proceeded to fasten the cords, around her waist and back, causing the corset to nearly squeeze the air out of her.

Before she had time to react, Loona was lift up into the air, by the scruff of her back, and the skirt of her dress was being hiked up.

Loona let out a yelp, when she felt a strange texture of something soft and silky riding up her legs, until it stopped, right between her thighs, below the base of her tail.

Then she was dropped back down onto the floor.

“Ooh, golly!” Cozy Glowed cooed in a voice that sounded like nails on chalkboard, in Loona’s ears. “You’re so beautiful! You look an angel!”

Loona wanted so badly to lunge at Cozy Glow and rip the pony-bird-human hybrid of a Berserker to ribbons. But she was exhausted and bruised from the recent assault she had endured. And any sudden movements from her, the Ape-Men looked ready to spring into action, before she could even lay a claw on Cozy.

“Ugh. This dress!” Loona strained to get up, tracing her fingers across waist, up to her chest. “It’s so…tight! I can barely breathe.”

The wolf-dog took a step and immediately tripped on her own skirt, causing her to fall on her nose.

“Ow! I can’t even walk properly,” Loona moaned. “How can you humans move in this thing?”

“Oh, you silly dog,” Cozy chuckled, before she walked over to Loona and lifted up the tip of her skirt. “It’s very simple! Whenever you’re walking, you have to lift the front of your skirt up, to keep you from falling!”

“…Yeah. Why didn’t I thought of that?” Loona scowled.

“Now that my big beautiful dog, Loona, is cleaned and is wearing a pretty dress,” Cozy cooed. “It’s time to play…”

With that, Cozy brandished her whip, giving it a firm slap in the palm of her claws.

Loona felt every ounce of her colors drained out of her, with her ears flattened, her heart freezing upon realizing.

“Oh no,” Loona shook her head, pleading, and begging. “Please, not that! Anything but that! Do you want me to beg? I can beg! I’m begging! Anything else, but that—“

“HOW’D I GET MYSELF INTO THIS?!” For the love of his life, Spike just kept on running for his dear life, as the giant beast continued to to chase him.

It was hardly showing any signs of fatigue.

The manticore relentlessly pursued after Spike, trying to stab him with its large scorpion tail, or at the most terrifying possibility, tear him to shreds with its shark-like teeth and sharp claws.

Spike picked up some of the bones littered and tossed them at the beast, attempting to slow it down. But to no avail.

Spike, at this point, was reconsidering his career choices. His love of animals has landed him nowhere, but trouble.

He now knows what it means to be hunted by a large ravenous predator. How every creatures that is a prey must constantly be on high alert and be ready to escape.

Never getting a moment of rest.

His fascination of animals has become more of a hazard to him. What’s the point of studying animals if they will sooner or later attack you? Maim and disfigure you beyond recognize? Or eat you?

“I hope Loona’s having it better than me,” Spike muttered in his predicament.

“I hope that human is having it worse than me!” Loona muttered in her predicament.

The wolf-dog growled angrily, which Cozy Glow turned a blind eye, as she continued to force Loona to play a game called “House” with her.

In this game of House, Cozy Glow has self-proclaimed herself as master of a household, with Loona assigned as her “slave.”

“Oh Looney~” Cozy Glow sang, before she cracked her whip. “Be a good dog and sit.”

Loona, scared into obedience, did as she was told.

“Lie down.”

Loona squatted flat on her stomach, blushing a shade of pink as she felt her chest pressing onto the ground.

“Roll over.”

With that, Loona rolled onto her back.

“Hike up!”

Loona growled in irritation, but did as she was forced to do. She pulled up her skirt, showing off the lacy panty she’s been forced to wear.

‘What is the point for female humans to wearing these ridiculous attires if they don’t offer full coverage of your privacy?’ Loona thought to herself in outrage.

“Aw, what a good slave, Looney~!” Cozy Glow giggled, before she smacked Loona across the rear, inciting a shameful yelp from the dog. “And what a naughty bitch you are. But at least you can take orders. Now be an even more obedient servant and give your mistress, Cozy, a kiss.”

Loona can feel her face burning. She felt so hot, she was certain she was burning a beet shade of angry red. At this point, she has had just about enough.

“Forget it. I’m not giving you a kiss,” Loona huffed.

“I want a kiss!” Cozy Glow whined.

“You’ll get one when I feel like it.”

“I WANT NOW!” Cozy Glow screeched.

“CAN IT YOU NIT!” Loona barked.

But seeing the stern and furious look in Cozy’s eyes, it’s clear the brat of a berserker wasn’t taking no for an answer. Her lips were quivering from the shock, until they steeled themselves into a sneer.

“Well if you won’t…then I will!” With that, Cozy Glow lunged at Loona.

“NO! UGH! Stop! Get down! Get off of me!” Loona grunted, struggling to get the pony-bird-human hybrid off of her. “I said NO!!!”

Out of impulse, Loona snapped her jaws at Cozy Glow’s arm. With a startled and painful yelp, Cozy let out a yelp, as she was forced to let go.

Loona quickly kicked her feet into a run, but tripped over the dress she was forced in. Before she could recover, the Ape-Men butlers had arrived, upon hearing Cozy Glow’s cry.

Loona turned to look back and she felt her renewed triumphant dwindled when she saw the furious look on Cozy’s face. So furious, so intense, she looked as if she’s been turned into a devil.

Soon, Loona was more scared than angry, which she struggled not to show.

“So…you want to be a bad dog?” Cozy Glow snarled. “Fine. You’re a bad dog. And bad dogs need to be punished!”

“No, no, wait please! It was an accident! I didn’t mean—“

“HOLD HER DOWN!” Cozy Glow barked, ordering the Ape-Men to hold Loona down, by the arms and legs.

One of the Ape-Men undid the sashes on the back of Loona’s corset, exposing her back fully towards Cozy Glow.

Loona’s muffled whimper and screaming intensified as she cries in fright, anticipating for the stinging pain she knew was coming.

*CRACK

A crack of Cozy’s whip screamed the air, with a searing pain that slashed across Loona’s back.

It was so quick, so hard, and so sharp, it felt like a fiery knife was cut across her back. Loona wanted to cry, but the Ape-Men had forced her face down and forced her mouth in the dirt.

*CRACK

Another crack of the whip struck Loona again, and another, and another.

This continued for an agonizing and brutal long time. Loona pleaded mentally for the pain to stop, until finally, it did. But by then, her will to live and her resolve was all but shattered. She could barely stand on her feet.

“Come on, you lazy dog!” Cozy Glow marched, walking towards the wolf-dog and repeatedly kicked her in the ribs. “Get up! On your feet!”

*CRACK

But Loona was unresponsive. She was too tired, too hungry, and too sore to move.

“Fine! Then you’re on a big time out!” Cozy Glow stomped her foot, beckoning the Ape-Men to pick Loona up.

Together, they dragged the wolf-dog away to a deeper and darker part of the caverns. Loona strained to look up, just in time to find herself being thrown into a giant kennel.

Without warning, Loona’s memories flashed before her eyes. She finds herself being thrown into a smaller cage, surrounded by bigger and louder dogs, all barking and growling in protests.

Everywhere she looked, a lot of the dogs would stare her down, growling at her, threatening to tear her to pieces.

It all made her feel helpless, like a puppy she was. All she could do was whimper and huddle up into a corner and cry herself to sleep. Dreaming and wishing for a way to escape these nightmares.

But behind the protesting barks and the ravenous growls, were the screaming and the howls of dogs that were taking “the long walk” through “the one-way door.” A dreadful door where dogs go in, but they never come out.

Scared beyond her wits, Loona whimpered as she sprang to life, pleading to a higher power that she doesn’t enter the door.

Snapping back to the present, Loona woke up just in time to be thrown into the kennel. The Ape-Men immediately slammed the barred doors shut before she could get out.

“Maybe some alone time in here will teach naughty dogs like you to behave!” Cozy Glow huffed, locking the doors, with the keys in her wings, for added measure. "I think I'll go and see how that weird little man is doing."

After Cozy Glow left with her Ape-Men butlers, the wolf-dog relieved herself of the bravado facade she had been putting on in the faces of her captors.

She had never been so embarrassed nor frighten in her entire life. Curdling herself up into a corner, Loona lets go of all the pent up sadness, anger, frustration, hurt, and suffering she had bottled up.

She cried and whimpered, as the pipes break and her eyes were flooded by a waterfall that burned hotter than the stinging of the whips on her back.

“Ow!” Loona howled, as she wept a puddle of tears on the floor of her cage. “Why? WHY?”

How did it all go wrong? What has she done to deserve this? Why was she treated so poorly, like this?

When she was just a puppy, she was left alone to starve, to freeze, in the pouring rain. She tried to be a good puppy, looking for a family. But nobody wanted a stray dog, like her. No human, or any other dogs would accept her, into their packs.

Thus, as the years go by, she took in all the negative feelings she’s endured to become a hateful and angry dog herself. She took, bite, and fight for every scraps of foods she can get.

But in the end, it was never enough to fill the emptiness of the void, in her heart.

By the time she was adopted and taken from the street, she was less than thrilled to have a family.

Her former owner treated her like a puppy, when she is clearly a grown dog. As much as she hated him for treating her as such, at least he was more tolerable than Cozy Glow, who instantly took her away from the home she once knew, and put her through hell and back.

And then came Dr. Grogar, who subjected Loona through countless of pains, so horrendous, that she actually pleaded to be killed. To be put out of her misery.

And when it was over, she felt death would be far more merciful for her. She was becoming the very being she hated. The creatures who made her life horrible. The humans who broke her and made her forget a dog’s one true purpose.

She is neither human nor a dog. But an abomination. And now, she’s broken.

“Why does everyone hate me?” Loona sobbed. “Why can’t I be like other dogs? Why can’t I just be a normal dog? Why? WHY?” Her crying turned to anger as she ranted and raved, “I hate humans! I hate them! I hate them for abandoning me! I hate them for hurting me! I hate them for…ruining me! And now…I hate myself!”

Once again, Loona’s laid her head to the ground and cried herself in defeat. She opened her eyes and saw a familiar lighter, discarded and lying on the floor of her prison. Loona frantically picked up the lighter, held it close to her chest, and continued to cry herself to sleep.

S-O-S….
Please, someone help me…
It’s not healthy for me to feel this way…

Her shaking and battered fingers quivered, as she tries to find the switch on her lighter. For once in her awful life, she needed someone to hold her for comfort. She needed some warmth, more than ever. But she was too bruised and hurt to get a spark.

Y-O-U are making this hard…
I can’t help but don’t feel right…
This time, please, someone come and rescue me…

She whimpered and pleaded for her misery to be over already.

Shortly, after she fell asleep, Loona found herself trapped in a nightmare. The wolf-dog reverse hybrid found herself, as a regular dog, behind bars, in the pound. The same pound during her last days as a normal dog.

”Oh, her? That's just Loona. What a nightmare. Serious attitude problems. She'll be out of our hair next month when she ages out. Good riddance, if you ask me. She'll never amount to anything much.”

”I WANT THAT DOGGY! I WANT NOW!”

“Subject appears to be in a state of distress. Perhaps a repercussion from the process.”

In the darkest depths of her dreams, Loona hugged herself and sheds tears. All the traumas and suffered she had endured came rushing back to her, like tidal waves.

The whipping she got from Cozy Glow burned on her back. Still fresh as the day they were made.

Her bones cracking and hurting her with every steps she took. Reminders of her torturous experience at the hands of the mad doctor, Grogar.

Together, they made the bite she received from the other dogs, back in the pound.

It was all too much for Loona to bear. To rub salts into her wounds, she was horribly disfigured and made into a man-made abomination.

She stood au natural. It hurts her to even look at herself.

She hugged her arms across her chest to cover her shame, with her tail wrapped around her for warmth, like a blanket.

She whimpered and cried to herself, wanting it all to go away.

Loona kept on weeping, pleading for a way to escape this torturous existence. She remembers a time when life was so much kinder to her, when it was all so simple, when she was so happy.

Back when, she was a normal puppy, born in a litter of puppies like her. She had a loving mom, with playful brothers and sisters.

At first, Loona and her siblings would receive visits from humans, who would all come to pet, play, or take them away to live as family members of their families.

Loona would see all of her siblings being taken out of her life, one by one, until it was only herself with her mother.

“Mom,” Loona sobbed.

After enduring all the suffering and humiliation from Cozy for one night, Loona felt herself becoming a puppy all over again.

She wasn’t as small as she used to be, but she was just as scared. Whenever she got hurt, or even feared of getting hurt, her mom was there to comfort her. But now, her mom isn’t here anymore to console her.

Because her mother had walked through the door, but never came out.

And yet, Loona could never forget her mother’s words, to be a good dog and be a proud strong dog. Except, now, Loona has nothing to be proud, nor be strong for. Because she hasn’t been a good dog.

“I’m sorry, mom!” Loona apologized tearfully. “I’m sorry!”

“I…can’t…keep…this up…any…longer,” Spike panted heavily.

His feet were sore from all the running, he was covered in sweat and grimes, and he could hardly breathe.

Worst still, the manticore was as hungry and poised to kill Spike, like it did before. Then, as his life was flashing before his eyes, he suddenly remembered how he and Leggy nearly escaped the previous manticore attack.

The manticore has a bizarre fascination with lights. With quick thinking, Spike looked up to see the nearby torches hanging on the wall. Picking up a bone on the floor – which barely resembles a person's femur – Spike quickly tore off an entire sleeve on the right of his shirt, wrapping the fabric at one end of the bone. He then used it to reach through the boney fences, until the fabric was alit by one of the torches.

With his bone club alit, Spike turned and used the flame to momentarily stop the manticore in its tracks.

As expected, the manticore eyes were transfixed on the flame, and it turned its head, following wherever the flame goes, like a moth to the flame, or a pieces of metals to a magnet. Slowly moving the flames to the side, Spike was able to calm the manticore, almost as if he has hypnotized it, under his control.

With the manticore distracted, the beast-men in the audience, around the gladiator ring were all hollering and screeching in outrage, as if demanding for the show to resume. Getting an idea, Spike threw his torch into the audience, which the manticore followed. Spike watched as the manticore climbed its way, out of the ring, and into the audience stands of all the frighten beast-men. The sight was a massacre, as the beast tears apart every hybrids in sight.

"What is going on out there?" Cozy Glow shouted, from the tunnel, alerting Spike of her return.

“Looks like that’s my cue to get out of here,” Spike said to himself.

With that, the man followed the path of destruction, left by the manticore. Climbing out of the gladiator ring, Spike looked in an empty cavern tunnel and darted in, without being noticed by the manticore.

Behind him, he can hear Cozy Glow screaming, "STOP THAT CAT!!"

Spike kept on running down the tunnel, which was thankfully alit by small lightbulbs hanging on the wall. The kind of lights installed by maintenance workers, to work in dark places. Almost like the ones from some sci-fi, action, or even horror movies, Spike once watched before, with his friends on the mainland.

Spike kept on running, until he found a cave opening, where the starry night sky can be seen.

“I’m home free!”

Spike instantly made a made dash towards the exit, but stopped when he remembered Loona. Spike looked up at the exit, before he turned back into the tunnels, knowing that somewhere, Loona is being held captive.

He just can’t leave a poor helpless dog like Loona behind, no matter how angry, or tough she may be.

Knowing he may regret it, but going against his survival instinct, Spike turned and went back into the caves, searching for Loona. Just then, he heard some voices. Spike quickly hid inside a small cavity, behind some stalactites and stalagmites.

Spike held his breath as he watched Cozy Glow coming into view, with some Ape-Men accompanying her.

“That horrible old lion!" Cozy Glow muttered. "After tonight, no more meals for him for a week! Not that it matters anyway, now that he's eaten almost half of my friends, and that skinny man. So, I guess he'll make it through the week. Golly, daddy wasn't kidding when he tells me about the lion's share of the diet."

Cozy Glow then turned to her ape-men and scowled, "Well, what are you waiting for? GO FIND ME SOME NEW FRIENDS!!"

With a crack of her whip, Cozy Glow scared her servants into a scamper as they leave the cave. No doubt, Cozy Glow had been kidnapping innocent creatures, just to force them to be her friends.

“Now then, I guess I’m gonna have to pay my little doggy a visit to see if she’s learned to behave.”

Cozy Glow turned to a cave and walked in, disappearing into the darkness.

‘That’s it,’ Spike mentally deduced, to himself. ‘She took Loona somewhere in there. I have to follow her, find Loona, so we can get the hell out of here.’

Very quietly, Spike followed Cozy Glow, determined to find Loona. But the darkness of the cave and the narrow claustrophobic interior proved difficult.

Had it not been for the dim lightings of the lights that hang along the cavern walls, Spike would’ve been lost, stumbling in the pitch black darkness of the cave.

All the same, Spike wondered how Cozy Glow had come to be in possession of electricity. Could it be that there is a generator nearby? How long did it take to set up an entire system of electricity throughout the caves?

Could Grogar have been the one who oversaw the development of this complex cavern system? If so, why? But then again, could it be these systems originally belonged to someone else? Someone who owned the island before Grogar? If so, then who?

So many questions, and hardly any time for answers. Deciding not to ponder too much at the pressing questions on his mind, Spike stayed focus at the task at present time.

The question is: where are they keeping Loona? How long do this cavern tunnels go?

Spike kept on following Cozy Glow, until he arrived at a large room.

The room was lit up by four spotlights, with a cage built into the wall. Standing in front of the open cage, with her whip at the ready, is none other than Cozy Glow.

Kneeling at her feet, with her legs and hands bound in ropes is none other but Loona.

Spike’s jaws nearly broke off, hitting the floor, as he gawked at the sight he never, in a million years, would see.

Practically basking in the spotlight, Loona was wearing a dress that closely resembles a wedding gown.

The dress’s corset hugged her curves tightly. So tight, in fact, that from the congested sound and short breaths Loona was making, she was finding it hard to breathe. A hole was torn open in the midsection of the corset, allowing her to breathe easier, but it exposed her midriff. Her entire lower half were completely covered by a large oversized skirt, with large flower-like pedals around the waist. Around her neck, where a spiked collar was meant to be, instead was a normal collar with a dog tag at the center.

“So, is my Looney going to be a good girl from now on?” Cozy Glow asked, cracking her whip in the air.

“Yes…yes…whatever,” Loona whimpered, displaying a rare show of fragility. “Just please…stop cracking that whip! It hurts my ear!”

But Cozy Glow still cracked the whip anyway.

“Golly! Be a good girl and maybe I won’t have to give you a whippin,” Cozy Glow smiled deviously.

“I’ll…I’ll be a good girl,” Loona whimpered, her voice cracking, as if she was on the verge of tears.

“Hey…hey…” Spike called out, stepping out from his hiding. “Hey…you…pint-sized…brat.”

Spike was still light headed and feeling rather unbalanced with himself. He couldn’t think straight, but he simply can’t stand watching Loona get beaten anymore.

“Oh, it’s you…human…” Loona grumbled. “What is he doing here?” She asked Cozy curiously.

“Like I would know?” Cozy snarled, with just as much venom.

“I’m…here…for…doggy,” Spike stammered on his words, struggling to keep his head straight. “You…parakeet…stop…bullying…”

“Oh! You want to take my doggy away, huh?” Cozy asked, sounding as if she’s ready for a challenge. “You want my dog? Is that what all you ugly men want?”

“No…I just don’t like you whipping that poor puppy,” Spike said, still dizzy from his lack of oxygen. “Put your whip down or…I’ll give you a spanking.”

“Spank me?” Cozy scoffed at his threat. “Seriously, how do I look?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Spike muttered, caught off guard by the sudden question.

“Golly, tell me, how old do you think I look, please,” Cozy requested.

Spike thought long and hard on the question.

“Uhhhhhh…8?” Spike answered, much to Cozy’s annoyance. “9? 10, maybe? Give or take.”

“15…” Cozy Glow grumbled. “I’m actually hitting puberty! Oh golly!”

“Really? You’re hitting puberty?” Spike asked, skeptical. “You don’t look like it. You’re way too cute, like a little chick.”

In the corner of his eyes, Spike thought he saw Loona laughing and wheezing, while Cozy looked beyond furious.

“AW! You think I’m cute?” Cozy Glow laughed hysterically, like a crazed maniac. “Golly! Do you know how FUCKING tired I am of men finding me cute? I. WANT. TO BE. HOT!!!”

The young and little berserker screamed at the top of her lungs that it blew Spike off his feet. It was amazing that this creature of a little girl hasn’t run out of air.

“Look at me,” Cozy continued to rant, throwing down her whips and lunging at Spike, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

“Who cares about a little pony with cute fluffy wings and feathers, except little girls and pedophiles?! FUUUUUUUCK!!!!”

Cozy Glow then proceeds to hike up her own skirt, kept on ranting.

“I want my ASS to make men horny! I want to get drugged and get FUCKED RIGHT IN THE PUSSY! I WANT THE D!”

“Hey, little lady,” Spike said. “No way to speak to your elders.”

“You see?” Cozy Glow hissed.

“Uhhhhhh,” Spike droned. “I think I heard everything. But just in case, can you repeat it all again? I wasn’t listening…at all.”

“UGGGGH!!!” Cozy Glow screamed, in frustration. “FUCK OOOOOOOOFFFFFF!!!”

But Spike caught Cozy Glow and proceeded to spank her on the butt.

“OW! STOP THAT! It hurts!” Cozy Glow screamed.

Spike kept on spanking Cozy, when he felt a sudden hit to the groin.

“OH!” Spike yelled, groaning in pain, releasing Cozy Glow, and clutching his smartened region.

“Not so tough with your — what do you call them — family jewels, now, are ya?” Cozy sneered.

Whatever common sense he still had left, Spike braced himself for another hit. He looked up in time to see Loona grabbing Cozy Glow from behind, by the whip, and proceeded to thrash the small Berserker around the cave.

“What a dog~!” Spike moaned in arousal.

During the struggle between Spike, and the Berserker, Cozy Glow, Loona had been watching from the sideline.

She was hungry, she was hurt, and she was tired. She just wanted to die, then and there.

She looked up and watched Spike fighting with Cozy. She wondered, why…why did he even bother fighting for her, after she had rejected him time and time again. He seems just as irritating than her owner.

At that moment, Loona’s life flashed before her eyes, to the moment when she was taken.

In the past, when she was still a dog, and when humans were taller than her, she remember looking up to see her owner, arguing with Cozy Glow, who was just a kid. No taller than the knees of a full grown human.

Golly, can I take her, Mr. Blitzo?” Cozy Glow asked. “I’d be more than happy to adopt little Looney from you! And I can give her all the attention she needs!”

Loona looked up to her owner, growling and arching her back when he walked closer to her, with a leash out.

“Yeah…maybe you should…adopt…”

Loona was hardly surprised. She hadn’t exactly been an obedient dog to her wannabe master, thus she had given him plenty of reasons to disown her.

In fact, back when, she’s more than content with going back out on the streets, than being imprisoned in some human’s household.

”No…no, no, no…” Loona’s owner said, with a look of dread frozen on his face. ”You can’t have her! She’s mine and I love her!”

As he said this, Loona’s owner wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Too close for her comfort.

Sadly, Cozy wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“But Mr. Blitzo!” Cozy continued to pester in the past. “You just got to let me have the puppy! You gotta!”

“DON’T YOU TOUCH HER you little anal fissure!”

And very soon, it was all a blur of colors that Loona couldn’t see, flashes of lights, and loud gunshots that rang in her ears.

”You can’t have my baby, bitch! I’LL NEVER GET RID OF HER!!!”

But in the end, Loona was taken from her owner. The last time she saw of him was after the office was on fire, and he was trapped under a burning wreckage. He was helpless and held his hand out as Loona was taken from him.

“LOONA!”

And from there, the memories flashed forward to when Cozy Glow took Loona to Dr. Grogar. The evil doctor subjected Loona to all kinds of torturous experiments that hurt her, inside and out.

It still brought terror to Loona’s mind, remembering how much her bones broke themselves apart, before they were mended and put themselves back together. How her eyes were sore and blurry from the colorful floods that nearly blinded her. All to make her human. Or close, at the very least.

Returning to the present, Loona looked up at Spike, still fighting Cozy. But Loona’s eyes were transfixed on the brat-turned-berserker. The very creature who inflicted so much pain onto her.

In that moment, Loona felt something build up inside of her. Something so hot and strong, it threatened to burn her up, from the inside.

This was her chance to finally get revenge on the little pint-sized berserker who made her life an even bigger living hell.

Loona grunted and bites at the ropes, tearing them apart, until she was at last, freed from her restraints. Soon, Loona was back up on all four, acting on instincts, growling, viciously setting her sights on Cozy.

With a loud bark, Loona lurched forward to grab Cozy by the tail. And with a loud bloodcurdling howl that hurts Loona’s throat, her ears, even shaking the entire cavern, Loona thrashed Cozy Glow around, as if she were a doll.

As if that wasn’t enough to quench her rage, Loona grabbed Cozy by the throat, proceeding to throttle and strangle the little berserker.

“HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? HUH?” Loona laughed. “NOT SO TOUGH NOW ARE YA? Do you like this dress? DO YOU STILL LIKE SEEING ME IN THIS DRESS, HUH? HUH?”

Then, Loona clamped her jaws down, hard on one of Cozy Glow’s legs, causing the little berserker to let out a loud ear splitting scream.

But Loona wouldn’t stop. She was at last getting back at the little brat who ruined her, and hurt her so much.

With Cozy Glow still in her jaws, Loona violently shook her head, spilling Cozy’s blood from her mouth, all over the dress the berserker forced her to wear, mixing in with the bloods from Loona’s recent wounds.

Loona kept on throttling Cozy violently, until a sudden jolt of sharp pain from her back forced her to stop.

“AH!” Loona grunted, dropping Cozy Glow.

With Cozy Glow disposed of for the time being, Loona got down to pick Spike up off the floor.

“Come on you,” Loona grunted. “Get up…some rescue you are.”

“Follow me,” Spike moaned dizzily.

“GIVE. ME. BACK. MY. DOG!!!!!” Cozy Glow howled from behind.

Without looking back, Spike and Loona kept on running through the caverns. It was thankful that Loona can still smell the air, as well as having a good sense of hearing that lets her and Spike navigate through the caves, and avoid Cozy Glow's beast-men.

Both Spike and Loona kept on running, until they were able to race outside, nearly running off a cliffside of a tall steep mountainside.

"Whoa!" Spike quickly backed up agains the wall, panting heavily at nearly dropping to what could've been his death. "One more step, and we'd be goners!"

"C'mon! Let's...go..." Loona winced, upon stepping one of her sore pads onto the sharp rocky ledges.

With the cold wind blowing across the mountainside, Spike and Loona both gingerly climbed along the rocky ledges, safely making their way down.

"Don't look down, Spike..." Spike said to himself, trying to calm his frighten nerves. "We're gonna be okay...Just don't look down...one foot at a time...you're gonna be okay!"

"Are you always this chatty?" Loona asked the man. "I'm not the one climbing a mountain, wearing a dress..."

"I...I can't help it..." Spike hyperventilated, having flashbacks of when Newt Chimera attacked him at Grogar's manor, and when he and Sunset were escaping Shade Stalker. "I...Last time I was up this high, I...I fell and nearly drowned!"

"C'mon! Pull yourself together, human!" Loona barked. "We gotta climb... You gotta climb, like our lives depended on it! Because they do! Also, goats!"

Spike turned his head to look up, and his eyes widened in fright at what he was seeing. Braying, carrying axes in their hands, appeared to be a whole herd of satyrs, or goat-men. They all have the appearances of humanoid goats, with long curved horns, sharp claws, cloven hooves that helped them climbed along the mountainside.

The goat-men all let out long bloodcurdling shrieks that sounded almost human, as they surrounded and closed in on Spike and Loona.

"They're closing in on us!" Spike shouted.

"Then climb down faster!" Loona barked.

All was going well, until a rocky ledge broke, beneath Loona's foot, and she suddenly fell down.

"AAHHH!!!" Loona screamed.

"LOONA!" Reacting fast, Spike reached out to grab Loona by the hand. "I GOTCHA!!!"

Loona looked down and was scared out of her mind at the terrifying height.

"Don't drop me! DON'T DROP ME!!!" Loona whimpered, barking, and scrambling to climb up Spike's arm.

"Loona! Stop!" Spike tried to calm the panicking wolf-dog. "Stop squirming! I'm losing my grip!"

But it was no use. Loona was too scared to listen, and Spike ended up losing his grip on the ledge, causing both him and the wolf-dog to fall, screaming towards the ground. Miraculously, their drop was slightly haltered when they both crashed on one of the goat-man on the way down. The goat-man screamed as he fell towards the trees, disappearing beneath the leaves, towards his death.

Meanwhile, Loona frantically gripped the rocky walls with her claws, with Spike wrapping his arms around her waist out of desperation, until they both came to a stop. The two collectively gasped, catching their breaths, pausing to process the adrenaline of how they cheated death, somehow, by dumb luck.

"Oh thank God," Spike sighed.

Suddenly, a goat-man appeared next to them. It let out a loud bloodcurdling scream, rearing its ax-wielding arm up, preparing to chop either Spike, or Loona, in half.

"WHOA!" Spike screamed.

"HI-YAAAH!!!" Loona grunted, kicking the goat-man between his legs, knocking him off the mountain to join his other dead friend. "Ow! My leg..."

In the moonlight, Spike caught a glimpse of blood gushing from Loona's wounded leg. An evidence of Cozy Glow's cruelty. The two kept on climbing down the mountain, until they were able to touch to treetops.

Spike was the first to climb onto a tree branch, before he beckoned for Loona, "C'mon, Loona! Jump on! I'll catch you!"

Without wasting a second, Loona leapt off the mountain ledge and into Spike's arms. They both staggered for a moment, not helped by the tree branch wobbling, until it was settled. From there, Spike Loona proceeded to climb down the tree, until they were back on solid ground.

"Okay. Back to the village!" Spike panted heavily. "You lead the way, Loona!"

Without any argument, not that she was in the mood for it, Loona sniffed the air, before she pointed in the direction she and Spike needed to go.

The foliage brushed across their bruised bodies, covered in scratches. The tree branches and twigs scratched and snapped against them. Pieces of Loona’s dress was tugged and torn away by whatever sharp, thorny branches she had snagged on. But the wolf-dog could care less about the dress she was forced to wear.

She was happy that she could escape from Cozy Glow. All thanks to this human male, Spike.

They hadn’t gotten very far, however, when Spike was suddenly hoisted into the air, with his foot caught in a rope trap, attached to a tree branch, with a ringing bell.

“Human?!” Loona barked in alarm.

“Loona!” Spike screamed dizzily. “Help! Get me down from here! Whoa!”

Loona hopped up on her feet, but she stumbled and fell. Her feet were still sore and hurt from all the whipping from Cozy Glow.

“Loona? You okay?”

“I’m fine…” Loona confirmed, before rubbing her sore feet. “My feet still hurt.”

“Hey! Th-Th-That stick! Over there!” Spike pointed, which Loona followed to see the said stick on the ground. “Can you fetch it for me?”

“Oh! Sure!” Driven by instincts, Loona lunged forward and picked up the stick in her mouth, before she brought it to Spike. “Here!”

“Kay, kay,” Spike stretched his arms out, reaching for the stick in Loona’s mouth, but to no avail. “Uh…can you hold the stick out a little more? In your…arms?”

“Huh? Oh!” Loona took the stick out of her mouth and held it in her hands, before holding it up. “Like this?”

“Yeah!” Spike reached out and grabbed ahold of the stick, taking it from Loona. “Got it! Okay…”

Loona stood back and watch Spike arching his back, reaching upward for the knot, with his stick, attempting to cut himself loose. Unfortunately, his attempt only resulted in him bouncing down and hitting his head against the ground, like a ball.

“Oh! That’s smarts!” Spike moaned in pain, while Loona couldn’t help but snicker at his expense.

Suddenly, Loona’s ears perked to the sound of approaching footsteps that brushed the foliage aside and crushing the underbrush, from the left, judging from where she was standing.

Worried that it may be Cozy Glow, or one of her Beast-Folks, Loona sniffed the air. Her nose cringed when she caught the scent of something familiar and terrifying.

“Oh no!” Loona whimpered. “Someone is coming!”

“Quick! Get me down from here!” Spike pleaded frantically.

“Okay, okay,” Loona looked, until she spotted a peg on the ground, with a rope tied to it.

With no other options and without wasting a second, Loona quickly dug up the peg, causing Spike to drop down from the branch.

Acting fast, Loona grabbed Spike and they both hid in a nearby bush.

“Loona, what’s wrong-?” Spike asked but the wolfdog clamped his mouth shut.

“Shut up!” She hissed, “Someone’s close by. So keep your mouth zipped.”

Boba Fett Theme

Soon enough, they hear footsteps approaching and it is revealed to be none-other than Shade Stalker.

Both Loona and Spike instantly covered each other’s mouths in fear of the Hunter hearing them.

As Shade began looking around, he heard someone shout at him, “HEY YOU!!!” He turns to see that it was Cozy Glow backed by several of her gorilla-men.

“WHERE’S MY DOG, YOU FUCKING EDGELORD!!!” Cozy practically screamed.

While she doesn’t appear to be afraid of the Hunter, the same can’t be said for her henchmen who were trembling at the sight of him.

Shade just looks at the young Berserker with an annoyed expression. He then brings out a canteen from his jacket, pops the top and starts drinking from it.

“Hey?! Didn’t you hear what I just said?!” Cozy screamed as she marched up to him, “I said: WHERE’S MY D-?!?!” She didn't finish her question when Shade spat coconut water in her face.

Both Spike and Loona fought a very strong urge to laugh out loud due to this.

“GYAAA!!! YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!!” Cozy screamed as she spat out the coconut water and wiped her face. She then turned to the Hunter with pure rage in her eyes, “You're gonna pay for that!!!” She yelled as she brought out her whip.

As she cracks her whip at him however, Shade manages to catch it midair much to Cozy’s, Spike and Loona’s, and the ape-men’s shock.

Before Cozy knew it, Shade used the whip to pull her towards him which made Cozy fly towards him while screaming and her face suddenly made contact with Shade’s fist which caused her to fall to the ground.

Shade then got on top of the little brat and proceeded to wail on her. Her ape-men didn’t do anything to save their mistress as they remember what the Hunter did to several of their brothers in the past.

After he was done with his beatdown on Cozy, he then got up and kicked her towards her ape-men to which one of them managed to catch her.

Bloodied and bruised, Cozy looked at Shade with pure hate in her eyes, “You… son of a… bitch!! Tell that bastard Grogar that we haven’t forgotten what he did to us and that we’ll be coming for him sooner than he thinks! YOU HEAR ME?!? TELL HIM WE’RE COMING FOR HIM!!!” She screamed as her ape-men carried her away.

But Shade couldn’t care less. Instead, he rolled his eyes and walked in the opposite direction, most likely to resume the hunt for Spike.

Soon, at least half a hour has passed and there was nothing but silence.

“Is the coast clear?” Spike whispered.

Loona checked, sniffing the air, and listening the ambience sounds of the jungle, while keeping an ear for any distinctive sounds of footsteps.

“He’s gone…we can come out now…” Loona muttered, as both she and Spike emerge from their hiding spots.

“LOONA! LOOK OUT!” Spike screamed.

Before Loona could react, Spike had shoved her to the ground.

“HEY! WHAT's...your...problem?” Loona’s anger dwindles to a whisper, when she saw Spike’s expression twisting to show a look of agonizing pain.

Spike tried to reach something behind his back, but stumbled, until he became still. He had to lean against a tree to keep himself standing. But barely.

“Hey human? You alright?” Loona asked.

Loona doesn’t know why, but her ears picked up the beating sounds of irregular heartbeat. Upon closer inspection, she could hear Spike’s breathing’s have become shallow, and raspy even.

Her nose twitched to the stinging scent of poison in the air. The hot air from Spike that indicates a fever.

A few seconds later, Spike collapsed onto the ground, much to Loona’s alarm. Her hairs stood on end and she yelped in fright, out of impulse.

“Human?! Spike?!” Loona barked frantically, checking the young man.

Loona sniffed the man from the head to his neck, when she was frightened by a horrible sight.

Emerging from the neckline of his shirt, was a tiny brown ugly spider. It held the first two pairs of legs, into the air, revealing a conspicuous black/light-banded pattern on the underside of the legs. Furthermore, the spider swayed from side to side with the hind legs in a cocked position.

Not too far away, are two small puncture holes, on the back of Spike’s neck. The spider had bitten Spike!

Loona felt herself turning cold. She frantically panicked at what to do. She couldn’t decide whether to run, or bark and call for help. But she couldn’t leave Spike behind.

She doesn’t understand why she didn’t want to leave him behind.

She looked at the spider again to see that it was still facing her and holding its legs up. It looked as if it was trying to scare her off.

Loona didn’t want to admit it, to the spider, but it was working. The spider was scaring her. Not become it would actually bite her, but because it has already bitten Spike. And she was helpless to prevent it.

Out of impulse, Loona got down on all four and barked loudly at the spider, scaring it away.

With the spider gone, Loona looked down at Spike, proceeding to lick him in hopes of waking him up.

But it was too late. The spider’s bite has already taken effect. Spike was losing consciousness and the boiling touch of his skin at the top of her tongue alarmed Loona to realize that his fever is getting worse.

“Human…Spike…” Loona got down, carefully picking Spike up, in her arms.

“Spike?” Loona barked anxiously, holding onto his hand. “Hold on… Please, hold on…”

Meanwhile, back in the village, Rainbow Dash had just returned from a long flight.

She approached a worried Sunset Shimmer, with Applejack next to her. All three of them share a look of concern and worry, evident by their frowns and their arched eyebrows.

Though, Applejack’s was more pronounced by her flattened ears.

“Did you find them yet?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“I couldn’t find hair, nor tail of Spike, or Loona,” Rainbow sighed. “What about Twilight and the others? Are they back yet?”

“They haven’t come back yet,” Applejack shook her head, while tipping her hat. “It’s been almost an hour already.”

Before they can discuss their next course of action, Pinkie Pie sounded the alarm, by playing a drumbeat.

“SPIKE AHOY!!!” Pinkie Pie was heard screeching.

The three She-Beasts looked up to see Pinkie Pie, hanging by her tail, at the top of a tower — most likely a watch tower — looking though a telescope.

Rainbow Dash turned her attention at Pinkie above, while noticing that the remaining occupants of the village were coming out.

“What’s going on, Pinkie?” Sunset asked.

“It’s Spike! He and Loona are approaching the main gate off the starboard!!”

“What?!” Everyone exclaimed.

“That means right,” Pinkie clarified.

Rainbow Dash quickly flapped her wings and flew up to the tower, perching next to Pinkie Pie.

Sure enough, courtesy of her enhanced farsighted vision, Rainbow Dash sighted both Spike and Loona approaching the main gate. Just as Pinkie said.

Everyone all came out of the village gate, crowding around Loona as she carried an unconscious Spike in her arms.

“Loona! What happened?” Applejack asked. “What’s wrong with Spike?”

“And why are you wearing a dress?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Never mind this,” Loona barked, as she handed Spike to the others. “He was bitten by a spider! Is he going to be okay?”

Sunset was the first to press her ears against Spike’s chest, before she can confirm.

“He’s alive,” Sunset confirmed. “But barely. He needs medical attention now.”

With that, everyone in the village got together and carried Spike to the medical hut.

On the way, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but notice the way Loona was staring intently at Spike.

It wasn’t out of hate, but of concern. Almost like the sort of look a person would make when their loved one is in a hospital bed, with their life hanging on a very thin line.

Once inside the medical hut, all the hybrids gathered around Spike, with Starlight Glimmer applying the first aid kit to his wound.

Close by, Loona was having her blistered and scarred back washed and treated by Applejack.

“Ah! Ow! That hurts!” Loona hissed.

“I’m sorry, Sugarcube,” Applejack apologized before advising, “But ya gotta keep absolutely still. “This’ll only sting a little.”

Loona winced, clenching her mouth hard, to bite down on her own scream. Her back was still sore and searing with the burning stings from Cozy’s whip. And whatever Applejack is using to wipe and clean the cuts, to Loona, felt more as if it was only reopening the wounds.

Loona tried her best to do as Applejack advised her to. But in truth, she doesn’t understand how keeping still could help make the pain less hurtful.

All the same, Loona looked over to where Spike was resting. The young man, who has been bitten by a spider, seemed so peaceful just lying there.

He was nearly lifeless. It almost looked as if he’s in a long deep sleep. But this way, he didn’t respond, as if he doesn’t feel any pain.

“Is the human…Spike, going to be okay?” Loona asked.

“Ah sure hope so, Sugarcube,” Applejack answered, as she continued away Loona’s cuts. “We’re doing everything we can to help him, and you.”

“I…I don’t care what happens to me,” Loona muttered. “I just need to know if Spike’s going to be okay.”

“He will be,” Applejack then did a double-take. “Hold it there. Am I hearing ya right? Or did ya just called Spike by his real name?”

“Well, after what we’ve been through, it’s only fair, I guess.”

In truth, Loona herself wasn’t too sure why she started referring to Spike by his real name. Is it the mere fact that he saved her, even if his attempts were weird and unorthodox? Or is it because he had treated her with such kindness, compared to Cozy Glow, even if she doesn’t deserve them?

She’s so confused. She still hated all humans, yet this strange one, Spike, has her feeling different. Why is she like this?

“If it bothers you, I can go back to referring to him as human,” Loona offered.

“No, no, it’s fine,” Applejack reassured. “In fact, this is great news! I’m glad to see ya finally warming up to Spike.”

“I’m not warming up to him!” Loona barked. “I…just…worried about him. That’s all.”

“Sure ya are,” Applejack said with an audible tease in her voice.

Loona could already, if possible, feel a smile on the wolf-woman’s face. For some reason, it just makes the cheeks on her face burn hot.

“Whatever. Is he going to survive, or not?” Loona barked, wanting to change the subject.

“He’ll live,” Applejack reassured, while still cleaning up Loona’s wounds. “I’d be more worried about these cuts if I were you. Some of these looked infected! How long have you had these?”

“How long have we been gone?” Loona asked.

“You and Spike were almost gone for a spell of a night,” Applejack revealed. “Shortly after we were done celebrating our victory over Blueblood, the two of you suddenly disappeared. And we’ve been looking for y’all ever since.”

This news seemed to have a resounding impact on the wolf-dog. This was the first time she’s ever heard of someone else, besides a human, searching for her. Before she was even a hybrid, or a man made abomination, hardly any human or creatures have ever looked for her.

But then why would they?

“Why do you even bother?” Loona asked. “It’s not like we were friends, or anything. We don’t know each other for that long anyway.”

“Well, because we just couldn’t leave y’all to die,” Applejack answered. “That’s not how I roll.”

“How you roll?”

“Yeah. We’re like a family. We look out for each other. We take care of each other and learn to work together to build a better life and solve problems. That’s what families do.”

“Oh yeah? Family?” Loona scoffed at the very notion of such word. “I wish I have a family.”

“You…you don’t have a family?” Applejack asked, in a broken voice.

“I mean, I had an owner, before I was stolen by Cozy Glow. But that’s about it.”

“Oh, Sugarcube. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. I mean, why should you be sorry? It’s not like you’re my mom or anything. And besides, I’m a big girl now.”

“Maybe not. But no dogs should ever go through with what you’ve had to endure.”

Soon after Applejack finished cleaning Loona’s wounds, the orange wolf-woman proceeded to grab a roll of bandages.

“I…I know it’s gonna sound weird, but…I need ya to…undress a little.”

Reluctant, but complying, Loona allowed Applejack to pull down the top of her dress, allowing the She-Beast to wrap the bandages around her torso.

Out of impulse, Loona wrapped her arms across her chest.

“Hey now, it’s alright,” Applejack comforted. “We’re all gals here.”

“It’s not my body!” Loona growled. “Just…don’t look…”

“Okay, I’ll try not to,” Applejack said as she tries to work on wrapping the bandages around Loona. “But if it makes ya feel any better…this ain’t how I normally look either. I’m not a wolf to begin with.”

“How is it that any better? I was just a dog. I like the way I was until one of your kinds ruined me! Now I’m neither dog, nor human. I don’t know what I am anymore.”

After holding in so much frustration, to finally let it all out, was such a relief to Loona. So much that all she could do was cry.

“I know how you’re feeling, Loona,” Applejack consoled, while wrapping the last bandage on Loona.

“Believe me. I’m just as much a victim of Grogar than you are. All of us are.”

“But why?” Loona wept tearfully. “Why did it have to be me? What did I do wrong? Why did I have to be whipped? Or…why must I be…be this…thing?”

Loona’s voice croaked, which she didn’t understand why. Her heart felt as if it was breaking, if that explains for the heaviness on her chest.

“Life’s never fair to us, Loona,” Applejack sighed. “If it was, then I shouldn’t be here. I’d be back on my family’s farm, right now, harvesting apples, with my Granny Smith, my big brother, Big Mac, and little sister, Apple Bloom.”

“…That sounded like…a beautiful family,” Loona whimpered.

“It is…and I’m sure you’d get along with our family dog, Winona. She’s a good dog.”

The very mention of the phrase, “good dog,” was a sting. It felt as if she had been shot through the chest, by a bullet.

Could all these traumas and nightmares been avoided if she was a “good dog?” Or would she still suffer regardless?

What does it mean to be a good dog? Does she have to be an obedient slave, like she was forced to be, with Cozy Glow? Was that all it took to save her from so much humiliation and agony?

Whatever the answer may be, Loona just doesn’t care. She’s so broken it hurts inside and out.

“Oh I…all I ever wanted was to be a good dog!” Loona sobbed in a soft voice that has lost the sharp edges of her tones.

By the end of her statement, Loona let her fragility be heard, whimpering and crying that sounded like barking hiccups.

A rare display that deep down, something she’s ashamed of showing, that at her core, dogs are capable of emotions and are as much afraid than children.

As Loona cried, she felt the strong arms, accompanied by the scent of Applejack’s aroma, wrapping around her for a hug. A wet tongue washed across her teary cheeks.

The sun was barely rising over the horizon. But the sky was colored in a blue-pinkish hue. The moon was disappearing, with the stars. A lone dog sat at the edge of a cliff, casting her solemn gaze across the ocean.

Loona had wept so much, she cried so long, her cheeks felt burn then wet from the salty tears that are as bitter as the ocean’s air.

So much has happened for Loona that it was hard for her to comprehend it all.

She was shaken from the experience of having been captured by Cozy Glow again, to be whipped, stripped, and forced to wear a ridiculous dress that made it harder for her to breathe.

However, what truly rattled her was the action of the man, Spike Draco. Why would a human, such as he, risk his own life to save her, when it was easier to simply abandon her, to save himself? Why did he rescue her from Cozy, after all the resentments she had shown towards him?

And why is she so worried about him? She hated him. Or at least, she thought she was supposed to hate him.

There was just a lot for a lone dog to understand. To try and cope with her stress, Loona took out a single roll of cigarette, then reached into the top of her corset, holding out her lighter.

The lighter is a man-made tool to create fire. But it was also her only remnant left of her owner. She was thankful to have found it, back in the mountain of Cozy Glow. For some reasons she couldn't explain, she has become rather attached to the small tool, and didn't want to lose it. She clicked her lighter, which was aglow even brighter than before.

How can this be? What could it mean? She doesn’t know how. But without an answer, she feels more lost and afraid.

Author's Note

Loona’s dress is based on these:

27 – Snake in the Cave Part 1

Three days have passed, since Spike and Loona escaped from Cozy Glow.

After the spider bite, Spike was put in a coma. Loona was patched up, with bandages wrapped around her arms, legs, and across her back. But she needed crutches in order to get around. It hurt her to even stand. Still, the wolf-dog tries her best not to let her painful agony show.

Though, once in awhile, Loona came by to check up on Spike.

“Is he okay?” She croaked in a voice that was barely a whisper.

“He’ll be fine,” Starlight answered. “It’s a miracle you brought him to us in time! That spider was a brown recluse spider! They’ve been known to have a poison that can even kill you if left untreated!”

Loona walked up to Spike, gingerly bending down to sniff his unconscious form. The pungent foul stench of the spider’s bite was still ripe, but the air around Spike was cool and refreshing as the sea breeze.

“I think we should clear the area,” Applejack advised. “Let Spike rest.”

“Uh…sure…okay…” Loona limped away on her crutches.

She paused for a moment, turning to look back at the human in bed. It hurts her neck, so she turned her whole body to face Spike.

How could this human have saved her to begin with? Why didn’t he just let her rot in Cozy Glow’s prison? Why did he save her from a spider?

All was quiet until…

“BAAAAHHHH!!!” The cry of a sheep was heard.

“What’s going on?” Rainbow asked.

“Who is it?” Applejack followed.

Eventually, almost everyone gathered in the center of the village to find a distressed Kirin and his adopted mother, Leggy Lamb, who followed close behind him.

“Kirin? Leggy?” Applejack called. “What’s the matter, Sugarcube? Where…where’s Twilight?”

In response, the one-horned little ram bleated frantically, while his mother spoke on his behalf.

“Twilight…taken…snakes…” Leggy Lamb bleated, out of breath. “Me…Kirin…escaped…”

Knowing that something is wrong, everyone all exchanged agreements, before they beckoned for the adult sheep to show them the way.

“Hurry, Leggy. Take us to where Twilight was!” Applejack ordered.

Leggy nodded in understanding, before she looked down at her adopted son.

“Kirin…stay.”

The little lamb, however, was rather disobedient. He wanted to go after his mother, who continuously persisted in urging him to stay put.

From a distance, for Loona, it was almost as if she was seeing a ghost of her younger self in the little lamb.

“You girls go on ahead,” Starlight called. “I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things.”

The other She-Beasts all exchanged agreements, as they left the village, leaving Starlight Glimmer to look after Kirin, with Loona, Spike, and…

“Fleur!” Starlight shouted, running towards the former She-Beast, who was standing atop of Spike’s bed. “Get off the bed!”

Fleur hissed aim response, until Loona loudly barked, scaring the former cat-woman off.

“I never liked cat-people,” Loona muttered, clutching her chest, straining from the stresses to her throat.

“Well, that takes care of her, for now,” Starlight muttered, while holding a fussy Kirin. “So now what are we going to do with you?”

In response, Kirin thrusted his head forward in a headbutt, smashing his head towards Starlight’s face.

Eventually, after a long hike through the jungle, Leggy soon brought the girls back to the place where she last saw Twilight.

“Here we are,” Leggy bleated.

“Who-whee!” Applejack exclaimed, shocked at the sight.

Before their very eyes, the entire area looked like a crime scene of some kind.

“So this is the place where Twi was taken, Leggy?” Applejack asked.

“Baaa!” The sheep reverse-hybrid nodded.

Sunset kneeled down to inspect the ground and noticed some rather large snake tracks, “I think I found something!” She called out and the others came to her.

AJ sniffed the snake trails before cringing in disgust, “Eeyup, I recognize that scent anywhere. It’s definitely Sombra.”

“Sombra…” Bea quietly growled to herself. Her tone was nothing but venom when she uttered it.

“It’s still kinda fresh, so I might be able to follow it.” The wolf-woman said.

“What are we waiting for then?!” Bea suddenly shouted, startling the other beast-women, “Let’s find that bastard!” Before darting off to a random direction.

“Uh, Bea…” Applejack called out.

“WHAT?!!!” The croc-woman snarled, snapping her head towards AJ.

“The scent goes that way.” The wolf-woman said as she pointed her thumb at the opposite direction where Bea was about to head off to.

“Right. Well… Let’s go.” The crocodile reverse-hybrid said, a little embarrassed before heading off to the direction AJ was pointing.

The other beast-women looked at each other with concern. This was probably the first time they’ve seen Bea all angst up like this.

All of a sudden, something punches Bea in the snout which sends her flying. The other She-Beasts turned to see a huge creature coming out of the bushes.

In appearance, it looked like a gray-furred gorilla with a disfigured face only a mother could love.

The gorilla lets out a huge roar and many more show up. Some of them, surprisingly, were wielding makeshift weapons such as spears and tomahawks.

25 Congo Ost Grey Gorilla

The girls got into a fighting stance as the gray gorillas charged at them.

One gorilla pounced at Applejack but the She-Beast managed to kick it away.

Another tried to slash at Sunset with its tomahawk, but the tiger woman managed to catch it midair before slashing at the beast with her free claw. Causing the ape to scream in pain.

Marina finds herself surrounded by a few of the apes. Thinking fast, the octo-woman used her tentacle hair to grab one and whipped it across the others.

One of the gorillas thrusted his spear at Rainbow but the falcon-woman manages to dodge it before grabbing the spear with her talons, yanking it away from the ape, and begins whacking it with its own weapon.

Two gorillas swung their sticks at Rarity, who immediately ducked her head, causing the two gorillas to accidentally wack each other on the heads. The snow leopard quickly stood back up, grabbed the gorillas by the bottom of their lips and pulled them together, smashing their heads into each other.

“Never underestimate a lady by her looks,” Rarity huffed.

Beatrice was snapping her jaws at most of the gorillas to stave them off. One of the grey gorillas was unfortunate enough to get in too close to the crocodile reverse-hybrid.

In a lightning fast speed of blur, Bea lunged forward and grabbed it by the throat, in her jaws. From that position, she fell on her side, rolling into a death roll, taking the grey gorilla with her, and dismembering its neck.

Fluttershy and Leggy stayed out of harm’s ways, as they weren’t exactly fit for combat.

Up in the treetops, Pinkie Pie was hurdling some fruits and some more of her coconut bombs at the gorillas, hitting them on the noses. Then, she grabbed a vine and proceeded to swing down into a flying kick.

“I CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!”

“PINKIE!” The girls shouted. “WATCH OUT FOR THAT—“

BANG!

“Ooh!”

“Tree…” Sunset Shimmer cringed.

The girls cringed as they watched Pinkie Pie peeling herself away from the tree, and she fell to the ground with a loud thud.

By the time Pinkie Pie got up and dusted herself off, she found herself surrounded by the grey gorillas, who were closing in for the kill.

“NO!” Sunset Shimmer roared, pouncing atop one of the gorillas, biting and clawing into its shoulders.

The gorilla let out a loud roar as it grabbed the tiger-woman by the head and tossed her off.

Applejack was fending off a gorilla, but two more quickly charged forward and overpowered her. One of them nearly bit her arm off, had Rainbow Dash swooped in to gouge its eyes out, with her talons.

“You okay, AJ?” Rainbow asked.

“Sure am!” Applejack barked, while distressed to see the gorillas’ numbers aren’t dwindling. “But there’s too many of them!”

“…We have to get out of here!” Sunset Shimmer grunted, tossing a gorilla onto its back.

“Where to?” Rainbow asked, pointing to show the path they came from was blocked by more of the gorillas.

The girls found themselves backing up into a huddle, with Fluttershy and Leggy protected in the center.

As the girls were bracing themselves for a fight to the death, a loud screech was heard. The screeching sound of Predator 00 — Ēferno the dragon.

The grey gorillas froze up in their tracks, with the terrified look of wide eyes dread and fearful frown written on their faces. The gorillas and the girls frantically looked in random directions of the jungle, until the gorillas dispersed and disappeared into the jungle foliages.

End of Fight

“Quick girls! Cover your eyes!” Sunset Shimmer advised, remembering her past experience with the Predator. “Ēferno always attacks the eyes before he pounces…”

“That won’t be necessary, young ladies,” Called a familiar voice.

The girls looked up to see the silhouette outline of a huge bat-like creature, who gently glided down from his perch and stood in the daylight before the girls.

“Scorpan!” The girls exclaimed in relief.

“Are you girls alright?” Scorpan asked.

“Sure am, Mr. Scorpan.” AJ replied.

“What were those things?” Sunset asked. “They didn’t look like Blueblood’s goons and they knew how to use makeshift weapons.”

“Those were Grey Gorillas.” Scorpan replied grimly. “Tank grown apes with human DNA in them. They were originally Grogar’s minions before switching to boar-men.”

“Why?” Rarity asked.

“From what I heard, they were too unruly and violent for him to control.” The gargoyle replied. “With that said, mind telling me what you girls are doing out here in the middle of the night.”

Sunset spoke up, “Well… it’s kind of a long story…”

Meanwhile, back in the village

“Finally, some alone time. Now maybe I can get this…thing off of me…”

With a bite and a growl, Loona tugged at the bandages on her arms. It hurt her to even bite, and the bandages were squeezing her bruised arms.

But she was itching in certain parts of her body and she was in need of a good scratch. She needed her bandages off in order to take her dress off, to scratch her itches away.

Loona hates the wretched dress that Cozy Glow forced her to wear. But it was the only piece of clothing she has left to cover up her body, after Cozy Glow had destroying her shorts and tops.

Loona was standing behind the curtain, in the medical hut, when her ears perked to the sound of the curtain being pulled away.

She looked up to acknowledge the presence of the shark, Starlight Glimmer.

“AAAAHHH!!!” She immediately blushed and let out a high-pitched bark of surprise, frantically covering herself.

Her dress wasn’t fully off, and the top of her corset was still covering her chest. But the wolf-dog was still tugging the hem of her skirt to cover her crotch, and was already wrapping an arm over her chest.

“Wh-What are y-y-you doing?” Loona whimpered.

“Sorry, sorry,” Starlight looked away. “I heard a commotion and I was just checking to see what is going on.”

“I’m…scratching…” Loona replied, before she resumed scratching at her bandages. “It itches!”

“Here. Let me help.”

“No! Don’t—Oh!” Loona’s protests immediately dwindled upon Starlight Glimmer’s webbed fingers making contact.

The anthropomorphic wolf dog suddenly found her tail wagging uncontrollably and was panting rapidly, with her tongue hanging out.

“W-W-What are you doing to me?” Loona moaned in a raspy voice.

“Uh…scratching?” Starlight answered, sounding as though Loona had asked a seemingly obvious question.

Nevertheless, Loona was submissive to the shark-woman’s touch.

“Oh…Oh~Right there~” Loona moaned loudly. “Oh~Perfect!”

“Do you always moan like that whenever someone scratches you?” Starlight asked.

“I never let anyone touch me, actually,” Loona replied somberly.

“Well, you’re just going to have to brace yourself, because it’s time to change your bandages.”

Starlight proceeded to untie the cords before she reaches up for the top of the upper part of Loona’s dress, and was about to pull it down, when Loona stopped her.

“NO! DON’T!” Loona barked, immediately holding up her top to keep her chest covered. “Don’t even look!”

“I’m sorry, but it has to come off,” Starlight apologized. “Otherwise, I can’t change your bandages.”

“Why does it matter? You humans ruined me!” Loona sobbed tearfully. “As if abandoning me on the street, or kicking me, or whipping me, and locking me in your cages wasn’t enough, you…you broke my body. You made me into this? For what?”

“Loona, we didn’t do this. It was Dr. Grogar's doing…”

“What difference does it make? I’m like this because of you humans! You’re all the same! You bicker! You squabble! You’re always taking things that don’t belong to you. You pollute this world! And you all kidnapped, tortured, even dressed creatures like me for your own bizarre twisted pleasure!”

Too injured, too hurt, and beyond humiliated, Loona collapsed onto the ground and wept. She wanted for all this pain and misery to be over soon. She wanted so badly to wake up from this nightmare and be back home, where she truly belongs. Feeling safe and sound.

Without warning, Loona felt a pair of wet, smooth, soft, but strong arms wrapping around her head and holding her close.

“Shhh, it’s okay, it’s okay,” Starlight Glimmer softly coaxed. “I…I know you’ve had some bad experiences with other people and…I’m sorry you got mixed up with the wrong crowd. But not all of us humans are bad. Right now, some of us are victims, just like you are…”

“Yes…I know,” Loona whimpered softly.

It was an overwhelming emotional sensation for the wolf-dog Reverse-Hybrid. She couldn’t think straight. Her emotions were all conflicting and clashing together.

She was very much upset and angry towards Starlight for intruding her privacy. But she was also sad and scared of Cozy Glow. On top of it, she felt rather relieved to have finally let all her pent up emotions go.

But all the same, Loona can’t stop worrying at the thought of Spike.

“The human…Spike…is he…okay?”

“He’ll live,” Starlight replied. “But right now, I’m more concerned about you. Will you let me change your bandages?”

Unable to argue, or perhaps too tired to argue back, Loona complied. She pulled her hands away from the top of her dress, allowing Starlight to pull it down, until her torso was fully uncovered. With the fabric down, Loona quickly wrapped her arms across her chest.

“Hey now, we’re all girls here,” Starlight began. “Except for little Kirin. He’s a little lamb, but still…”

Unmoved by the strange shark’s words, Loona continued to sulk.

“But seriously, I think you’ve got a great body! No reason to hide it…”

“What’s so great about it?” Loona muttered. “It’s not my body…it’s a human’s…I’m a dog. I’m a dog in a human body…”

“Oh,” Starlight was heard, in a low voice upon realizing. “When you put it that way, I…sorry…”

Loona continued to sulk in silence and let Starlight finish bandaging her up with new wraps of bandages.

The shark-woman was on her way out, when she stopped to look at Loona.

“Hey, a little piece of advice: Never accept the world as it appears to be. Dare to see it for what it could be.”

“…And what's that supposed to mean?” Loona asked.

“You’re smart, for a dog. I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” The shark said, rather coyly, before she left Loona to ponder on her words.

What’s there to see? What could the world be? The world was awful! It had done nothing but damage Loona’s body, her mentality, and her emotions. She owed this world nothing.

“Stupid fish,” Loona scoffed.

She turned to her left, gingerly picking up her crutches, then proceeded to hobble her way out of the hut.

On her way out, she looked to the left, to take another look at a bedridden Spike. The very sight of the human man brought on a sharp pang in Loona’s chest. It was hard for her to see a human, such as him, so vulnerable.

Just like how she was.

28 – Snake in the Cave Part 2

“Thank goodness you’ve come, Mr. Scorpan,” Rarity thanked the gargoyle-like Man-Beast. “I honestly thought we wouldn’t survive, let alone escape from those brutes!”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Scorpan replied. “The Grey Gorillas may be frightened easily. But they will come back in greater numbers.”

“Then we better hurry and find Sombra and rescue Twilight,” Sunset Shimmer said, as she and Applejack both sniffed the jungle floor, following the tracks of a large snake, until they stopped at a riverbank.

“So which way did Sombra go?” Rainbow asked.

Sunset and Applejack both turned their nose up and sniffed the air, until they looked back at the rest of the gang and Scorpan to shake their heads solemnly.

“I’m afraid we’ve lost the scent,” Applejack replied solemnly. “Wherever Sombra went, he went downstream. But the river spreads out and connects to different parts of the island. That slimy serpent could be anywhere…”

“Don’t worry,” Scorpan spoke up. “I actually know where Sombra has gone off to.”

“What?!” The She-Beasts and Reverse-Hybrids exclaimed in shock and surprise.

“B-But how could you have known?” Fluttershy asked.

“Ever since Grogar had experimented on each of his former Benefactors, turning them into Berserkers, I’ve kept track of their movements for a long while. And I’ve pinpointed every locations of their hideouts, and lair.”

“So, then where did King Sombra go?” Sunset asked.

The rescue party were later following Scorpan as he lead them downriver, until the river splits off into branches of ten streams.

Thankfully, with Scorpan, they only needed to follow one river, thus, saving the trouble of taking chances and pick one of the wrong rivers out of ten.

Before long, they have arrived in a dark gloomy marshland. The trees were all twisting and gangly looking, with branches that curled into the shapes of long spindly fingers. The wind made them swing and sway, making them look as if the trees were reaching out to grab any unsuspecting trespassers.

“Devil’s Bayou,” Scorpan described. “One of the hazardous and treacherous places to be on the island. And at the heart of this treacherous swamp is Sombra’s hideaway to escape would-be pursuers.”

“Yeah?” Applejack huffed. “Well that ain’t gonna stop us. Somewhere in there is our friend, Twilight. And she needs us! And we’re gonna save her!”

“But be careful girls,” Scorpan cautioned the girls. “Devil’s Bayou is also Chrysalis’s territory. So we need to stay close, stay alert and be ready for anything.”

The girls all nodded in acknowledgment as they followed the gargoyle-like beast-man through the bayou.

Besides the ambience buzzing sounds of the mosquitoes zipping through the air, the croaking frogs, and all kinds of strange creatures that inhabit the bayou, all was quiet.

“It’s quiet,” Pinkie Pie whispered. “Maybe too quiet. Always wanted to say that!”

“Pinkie!” The girls, and Scorpan, silently scolded the monkey-woman for not taking the task at hand seriously.

“Ugh!” Rarity complained. “What a horrible and frightening place!”

“Oh, I’m certain it used to be worse. Much worse,” Scorpan replied. “This whole island was once a base of operation by the Nazis during World War 2.”

“How do you know that, Mr. Scorpan?” Applejack asked.

Scorpan turned to look at the girls, with a rather disturbed expression, before he pointed, “Them.”

The girls, except Fluttershy, all turned their heads in the direction he pointed, and they nearly jumped out of their skins.

They were all startled at the gruesome nightmarish sight of skeletons dressed in old, tattered uniforms that have seen better days.

“OH! Oh my… SUGAR HONEY ICED TIE!”

“What?” Fluttershy turned her head in the direction of her friends’ screaming. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Uh, nothing Sugarcube,” Applejack stammered. “I think it’s for the best you never know. Trust me.”

“Still,” Sunset began. “The fact that there were Nazis on this island makes you wonder what they were using this place for.”

“I’d rather that we didn’t have to find out, darling,” Rarity replied. “As far as I’m concerned, the Nazis were as awful as the madman they follow and the crimes they had committed in the war were atrocious!”

“Too bad that didn’t stop Grogar from using this island to conduct his experiments, and kidnapping people,” Sunset frowned.

The group kept on going, while coming across the carcass of a wild pig that has had its guts ripped open, with its intestines spilling out. Flies were swarming around the dead animal, with maggots already swarming all over it.

The squeamish sight was so repulsive that most of the group, except for Fluttershy, immediately shut their eyes to shield themselves from the sight.

But the ripe pungent smell of the dead animal was so fresh and foul that Scorpan and the girls nearly vomited.

“What kind of creature could’ve done this?” Applejack asked.

“I take it that we’ve stumbled on a kill?” Fluttershy whimpered, sounding rather glad to be blind than to witness the horrible scene.

“Under normal circumstances, I don’t think much,” Rarity grimaced. “But considering we’ve become half-animals against our wills, this is perhaps the closest to stumbling upon the works of a serial killer.”

“Who cares?” Rainbow squawked. “Let’s just find Twilight so we can get the hell out of here!”

“Hold on!” Sunset stopped everyone.

She turned her head up to smell the air, and listening to their surrounding.

“Something is coming!” Sunset warned.

The girls and Scorpan all stood in fighting stances, readying themselves for the fight that was about to come.

The bushes swayed and rustled as something approaches them, crushing the underbrush beneath its feet.

Suddenly, a Boar-Man suddenly lunged out from the bushes, repeatedly snapping its drooling mouth at Fluttershy.

“Fluttershy!” Applejack barked, intercepting the beast-man away from Fluttershy.

“AAAAHHH!!!” Fluttershy screamed, flapping her wings, while blindly swatting at her assailant, until Sunset and Rainbow caught her.

“Whoa, take it easy,” Sunset coaxed. “Take it easy, Fluttershy.”

Everyone else all watched as Applejack tussled with the ravenous Boar-Man, until Scorpan intervened and stabbed the Boar-Man in the head, with a dagger. The Boar-Man fell to the ground, dead on the spot, while the rest of the girls and Scorpan helped Applejack up.

“Are you okay, darling?” Rarity asked.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Applejack breathed heavily. “That ain’t no ordinary Beast-Man. That their Boar-Man looked more dead than he is alive!”

Upon hearing the blonde wolf-woman’s description, Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer both carefully walked over to the dead Boar-Man’s body for a closer look.

True to Applejack’s words, the Boar-Man has the pale hue of bluish-gray, making it looked as if the colorful life had been drained from its skin. The eyes are opaque in appearance, as if it was lifeless from the start. Not counting the dagger in its head, large gash wounds cover the boar-man’s body from head-to-toe. But the huge wound on its chest gave away to show its lungs, and heart.

“I’m no doctor,” Sunset grimaced. “But hardly any creatures can still move, let alone attack from a wound like this…”

“Unless they no longer feel the pain,” Scorpan stated bluntly. “This poor creature has become a victim of Chrysalis’s parasites. Now he has become a host of her larvae, that have seized control of all his motor functions, make him act out against his will.”

The rest of the She-Beasts looked up at Scorpan in disturbed silence.

“Are you saying this Boar-Man’s…a zombie?” Sunset asked.

Scorpan could only look solemnly, before he nodded his head, “And if one is here, then there are more of them nearby.”

Scorpan then parted the nearby plants away to show a group of beast-men and jungle women who have all been infected.

“They have all becomes slaves of Chrysalis,” Scorpan shook his head. “She infects them with a parasite larvae that attacks infiltrates the bloodstream and attacks the brains.”

The She-Beasts and their Reverse-Hybrid friends all exchanged disgusted looks, already imagining the gruesome process of being stung, and turned into zombies.

“And you know all that how, exactly?” Applejack asked.

“Sometimes, after I had learned to control myself, I went back to Grogar’s lab,” Scorpan explained. “I spied on him conducting his experiments on his former Benefactors, and found out what kind of animals, or insects, DNA he used on them. And I’ve had the unpleasantry to witness Chrysalis working her stuff on several poor unfortunate beasts who came her way.”

“Sorry we asked,” Beatrice frowned.

“To think, we could be a zombie, like those poor unfortunate souls!” Pinkie Pie pointed. “Or Fleur, if Spike and Sunset hadn’t found her. Or you Leggy! If the Raptorians and Tirek didn’t get your first!”

Leggy Lamb shuddered in horror at the thought, bleating out in horror, as if she were hyperventilating.

“Pinkie!” The She-Beasts frowned.

“Sorry,” The Monkey-Woman apologized.

“But mind you, I know of a trick that would come in handy,” Scorpan explained.

“What’s that?” Asked the girls.

“Watch this, girls,” Scorpan pointed. “Keep your eyes on those zombies. Watch what happens.”

Without warning, Scorpan clapped his hands, knocking a strange fly out of the air. The fly was jittering on the ground. But the bizarre thing was that the zombies started to jitter and shake in agitation, just like the fly.

It was as if the zombies were in much pain as the fly is.

“Now watch this,” Scorpan then stomped his foot on the fly, killing it for good.

The girls all looked up and were repulsed to see that the zombies heads all exploded at once.

“EW!” The girls, except Fluttershy, grimaced in disgust.

“That’s just nasty!” Rainbow Dash winced.

“So grotesque! Catch me Fluttershy!” Rarity exclaimed, intending to faint dramatically into Fluttershy’s wings.

Instead, the snow leopard-woman fell hard kn the ground.

“Are you fainting, Rarity?” Fluttershy asked.

Getting back on topic, Sunset turned to Scorpan, “How did that happen? How is it that a fly can make a zombie’s head explode?”

“I’m no entomologist, so I can’t quite explain that,” Scorpan replied. “Only that it works, and that these parasites came from Chrysalis herself. And like many parasites, once they infect a host, they’ll want more to reproduce. So be careful.”

Once again, nodding in acknowledgment to Scorpan’s words, the girls proceed through the bayou, searching for Sombra and rescuing Twilight.

Meanwhile, back in the village, Loona was tugging at the dress Cozy Glow forced her to wear. She really doesn’t like it, and wanted it to be off.

She didn’t make much progress, when she was suddenly interrupted by a sudden nudge from one of her crutches.

She looked down, seeing the little annoying sheep — Kirin — gnawing at one of her crutches.

“HEY! Get your own stick!” Loona barked, trying to scare off the little ram. “Shoo! Go! Ruff ruff —OW!”

Loona tripped over on her skirt and fell to the ground.

“Great. Now look what you made me do!” Loona grumbled. “I’ve fallen…and…it hurts to get up…”

Every parts of her body was flaring up, as if she had been pierced with needles that cut through her skin and bones.

When she tries to stand herself up on her hands, her whole arms wobble and she collapsed onto the ground with a hard fall. When she moved her legs, it felt as if a giant monster had bitten her thighs and she could hardly stand.

She reached out for her crutches, but they were out of reach for her. Thankfully, for her, Kirin had nudged the walking sticks to her.

“Thank you,” Loona sighed, pulling herself up, gingerly regaining her stance. “Now go away! Ruff!”

But Kirin didn’t move.

“You’re not very smart. Are you? I’m a dog. You’re a sheep. I bark. You run. You understand? RUFF RUFF!”

But Kirin didn’t budge. Instead, he tilted his head from side-to-side, before he did something unexpected.

“Ruff ruff!” Kirin barked.

Loona was slack jawed. She did not expect a little lamb, like Kirin, to bark like a dog, such as herself.

“You mocking me?” Loona frowned, which Kirin answered by barking and running circles around her. “You’re totally mocking me…”

Loona grunted as she limped away on her crutches, until something hits her on the rear, shoving her forward.

“AHHHH!!!” Loona grunted, falling to the ground and landed in a puddle of mud. “What the—Huh?”

Loona furiously shook the mud off her face, until she looked up and got a good look at the assailant who pushed her.

“Ruff ruff!” Kirin barked.

Too sore and too tired to retaliate, Loona could only huff in dismay.

“I hate you kid…”

Tell Everybody I’m On My Way — Phil Collins

For the rest of the day, Loona finds herself at the mercy of the rambunctious young ram. It was almost as if the little ram was taking advantage of the wolf dog reverse-hybrid’s conditions to have some fun.

Loona was trying to eat from the food stash, but Kirin keeps ruining her meal. Even after she draws the line with, her crutches, the little asymmetric ram doesn’t seem to get the message.

Instead, he crosses the line and continues to get in her personal space, proceeding to draw a circle around her and him.

Later, Loona was trying to loosen the tight cords that secured the corset. But due to her injuries, she fails, and her struggles made it difficult for her to breathe.

She turned her head looking desperately for the shark, or even the weird cat-human for help.

But then she noticed Kirin was nearby, sharping his horn against a tree trunk.

Loona let out a faint bark, calling Kirin over. The little ram obliges, trotting over to the wolf-dog, who tries her best to turn her nose, pointing at the straps on her back.

“Help…help me…cut the straps!” Loona gasped for air.

“Ruff ruff ruff!” Kirin barked, as he bites at the straps, but accidentally bit off some of Loona’s fur.

“AAAAAHHH!!!” Loona howled in pain.

Afterwards, when the sun was setting and the sky turned orange, Loona was sitting at the base of a tree, struggling scratching her ears.

Her legs were still badly sore from her and Spike’s daring escape from Cozy Glow, and the casts on her arms made it hard for her to reach up behind her ears.

Thankfully, for her, she didn’t have to struggle for long, when Kirin came walking over to scratch behind her ears with his horn.

“Hey! Don’t—Oh!” Loona panted heavily as she lets herself loose, melting into the scratch relieving her from the itch. “Ooh yeah. That’s it right there… Not bad kid.”

Later that day, Loona and Kirin were walking along the beach together. However, Loona felt rather anxious and on edge. She was still haunted by the unpleasant recollection of when she was kidnapped by Cozy Glow. And the white dress she’s been forced to wear doesn’t help her forget that awful memory.

It was almost as if Loona was reliving the traumatic event again.

The reverse hybrid glanced to the left, then to the right. She pointed her nose up to sniff the air, searching for the scent of any dangerous beasts, including Cozy, that could be lurking nearby. Her ears stood up high as she tried to listen for any movements, besides her and Kirin.

But she smelled nothing in the air, except for the salty smell of the ocean. And her ears heard only the crashing waves, and the waters kicked up by Kirin.

Knowing that the two were safe and seemingly in the clear, Loona relaxes her whole body and proceeds to limp towards the waves, dipping her toes into the water.

With that, Loona could feel her whole body relaxing to the soothing sensation of the water washing over her feet. It felt as if the water had taken away all her pain and she was at peace.

Even with the retched dress on, Loona felt free to the world.

She turned to look, to see Kirin wandering off towards the shipwreck. The same shipwreck she and Bea sometimes hung out together, to get away from the other strange beasts, and humans.

“Hey, come back here, little ram!” Loona barked, using her crutches to propel herself after the little ram.

Loona stopped outside of the hull breach, having second thoughts about going in.

She was still weary about going in, less she runs the risk of being found, in the same hiding spot, by Cozy Glow again.

Nevertheless, the little ram was inside the ship, so she decided to go in.

Thankfully, he wasn’t in the ship too deep. The little ram was found

Kirin starts playing with one of the working pipes, somehow releasing the steams from the pipes to blow in his face, messing up his wools.

“Come on, kid,” Loona grunted, hobbling over towards Kirin. “Let’s get outta here, before—Oomph!”

Loona was startled at a sudden gust of steam that blew into her face. She fell to the floor of the ship, landing on her rear.

“Ow!”

Loona winced in pain, before she heard the sound of braying, like those of a laughing ungulate.

“What are you laughing at?” Loona asked the laughing Kirin.

She turned her head to look in a broken window, to look at her reflection, and see that her hair was all messed up. She looked almost like a poodle.

“Oh yeah? You think that’s funny? Laugh at this!”

Loona then proceeds to grab Kirin in her bandaged arms. Though hurt, she was still strong enough to hold the little ram, keeping him from escaping. Then, she proceeds to lick the ram all over his head, messing up his wools.

Soon, both Loona and Kirin were laughing at each other. Unfortunately, Loona was having some trouble doing so, with the side of her ribs aching from all the laughter.

Yet, in spite of the pain, she was just happy to have some fun.

“Y’know? You’re not so bad, little kid,” Loona said, ruffling the ram’s head.

“Ruff ruff!” Kirin barked.

“Uh huh. Yuck it up…”

Loona gingerly picked up her crotches to lift herself off the floor. Then, both she and Kirin proceeded to walk out of the shipwreck and back to the village.

There, they were passing by the Med Hut, where the human Spike was resting.

Loona stopped for a moment to check up on Spike. She limped over to his bedside, taking a closer look at him in concern.

She gently lowered her head to his chest, to listen to his beating heart. It was steady, and calm. But Loona couldn’t decide whether she should be glad, or worried.

She was hopeful that Spike would be alright, but also worried that he might open and enter the one-way door. The door where all dogs go to die.

Loona gently lowered her head to press her forehead against Spike’s forehead. It was boiling hot, as if he was on fire. He still has a fever. Turning to a nearby bucket of water, Loona looks to find a rag of cloth, drenched in water.

She carefully reaches down to pick up the rag in her mouth. Thankfully, Kirin realizes what she was trying to do and picks it up for her, with his horn.

“Thanks,” Loona thanked the little ram, taking the rag in her mouth.

Loona walked over to put the rag over Spike’s burning head to cool him down.

“Get well soon, human,” Loona whispered, before she and Kirin walked out.

However, they hadn’t gotten far, when Loona sniffed the air and realized the presence of another creature. The familiar scent of a rather feline annoyance.

Loona quickly caught sight of Fleur-de-Lis, the strange human who thinks she is a cat. And who seems rather clingy towards Spike.

The cat-human was once again trying to snuggle up next to Spike.

Out of impulse, Loona started to bark loudly at Fleur to scare her away. In response, the female human arched her back and hissed at the reverse-hybrid. But the most surprising of all, Kirin joined in barking at Fleur, even going as far as to butt his head at her, repeatedly, until she left.

Loona was very much impressed.

End of song

Meanwhile, back in Devil's Bayou, Scorpan guided the She-Beasts through the treacherous swamps, infested with buzzing mosquitoes.

“How much farther now, Mr. Scorpan?” Applejack asked. “I’m sick of the mosquitoes!”

“I have to agree with Applejack,” Rarity added, while smacking her arms, in response to a mosquito bite. “These hideous bugs and their bites! This is no place for—“

“Shhh! Quiet!” Scorpan shushed. “If I can hear you, then so will Chrysalis. She has bugs everywhere. They will alert her if they spot us.”

At that moment, both Scorpan and the girls heard the trees breaking down, and something crushing the underbrush. Something huge was coming towards them.

“Quickly! Hide!” Sunset shouted, as everyone all scattered and hide to avoid being seen.

Rainbow Dash grabbed Fluttershy and they both hid behind some trees. Applejack hide in the bushes with Rarity. Pinkie Pie jumped into the tree branches hanging overhead. Sunset hid in the water with Bea. Marina simply camouflage herself into the surrounding areas.

Leggy was the only one who didn’t find a good hiding spot, and was in a state of panic. Luckily for her, Scorpan grabbed her and they both hid themselves up in the treetops.

Everyone watched anxiously, anticipating for the worst. Then, bursting out from the trees, were a pair of large claws that looked similar to a giant crab’s.

The large curved prehensile tail with a stinger at the end shot out from the treetops, coupled with the blood curdling shriek that sounded like the cry of an animal in great agony. It sounded worst than nails on a chalkboard.

Two large black scorpions emerged from the trees, bashing at each other with their claws, and whipping their stingers at the end of their tails at one another.

They were both the size of a grown elephant, and they both have faces that looked almost human, but with huge bulging eyes, a pair of sharp pincers protruding from their mouth aligned with rows of sharp teeth.

One of the scorpion’s tail nearly stabbed at its opponent’s eyes out. But the opposing Scorpion was quick to block the sting, before it retaliated by going on the offense, ramming its head at its opponent.

Scorpan, the She-Beasts, and their Reverse-Hybrid companions stayed in their hiding spots, as they watched the battle unfolding before them. But the battle was starting to get too close to them.

The giant black scorpions were knocking each other around the bayou, smashing into trees, kicking up mud and water.

Every other frightened creatures immediately scattered to avoid getting crushed.

“Oh! Oh dear goodness!” Fluttershy frantically screamed. “What’s going on? What’s happening?”

The poor blind bar-woman was turning her head in different directions of all the frightening sounds of the animals fleeing for their lives.

“We’re getting outta here, Flutters!” Rainbow Dash shouted, frantically flapping her wings, while using her talons to pull Fluttershy along, by her thumb.

Together, the two She-Beasts followed after Scorpan and the others, with the intent on getting clear of the fight between the giant scorpions.

“Doesn’t Grogar ever get tired of making more monsters?” Rainbow Dash asked, right when she and everyone almost ran into what appeared to be a large misshapen grizzly bear.

“You just had to ask,” Sunset Shimmer grumbled to the falcon-woman.

The bear towered over Scorpan and the She-Beasts, standing on its hind legs, at a fearsome estimate of 15 ft.

To further the bear’s ferocity and monstrous height, the left side of its whole body appeared to have been burnt to the point that hardly any furs were grown, and it was melting away, as if it were cheese. On this side, its ear is deformed and drooped, lacks an eye, its lips stretched and the upper mammary glands were transferred to the stomach, remaining on top of the lower ones.

Needle-like sharp teeth aligned the top and bottom of the mouth, bat-like membranes stretched between the arms and legs, webbed paws, hooked claws, and big breasts.

“What in tarnation is that supposed to be?!” Applejack exclaimed in disbelief.

“That is what the Native Americans would call, the Katahdin — vengeful forest spirit!” Pinkie Pie stated. “We must have intruded on its private property!”

Pinkie Pie quickly got down on her knees, clasping her hands together, tearfully apologizing, “We are sorry!”

As if responding to Pinkie’s apology, the bear lets out an awful roar.

“So…apology not accepted?” Pinkie asked.

“Nope!” Applejack shouted, before she grabbed Pinkie Pie and they, along with everyone else, took off running into the jungle.

“RUN!”

The giant bear — dubbed Katahdin by Pinkie Pie — lets out a loud roar as it chased after Scorpan and the She-Beasts.

“Why are we running?” Rarity asked. “Couldn’t we just simply play dead, or something to convince that monstrosity from chasing us?”

“Would you take your chances with a bear that’s badly mutated into a derange killing machine by Grogar?” Scorpan asked rhetorically.

“But it’s just one giant bear and there’s about five, six, seven…” Rainbow Dash counted, until she lost count. “…There’s more of us than that thing! We can take it on? Right?”

“I doubt it’s a fight we can win, Dash,” Sunset frowned. “And no offense to Fluttershy, or Leggy. But fighting a giant bear would be like five and a half.”

“None taken,” Fluttershy moaned, understanding her blindness.

“Baaaah,” Leggy Lamb added.

Scorpan and the girls kept on running from the mutated bear, when suddenly, a huge black claw burst through the trees, snatching up the Katahdin.

A giant black scorpion held up the screaming bear and tossing it towards its opponent.

The mutant bear was gruesomely impaled, through the chest, on the other black scorpion’s stinger.

The bear writhed in agony as it flailed its arms about, letting out a piercing shriek, with blood pouring and splattering out of its chest.

“Ugh!” Sunset Shimmer grimaced. “What a horrible and painful way to go…”

“Well, you could say she’s got a heart attack,” Pinkie Pie joked, before quickly earning a dope slap from one of Marina's tentacles. “Ow.”

With the scorpions’ fight getting closer and threatening to crush them if they don’t get out of the way, once again, the group were all on the move.

“Girls! This way!” Scorpan shouted, as he lead the group through the trees.

Suddenly, a piercing shriek bellowed from behind them. A winner has been declared, but no spectators were around to witness which Black Scorpion had triumphed.

All the She-Beasts needed was to find where Sombra had gone, and rescue Twilight.

Sunset turned her head around to look, “I think we’ve lost those things.”

“The Black Scorpions usually hunt their preys,” Scorpan replied. “But not when the loser that crossed their turf makes for a victory buffet, fit for a king.”

“Then let’s not wait around for that thing to finish its meal!” Applejack barked. “How much further are we now?”

“It’s not too far,” Scorpan pointed to a large opening, where several twisted, knotted trees parted away for an opening. “Look! We just need to get through that opening and we’ll get be at the Snakes Pit soon!”

“What’s the catch?” Sunset asked.

“Catch?”

“Yeah, I’ve read a lot of comics, and after being trapped on this island for so long, there’s always something that makes the objective not so easy.”

“I hate to say it, darling,” Rarity frowned. “But I’m afraid Sunset is right. What’s the catch?”

As if answering the question, the group suddenly stopped in their tracks, when an axe suddenly came flying out of nowhere and hits a nearby tree.

It was so close, that Sunset had lost a piece of her whiskers.

“You just had to ask,” Rainbow Dash squawked.

The group looked up to find themselves surrounded.

A whole army of giant ant-like creatures, with their entire body structures in the shapes of humanoids. Each of their mandibles branding a different weapon, ranging from a sword, a dagger, a club, and an axe.

Among the ant-men appeared to be Man-Beasts and Jungle Women, like Fleur. Only difference was, they all have the same pale grayish, or greenish pallor, opaque eyes, and rash-like patches of decomposing flesh.

Without a doubt, the entire group were all in agreement, more zombies.

Not only that, but some of them appeared to have their chests and stomachs ripped open, revealing a grotesque bloody honeycomb structure, filled with buzzing bees within.

Further among the ranks of the surrounding creatures, are even more insect humanoids. Some appeared to be humans with mantis eyes, pincers, and scythes. Humans with large pincers that jut out from their mouth, with legs that were bent the wrong way. And lastly, some appeared to be large humans with the shiny carapace of a large beetle.

Finally, rounding up the increasing entomophobic experience, a large buzzing sound of a flying insect buzzed in the air.

And there, standing before the ant-men, stood the queen berserker herself. The Berserker formerly known as Chrysalis.

She was hardly human, with the head of a horse, possessing eight eyes, two legs, and pincers of a spider, mounted around the mouth. Two large pair of insect wings, like those of a dragonfly, protruded from the back, an extra pair of arms protruding from her torso. The abdomen is the lower-half of a horse, like Twilight’s pony half, but with the addition of a stinger, that seems to be a cross between a scorpion’s prehensile tail and a wasp’s tail end.

“Yeesh!” Rainbow Dash squawked. “I’ve seen uglier bugs in my days. But she puts the ugh in ugly!”

“That’s Chrysalis,” Scorpan pointed.

“Oof! I’m sure she’s seen better days,” Applejack cringed in disgust.

“This is why I don’t do well with bugs,” Rarity spatted. “Except for butterflies, they are very elegant and beautiful. I get inspirations from the patterns on their wings, but—“

“Not now, Rarity!” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed. “Here she comes!”

Everyone watched as Chrysalis proceeds to flare her wings out, rubbing them together, vibrating and making a loud strange crooning sound.

Scorpan and the girls immediately covered their ears.

“ARGH!” Applejack howled in agony. “What is that sound? It sounds like a cicada, but worse!”

Responding to the Berserker’s cry, the ant-men charged forward to attack. Scorpan and the girls — with the exception of Fluttershy and Leggy — all retaliated and fought off the mutant bugs.

FFM - Stay Alive ft. Felix Bushe (Dead Island 2 Opening Song)

Rainbow Dash took flight and used her super speed and fast reflexes to narrowly dodge every attacks from the flying bug-men.

Upon finding an opening, the Falcon-Woman dives down to snatch up an ant-man, and carried it up into the air, before she lets go, dropping it down onto some of its other comrades.

Amidst the battle, Applejack had grabbed one of the Mantis-Man into a headlock, before she bent one of its scythes, forcing it to parry and fight off the other Mantis-Men and Ant-Men’s sharp blades.

“Pinkie Pie!” Applejack howled, kicking one of the Ant-Men’s discarded club to the monkey-man. “Catch!”

“Got it!” Pinkie Pie chattered, catching the club with her feet, and using it to bash away one of the Grasshopper-Men trying to jump on her.

“Y’know, I’ve watched A Bug’s Life,” Pinkie Pie breaks the fourth wall. “But this is just bugging me out!”

“EW!” Rarity cringed in disgust, as she swatted away some of the attacking bug creatures. “Icky, icky! Creepy crawlers! Ew! Don’t touch my dress! Somebody save me!”

“I gotcha Rarity,” Sunset Shimmer complied, swinging on a vine and picking up Rarity.

Unfortunately, for the snow leopard-woman’s dress, some of the bug-men had grabbed onto her skirt, which ripped.

“AAAAHHH!!!” Rarity screamed in horror at the large tear of her dress. “My dress!”

Elsewhere in the battle, Marina and Beatrice were standing back-to-back, fending off the bug-men that surrounded them.

Marina was fending off the bug-men, using her hair tentacles to ensnare her opponents, allowing Beatrice to finish them off, with a bite of jaws to rip their heads off.

Among some of the bug-men, were the zombies carrying hives of the strange bugs, born and bred from Chrysalis’s stinger.

Beatrice whipped her tail to trip one of the zombies, and watched as it stood back up, with angry bees pour from the hives and flying towards the crocodile and octopus Reverse-Hybrids. The two quickly submerged themselves in the water to escape from the bees.

The bees then flew towards some of the bug-men that have been killed. Then, unexpectedly, as if it was magic, the bug-men that were dead, rose up and stalked towards the girls.

Just as the zombies could advance any closer, a tree branch was snapped from the side, knocking several zombies to the ground. But one unfortunate zombie had its entire top-half knocked off, leaving only its legs and half of the hive standing, which soon keeled over dead.

“Those zombies are walking hives!” Scorpan explained, as he grabs onto another tree branch, snapping it forward to knock down the zombies. “Destroy the zombies, you destroy the hives. And no hives, means no more parasites that can make more zombies!”

The girls did as Scorpan advised, using the trees, stones, even some other bug-men to destroy the zombies and crushing the hives and the bees they carry.

Unfortunately, despite their teamwork, the Ant-Men were still on the march with their overwhelming number working in their favor.

Many of the girls were on the receiving end of some casualties. Some of which were more humiliating than fatal.

Sunset Shimmer’s bikini top was torn off, Applejack’s shirt and skirt were all ripped to ribbons, and Rarity’s dress came undone.

“AAAAAHHH!!!” The She-Beasts screamed as they frantically covered themselves, trying to salvage what was left of their modesty.

“I’m one to working out on a hot sunny day, sometimes in the undies even,” Applejack grumbled. “But this just ain’t right!”

“Who do you think you are?!” Rarity roared in outrage at the ant-men. “This is no way to treat a lady! This is sexual harassment! Keep this up and I’ll sue you all in court.”

“I doubt anyone on this island are big on politics, let alone complaints, Rarity,” Sunset frowned, while wrapping her arms over her breasts.

Nevertheless, in spite of the loss of their dignities, if not modesty, the She-Beasts continued the fight, until the battle became much too tiring.

“There’s just too many of them!” Rainbow Dash screeched, losing her breath. “They just keep coming! We’ll never rescue Twilight if we keep this up…”

“Rainbow is right!” Applejack barked. “We need another plan!”

As if answering their need for a new strategy, Beatrice looked around at their surroundings, sniffing the air.

“I smell methane,” Beatrice sniffed. “And hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and trace phosphine.”

“Which is?” Rainbow asked.

“It’s gas.”

“Pinkie!”

“It’s not me!” Pinkie Pie screeched in defense.

“Not that kind of gas,” Beatrice clarified. “Swamp gas.”

The crocodile Reverse-Hybrid took out a lighter from the pockets of her pants and clicked it.

“Now’s not the time to be smoking, Santello!” Applejack barked.

However, Sunset and Marina both have a wide look of alarm on their faces. An expression that someone knows that the worst is about to happen.

Marina frantically screamed, “Fourth of July! September 11 attack!”

“What?!” The others exclaimed in confusion.

“Beatrice is going to blow this place up!” Sunset screamed. “We have to submerge! Now!”

Sunset was the first to hold her breath as she dives underwater, with Marina following. Soon, Scorpan and the other girls followed, until Beatrice manages to lit a spark of flame. Without warning, the air immediately combusts, into a blazing cloud of inferno.

From underwater, Beatrice looked up, seeing Chrysalis and her bugs retreating, escaping the flames.

Swimming to safety, away from Chrysalis and the flames, Scorpan and the girls climbed onto shores, tired, wet, but triumphant.

“Good thinking on your part, Beatrice!” Scorpan complimented the crocodile Reverse-Hybrid, who simply nodded.

On the way, Rainbow Dash walked up to Applejack, “By the way, nice butt!”

“Oh shut up!” Applejack blushed a shade of red, embarrassed to be walking in her pink lacy undergarments.

End fight song

“There it is,” Scorpan pointed. “The Snake’s Pit.”

“And the King Cobra’s lair,” Beatrice snarled. “And the cobra’s name is Sombra.”

“Hehe! King Sombra!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “It’s got a nice ring to it. Doesn’t it?”

“Pinkie! Now’s not the time for jokes,” Sunset scolded firmly. “We need a plan to get in there and rescue Twilight! You know the ins and outs of the cave, right Mr. Scorpan?”

“I wouldn’t exactly say I know the ins and outs,” Scorpan replied. “I only know that Sombra sleeps in the deepest part of the caverns. That’s about it. It’s also very dark, with lots of snakes.”

“What kinda snakes are we talking about?” Applejack asked.

“The venomous kinds. Cobras, rattlesnakes, and pit vipers.”

“Sorry I asked.”

“But the snakes aren’t what you need to worry about.”

“We know! It’s the big one we’re after!” Rainbow Dash flared her wings. “And we’re going after him to save Twilight!”

“Not so fast, Dash,” Scorpan stopped the falcon-woman. “There’s an even bigger snake in the grass.”

As if on cue, the sound of trees swaying and branches snapping was heard, coming from the surrounding trees. Something large was emerging.

Soon, the head of a dragon burst from the trees, connecting to the long slender neck of a large serpent. Then, another, and another, followed by several more.

The sun was setting behind the group, but with the remaining amount of daylight they have, they were all alarmed to see that all heads share the same body. They counted seven hissing dragon heads sharing one body of a huge snake. It was a hydra.

“So that’s the bigger snake?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Eeyup,” Scorpan confirmed.

From the safety of their hiding spots, behind the trees, the group watched as the hydra slithers around the area, with each heads looking in different directions until it slithers on its way.

“That thing guards the entrance to the Snake Pit,” Scorpan explained. “No one can escape, without getting past it. Only Sombra can control the beast.”

“And with seven heads, it’s gonna be tricky to sneak pass it,” Sunset grimaced.

“Unless one of us can distract it,” Scorpan stated. “But they’ll have to be fast, to avoid it, and lure it away, long enough for us to get in.”

“I can do it,” Rainbow Dash said. “Nobody’s faster than me. I can fly circles around that overgrown snake.”

“It’s too risky,” Applejack shook her head.

“Risqué like your sexy underwear, Applejack?” Pinkie Pie teased.

“Pinkie!” Scorpan and the girls scolded at the monkey-woman.

“It’s too dangerous for ya to go in alone, Dash,” Applejack continued. “You’ll need my help. I’ll distract half of the heads, while you distract the other halves.”

“Or maybe we can all distract each of the heads, until it’s dizzy, so we can sneak into the cave?” Rarity suggested.

“No! We can’t afford to split and divide our number,” Scorpan said. “Without the hydra, Sombra is too strong to handle alone.”

“Then how do we decide who to distract the hydra then? Alphabetical order?” Rarity asked.

“Uh, excuse me?” Fluttershy spoke up.

“Fluttershy, it’s brave of you to volunteer,” Sunset began. “But we can’t let you be live bait to that monster.”

“Oh, no. That’s not what I was about to say,” The Bat-Woman clarified. “I have a solution on how we could decide.”

“Hmmm?” Everyone gathered around Fluttershy.

“We could maybe use blades of grasses, or sticks, to decide who should go?” Fluttershy suggested. “Y’know, something similar to how we decide by picking the short straws?”

Everyone all exchanged looks, before they all share an agreement.

“What a good idea, Fluttershy!” Applejack barked. “Okay. We need some grass.”

“Or maybe some silly straws, like I always carry around in case of silly straws emergency?” Pinkie Pie quipped, reaching into her hair to pull out a bunch of colorful straws.

Scorpan was flabbergasted, “What? How? When?”

“It’s Pinkie Pie being Pinkie,” The girls all said together, before they each got their straws.

Each straws have different lengths, and whichever girls ended up holding the shortest, was elected to distract the hydra.

Eventually, all the states have been drawn. Soon, all eyes fell on the unlucky chosen volunteer.

Later that night, Loona was tossing and turning in her sleep. She was whimpering, kicking her legs, not out of fear. But out of longing to be back home again. To be with the people who took her into their abode, whether she asked for it, or not.

The days when she was just a lone dog. A loner in the home of a human. Even though she hated him, as of late, she found herself missing his presence. The smell of his small, foul home, reeked with the horrid stench of beverages called alcohols and beers, the soft, rugged, dry and moist feel of the home's carpeted floor. And on some cold nights, the warm cozy bed by the fire was relaxing. The warmth from the flame soothing her tired aching body, helping her relax to sleep.

She may not have liked her owner, but she did love the home he shared with her. Now, they've all been taken. She was taken from them. And all because she didn't love her owner enough.

In her sleep, Loona finds herself a puppy again. It was during her younger days, when she still had her mom, and was part of a litter of puppies, just like her. Loona could barely remember her mother's face, but she could still remember the soft and wet touch of her tongue, as she licks and kisses her for comfort, and to reassure Loona that she loved her.

It hurts Loona to live with the fact that she couldn't remember her mother's face. Nor her brothers' and sisters'. Perhaps this is the result of the man, Dr. Grogar. His experiments to turn her human have robbed her memories of her identities as a dog. And she is becoming human, against her will, forgetting her mother in the process.

Loona hated the humans. They hated her and she hated them. Now, not one, but two of them dared to have the gall to save her, to love her. Their love was making her lose her mind. Why and how can their love be making her humanity show?

As if to answer her burning question, a song played in her flashback of memories. It was haunting, but also familiar.

'I...I know that song...' Loona gasped, feeling tears trickling at the corner of her eyes. 'It was my mother’s...she used to sing me that song!'

At this realization, Loona didn't want to wake up. She wanted to make every moment in her dream count, as she relives this single moment of her puppy days, when she was truly inspired.

‘Mother always said…when I’m alone…just listen…’

The Rescuers — Someone is Waiting For You

Loona cried herself. She had nearly forgotten that song. But she loved it. As a young puppy, she didn't quite understand its meanings. But now, as a grown dog, she finally understood. But it was too late.

A human didn't take away her freedom. Love took her in. But she didn't love. Instead, she hate, and hate took her away.

Wanting to escape from the dreams and memories that troubled her, Loona blinked her eyes open, finding her nose sniffling, her cheeks wet from her tears, and her lips quivering. She gingerly got up on her paws, looks around her to see she was still in her hut, on the island. A reminder that she was still a prisoner on the island, probably half-way around the world, far from her owner.

She was brought to this island by Cozy Glow. At the thought of the wretched little girl who had dognapped her, Loona looked down at herself, remembering she was still wearing the wretched white dress that Cozy had forced her to wear. To Loona, she hated it, because it felt more like a mark of her imprisonment to Cozy Glow. Even though she and Spike have escaped, wearing it made Loona feel Cozy Glow's presence nearby. As if she was still holding onto Loona, wrapping her claws around her. She could even still feeling the brutal stings of her whip on her back.

Loona wept another sobbing whimper, feeling she can never escape from Cozy Glow.

“Make a wish for each tears,” Loona sniffled. “I wish…I wish…I wish I was home…I want to go home. I wish Blitz was here. I wish Cozy Glow was dead. I wish…I wish…I wish Spike is okay…”

The more she listens to her mother’s song echoing in her head, the more she felt like a puppy again. No longer a dog trapped in a human’s body, but a scared puppy in the body of an angry dog.

She wanted so badly for her mother’s loving tongue to wash over her again, to take away her fears.

Loona kept on crying, until she felt something knocking against her bed. She looked over to the side, to see the little ram, Kirin, looking up at her with worry in his eyes.

When she looked deeply into his eyes, she sees her reflection. A sad puppy and a frighten dog, both staring back at her. She was looking at herself, in Kirin.

He must be worried and longing for his mom as badly as she does.

Loona reaches down to pick up the ram and hugged him close to her chest. She sniffed into his wools and continued to smother him close, just the way her mother once did for her.

In a way, it felt as if Loona’s mother was still there, beside her, loving her.

“Goodnight, Kirin,” Loona licked the little ram. “Sleep tight…”

However, they didn’t go to sleep right away, when Loona had a brand new thought.

“Actually, Kirin…” Loona began. “Would you like to visit Spike? I think he would appreciate it…”

With that, Loona picked up Kirin in her arms, before she crawled out of bed and carefully got up on her feet, using her crutches to support herself.

Nevertheless, Loona strained to endure the pain as she walks herself and Kirin to the Medic Hut, where Spike was resting.

He looked so peaceful that Loona was certain that he was asleep. But she was also worried that he may as well be dead. Thankfully, when she pressed her ears against his chest, she was relieved to hear his beating heart.

“He’s okay…” Loona muttered. “Barely…”

“Oh! Loona!” A voice cried out, startling the wolf-dog. “Hi Kirin. What are you both doing here?”

Loona and Kirin both turned around to look and see that it was the shark, Starlight Glimmer.

“We’re just…Kirin wanted to visit him,” Loona sighed.

“Uh huh,” Starlight replied with skepticism. “Only Kirin?”

“Is he going to live?” Loona quickly asked to change the subject.

Starlight walked over to Spike and puts a webbed hand over his head.

“His fever has gone down,” Starlight confirmed. “He just needs some rest and he’ll be as good as new.”

But Loona seemed rather unconvinced. She looked at Starlight and was bewildered to see the shark getting down on her knees, clasping her hands together.

“What are you doing?” Loona asked.

“I’m praying to the Lord for Spike’s health and well-being,” Starlight answered.

“Praying? What’s praying?”

“Praying is a way to express your gratitude or asking a special request from our God. I’m asking him for Spike to get well soon.”

“Does it actually work?”

“Sometimes, it may not always work, but it’s worth a shot.”

Loona and Kirin watched as Starlight Glimmer finished her prayer, before she took her leave. Loona was about to follow, when she looked back at Spike.

Deciding to give praying a try, Loona got down on her knees and clasped her hands together.

“Dear Lord, please make this human, Spike, feel better again. I want to thank him for saving me from Cozy Glow, and I feel that I owe my life to him.”

The pipes broke as Loona’s eyes started to water and she remembers some other humans she owed her life to.

“And to Blitz, Millie, and the fat one, I…I owe my life to them as well. So please mighty Lord, watch over them and please tell them where I am. I’ve been trapped on this island and it’s been nothing but Hell for me. And I just want to go home.”

But where in the world can a dog like her go? Or if she’s even a dog anymore. She’s neither human, nor dog. Can a creature like her find a place in the world? And would her owner, Blitz, even accept her anymore?

Her only hope for worth now is the human Spike. Hoping that he is awake to take her.

“Please Spike…” Loona begged tearfully. “Please be…alright…”

Unable to support the weight of her despair any longer, Loona collapsed onto the bed, next to Spike, and wept tearfully.

She couldn’t understand why she’s been crying like this. Or how much longer she can cry until she stops. She has kept in her emotions for so long, that every time she cries, it feels more and more as if she’s being emptied of all her emotions.

Could this be the work of Cozy Glow breaking her? And then later, Spike and Kirin rebuilding her? Or has she gotten soft?

Loona no longer cares. She just wants all the sadness to be relieved from her and to be awaken from this nightmare. But more importantly, she wants Spike to be well again.

Nudging at her side, she can feel the little ram, Kirin pressing his nose gently against her for comfort.

Darkness greeted him. Everywhere he looked, there was nothing but darkness.

“Where…where am I?” Spike asked himself in his dream.

He was lost in a dark room that was so tall and spacious that he could hardly see where the ceiling is. Nor could he see a wall.

“Hello?” Spike called out.

But only silence greeted him. Each passing seconds of the deathly silence is another to fuel Spike’s anxiety, that he could hardly stand still. He needed to get out of there. Trouble was, he didn’t know where to go.

Not a sign of life in sight. No one to turn to for help. Not a sound. He must figure it out on his own.

29 — Snake in the Cave Part 3

“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” Fluttershy whimpered. “Are you sure it’s a good idea for Leggy to be a distraction? I feel awful! This is almost like…sacrificing someone.”

“Trust me, Leggy’s got the speed and the agility to outrun that thing,” Sunset Shimmer replied. “I should know. I’ve…seen her in action.”

“But just in case, I’ll be flying in the air for aerial support,” Rainbow Dash added. “I can dive down and fly circles around that snake’s heads, they won’t even know I was there.”

“Just be careful, you two,” Applejack pleaded in concern for both falcon She-Beast and sheep Reverse-Hybrid.

Rainbow Dash and Leggy Lamb both looked to each other and nodded. They soon left the covers of their leaves, and started flapping their arms and wings, catching the hydra’s attention.

“Hey ya big ugly snake!” Rainbow called. “Come and get us! You hungry? Leggy! Show ‘em, your legs!”

The hydra immediately let out a hiss from all seven heads, each rearing their heads back for the lunge, snapping their jaws at the last second. But Rainbow Dash and Leggy evaded the attacks as they took off, leading the giant snake away.

“Now’s our chance to get in!”

With that, the remaining She-Beasts and Scorpan all made a beeline towards the opening of the cave.

The entrance to the Snake Pit, where Twilight was held captive by Sombra.

Inside, the Snake Pit was even more darker than the night outside. Hardly any creatures could see where they were going.

Sunset Shimmer sniffed the air, which was rather salty and strong. So strong that she fought the urge not to sneeze, with her eyes tearing up.

“Ugh! It stinks in here…” Sunset sniffled. “But I think I can smell Twilight. She’s this way.”

“I smell her too!” Applejack sniffed in confirmation, while recoiling in disgust. “Ick! And Sombra too! He stinks!”

“Sombra’s here,” Beatrice sniffed the air and hissed. “I can feel him…this way!”

Beatrice took the lead, with Scorpan and the other girls following.

“Remember to watch your steps, girls,” Scorpan advised. “This place is swarming with deadly snakes.”

“And…how exactly are we supposed to look where we’re stepping if we can’t see?” Applejack asked.

“Luckily for you girls, I remembered to bring along a flashlight,” Scorpan said, as he switches on the said tool, shining the dark cavern.

“And a ball of strings, which we can use to retrace our way, back to the way we came from.”

Scorpan quickly got to work, unrolling his spool of strings, tying one end of it around a nearby stalagmite.

“Now that’s more like it!” Applejack barked.

Without warning, Fluttershy quickly shouted, “Applejack! STOP!”

“Whoa! What the—“ Applejack exclaimed, feeling her tail being tugged, pulling her back.

“Shhhh!” The girls hushed the Wolf-Woman.

“Quiet, darling,” Rarity whispered harshly. “Sombra may not even know we are here yet. We don’t want to give away the elements of surprise!”

“Sorry,” Applejack apologized quietly. “I was just surprised is all. Why’d ya pull on my tail like that?”

“You almost stepped on a snake, Applejack!” Fluttershy answere. “I had to stop you to save you and the snake.”

And sure enough, Scorpan shines his light on the ground, revealing a pit viper that was slithering its way across the floor.

“Oh! That would’ve ruined my night,” Applejack sighed in relief, before she realized, “Hey, hang on. How’d ya know? I thought you are blind.”

“I am,” Fluttershy answered. “But then, I’m not…it’s odd. But when I hear, like when I’m talking to you now, it’s like I can see, when I’m listening. I don’t understand.”

There was a moment of silence between the girls, until Sunset Shimmer spoke up to break the silence.

“It’s called echolocation!” Sunset Shimmer explained. “Some animals, like bats, make sounds in order for them to navigate their way through the dark. The sounds can travel along the cavern walls, before bouncing back to determine the exact locations of the objects and animals!”

“Wow, so it’s like a game of Marco Polo, but for bats then?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Yes…like Marco Polo, but for bats, Pinkie,” Sunset answered, rather hesitantly at how Pinkie summarized the information.

“Wow! This is amazing!” Fluttershy smiled. “So this is what echolocation is like!”

“Yes, Fluttershy, it is!” Sunset agreed. “And we can use it to find, Twilight! These caves all split off into several directions. Some probably even cover the entire island. But with Fluttershy’s echolocation in action, we can narrow our search even more! We just need to take the cave with Sombra.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Applejack nodded in approval.

“Indubitably!” Rarity added.

“Yup yup yup!” Pinkie Pie chirped.

“Ok. I can try,” Fluttershy nodded.

The Woman-Bat cleared her throat, before she let out a screech that echoed throughout the cave. The girls watched as Fluttershy’s ears turned in every directions the sounds echoed, until she pointed in a cavern.

“That way!”

With that, the girls resume exploring the cavern tunnels, searching for their kidnapped friend, with Fluttershy in the lead.

On the way, Applejack decided to strike up conversation with the crocodile Reverse-Hybrid.

"So Bea..." Applejack spoke up.

"Yes." The crocodile woman simply said.

"If you don't mind me asking... Why do you hate Sombra so damn much?" The wolf woman asked, "I mean, I get he tried to flush ya down the toilet from time to time but I have a strong feeling there's something more than that."

Bea just sighs, "Nothing escapes you huh wolf? Fine, you know about Radiant Hope right? Sombra's fiancé and my previous owner?"

"I sure do" AJ replied glumly, "I heard he treated her no better than a sex toy." She growled.

"Well, it was more than that. That bastard used her as a baby factory. Whenever my owner gave birth to a child and they reach the age of four, Sombra comes and takes the child away while leaving my owner a sobbing wreck. You have no idea how much I wanted to bite that fucker's dick off." Beatrice snarled.

Applejack was taken aback by this. She knew Sombra was a nasty piece of work, but she didn't know he was that awful. She can only hope that they would rescue Twilight in time from a similar fate.

“So…this may not be the best time to bring this up,” Sunset began. “But has anyone here got a plan to rescue Twilight?”

“Yes. Simple,” Beatrice hissed. “Find Sombra and kill him. Then rescue Twilight.”

There was an awkward silence between the girls and Scorpan, before Rarity spoke up, “That seems too straightforward of a plan…to get us all killed, darling.”

“Anyone else have a plan?” Sunset asked.

“Well, I’ve got these here vines,” Applejack revealed, holding up a roll of vines draped around her shoulders. “We could use these to tie up Sombra, or we could even use it to rescue, Twilight. But I’m gonna need more muscles.”

“Which is going to be hard for you, without any free hands, if you keep covering your boobs like that, Sunset,” Pinkie Pie teased, much to the flustered Tiger-Woman’s annoyance.

Ever since she had lost her bikini tops, following their recent encounter with Chrysalis and her big creatures, Sunset had been crossing her arms across her chest to cover her breasts.

“Pinkie’s right, Sunset,” Rarity added. “If we’re gonna save Twilight, then we’ll need all hands we can get. And yours are the strongest and sharpest we’ve got.”

“And you have the muscles for it,” Applejack added. “Which says a lot coming from me.”

“Easy for you to say,” Sunset blushed. “You’re still wearing some clothes. I’m not going to storm a snake’s den, flashing my breasts, like a slut!”

“Eh, too late for that, Sunny,” Applejack snarked. “You’ve done a lot of flashing, back when we were humans.”

“I thought we agreed not to bring up my dark past,” Sunset frowned. “And besides, I’ve moved on from that. I’m not like that anymore! I’m not some…some…bitch! No offense, Applejack.”

“None taken,” The wolf-woman tipped her hat.

“Be that as it may, Twilight will need all the help she can get,” Scorpan spoke up. “And you can’t let a little thing, like modesty stop you.”

“Little thing?”

“Look. I get where you are coming from. Clothing is what divides the man from the beast. But we are a long way from civilization. And we can’t waste any time. Your friend is in danger, in the clutches of one of the most ruthless and savage creatures Grogar has ever created. And the only way you can stop him is for you to reach in and unleash your inner beast.”

“And what’s stopping me from going full beast mode to the point I become feral and I lose my identity?” Sunset asked. “We’ve already seen what happened to the others! And I—“

“Then I’m to assume you would rather preserve your humanity than saving your friend?” Scorpan asked.

“What?! No! I’m saying—“

“Listen to me, Sunset. I was afraid of losing myself, as much as you were. I was afraid of becoming a feral Man-Beast for you and the girls to put down, like the others.

“Enough!” Beatrice hissed. “I don’t care if anyone is human, or not! I want to find Sombra and finish him once and for all!”

Meanwhile, somewhere on the island, Rainbow Dash was flying over the trees, with the hydra’s heads setting their sights on Leggy Lamb.

The giant 7-headed snake was slithering aggressively in its pursuit for its prey.

Thankfully, for Leggy, her extra thick legs weren’t just for show. She was thankful to have been able to outrun the ravenous snake, or she would certainly be dead by now.

Leggy weaved through the narrow gaps between the trees, ducking her head to avoid the branches, and jumping over fallen trees and shrubs to put a good distance between herself and the hydra.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t engineered by Dr. Grogar keep running forever.

Leggy’s legs were starting to ache and burn from all the running. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest, with her lungs pumping overtime. She was having a hard time catching her breath, and was gasping for air.

But she kept on running, knowing that if she stopped, then the hydra will be upon her and eat her up.

“Ah!” Leggy screamed, tripping over a tree’s root, causing her to fell to the ground, with a sharp pain shooting up in her ankle. “My ankle! Help!”

Leggy looked in fright to see the hydra catching up to her. The large silhouette of the snake’s heads were all shown against the moonlit night sky. The snake roared and hissed, to which Leggy interpreted as the snake signaling its ready for an attack.

Leggy closed her eyes, expecting the killing blow, when the loud screech of a falcon pierced the air.

“I got a ya, Leggy!” Rainbow Dash screamed.

Next thing Leggy knew, a pair of sharp talons had clamped themselves around her arms and she was pulled up into the air, narrowly evading the hydra’s jaws.

Leggy looked up to see the familiar rainbow feathers of the falcon-woman, Rainbow Dash.

“Thank you!” Leggy thanked the She-Beast.

“Don’t thank me yet, Leggy,” Rainbow replied. “We gotta get back to our friends and—WHOA!”

Rainbow Dash barely had time to avoid the head of another dragon-like creature that burst up from the treetops.

Rainbow Dash banked hard right to avoid the creature, but her left wing had clipped across one of the creature’s horns, disrupting her flight and causing her and Leggy to crash into a tree.

“Ooh, that’s smart…” Rainbow groaned, before she and Leggy looked up, and their eyes widen in horror.

The dragon was none other than Ēferno — Predator 00 — the apex predator that haunts the island, second only to Shade Stalker.

Thankfully, for tonight, the fiendish dragon wasn’t interested in She-Beasts or Reverse-Hybrids for dinner.

The dragon was engaged in a personal battle with another fearsome beast. The Black Tiger-Man who once mated with Sunset Shimmer nearly succeeded in impregnating her.

Both beasts were roaring at one another, in their attempts to intimidate the other to stand down. But neither beasts would yield.

At that moment, the hydra found itself caught in between the two fearsome beasts.

“Oh yeah!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Now things are getting interesting!”

Meanwhile, back in the Snakes Pit, Scorpan and the girls have navigated through the dark tunnels, with Fluttershy using her echolocation to search the area ahead, looking for the cave with Sombra at the end.

“How hard can it be to find a Berserker who is half-snake?” Applejack wondered, before she turned to Scorpan. “Can ya tell us more about him? What does he look like? Like what kind of snakes has Grogar merged him with?”

“The most vicious and dangerous of all snakes to ever slither on our world,” Scorpan muttered solemnly.

“Speaking of snakes,” Sunset Shimmer whimpered, as she noted the snakes surrounding them. “What’s keeping these other ones from attacking us?”

Everywhere in the cavern, the ambience sound of snakes hissing bounced off the cavern walls, echoing all around them. To the girls, including those with sensitive hearings, it sounded almost like the snakes were hissing in their ears.

Tensions and anxiety were rising high, as if everyone were expecting the snakes to attack at any moment, from the shadows.

“What’s stopping these snakes from attacking us?” Rarity asked in disgust.

“Don’t worry,” Scorpan reassured. “Though they’re venomous, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them.”

“Doesn’t make us less afraid of them,” Sunset grimaced.

Unfortunately, Sunset wasn’t looking where she was going, when she suddenly fell forward with a yelp.

“AAAAAHHH!!!” Sunset screamed, falling on top of Marina.

“Sunset!” The She-Beasts exclaimed as they all gathered around Sunset. “Sunset? Are you alright? Are you okay? Did you get bit? How many fingers am I holding up?”

“What happened?” Scorpan asked.

“I…I…I tripped and fell…” Sunset pointed, with her face burning a crimson shade of red, in embarrassment.

Scorpan shines his flashlight, following Sunset’s legs, to find that the tiger-woman had tripped over a rock.

“If ya just fell, then why’re ya redder than ma brother Big Mac with a fever?” Applejack asked.

“Spaghetti squash baby birds!” Marina screamed, muffled underneath Sunset Shimmer.

To that, everyone looked down to see that Sunset’s breasts were being groped by the octopus Reverse-Hybrid’s hair-tentacles. Needless to say, everyone could see that the sensation was turning Sunset on.

“Sometimes, you She-Beasts can be unbelievable…” Scorpan scowled, shaking his head in annoyance.

Before long, Sunset and Marina both collected themselves and regained their composure. But the tension in the air was a rather awkward, especially for both Sunset and Marina.

“Me envy Sunset’s breasts,” Marina whispered to a flustered Sunset Shimmer, who was having trouble deciding to feel flattered, or embarrassed.

“There!” Fluttershy exclaimed quietly. “We’ve found Twilight!”

“Where?!” The other girls cried out excitedly.

“Shhhh!” Scorpan quickly hushed, before he turned to Fluttershy. “Where is Twilight, Fluttershy?”

“She’s down there,” Fluttershy pointed her nose in the direction of a cave.

The others followed in the direction Fluttershy pointed. The cave opened up to a huge cavern chamber, with the ceiling in the shape of a rotunda. The floor was deepened into a large crater, which looked as if an asteroid had once struck the place. Furthermore, the most spectacular sights to behold in the cavern were an entire wall of large crystals.

“Oh my word!” Rarity exclaimed, bedazzled by the sight of the crystals. “Look at all these jewels!”

“SHHH!!!” Scorpan and the girls hushed Rarity, before the pointed, reminding the Snow Leopard-Woman why they came to the wretched cavern to begin with.

The entire crater was filled with a mass of sleeping snakes from top-to-bottom. It was so packed, that it looked almost like an huge Trick or Treat candy bowl, overflow with black licorice.

And there, sleeping in the center of the snake infested crater, was the former criminal-turned-chimeric Berserker, Sombra himself.

He was all wrapped up in a coil, which was estimated to be bigger and longer than two school buses. And lying motionless, in the grip of his coil, was Twilight herself.

“Great. We found them,” Sunset shivered. “Now how are we going to get Twilight out of that monster’s grip?”

Rarity turned to Scorpan, “Could you perhaps fly over there and pick up, Twilight?”

“Normally, it would be that simple,” Scorpan replied solemnly. “But even for a big snake, like Sombra, he’s not a deep sleeper. He can feel a wing flap a mile away. He’ll be upon Twilight before we are.”

“Hmmm,” Applejack scratched her chin, looking at the layout of the cavern, pondering and coming up with a rescue plan to save Twilight.

“I got it!” Applejack turned to Pinkie Pie and instructed, “Pinkie, you take this end of the rope, climb up the ceiling, and tie it to one of them stalactites. Make sure it’s hanging over Twilight.”

“Okie-dokie, lokey!” Pinkie Pie chirped, before she was hushed by Scorpan and the girls. “I mean…okie-dokie lokey…”

Pinkie Pie then proceeded to climb across the ceilings, using the stalactites as if they were monkey bars, carrying the rope up the ceilings.

Once she was directly above Twilight, Pinkie Pie tied the rope in place.

“Line is secured!” Pinkie Pie gave the thumbs up.

“Okay,” Applejack nodded, pulling on the rope to make sure it remain stiff and solid. “Now hang onto the rope from there!”

“Like this?” Pinkie Pie asked, hanging on the rope, by the end of her tail.

“Perfect!” Applejack then turned to the rest of the group. “Okay, Marina. You climb across the rope and meet up with Pinkie Pie. Gently climb onto her, and hold onto her hands.”

The octopus Reverse-Hybrid looked at what Applejack was planning, and then nodded in understanding. Without a word, Marina used her hair-tentacles to climb up the rope, until she reaches Pinkie Pie.

Marina carefully climbs down, onto Pinkie Pie, until she was hanging above Sombra, with Pinkie Pie holding her by the hands to keep her suspended.

“Oh! I see what you’re up to,” Sunset observed. “You’re using our friends to make some kind of…rescue rope for Twilight.”

“Eeyup!” Applejack confirmed. “Alright, Fluttershy. You’re next.”

“Me?” Fluttershy squeaked, with a hesitant tone that sounded rather unsure.

“Don’t worry,” Applejack gently reassured. “All ya gotta do is follow the rope, until you reach our friends. Then, just climb on down, hang yourself upside down, and reach out for Twilight.”

Fluttershy was still rather hesitant. However, knowing that Applejack isn’t the type to steer her wrong, she took her words for it.

“I hope you know what you are doing, Applejack,” Fluttershy squeaked as she gingerly climbs up the rope, until she reaches her friends, and starts climbing down on Pinkie Pie and Marina.

“Oh! I’m sorry! Was that your face?” Fluttershy apologizes, until she was hanging upside down, by Marina’s feet.

“Twilight? Twilight?” Fluttershy quietly called out to the horse-woman. “Twilight? Are you alright? Say something.”

Upon hearing her friend calling out to her, Twilight was startled awake, wearily blinking her eyes open to look up.

“Fluttershy?” Twilight gasped quietly in an exhausted voice.

“Twilight!” Pinkie Pie chattered quietly. “We’re here to rescue you!”

“Yes!” Marina added.

“Take my hands, Twilight!” Fluttershy strained to stretch her wings out, reaching for her friend.

Twilight had only been able to pull one arm free from Sombra’s coil. The kidnapped horse-woman tried to reach up and grab Fluttershy, but the bat-woman was still too out of reach.

Twilight’s struggle had also disturbed Sombra in his sleep, who reacted by wrapping his coils even tighter. Thankfully, he was still asleep.

“I can’t reach…” Twilight groaned.

“We need one more!” Pinkie Pie called to Applejack.

Applejack then turned to her remaining friends, “Rarity? Rarity?”

Unfortunately, the snow leopard-woman was too preoccupied with the oversized crystals in the cave.

“Where have you been all my life?” Rarity asked the crystals.

Applejack sighed, annoyed at her friend losing focus on the task at hand, “Really? We’re trying to rescue our friend and she’s only interested in some jewels?”

“Actually Applejack,” Scorpan began. “These crystals are actually tellurium crystals. They’re very rare and very precious, able to improve machinery, and conduct electricity.”

“Fascinating,” Applejack muttered. “But topics for another time. We need one more…”

Both eyes turned towards Sunset Shimmer, who shook her head in reluctance.

“I can’t…” Sunset flustered, with her hands squeezing her breasts in the process.

“C’mon, Sunset! This ain’t the time to be modest!” Applejack whispered harshly. “We need ya out there! Twilight’s in trouble!”

Sunset wanted to argue, but she knew that Applejack was right. Furthermore, she also knew that her friends were counting on her.

With a sigh of defeat, Sunset complied, “What happened in the Snakes Pit, stays in the pit.”

Sunset then uncovered her breasts to free up her hands, which she then used to climb up the rope, while Scorpan and Beatrice held onto Applejack to keep the rope steady.

Sunset soon got to her friends and carefully climbs down on their heads.

“Nice boobies, Sunset!” Pinkie Pie chirped teasingly.

Sunset simply shot Pinkie a death glare, as she climbs down on Marina, and then Fluttershy.

“Sunset? Is that you?” Fluttershy asked.

“Y-Yes, Fluttershy,” Sunset stammered. “It’s me…”

“I thought it was you! You have such hard abs!” Fluttershy squeaked, rather excitedly.

Sunset’s face burned an even brighter shade of pink, embarrassed from the comments everyone were making about her body.

Nevertheless, the flustered tiger-woman pushed all of her emotions away to rescue Twilight.

Once Fluttershy has a firm grip of Sunset’s feet, the tiger-woman drops down with her arms stretched out.

“Twilight? Twilight?” Sunset whispered. “Take my hands! Hurry!”

Twilight reaches up to grab Sunset’s hand, “Ok!”

“Pull us up!” Sunset instructed.

With that, the girls proceeded to pull themselves up to the rope, with Twilight free from Sombra’s grip.

“So far so good!” Applejack smiled towards Scorpan and Beatrice, watching as her friends were all climbing back towards her, on the rope.

“Oh darlings!” Rarity called out quietly, carrying a handful of tellurium crystals towards them. “Would you look at all these—“

“RARITY! Look out!” Applejack barked in alarm.

Rarity was seconds away from stepping on a snake, when Applejack alerted her.

“AHHH!!!” Rarity shrieked, dropping one of the tellurium crystals into the sleeping mass of snakes.

This ended up waking up the entire crater of snakes, including Sombra himself. Upon seeing his captive little pony escaping, the Berserker let out a bloodcurdling roar, as he emerges from the snake horde to reveal his entirety.

In appearance, he has the upper half of his human body, but with the long sharp fangs of snakes and the hood of a cobra. His arms were all snakes, with his lower half being that of a giant serpent.

The girls all screamed in fright at the sight of the hideous Berserker in his entirety as he prepared to attack.

“SOMBRA!” Beatrice shouted. “Leave them alone!”

Primal Rage Arcade Soundtrack All the Rage:Jungle Song (Talon's Theme)

“YOU!!!” Sombra hissed, “Me... remember... you!”

“You remember me?” Bea snarled, “I don't know whether I should be flattered or not.”

“You... issss... Radiant'sssss misssserable pet reptile. Me sssstill remember the bitesssss you gave me!”

“And I still remember the way you treated my owner, and the many times you tried to flush me down the toilet you son of a bitch!” Bea growled.

With a loud hiss, Sombra raised his tail and attempted to whip the crocodile-woman with it. But Bea managed to dodge out of the way in time.

Sombra then attempted to repeat this a few more times but Bea managed to dodge every single tail whip. The last attempt was Bea managing to catch Sombra’s tail. With her mouth.

Sombra screamed in pain as the crocodile-woman sink her hard teeth into his snake tail and tried to shake her off.

Bea was flailing about like a rag doll but still managed to hang on until Sombra started slamming her to the ground, causing her to finally let go.

As Bea layed on the ground, groaning in pain, she looks up to see Sombra standing over her. The berserker opened his mouth, showing his snake-like fangs which oozed with venom, and prepared to strike her but luckily, she managed to grab his snout just in time.

The two struggled for a good minute before Bea used her jaws to bite Sombra’s snout.

Sombra screamed in pain once again. He then grabbed Bea’s snout and struggled to pry it open but the crocodile woman wouldn’t budge an inch. It was that he tail-whipped her in the stomach did she let go.

As Bea clutched her stomach, Sombra used his tail to wrap around her neck and began to choke the life out of her.

Beatrice tried to gasp for air and her vision began to fade. Just when things seemed to be all over for her, something stabs Sombra in the back.

The berserker yelped in pain and dropped Bea as a result. He turned to see that it was Marina who stabbed him with a small stalactite she pulled out from the ceiling.

The octo-woman tried to drive the stalactite deeper into Sombra’s back but the Berserker whipped her away before she could do so.

Marina was sent flying until she hit a wall. She groaned as she slowly got up but quickly noticed Sombra looming over with anger in his eyes.

Before Marina could do anything, Sombra’s eyes started to twirl and the octo-woman suddenly found herself in a trance.

Beatrice regained her breathing and quickly noticed Sombra hypnotizing Marina. Realizing what’s about to happen, the crocodile-woman instantly got up to rescue her friend.

Sombra opened his mouth and was about to prepare the killing blow, until Bea suddenly tackled him to the ground and began wailing on his face.

Marina slowly got out of her trance, she looked around and saw Bea beating Sombra senselessly. Cringing at the sight, Marina looked away but as she did she noticed a huge rock at the edge of a cliff and that gave her an idea.

Beatrice continued to savagely beat Sombra’s face in, years of build up hatred of this one particular man turned beast for the way he treated both her and her owner have finally let loose. After a few minutes of pummeling him, Bea suddenly heard a whistle and turned to see that it was Marina who had just tied Sombra’s tail to a rock.

Marina gestured Beatrice to come over and help her pull. Bea just nodded in response and went over to help her.

As both Reverse-Hybrids began to push the rock with all their might, Sombra slowly came to from the pummeling, his face badly swollen. He tried to move his tail but was unable to for whatever reason. He looks around and sees his tail tied to a rock and both Beatrice and Marina trying to push it off a cliff.

Sombra tried to get up to stop them but it was too late. Bea and Marina managed to push the boulder down, dragging Sombra with it. Sombra lets out a loud bellow as he falls further down the cavern.

Both beast women heard Sombra’s screams until they heard a large bang.

End of Fight

With Sombra no longer a threat, the girls and Scorpan followed the string of yarn that Scorpan had unraveled to retrace their way back to the cavern.

“Thank you girls for saving me!” Twilight panted gratefully. “I was so scared to think of what horrible things he would do to me!”

“Don’t thank us yet, Twilight,” Sunset replied. “We need to get out of here and get back to Spike!”

“Spike?” Twilight exclaimed excitedly, as if she has regained her colors. “You’ve found him?!”

“Look! Daylight!” Applejack cried out. “Sweet daylight!”

“Last one out there is a rotten egg!” Pinkie Pie chattered, as she and the group raced out towards the exit.

Unfortunately, they quickly wished they hadn’t gone out too soon. Waiting outside of the Snakes Pit was battle between Chrysalis and her whole swarm of bugs, zombie creatures, against the Grey Gorillas.

“Oh shit!” Applejack exclaimed. “How are we supposed to get pass all of that?!”

As if answering Applejack’s question, a familiar screech of a falcon pierced the air, to which everyone looked to see Rainbow Dash swooping in, with Leggy Lamb hanging onto her talon.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Take cover you guys!” Rainbow exclaimed. “We’re about to receive some unwelcome guests!”

As if on cue, the trees were knocked down, from the left, before two massive behemoths came bursting out from the trees.

One of them was the hydra that guarded the snake pit, and the other was none other than Ēferno himself. Both dragon-like beasts were snapping jaws at one another. The hydra tried to wrap its coil around Ēferno in an attempt to suffocate the dragon. But the dragon’s armored spiked scales were too sharp.

In retaliation, Ēferno had bitten one of the hydra’s head off. But without warning, two more had gradually started to regrow in place of the bloody stump.

Finally, as if arriving late to the party, the tiger-man had shown up, to continue his fight against Ēferno.

The tiger-man let out a loud roar, when he suddenly took notice of Sunset Shimmer. The tiger-woman quickly covered her breasts, as she braced herself for anymore of the Man-Beast’s advances.

Instead, the tiger-man simply cocked his head to the side, looking curiously at Sunset Shimmer. He simply walked over towards Sunset to nuzzle his cheek with hers, before he jumped back into the fray, fending off anyone that dares to threaten his supposed mate.

“Uh…what just happened?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I think someone’s a smitten kitten,” Rarity sang.

“Never mind that,” Sunset stammered. “Let’s just get out while the getting is good.”

And so, everyone were on their way, completely unnoticed by the battling beasts.

On the way, Applejack happened to notice that Rarity was carrying some of the tellurium crystals in her arms, using the ragged remains of her dress.

“Ugh, really, Rarity?” Applejack frowned. “We’re running for our lives and all ya can think about is pick up a few souvenirs?”

“Well, at least they make this rescue mission a little bit more worthwhile,” Rarity huffed. “Besides, once we’re off this island, I intend to sell all these gems for a fortune to buy my own shop, and make new dresses!”

“Oh Rarity…” The gang groaned incredulously.

Loona had lost track of time for how long she cried. All she knew was that she cried until she couldn’t cry anymore.

By the time she was done, she was still in the same position she was in. With her arms over her head, and her nostril pressing into Spike’s chest. Her tears have all flooded from her eyes to the point that they were dried. So dried and burnt, it hurts her to even blink them open.

Unfortunately, little did she knew then, that both she and Spike were about to receive an unwelcome visitor.

Alejandro Sanz - La Despedida (Lyric Video)

Shade was carefully sneaking through the village without making so much as a sound. When he was spying not too long ago, he noticed that Spike was bedridden and that most of the She-Beasts were absent for whatever reason. A perfect opportunity to finally snatch the photographer and take him to his father’s lab.

Shade spotted Spike’s hut and proceeded to enter it. He spots the photographer lying on the bed and still sleeping.

The only one keeping him company was, surprisingly, the xenophobic wolf-dog Reverse-Hybrid, Loona. She had her arms wrapped over her face, while she was resting her head across his chest.

This was the first time Shade has ever seen Loona in such an emotional position. Even more surprising than the white dress she was wearing.

Shade smirked, this had to be the easiest catch he ever had. He thought too soon however as something suddenly grabbed him from behind and threw him out of the hut.

Disturbed by the sounds, Loona shot up and turned her head to look, with her eyes and ears immediately widening in alarm.

Shade looked up to get a good look at his assailant, revealing herself to be one of his father’s latest creation. The marine biologist turned Shark-woman — Starlight Glimmer.

“Remember me?” Starlight Glimmer scowled. “Because I certainly will never forget what your father did to me! And if you want Spike, you’ll have to go through me!”

And with a kick of her legs, Starlight Glimmer lunged at Shade Stalker. But being a fish out of water, Starlight wasn’t getting enough speed and momentum to match that of a fired torpedo.

Therefore, Shade Stalker stood rather unfazed as he expertly grab Starlight Glimmer by the throat and flipped her over his shoulder and slammed her onto the ground, knocking the wind out of her.

Shade Stalker then slashed his blades at Starlight, who rolled to the side, before she stood back up on her legs.

Starlight Glimmer retaliated by slashing her webbed claws at Shade, blocking and parrying most of his punches and kicks, while snapping her jaws at him to keep up the pressure.

Shade Stalker then brought out his hunting spear, holding it like a fisherman holding a harpoon, on the hunt for a whale, or a shark.

Starlight was snapping her jaws at him, when Shade Stalker suddenly thrusted the bladed tip of his spear into her mouth.

Starlight had barely caught the blade in her teeth, before it could be driven deeper into her throat. She desperately held her teeth in place to keep the spear from being driven further.

Unfortunately, this was exactly what Shade was counting on. Shade pressed a switch on his spear, turning it into a whip. With a twist of his body, he spun around, with Starlight still hanging on, and hurled her into the trees.

Shade then pressed the switch, turning his whip back into its default form.

Before Shade Stalker could resume completing what he came for, Fleur-de-Lis pounced on him from behind, screeching and yowling, as she viciously bites and clawed into his shoulders.

Unfazed, and finding the feral woman’s attempt annoying, Shade simply picked her up, then slammed her on his knee, breaking her spine, then slammed her face into a nearby tree, knocking her out.

Meanwhile, watching the battle unfold, from the left of Spike’s bed, Loona watched anxiously, wanting for her remaining misfits, and castaways, to drive off Shade.

Though it was vacantly clear to Loona that Shade Stalker was not stopping. Though they had him outnumbered, he has clearly overpowered them all.

‘Why am I doing this?’ Loona thought to herself. ‘I don’t even like this human. So I don’t even have to defend him. But then, I just can’t leave him. Not like this! I don’t know why, but I just can’t!”

Loona wearily stood up, her shaking legs hidden beneath the skirt of her dress. And like how she’s been doing to get around, Loona had to lift up the bottom of her skirt to avoid tripping.

Loona tried to walk, to assist Starlight and Fleur in defending Spike. Unfortunately, a sharp pain in her foot shot up, and Loona collapsed onto the ground with a thud.

“Ow!” Loona cried, biting her lips to swallow the pain that traveled up her leg, up to her chest, then to her eyes, forcing her to cry.

“Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!”

Nearby, the young ram, Kirin, charged towards the Hunter.

“Kirin! No!” Loona barked after the little ram.

Kirin charged forward and rammed his head into Shade’s leg. But it wasn’t enough to even scratch the Hunter, who simply kicked Kirin away.

“KIRIN!” Loona howled in horror, watching as Kirin fell into some nearby bushes.

Loona turned her head away from Kirin, to look up at Shade Stalker, alarmed to see him advancing upon her. But his eyes were set on Spike.

Loona struggled to stand up on her legs and act strong, putting her arms out.

“You want the human? You’ll have to get past me first you fucking edgelord!” Loona barked, much to her surprise. ‘When have I started defending, Spike?’

However, Shade just snorts at her. He knows when he sees someone badly injured and trying to hide it.

Regardless, Shade brought out his hunting knife and jumped at the wolfdog but Loona managed to grab one of her crutches and held it up as a shield just in time as the hunter’s knife pierced through the crutch and pinning Loona to the ground.

Shade tried to dig the knife deeper while Loona struggled to push him off. The knife moved closer and closer to Loona’s face until it was close enough to stab her in the eye. But before that could happen, a shark tail whipped Shade off of Loona.

Shade Stalker looked up to see Starlight Glimmer was back on her feet and was back for another round.

“Okay. I made a mistake going for the direct approach with you pal,” Starlight panted heavily. “So I’m gonna try a different tactic!”

With that, Starlight whipped out a bucket of disgusting chums, which she hurled at Shade, covering him from head to toe in the decomposing meat.

Before Shade knew it, he was suddenly covered by a flock of Piranha-Gulls.

Loona laugh at Shade Stalker’s awkward predicament, until the sides of her ribs shot up in pain.

“Ow!” Loona groaned. “Maybe that pink monkey was right…it hurts when you laugh…”

As the piranha-gulls bit and clawed at Shade Stalker, the frustrated Hunter has finally had enough. He took out his shotgun and blasted the birds, out of the air, while scaring the others away.

He then turned his gun on Starlight, forcing her to hide behind a hut. Loona took cover behind a wall to avoid the bullets.

Shade then walks into Spike’s hut and was soon at his bedside.

Loona tried charging toward Shade, but she ended up tripping on her dress and fell.

“Ugh! I hate this stupid dress!” Loona barked to herself.

Her clumsy attempt didn’t go unheard, as Shade turned around, just as Loona stood up. He quickly whipped out his gun, only for Loona to knock it out of his hand, when she bit his hand.

Loona grappled with Shade Stalker, trying to keep him away from Spike. But in retaliation, Shade thrusted a knee up, slugging Loona in the stomach. Causing her to keel over and fall to the ground.

Shade Stalker was about to take Spike away, when he felt someone grabbing his ankle.

He looked down, annoyed to see that Loona had grabbed onto his foot, trying desperately to hold him back.

Shade Stalker rolled his eyes and decided to kill Loona, in order to finally capture Spike.

He was about to shoot Loona in the head, when his ears perked to the sound of an approaching party.

He looked out the window to see that the rest of the She-Beasts were returning. However, the most alarming sight for Shade Stalker was that they were in the company of Scorpan.

Normally, Shade Stalker can take on the She-Beasts, with his hands tied behind his back. But Scorpan was a different story.

He looked down at Loona, then back at Spike, until he finally turned back to kick Loona in the face.

After giving Loona a black eye to remember him, he took his leave, without Spike.

End of fight

“What happened, Starlight?” Twilight asked.

“Oh! Thank goodness you’re all here,” Starlight panted heavily. “Shade Stalker had infiltrated the village!”

“WHAT?!” The She-Beasts exclaimed in shock.

“Are you serious?!” Rainbow Dash asked.

“No! I wouldn’t be joking if it was this terrible!” Starlight continued. “Shade knows where we are! He’s gotten passed our traps, our defenses, and he almost took Spike away, if you guys hadn’t shown up!”

“Heh!” Rainbow Dash scoffed. “Guess he’s not as scary than he thought he is, when he realizes he’s got all of us to deal with. Huh?”

“I’m pretty sure that wasn’t it, Dash,” Applejack spoke up. “But we’ll worry about that later. We need to check on Spike and see how his spider bite is.”

“Spike? You awake yet?” Called the cawing of the falcon, Rainbow Dash.

Loona wearily lifted her head up to look behind her and see that the rest of the girls have returned from the rescue.

Though, Loona was rather surprised, and intimidated, to see that the tiger, the leopard, and the wolf have started baring their human bodies.

“Well, I’ll be!” Applejack barked in surprise. “Never thought I’d see you in here.”

“Aw, Loona,” Pinkie Pie chattered. “Have you been crying? Your eyes are all red!”

“Pinkie…her eyes have always been red,” Sunset replied.

Growling irritably from the annoyance, Loona wiped her eyes and barked, “What do you want?”

“We’re just here to check up on Spike, darling,” Rarity explained.

“How’s he doing?” Twilight gasped, looking as if she had just escaped from the pound, or Dr. Grogar. “Is Spike awake yet?”

Loona immediately lets out a whimper as she stood up on her legs, which shook, and were hurting her like needles. Possibly from falling asleep on them.

Loona stood back as the girls immediately crowded around Spike.

“SPIKE!” Twilight pleaded desperately. “Please! Wake up!”

“Spike…Spike…”

Twilight’s voice sounded.

“Twilight?” Spike gasped, running towards the source of the voice.

The more he kept running, the louder Twilight sounded, until at last, he sees two doors.

Spike looked up at one door, which looked inviting, framed with golden frames. Then, he he looked towards the other door, which is just a normal door, designed as the usual front door of every typical houses.

“Spike,” Twilight’s voice sounded from behind the normal door.

Spike was about to reach out for the normal door, when suddenly, the golden door opened up, just a crack.

Behind the door was a bright light that seemed warm and welcoming, accompanied by the sound of a choir, and the ambience of birds chirping.

Spike went over to the golden door, taking a peek through the crack to see a wondrous sight.

It seemed like paradise. A welcoming place to go to leave his worries behind. A place to be free from Dr. Grogar’s Island, the madness that Spike has had the misfortune to endure since being shipwrecked. A place where a sane person would go to be free from everything else in the world.

It seemed the place Spike would want to be to escape everything that has happened to him.

He was just about to enter, but then he stopped, as he remembers his friends. The girls whom he once feared had now come to appreciate as his friends. Or perhaps more than just his friends. His family.

Spike stepped away from the golden door and walked his way back to the normal door, where he can clearly hear the girls calling out to him.

“I’m coming girls!” Spike called, as he reached for the doorknob on the normal door.

He turned it a clockwise turn, and swung the door open. Then he steps into the void, racing through a dark tunnel, heading towards their voices.

At first, all he could see was darkness. His eyelids were as heavy as a giant boulder and he was struggling to blink his eyes open.

But once his vision returned, the first thing he saw were a crowd of colorful eyes, all staring back at him.

“Spike!” The girls all exclaimed in a mix of joy and relief.

“Girls…?” Spike gasped, hoarsely. “Where…am I?”

“You’re back to the living,” Sunset Shimmer smiled.

“Thank goodness yer alright, Sugarcube,” Applejack added. “You’ve been out for more than a spell!”

“I…was?” Spike asked.

“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash squawked. “We thought you’d never wake up!”

“But we always knew you would pull through,” Twilight smiled. “Starlight made sure of that!”

“She…did?” Spike asked, turning to the Shark-Woman, who blushed.

“Well, it wasn’t easy,” Starlight chuckled. “But I had help. Loona, especially.”

Everyone all turned their heads to look at the wolf-dog, only for the Reverse-Hybrid to be nowhere in sight.

“Huh…where is Loona?” Starlight inquired.

“I’m sure she’s just shy and wanted to be left alone,” Applejack chuckled wholeheartedly. “What matters is that Spike is awake and well.”

“Indeed!” Rarity agreed. “I think this calls for a celebration!”

“IT’S PARTY TIME!!!” Pinkie Pie

“Ruff ruff!” Kirin barked.

“Huh?” Spike turned to look at the little ram. “Am I still dreaming, or did Kirin just barked?”

The young man turned his head to look at the rest of the girls, with a bright red-pinkish blush glow that burns his face.

“And…is it just me, or have Sunset, Rarity, and Applejack forgot to put some clothes on?” He asked.

“Oh no, Spike…” Applejack scratched the back of her head. “We’re actually…”

“Experienced wardrobe malfunctions,” Rarity finished.

“Oh! Whoa! Whoa, sorry!” Spike stammered, quickly turning away and hides his face. “I didn’t mean to look! But what happened to you girls?”

“It’s a long story,” Sunset Shimmer blushed, as she continued to unintentionally grope her own breasts for cover.

Meanwhile, hiding in the shadows, watching the festivity unfold before her, Loona broods silently with a newfound weight of loss and longing.

On one hand, she was glad that Spike was awake and is alright. But on the other hand, she had started thinking about her owner.

It made the pit in her stomach feel bottomless, inciting her the need to eat and drink more to fill in the void. Yet, no matter how much she eats, her troublesome feelings wouldn’t go away.

But on this particular day, she just couldn’t eat.

“Even when he was unconscious, that stupid human…” Loona sniffled as she leans on her crutches, with her head against the side of a tree. “Why does it hurt to care? Why am I feeling this way? Why couldn’t we just go back to a time when it was so easier…to hate?”

Once again, Loona thought back to the days and memories of when she was still a dog to her owner. The owner whom she was stolen away from, by Cozy Glow.

Except, this time, the hate she felt for him was gone. Instead, all she could feel was a sharp feeling of longing. And the more she thought about him, the more she realizes how much she misses him, and wanted to be with him.

Why did she want to be with him, she didn’t fully understand. But she doesn’t want to be alone. Nor does she want to be a prisoner of Cozy Glow again.

She’s lost and confused. Her emotions were all a blur. A wildfire that is tearing her apart, shattering her heart.

Why does being human have to be so hard for her?

30 — Dancing in the Moonlight

After Twilight was rescued from Sombra, the She-Beasts and friends have all returned to the village to find Spike has recovered from the spider bite.

Everyone all rejoiced. But it was a rather halfhearted moment of victory. After the recent attack from Shade Stalker, everybody’s fear has been realized.

Dr. Grogar’s favorite Hunter has discovered their location and is certain to come back.

The following days and nights, everyone were all on edge, vigilant for Shade Stalker seizing another opportunity to attack.

However, no one was more anxious than a certain wolf-dog Reverse-Hybrid.

Loona was moaning and groaning as she tossed and turned in her sleep. She was shivering and sweating in cold fright.

Deep in her thoughts, she remembers every vivid details about the nightmares she wanted to forget. The days that led up to one bad day to another.

She could almost smell the foul stench of burning flesh, the taste of ashes that floats in the air, and the sounds that will haunt her forever. The dying screams of her owner.

“LOONA! LOONA!!” Her owner cried out to her, before the flames swallowed him up.

“DADDY! DADDY!!” Loona barked to him, desperately in her dreams.

She never got to call him dad before. Nor will she ever have the chance to assure him and let him know she acknowledge him as her parental figure. It was all robbed. Stolen from her by the wretched human who stolen her away from the family she ever knew.

“Now, my pretty little puppy!” Cozy Glow cackled menacingly. “Time to make you even prettier!”

Loona whimpered, begging and pleading for Cozy Glow to not go through with her plans. Once again, the searing pains of feeling her fleshes being cut open, the agonizing pain of her bones breaking apart and rebuilding themselves.

All the brutality and the traumas of the pains she endured all came back to her.

Her once normal and beautiful dog body has become a human’s. A female human. The new feelings of being human, the thoughts that made her question her very existence, and the feeling of her own body betraying her, no longer hers to control was overwhelming.

“NOOOOOO!!!” Loona howled, shooting herself up awake. “Dad!”

Loona opened her eyes, breathing heavily, as she looked around.

“Daddy?” She whimpered, pleading desperately that she would hear the voice of her owner.

But it was no use. No matter how hard she wanted to deny it, the facts remains. It wasn’t a nightmare. She is indeed on the island, far away from her owner. And worst, Cozy Glow is on the island with her.

Loona can’t escape from this nightmare, even when she is awake. With her heart aching, her nose sniffling, and her eyes overflowing with tears, she kicked the covers off her bed and ran out of her hut, out of the village.

By now, her legs have all recovered, she didn’t need her crutches. But she was still tripping over the skirt of the dress she’s been forced to wear, by Cozy Glow.

But she didn’t let it stop her. Loona picked up the hem of her skirt and kept running. As much as she hated the dress, it has now become the only clothing she has to cover her body. Especially after Cozy had destroyed her old ones.

Loona kept on running until she reaches the beach. She looked up at the bright moon that glowed in the night, reflecting its light on the ocean’s water. The ocean waves were crashing and splashing along the beach, wildly.

But Loona didn’t let it stop her. Somewhere across the horizon is the land she had been taken from. The land where her family are. And she needed to get back to them.

She jumped into the water, kicking her legs and arms as hard as she could to swim. But the ocean waves threw her back onto the beach.

Again, Loona tried swimming for land, but again, the waves threw her back. This kept on going, until Loona was too tired and too cold to try and swim again.

She had failed. She couldn’t return home, no matter how hard she tried. Loona collapsed onto the sands of the beach, howling and crying in her anguish.

“DADDY!” Loona howled, before her voice choked on her tears, the sands, and the salt water that got in her throat.

Loona had howled and cried for a long time. By then, her eyes were sore and her throat was sore. Her fur and dress were still soaked from her vain attempt to escape.

The cold wind blowing across her dampness only makes her even chillier.

Her eyes gaze up at the clear starry skies, where the moon hangs high above, in the heavens. But the moon isn't her main focus. Her howl isn't a song for the night. She was howling out of loneliness. Into the night, she sang her sadness, grievances, pains, and fear.

She continued to sing her song, when a voice called out, interrupting her serenade.

"Loona?"

With that, the howling stopped, and Loona turned around to meet a tired Spike.

"What are you doing?" Spike yawned. "I don't have a clock, but I'm pretty sure it's past midnight. Why aren't you sleeping?"

The anthropomorphic wolf-dog didn’t answer. She simply turned her head away, with her ears drooping, and she gazed up at the stars.

She wasn’t in the mood to deal with the human then. To a dog like her, it must’ve been ages since they had escaped Cozy Glow, when it was only a few days or so. Afterward, they have both healed from their injuries.

Loona can walk again, and Spike was awake from the spider bite. While some part of Loona was relieved, another felt dismal to even look at him, as if he was deliberately reminding her of her past trauma.

Her ears twitched to the sounds of footsteps, on her right. She didn’t need to turn and look to know that Spike has walked up and sat down on a patch of grass beside her.

“It’s a beautiful night, huh?” Spike asked.

“Hmmm,” Loona nodded.

“…So…” Spike continued. “…Do you…howl so much, from where you’re from?”

“Maybe? Or maybe not,” Loona frowned, unsure of why the human was so interested in questioning her. “Why do you care?”

“Just…asking. I thought I’d…get to know you some more.”

“Hmph,” Loona rolled her eyes, with her tail wagging slightly, in irritation.

Why would a lowly human be interested in her anyway?

“I’ve read somewhere that whenever dogs howl, it’s so they can communicate and let each other know where they are. Is that true?”

“Uh…I guess,” Loona replied in a quiet tone.

She didn’t want to admit it, for some reason. Deep down, she’s rather fascinated by the young man’s knowledge and she was rather flattered at his fascination.

“So then, I guess you must have a lot of friends then, huh?” Spike continued. “And…they’re probably worried about you, right now. All the reason for you to howl tonight.”

A newfound weight tugged at Loona’s chest, to which she felt an overwhelming amount of heavy emotions washing over her.

It gripped at her heart and stung her eyes, making her whimper.

“…I don’t have any friends, actually,” She sighed.

“What?” The grasses beneath Spike shuffled as Loona heard him standing up. “You mean…you’re a stray?”

“I prefer the term ‘loner’ human,” Loona frowned at Spike, before she turned away. “But…yes. I was a street dog. Or what you humans would say, a lone wolf. Have been, ever since I was just a pup. No one wants me...no other dogs wanted me in their packs. I was all alone. Nothing but a box, a trash can of junks and scraps of food...”

“Oh, I’m…I’m sorry I asked,” Spike apologized.

“Don’t be sorry. Not like you would ever understand,” Loona growled impatiently.

“Maybe I don’t see the big picture. But still, no dogs should ever have to experience that.”

Loona scoffed and rolled her eyes in disbelief.

“Whatever…”

“So…continue,” Spike beckoned. “You were a stray—I mean, a loner…so, then what happened?”

“It’s like I said. I’ve been looking out for me on the streets…that is, until I was caught. Locked up in the pound. Been there, almost all my life, until I was picked up by this strange man.”

"And...this strange man," Spike asked. "Was he...a bad person?"

Loona thought back to her original owner, before she was stolen from him, by Cozy Glow. In truth, she didn't think much of her owner all that much. She remembered how much he would dote on her, fawn on her, as if she was still just a puppy, when she's already a grown dog by then. She finds him weird, but all the same, she was well aware of his loving intentions.

"No..." Loona replied. "He's not too bad...just...strange."

“Strange how?”

“Strange, as in…he treats me like a puppy. Sometimes, he acts like he’s my dad, when he’s not. A dog can’t have a human for a father! And…he’s just…so loud and…overbearing!”

“Sounds like a typical dad to me,” Spike commented. “I mean, dads are like that. But they still care, and they’re just trying.”

“So what?” Loona huffed. “I was already a grown dog then! I can take care of myself! I didn’t need him then! I don’t now!”

Loona crossed her arms, and turned her back on Spike. The pipes broke and a waterfall of tears was threatening to break loose, which the anthropomorphic dog tried to hide.

The hidden truth was that she really would rather be with her owner than on the island with Cozy Glow. She wanted to be back home with her owner.

“Even if he wasn’t there for you back then, that doesn’t mean he can’t be here for you now…” Spike said. “And…yeah, I agree. You’re a grown woman. I mean, dog! You’re a big dog now. But from what you’ve told me…I think your owner’s just trying to give you the love you needed. I know I would.”

“Why bother? I’ve gotten along just fine with the world, without love!” Loona barked, with a slight whimper and sniffle escaping. “And besides…it’s too late.”

Loona sniffed her nose, while blinking her eyes tightly. In a way that is reminiscent to how people would often cry and try to hold back their tears.

“I‘ve already seen and experienced too many grievances from you humans to last for one lifetime. You humans talk like you care about us dogs, and telling us that someday we would find our forever homes. But there are only two doors.”

“One is the two-way door, where we can leave with the family who adopted us, and come back when the family decides they’re done with us.”

“And the other is the one-way door where dogs go in, but they never come out. And I’m never going through that door!”

Loona started to whimper and sniffed even harder.

“There was this family… no, make it five! I’ve had to go through five families. But not a single damn one would want to keep me for more than a winter! It was always the same. Someone took me in, and just when I thought, ‘This is my forever home!’ They either move and leave me behind, or have a new baby, or someone has an allergy, and…I’m alone again. And heartbroken…”

Not longer caring to keep up her facade, or unable to hold back her tears, Loona wept.

“I’m…I’m broken…I just can’t…feel anything but..emptiness… And it’s all you humans’ fault! You broke me! You broke my body! You broke my bones! Just to make me one of your kinds! Now I’m a mess!”

As she vented and ranted all her emotions, Loona immediately recalls the horrors she’s had to endure. The traumas inflicted on her. The pain, the hatred, and fears that have inflicted upon her, over the years. All of which have hardened themselves around her, until she felt nothing.

And though she feels protected by these hard casings around her heart, inside she felt nothing but a void that has no bottom. She felt cold on the inside. Jagged, twisted, and broken, which never ends.

“Okay, you’re hurting,” Spike began in a wobbly voice, fighting back his own tears. “I hear you. And I’m sorry to hear what you’ve been through.”

“So maybe it’s time we talked about these troubles of yours,” He continued. “You don’t have to feel alone anymore. We can get through this. Because right now, we’re all in this together as a team. A pack.”

Again, Loona was hesitant to answer. Still, a part of her has been needing to let some things out for a long time. Is she becoming human for wanting to talk?

“But…if you’d rather be on your own, then…the choice is yours. I won’t stop you.”

Loona’s ears pricked to the sound of footsteps walking away. It made her heart beat rapidly. She turned around and looked to see Spike walking away.

For a brief moment, she could see, in his place, is her owner. Her previous owner. And the owners before him. All of her owners who had left her. This was exactly how it looked for her to be left behind by her human owners.

Then, gripped with the creeping fear of anxiety that Cozy Glow could be around, stalking her like a vulture waiting to snatch its prey, Loona frantically ran after her owner.

“Hey! Blitzo, WAIT!” Loona called out.

“What? What is it?”

Returning to the present of reality, Loona was met with the concerning green eyes of Spike. And forgetting the dress she was wearing, Loona accidentally stepped on the skirt, causing her to trip and fell.

Thankfully, Spike quickly caught Loona before she could hit the ground.

“Are you okay?” Spike asked.

Loona was at a loss for words, “I…I…”

Before the awkward moment could get anymore weirder between the two, Loona composed herself and straightened herself up.

“I…I don’t want to die alone,” Loona whimpered quietly. “But…I don’t know how to have a family. I don’t hate my owner, or…his pack. It’s just…I don’t understand them at times. They are strange, they are overbearing, and…they’re the only family I have…or had.”

Loona continued as she expressed her discomfort, “I…I’ve never had another dog to look after, or to look after me. So, I’m afraid I don’t know how I should feel.”

A tear trickled from her eyes, which she quickly wiped, out of impulse and hoping that Spike didn’t see it.

“So…maybe, I… I do miss them…a lot… I don't know anymore...I just want to go home...”

Loona sniffed the air, struggling to hold back her tears, which she didn’t understand why. Another possible flaw of becoming human?

“We all want to go home as much as you do,” Spike replied. “I want to go home. So it’s not just you. You’re not the only one feeling that way.”

“Then why aren’t we home yet?” Loona asked.

"It’s never that simple,” Spike said. “Life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes we make a mess, sometimes we clean a mess, even if it’s not ours to begin with."

Loona didn’t bother to look. She just listened intently to what the human was saying. Some of the words sounded insightful.

“We’ve all got our issues, including our families. And sometimes, they mess things up. All the time. But, that doesn’t mean they don’t care.”

“But…if my owner cares, then where is he?”

“That’s a question I can’t answer, because I’m not your owner. But, if he doted on you that much… He’s out there…somewhere. He’s probably turning cities upside down, searching the ocean, maybe the mountains, just to find you.”

“And how do you know that?”

“I don’t,” Spike shrugged, which caught Loona by surprise. “But…he kinda reminds me of my dad.”

Loona looked on with piqued interest as Spike relayed a story.

“One time, on a picnic, I was playing hide and seek, when it started to rain. I was scared. I was all by myself. But dad told me to stay right where I am, until he could find me. And so, I stayed where I was, like he told me, until he found me…after about an hour or two.”

Loona simply rolled her eyes to learn that human fathers are just as incompetent than her owner. Yet, it was also relieving to hear that she wasn’t the only one to feel lost and alone, in her lifetime.

“Look. I know we humans aren’t always perfect, but…” Spike sighed. “But at least try to cut us some slack. We may not get things right, but…we’re trying. And that’s more important than you think.”

Loona remained emotionless, though she felt a growing feeling in her chest.

Still, all the same, Loona kept to herself and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. They almost reminded her of her owner’s arms, whenever he would grab her and hold her very tightly, much to her discomfort.

But now, when she tried it herself, she felt rather secure. Warm even. It almost felt as if her owner was right there, with her, in that very moment. Almost as if she was never taken from him.

Turning her head, she looked to see that Spike was still there, except he had moved closer to her, where his hand was just inches away from touching her fur.

As soon as her eyes were on him, the man immediately retracted his hand.

“I was just going to scratch your ear,” Spike explained himself. “Is that alright?”

Loona was irritated that this man would dare attempt to pet her when she least expect it.

“I’ll never understand you humans and your habit of touching,” Loona scowled, but complied. “Fine. Just this once.”

With that, Spike held his hand out and touched Loona’s right ear. She immediately stiffened up, as if she had been struck by lightning.

Loona felt a newfound sensation of electricity, washing over her whole body, her furs standing on end, and her tail wagging vigorously, as if it has a mind of its own.

For the first time, in her life, she truly felt relaxed. A moment of when she could let her guard down and feel welcomed.

“Wow, you’re glowing!” Spike commented, as he continued to run his fingers across Loona’s ears, before running them through her hair. “So soft!”

“Uh, thanks, I guess,” Loona replied, before she had enough. “Uh, hey…you can stop now…”

“Okay,” Spike complied, with a hint of disappointment in his tone. “But do you feel better?”

“…Actually, I…yeah, I feel kinda better,” Loona admitted. “Better than I’ve felt in…years?” In truth, her wagging tail betrayed all her attempts at hiding her feelings.

“Great!” Spike smiled. “I never liked seeing dogs unhappy. It’s so inhuman. I mean, dogs are man’s best friend! Right?”

“…Whatever.”

Loona doesn’t know where that phrase came from, or who said it, and why. But if it’s true, then does it automatically make her owner and Spike her best friends?

“Well, it’s late,” Spike yawned as he got up from his haunches. “We should go back and get some sleep.”

But Loona didn’t want to sleep. Not yet.

“Do we have to?” She barked. “I mean, the night’s kinda young, so…why don’t we just…go on a…a walk?” The wolf-dog can feel her whole face burning in embarrassment for suggesting something random.

“Besides, now that you know me…I kinda want to know you more,” She added, silently hoping Spike to accept.

Nevertheless, Spike complied, “Okay.”

With that, both Spike and Loona were out for a late night stroll together, with nothing but the songs of the bizarre wildlife, and crickets, in the ambience of the island.

Both man and anthropomorphic wolf-dog were walking side-by-side, in the dense forest. At the same time, they made sure they stayed at a short distant, where the village is in sight.

During their walk, they exchanged talks about Spike’s original home, his love for animals, and his recent work with animals.

“So…you’ve taken care of how many dogs?” Loona asked.

“Twelve stray—I mean, loners off the street,” Spike answered. “And ten of them all got adopted and found new homes! Last I checked, they’re still doing well.”

“And…what about the other two?” The wolf-dog hybrid asked, curiously and out of concern.

“They’re still on my grandparents’s farm. Besides, they just can’t be separated from one, or the other. Like Yin and Yang, the sun and the moon, or bread and butter. If you adopt one, you have to take the other.”

“Really?” Loona barked, with a smile. “So, what? They’re brothers and sisters, or something?”

“Nah. Funny story, they’re…married,” Spike chuckled. “I mean, wow! I get, they’re playful and happy to be around each other. But…who would’ve thought, they’d end up…becoming an item. And before we knew it, the puppies came. My grandparents told me they felt like grandparents again.”

Spike chuckled to himself, upon concluding that one such story. It didn’t escape unnoticed that Loona was laughing along with him, with her tail wagging.

It was nice for him to see Loona enjoying herself, for a change. It was a breath of fresh air.

As Spike walked with Loona, he took the time to look at the reverse-hybrid, underneath the moonlight that pierced from the treetops.

Spike was beyond amazed, if not bewitched. To him, Loona was a sight to behold, standing in the moonlight, still wearing the dress she was forced to wear, by Cozy Glow. It resembled a wedding gown. It reminded him of the wedding gown worn by the female protagonist of Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. It looked rather different on Loona, complete with stains of blood that have dried out over time.

In some cultures, it is considered bad luck to look at a woman in her wedding dress, before an actual wedding. Though, technically speaking, Spike wasn’t planning on getting married anytime soon. And Loona isn’t his bride, let alone fiancé. So, hopefully, for him, this means he is in the clear.

They hadn’t gotten very far, when Loona started to jitter, whining, and she started to pace.

“What’s wrong?” Spike asked. “Are you okay?”

“Need…to…go…p-p-p-“ Loona stammered on her words in fidgeting agitation.

Luckily, Spike understood exactly what the situation was.

“Oh! You got to go,” Spike replied as he turned to look away and walked a long distance, far enough for Loona’s privacy.

Spike could then hear Loona brushing past the ferns and the leaves of the thickets, when he heard the dog, angrily growling, and straining.

“What’s the matter now?” Spike asked in concern.

“Ugh! I can’t pee probably with this thing that Cozy Glow put on me!” Loona complained, hiking up her skirt, revealing a black lacy panty, with a pink ribbon on the front.

“AHHH!!!” Spike blushed a shade of red as he immediately covered his eyes and looked away.

“What?” Loona asked, with the obvious tone of her oblivious, unaware of the awkwardness of the situation. “Is it that awful to look?”

“Uh…no,” Spike stammered on his words.

He was blushing hard, since seeing a woman, or in this case, a female anthropomorphic furry creature, in her undergarment is just as nerve wrecking as seeing her nude.

“Then…why are you looking away?” Loona asked. “My…my…I’m covered up, aren’t I?” She asked, with her voice wobbling to clearly convey her increasing discomfort.

“Uh, yes…and no,” Spike explained, without looking. “See…the thing is. What you’re wearing is called a…a…an undergarment. And you’re…you’re…this is awkward. It’s not something you would want to…flash in front of a man. A human male.”

“Why?”

“Just…don’t. Anyway, just hurry it up…”

Spike said, as he blushed with increasing embarrassment at the awkwardness. He wishes to not speak of this situation ever again. But at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel rather aroused by this.

His cheeks were burning from embarrassment, but his heart was beating so fast and steady that it felt rather pleasant to him.

‘What’s going on with me?’ He asked. ‘What is this feeling?’

After awhile later, Loona came walking out of the bushes, feeling more relaxed; relieved, even.

“That’s better,” Loona sighed, before she turned to Spike. “Hey human. You can look now…”

“Uh…okay,” Spike stammered, composing himself as they continued their walk.

“Oh, and by the way,” Loona began. “I don’t like showing my body, if it makes you feel any better.”

“I see…” Spike noted in acknowledgment. “Any reason why?”

“Because it’s not my body!” Loona barked. “My body was like every dog’s body. Not a human’s! I’m not a human!”

“Right. Of course.”

If she was just a dog, then he’d be fine with that. But day-by-day, she and the other Reverse-Hybrids have made their humanity definite, which have made Spike more nervous around them.

“Are you okay?” Loona asked, startling Spike out of his train of thoughts. “You look a little red there…you sick or something?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Spike nervously replied. “The heat. This island’s tropical temperatures. It’s still going to take some getting used to!”

Thankfully, Loona bought it.

“Yeah, I can agree to that,” She nodded, before she sat on the ground and started to scratch her ears with her hind legs. “Ugh! And these bugs! They’re even more itchier than this dress!”

Spike couldn’t help but snicker. He finds it cute how Loona is still just a dog, in a semi-human form. Seeing her scratch herself with her hind legs is a reminder that she is still a dog.

He turned his head, looking at some of the plants, when he saw some large yellow squashes, growing in the leaves.

“Oh, sweet!” Spike gasped, as he reached down to pick the squashes. “Spaghetti squash!”

“Spa…what?” Loona asked.

“Spaghetti squash,” Spike explained, as he took out his pocket knife to cut one open. “They’re vegetables that are like spaghetti noodles, on the inside. See?”

He demonstrated, by pulling the two halves of the squash apart, revealing a messy clump of noodle-like ribbons.

“Do they taste good?” Loona asked.

“Yeah, if you’re a fan of spaghetti,” Spike replied, as he’s already digging into the vegetable. “Have you eaten spaghetti before?”

“No. I…can’t say that I have.”

“Well, then. Now’s a good time as any to try it out,” Spike gently nudge the other half of the cut squash for Loona to taste.

“Go on.”

Loona looked back up at Spike, then down at her vegetable curiously. She was still rather distrusting towards, Spike.

However, she remembered how he saved her, and figured he isn’t the type to steer her wrong.

Loona buried her snout into the spaghetti to eat. Her perked up ears, wide eyes, and wagging tail were all dead giveaways that she enjoyed the meal.

“Wow. This is good!” Loona barked happily. “This is really good!”

“They’re also good with marinara sauce and meatballs,” Spike added. “Now, I don’t mean to brag, but I make a mean marinara sauce and spicy meat-a-balls!” He said, with a playful Italian accent, at the last part.

Loona let out a chuckle in response.

“Actually, I think we have some of those back in the food storage,” Loona said, as she took the lead, back to the village, as she and Spike carried their squashes all the way.

Once in the food hut, Loona was rummaging through the cargo, until she and Spike pulled out a blue cooler, containing frozen meatballs and a bottle of marinara sauce.

Spike checked the labels on the bottle, relieved to see it hasn’t passed the expiration date. Or so he hoped, now that he’s lost track of time on the island.

After Spike popped open the sauce, and after thawing out the meatballs, over a campfire, their spaghetti was complete.

“Wow! You’re right!” Loona barked happily. “This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten!”

With that, Loona proceeded to wolf down the whole dish as she and Spike continued to dine into their meals.

“I’m just glad the foods haven’t expired yet,” Spike said as he daintily eats his meal. “At least Grogar was nice enough to keep every creatures on his island well-fed.”

“Grogar? Nice? In the same sentence?” Loona asked. “That’s messed up.”

“Keywords: at least.”

As Spike and Loona continue to eat their dinner, they decided to resume chewing the fat.

“So, you like working with animals?” Loona began. “Was that why you came to this island?”

“No, not really,” Spike shook his head. “I didn’t even know this island existed. I came here with Newt and the others to photograph some dolphins. Except there weren’t any dolphins. It was all a trap.”

“No kidding,” Loona frowned. “So…how did you escape?”

“It wasn’t easy. I’m just lucky that Newt still had some of his good conscience left to help me escape. I hope he’s okay.”

Spike then turned his head to look at Loona and asked, “What about you? How did you came to this island?”

“Cozy Glow. That’s how,” Loona frowned. “She just came over to my owner’s place, one day, when she saw me. She immediately wanted me for her pet. But I didn’t like her. And my owner won’t give me up to her. Then guns were shooting, and there was this fire, and…”

Loona looked down in discomfort, as she quickly finished, “Anyway, the next thing I know, I was taken to this island. Cozy Glow wanted me to speak, like her. Even walk like her. And…Grogar made me into this…”

Once again, Spike was horrified at what Loona had shared to him. But he was nonetheless sympathetic for the wolf-dog, realizing the traumas she endured.

“Loona…I’m sorry…” Spike apologized.

“Can we just eat…while the meatballs are warm?” Loona pleaded, wanting to steer away from the awkward conversation.

After they were done with their dinner, Spike and Loona resumed their walk.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding, human,” Loona smiled. “That spaghetti is so good, I don’t think I’ll ever eat again.”

“It’s the meatballs and the sauce,” Spike replied. “I’m telling ya. You can’t have spaghetti without them.”

Loona chuckled in response.

“Ya know…you’re not so bad after all. For a human.”

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t judge people before you get to know them.”

Along the way, they found themselves surrounded by fireflies. Spike was in awe at the mass luminosity of the fireflies surrounding them, like stars.

Compelled by instinct, Loona started to chase some of the lightning bugs, with Spike following behind. Some of the fireflies flew close to his mouth, without him knowing.

After she was done chasing them, some of the fireflies settled around Loona’s neck, making her look as if she’s wearing a necklace. Spike smiled, to show his teeth were glowing from the fireflies in his mouth.

Loona thought it was funny and let out a human giggle that is reminiscent to a schoolgirl.

Unsure to what she was laughing at, Spike looked down, seeing through his cheeks, his lips, and his nose to realize he was glowing. With that, he quickly spits the fireflies out.

He looked back at Loona, seeing her chasing and jumping after the fireflies, while her dress twirled in the breeze.

As much as Loona hated it, Spike thought she looked cute in the dress. She looked like an angel. Almost as if it was asking him to ask her to dance. Maybe it’s from watching the many ballroom romance he used to watch? Or he has an innate need for female companionship, in spite of his phobia, he did not know.

Either way, Spike walked up to Loona, reaching his hand out to her.

With a bow of his head, he asked, “May I have this dance?”

He looked to see the confused expression, clear on Loona’s face, as she hesitated, but complied, “Uh, okay? But… I don’t know how to dance…”

“That’s okay,” Spike replied. “I don’t either. But let’s just live in the moment.”

“…If you say so.”

And so, remembering what he saw on TV, back in the mainland, Spike linked one of his hand with Loona’s, while he wrapped his other hand around her waist.

In the fireflies’ glow, Loona’s face lit up in a shade of red.

“Oh, sorry,” Spike pulled his other hand away. “Was that too much for you?”

“No…” Loona blushed, with an uncharacteristic whisper of fragility. “I’ve…never been touched there before…. But it…felt…nice.”

Spike gently puts his hand back around Loona’s waist, while the wolf-dog tried to do the same, but was having some difficulty doing so.

“Actually, Loona,” Spike chuckled. “I think you put your hand on my shoulder.”

“Oh?” Loona did just that, finally able to link her hand, around Spike’s shoulder, behind his neck. “Oh! Yeah, that’s more like it…”

Once they both have a hold of each other, Spike and Loona proceeded to dance the night away. They took it slow and gently, while making a few trips and stumbles, now and then.

Fireflies — Owl Cities

Loona accidentally tripped and stumbled a few times, from stepping on her own dress. But thankfully, Spike was there to catch her.

“Why do you humans always making your dresses so low like this?” Loona groaned. “I can’t even see my own feet!”

“I’m just as confused as you are, Loona,” Spike frowned.

Spike was nervous and sweating up a storm, since this has to be his first time, having a slow dance with a female, beside his mom. He winced in pain, whenever Loona stepped on his foot, and vice versa.

“Sorry,” Spike winced, when he stepped on her foot. “Deserved that,” He said, when she stepped on his.

“Watch it,” Loona muttered. “Sorry.” She apologized.

But all the same, Spike looked and read all the sad and frightful expressions on Loona’s face. The kind of face a homeless abandoned dog would make, after so much stress.

Doing what his mom once did to console him, Spike instinctively puts his forehead against Loona’s. The wolf-dog didn’t resist, but she wasn’t completely recovered either. The burning scars on the wolf-dog's back, from Cozy Glow's whip, still stung as fresh as the day the were made.

Still, compared with the gentle stroke of Spike's hand, carefully wrapping around her back, holding her close, Loona felt more safe and secured than before.

Nevertheless, both man and wolf-dog continued to dance, before they were able to get into sync, as a thousand lightning bugs hugged them. From a certain point-of-view, it was as if the fireflies were teaching them how to dance.

Soon, neither of them were scared and only had eyes on each other.

Spike smiled at Loona, who returned the smile. In his eyes, Spike thought the reverse-hybrid dog was beautiful when she is glowing. Is this how Beauty felt when she danced with the Beast?

Wanting to see more of Loona’s smile, Spike stuck his tongue out, in his attempt to make the goofiest face he could make. Loona immediately let out a rare peal of laughter.

Spike then tried to lead Loona in for a twirl, which was rather difficult for him, since Loona is taller than him. So instead, he twirled himself, while still holding onto Loona’s hand, before they held each other close again.

During the dance, somewhat fatigued, or just wanting a loving embrace, Spike and Loona held each other close in their subconscious.

Loona put her head on Spike’s shoulder, with Spike placing his head on her chest. Spike instantly lost himself in the warmth and softness of Loona’s fur, while soothed by the beating of her heart. From the back of his head, he can feel Loona nuzzling her cheek against him. Perhaps she’s feeling the same way.

Spike felt pleased with himself that Loona could enjoy herself. Knowing how much bad days she’s had as a street dog, and the grievances she had to put up with Dr. Grogar and Cozy Glow. Spike wanted to reassure Loona that everything will be okay.

As for Loona, the wolf-dog never felt this warm and relieved at the same time. It was as if being with this human has truly melted the ice around her heart. That the chains that restrained her were shattered and she's finally free. And the one-way door has been barred shut, keeping her out, saving her. And it's all thanks to this human, Spike.

In Loona’s mind, the storms that surrounded her, trapping her in this never ending universe of hatred, fear, and anger have been lifted. She no longer feels alone, or hollow. Instead, she now feels fulfilled and alive.

It was a breath of fresh air for the both of them to be open and accepting of each other.

Unfortunately, the two were so taken in by each other’s embrace that they failed to notice they were dancing towards a log. They tripped over it and fell into a puddle of water.

“WHOA!”

*SPLASH*

They soon got up, with Loona vigorously shaking herself dry, and splashing the waters onto Spike.

“Loona!” Spike groaned. “Cut it out!”

After Loona was done shaking, both she and Spike looked at each other, and laughed at the fun they have had for the night.

Once again, Spike couldn’t help but gaze at Loona in wonder. For a dog, she’s as playful and loving as any dogs can be, when she isn’t angry and reserved with hate. Furthermore, while she is becoming human, her dog nature remains intact, and she’s become a strongly independent woman with a hard tone.

Spike held his hand up to Loona’s nose, allowing her to take a whiff. Though, he still kept his fingers curled in, to avoid the risk of getting bitten. He anxiously watched as Loona sniffed his hand, contrasting to how she nearly tried to bite his hand off, the first time they met.

After a good minute, Loona wagged her tail and licked Spike’s hand. She has finally accepted him.

With that, Spike safely proceeded to pet the anthropomorphic dog on the cheek, which Loona puts a hand over his, for a snuggle.

Spike couldn’t help but chuckle, until both he and Loona let out a yawn.

“I think…it’s time we head back…” He said drowsily.

“Good idea,” Loona nodded as both she and Spike got up, walked back to the village, without waking anyone up.

“Hey, human?” Loona shook her head, before she corrected herself. “I mean, Spike?”

“Yeah?” Spike turned to look at the dog, to find her smiling, rather shyly.

“Thanks,” The reverse-hybrid thanked. “This has been…the best night of my life.”

Spike smiled back at her, “Mine too!”

Once back inside Loona’s hut, Spike helped the wolf-dog into bed, draping her blanket over her.

“Good night, Loona,” Spike yawned, as he proceeded to leave. “See you in the morning.”

“Wait! Spike?” Loona stopped him again. “Can you…sleep with me, for tonight?”

“Uh…excuse me?” Spike stammered, surprised at the sudden request. “What did you say?”

“I asked…can you sleep with me for tonight?” Loona repeated. “You got a problem with that?”

“No! I mean, kinda. I mean…why? You usually sleep by yourself and…”

“I’m scared,” Loona said bluntly.

“Scared? Really?”

Loona nodded solemnly, as she explained, “So long as Cozy Glow is out there…I’ll never sleep safely again. But…I would like it if you could stay with me…Please?”

Her wide sparkling eyes, soft voice with a lilt of a young girl, and wagging tail made Spike weak in the knees, his heart beating rapidly, and sweating profoundly at the wholesome display.

It was like Loona had rapidly de-aged herself from a grown dog, into a puppy, in a heartbeat, before his very eyes. And she was lonesome.

Spike wondered if Cozy Glow had broken Loona through a mental abuse and rebuilt her into a scared puppy.

Spike was rendered helpless under her mesmerizing puppy eyes. It’s hard for any normal human beings, who have spoiled their dogs, to say no.

“Oh! How can I say no to that face?” Spike moaned. “Okay, okay.”

Spike took a moment to look at the bed, finding a spot to sleep beside Loona in.

“Where do you want me to sleep?”

“Anywhere you want, actually. I won’t bite…” Loona shrugged, when she suddenly felt a sharp sensation shooting up her back.

“Ow!”

“What’s the matter?” Spike asked.

“My back…it’s killing me…”

“Here, let me have a look,” Spike stood up on his knees to take a look at the Reverse-Hybrid’s condition.

Spike carefully unwrapped her bandages to check her scars.

“Ooh,” The man cringed squeamishly.

“Is…is it that bad?” Loona asked with anxious worry.

“Well, it’s healing,” Spike answered. “But I’m not gonna lie, these ugly scars of yours aren’t going anywhere.”

Loona sniffled, fighting the urge to cry. She wanted so badly to be rid of the marks left on her, at the hands of Cozy Glow.

“Here…let’s get some ointment on you,” Spike said as he reached over for the medical jar on Loona’s nightstand.

With a small dollop of the ointment on his index and middle fingers on his right hand, Spike gently rubbed across Luna’s back and shoulders.

He felt the dog tensing at the touch of his hand. She squirmed and flinched at the cold texture that stings her skin, beneath her furs.

“Shhhh, it’s okay,” Spike reassured. “Just relax.”

“…This is relax…” Loona whimpered, as she braced herself for Spike applying the ointment for her back.

“Gee, the fact that Cozy Glow did this to you…hard to believe she was once a little girl,” Spike commented. “Then again, she might not even be human to begin with.”

“Just want I needed to hear,” Loona grumbled in sarcasm. “The little brat wasn’t human…”

“Still, what kind of sicko would go and steal someone else’s dog?”

“Blitz.”

“Huh?”

“My owner’s name is Blitz, but the o is silent. He likes it that way. I just thought you might want to know.”

“Okay. Blitz,” Spike continued the conversation as he applies more ointments on Loona’s back. “So…what’s Blitz like?”

“Like I said, he’s a strange man,” Loona grumbled in response. “Strange and annoying. He thinks he’s my dad, but he’s not.”

The Reverse-Hybrid wolf dog sniffled a bit, until she composed herself enough to continue.

“But he’s nice…in his own way. But also demanding, wanting me to be more active, responsive to following his orders, which are a lot. But right now, I’d rather be with him than anywhere with Cozy…”

“Yeah. Me too,” Spike sympathized. “I mean, I don’t know this Blitz, guy. But I’d rather be as far away from the likes of Cozy Glow for sure. And that says a lot from me.”

Spike shuddered at the thought of Cozy Glow, “I’m not usually scared of little girls as I am of older girls. But after meeting that little brat, I think I am now…”

“You’re scared of a females?” Loona asked skeptically. “Even of your own kind? What does that say about me?”

“Oh! Uh…nothing!” Spike stammered. “I don’t mean you, or any of the other girls here in the village. I meant all the others, out there in the world. You girls are alright.”

“I see. If you don't mind me asking, why are you so damn afraid of females to begin with?”

In response, Spike shared with Loona the same story of his tragic childhood. The same story he told to Sunset Shimmer and the other She-Beasts.

“And that’s the story,” Spike said upon concluding the story.

“I…I…I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you, Spike,” Loona whimpered.

“Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault…”

"Still...why did you saved me? I'm a female, aren't I? And Cozy Glow was an even scarier female. You could've just escaped on your own...and leave me to die. But you didn't. Why?"

"Well...because it's not right. Sometimes, I don't know why I didn't just run for my life and save myself. But I just couldn't leave you or anyone else behind. It's just not in me..."

Spike kept on applying the ointment to soothe Loona’s aching and stinging back. Being as gentle as he could be, he carefully massaged Loona’s back the best he could, without hurting her, by aggravating her injuries.

Once he was done reapplying the ointments to her wounds, Spike gently wrapped a new fresh set of bandages on Loona.

“Huh?”

Loona had already fallen asleep. The wolf-dog was sawing logs, and collapsed into her bed.

Spike gently draped the blanket over Loona before he turned towards the doorway.

However, remembering the dog’s request that he sleeps with her for the night, he returned to the left side of her bed. He gently sat down beside her and carefully stroke his hands across her back.

“Goodnight, Loona,” Spike said to the dog, before he takes his spot on the bed and fell asleep beside her.

He was rather too tired to argue, and he didn’t want to betray Loona’s trust. But he does want to fully earn her trust, even if it means putting up with her demands.

Spike felt bad for Loona for going through such humiliation that many dogs have had to endure. He would hate it, with a passion, if he was forced to dress in drags, by bratty little girls, like Cozy.

‘She’s lucky she’s cute,’ He thought to himself as he falls asleep.

What Spike doesn’t know, however, was that Loona had blinked an eye open, just to make sure he was still there.

Once he has confirmed her reassurance, the reverse-hybrid happily closed her eyes to sleep and rested easy, knowing he won’t leave her to die.

31 — Of Man and Beasts

The sun rose up high, casting its waking lights, across the island. All the inhabitants made themselves known with their hooting and hollering, to signal that they were all awake. The island is once again coming to life.

Early that morning, Sunset Shimmer was in Rarity’s hut, to be measured to be fit for a new dress the leopard was making.

"Hey Rarity?" Sunset asked, with her cheeks blushing a shade of red and her voice barely a gasp. "How much longer until it's finished?"

The flustered tiger-woman was blushing a shade of red at the feeling of a thin piece of vine, hugging around her breasts, as if they were groping her.

"In a moment, darling," Rarity replied. "You can't rush art! That and it's been awhile since I've measured you up for a new clothe and all, given to your...preference for the less than concealing kind of clothing."

"Well, it wasn't like I wanted to be a tiger-woman with a high risk of a heatstroke..." Sunset grumbled.

"Now, now, Sunset," Applejack coaxed. "Nobody's blaming you for anything. Although, as of late, I just don't see the point anymore of wearin' clothes. We're all becoming more animals by the day and we've got fur."

"And feathers!" Rainbow Dash squawked, holding up her wings. "Which isn't too bad, except that I have to preen my feathers now to keep them clean enough to fly..."

"Speak for yourself," Starlight Glimmer spoke up. "At least you gals can go about on land. But for me? I have to fully submerge myself in the water, now and then to stay moisturize..."

"Well, what can you say?" Pinkie Pie began to chirp. "You're a fish out of water!"

"Darlings, enough!" Rarity roared, getting the other She-Beasts' attention. "Look. I know it's hard for all of us and we've been marooned on this dreadful island for far too long. But no matter what happens, we cannot forsake our humanity! That means we are not taking our clothes off, for clothes is what separates the woman from the beast!"

"Yeah? For how long?" Applejack challenged. "What's the point of us keepin' our clothes on when sooner, or later, we'll eventually lose our minds and become as mindless and feral as Fleur!?"

"I don't know, darling..." Rarity replied. "I honestly don't know..."

The girls all looked down solemnly, unsure on how they can cope with knowing that their inevitable fate will soon be upon them. They wondered if they should resign themselves to their fate.

"Girls! Girls!" The sound of an excited pony neighed.

Everyone present turned their attention up to see Twilight running out of a hut, carrying the diamonds that Rarity had brought back from Sombra's snake pit.

"Twilight?" Applejack called out, as she and the girls run up to the excited pony-woman. "What is it? What's goin' on?"

"Girls!" Twilight smiled. "I've done a cross analysis of the diamonds that Rarity brought back from the mines, and my theories have been confirmed! These are in fact Tellurium crystals!"

"Yeah..." Rainbow Dash began. "What exactly are Tellurium?"

"They're very rare elements that are nearly impossible to find on Earth," Twilight explained. "They can be used to refine machineries, even powering up certain modes of transportations!"

The girls all share their amazements at this revelation.

"So, you're saying we can use these minerals to power up the yacht and get off this island?" Rainbow Dash asked hopefully.

"Affirmative!" Twilight nodded.

"That's great!" Sunset Shimmer smiled as she got down from the stool she was standing on and walked over to Twilight. "We'll be off this island in no time and we can get back home to our friends and family! And maybe warn the world about Dr. Grogar's evil operation!"

"Better yet, bring him to justice!" Rainbow Dash added.

"And hopefully, we'll even get him to change us back to being regular people! Right?" Starlight asked.

To this, the rest of the girls all fell silent at the notion of being human again.

"...Right?" Starlight repeated. "What's the matter? Don't you girls want to go back to being humans again?"

"Of course we do," Twilight answered. "But...it's just a question of...Can we be humans again?"

"We've been like this for so long we...never thought about us being humans again," Applejack frowned.

"And besides, being a She-Beast does have some perks," Rainbow Dash flapped her wings. "Look at me! I can fly! And I'm awesome!"

"But...I can't see!" Fluttershy squeaked, reminding the girls of her blindness, due to her being a bat.

"Oh...right,” Rainbow cringed. “There's that..."

"The important thing today is we can all go home!" Sunset spoke up. "After the yacht has been repaired, then we'll be able to leave this island and get back to civilization! Right now...let's just get something to eat."

The girls all nodded, as they headed off to the Mess Hall for some breakfast.

“So, you’re gonna flash for Spikey-Wikey, hmm?” Pinkie Pie chirped, bouncing her eyebrows at Sunset, reminding the tiger-woman that she is topless.

“Oh!” Sunset frantically covered her breasts. “Does anyone have a light top I can borrow?”

Meanwhile, inside the hut they were sharing for the night, Spike and Loona were still asleep in each other's embrace. A ray of sunlight managed to find its way into their room through an open window, which falls on the sleeping pair.

Loona was the first to wake up, breathing in the morning air. The tired wolf-dog Reverse-Hybrid let out a yawn, before she looked down to see Spike, still sleeping soundly, snuggled in her arms.

Loona couldn’t help but smile lovingly. To her, he seems rather cute, when he’s asleep. She felt warm inside, either from the sun, as if Spike has casted some magic spell on her that thawed her icy, jaded, cold feelings.

Hard to believe that she used to hate his guts, once upon a time.

Now, she no longer felt the icy cold sharp cut of the needles, piercing deep in her skin, beneath the fur. It was as if the brutal agonizing pain she’s endured all those years have washed away. At last, she truly feels safe again.

She wanted this to last for a lifetime. With a content sigh, Loona laid her head down onto Spike, snuggling up against his chest.

“Loona?”

Spike slid out from under Loona, sitting himself up in bed. She opened her eyes for him to greet her with concerned eyes.

“Are you okay?” The human asked her worryingly. “You alright?”

“Hmmm?” Loona inquired in a soft tone that sounded too human to her. “Yeah? Never better. If I’m being honest, then last night was the best night I’ve ever had.”

With a chuckle of a female human, Loona playfully licked Spike’s cheek. Her whole body was electrified as she savors the taste of his very being. For some reason, she actually liked the taste of him. But it wasn't out of hunger.

She has eaten meat before. Including the blood and flesh of humans. But for some reason, she no longer has that desire for meat nor blood. Spike tasted good, but she doesn’t desire him as a potential prey.

She watched the stun expression on Spike disappearing as he got up and stretched his back, which made some cracking popping sounds.

"I...w-we should get out and...get some breakfast...the others are going to wake up soon," Spike stammered as he tripped and stumbled over his own foot.

Loona couldn't help but chuckle at how cute and clumsy he is.

“Are you humans always this clumsy, every morning?” Loona asked.

“…Maybe?” Spike shrugged. “That, and I’m still recovering from the spider bite.”

Remembering the spider, Loona’s playful feeling disappeared and was replaced with a feeling of concern.

“And…how is the spider bite?” Loona asked in a shaking voice. “Is it gone yet?”

Loona watched Spike moving one of his hands up to where he was bitten, on the shoulder, feeling the spot he was bitten.

“Just a little,” Spike replied. “It’s swelling down a little, but otherwise, it’s alright. But how is your back?”

“It still hurts,” Loona whimpered. “It feels like Cozy Glow is still hurting me.”

Loona shivered at the thought of Cozy Glow. She felt as if the blood in her whole body froze up. She instinctively hugged herself in a vain attempt to keep herself from shaking so much.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to shake much longer, when a pair of arms wrapped around her. She opened her eyes to see that Spike had hugged her, gently enough to calm her nerves.

It was both soothing, but also bizarre. Normally, she would growl in irritation from being touched. But now, she no longer has that feeling.

She just let the warmth feeling from Spike’s embrace wash over her, until they parted.

“Thanks…” Loona said hesitantly. “You know…for that.”

“No problem,” Spike took a step back, though he froze in place. “Whoa!”

“Whoa, what?”

“You’re…glowing.”

“I…I am?” Loona looked down at herself.

She was standing in the sunlight. The only possible way she could be glowing was the white dress Cozy had forced her to wear. Though worn and torn, with smudges of dirt and dried blood, the dress was still bright and blinding as the sun .

The sun’s light, combined with the dress, Loona figured that she must be hurting his eyes with the blinding light.

“I’m…sorry,” Loona whimpered. “I…”

“Oh, no. No need to apologize,” Spike stammered. “What I mean is…you look beautiful! L-L-Like an angel…”

“Oh?” Loona looked up at Spike, feeling her cheeks burning up, as if they were on fire.

Beneath her skirt, she felt her tail wagging rapidly, while feeling a thumping sensation in her chest that was making her breathing rapidly, with every seconds. It was her heart. Spike’s compliment was making her heartbeat going wild. Why? Is she sick? If so, why does she feel so pleasant?

“Uh, thanks, I guess,” Loona stammered, wanting to get out from the awkward moment. “Uh, as you humans say, whatever…”

Spike seems to pick up on the awkward tension, taking it as his cue to leave, when he started heading towards the doorway.

“Anyway,” Spike spoke up. “We should be joining the others for breakfast.”

“Uh…sure,” Loona replied, quietly. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

Loona watches Spike leaving her hut, with a pang of longing weighing heavily on her chest. Once she’s left by her lonesome, Loona lies back down on her bed, sniffing at the spot where Spike had slept.

It smelled as though Spike was still there in spite of his absence.

‘He thinks I’m beautiful?’ Loona asked herself in her thoughts. ‘How am I beautiful?’

Loona looked down at herself; more specifically, the dress she was forced to wear. How she hated the dress. She could hardly walk, or run, without tripping. Not to mention certain times when she has some trouble breathing because of how tight it was.

But now she wondered, if this dress makes her beautiful, then can she learn to love it? To embrace it, no matter how embarrassed she is? And for Spike? If so, then how?

She wanted nothing more than to be rid of this dress, to get rid of any remnants of Cozy Glow. But Loona has no other clothes to wear.

As much as she hated the dress, Loona hates the thought of her human body being seen. Long before she and Spike were kidnapped by Cozy Glow, the only clothes she wore was a small crop-top and a black short shorts.

Though they were small, and provided limited coverage to her body, they were easier to move in, than the dress. That being said, they left little to the imagination of her body.

Could Spike have said she was beautiful, simply because of her human body? Once again, she just doesn’t know how to feel about it.

Could it be that her human body isn’t as hideous as she thought it is? Or could it just simply be because her body was human enough to be beautiful to a human, like Spike?

Once more, she doesn’t know what to think.

Shortly, after washing himself, Spike arrived at the Mess Hall, where the rest of the girls were already having breakfasts.

“Morning girls!” Spike greeted, as he walked over to an open seat, at the table.

“Morning, Spike!” The girls answered back.

“Guess what’s for breakfast today!” Pinkie Pie chirped, presenting a huge plate of burnt pancakes. “Pancakes!”

“Sorry if it’s a little burnt there, Sugarcube,” Applejack apologized. “It wouldn’t have if some monkey had been paying more attention.” She said, eyeing towards Pinkie Pie.

“I’ve got four hands and two of them are trying to chop up those apples, like you asked,” Pinkie Pie frowned, in her defense.

“I think these smell good,” Spike said politely, and got ready to eat. “Oh, hey Sunset! Nice dress you’re wearing.”

“Aw, thanks Spike!” Sunset smiled in response to the compliment.

The Tiger-Woman was wearing a light blue summer dress that is complementary to her blazing fiery coat.

“Wow, it really goes well with your eyes,” Spike continued to compliment.

Sunset Shimmer couldn’t help but giggle in response, while the other girls looked rather annoyed, if not jealous at the compliment he was giving.

“Well, I did help her pick out the right fabrics, darling,” Rarity spoke up.

“Of course,” Spike replied. “I expect nothing less from the most fashion forward lady I know! As always, you have an eye for details, Rarity!”

“Thank you!” Rarity smiled, happy to be acknowledged.

“So…what’s the agenda for today?” Asked Spike, while he ate a piece of the burnt pancake.

“Bad news is we gotta tighten up security again,” Rainbow Dash answered. “Especially with Shade still out there and he knows where we are.”

“But the good news is that we can repair the yacht, thanks to the tellurium crystals that Rarity brought back!” Twilight added.

“That’s great!” Exclaimed Spike. “We can leave the island and be back to civilization in no time! When can we leave?”

“It shouldn’t take us too long,” Twilight answered. “I can repair the engines, within at least three days, give or take.”

“That’s great!” Spike replied. “The sooner we’re off this island, the better!”

“And as soon as we can get to the mainland and alert the authorities, the quicker we can shut Dr. Grogar’s entire operation for good!” Starlight added.

“Darn tootin!” Applejack nodded.

“Look out,” Rainbow Dash squawked. “Here comes moody goth princess.”

Everyone all looked in Rainbow Dash’s direction to see Loona walking into the mess hall.

“Good morning to you too, parrot,” Loona muttered at Rainbow Dash. “And all of you…and Spike.”

In the blink of an eye, when Loona turned to look at Spike, the expression on her face quickly changed to a loving smile.

“Dost my ears deceive me?” Pinkie Pie gasped. “Did you just called Spike by his real name?”

“And was that a smile I just saw?” Applejack smirked.

Loona turned and frowned at all of the She-Beasts, feral woman, and Reverse-Hybrids present.

“What?” Loona shrugged, with her face shifting to a look of annoyance, with the fur on the back of her neck bristling. “Why is it so weird for me to call Spike by his name?”

“It’s nothing personal or anything,” Twilight began. “But normally, you would just refer to Spike as ‘human,’ and wouldn’t even bother acknowledging his name.”

“Well, after being prisoners of Cozy Glow and…stuff. I feel that I should start remembering his name,” Loona rolled her eyes. “But that doesn’t make us friends or anything.”

Even as she said this last part, Loona looked at Spike and winked an eye.

Spike wasn’t sure how to respond. Loona’s words sounded venomous, as if she still hated him. Yet, she looked at him with loving reassurance.

For Spike, it’s plain to see that Loona was hiding the fact that both he and she have grown closer. But why Loona would want to keep it a secret, he didn’t know.

‘Why are women so hard to understand?’ Spike asked in his thoughts.

Shortly after the friends had breakfast, Twilight went off to make the repairs to the yacht. Accompanying her and assisting her with the repairs is the octopus Reverse-Hybrid, Marina.

Meanwhile, Spike and the other girls were left to mingle in the village.

Rainbow Dash, though, was pacing around the center rather impatiently.

“So we’re just gonna wait around here, doing nothing, while Twilight and Marina work on the yacht?” Rainbow grumbled.

“I think it’s for the best we leave them alone to work their magic, Dash,” Applejack muttered. “And complaining about it is not gonna get the job done faster.”

“Then let’s get out of this village and go on a patrol, hunting, or something,” Rainbow screeched anxiously.

“Bad idea,” Sunset Shimmer shook her head.

“There’s a homicidal Hunter out there!” Pinkie Pie reminded.

“So now we’re stuck here…” Rainbow Dash grumbled. “Twilight and that nerdy octo-girl better hurry up with whatever they need to fix the ship, or I’m gonna lose my mind!”

“Or…we could just talk to pass the time,” Applejack suggested.

“Oh? You want talk?” Loona barked. “Talk about what exactly?”

Applejack looked to the side and happened a glance at Spike, looking at his camera.

“What ya lookin’ at, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked curiously.

“Huh?” Spike looked up from his camera. “Oh. Just taking a trip down memory lane…”

Applejack and the other girls all curiously gathered around Spike to look at his camera. The young man didn’t even flinch, nor did he bother hiding his camera away.

He just kept on scrolling through the photos in the camera’s gallery, showing the captured moments of animals he’s worked with, the people he knew, and himself making memories with his friends and family.

“Oh, my words, darling!” Rarity exclaimed. “You have an exquisite eye for photography!”

“Yeah! These photos looked like they could come alive at any moment!” Rainbow Dash added.

“Oh, I wish I could look!” Fluttershy whimpered her disappointment. “All the cute animals! The ones I could hold and snuggle up with!”

“You can snuggle with me!” Pinkie Pie offered herself. “I’m a monkey-woman, so that technically makes me an animal. Right? And I’m kinda cute myself!”

“Aw, thanks, Pinkie,” Fluttershy smiled sadly. “But it’s just not the same…”

Turning their attentions back to Spike’s camera, the girls — minus Fluttershy — looked
at the photos he was scrolling through.

“Ponyville, Montana,” Spike sighed, at a photo of himself, surrounded by a group of young men, roughly around his age.

“Friends of yours?” Applejack asked.

“Hmmm? Yeah,” Spike pointed to each of the boys. “This was taken before I joined Newt Chimera. There’s Button Mash. That guy is Rumble. There’s Tender Taps, Featherweight, and that’s Pipsqueak. They’re real bros to pal around with.”

“Back when I was…well, y’know,” Spike awkwardly avoided mentioning his gynophobia. “These guys were there for me. They understood my needs. They really went all out to make sure I’m comfortable.”

“Sounds to me they’re a real pack for ya, Sugarcube!” Applejack smiled, as she and the girls looked at more photos in Spike’s camera.

“Wow, Ponyville looks like a real swell place!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “Looks almost as good as Canterlot City!”

“Canter what?” Spike asked.

“Canterlot City,” Pinkie Pie repeated. “That’s in Washington!”

"Washington huh? I bet it rained a lot over there." Spike joked.

"You have no idea..." Sunset moaned.

"What about you Starlight? Where are you from?" Pinkie Pie asked the shark girl.

"I come from the Monterey Bay area, mostly from Carmel." Starlight replied.

"Monterey huh? Guess that makes you a California Girl then eh?" Rainbow asked with a grin.

"Shut up," Starlight growled.

“What about you, Loona?” Spike asked. “Where did you originally came from?”

“I…I don’t know,” Loona answered with uncertainty. “I remember a city…with so many flashing lights. Loud musics. And smogs… Someplace where angels are lost…Lost Angels U.S?”

“You mean Los Angeles?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“Yes! That’s it!” Loona barked. “It was disgusting! The whole place reeks of urine and desperation…”

Spike nodded in acknowledgment, before he looked back at the photos on his camera, with a renewed heavy feeling of longing and sadness. This didn’t go unnoticed.

“You alright there, Spike?” Sunset asked.

“Yeah. I’m okay,” Spike replied. “All this talk about home makes me kinda…homesick. You know?”

“I agree with you there,” Applejack nodded, with the other girls following, expressing their agreements.

“It’s starting to feel like we’ve been on this island for more than a year now,” Applejack whimpered. “Big Mac’s running the farm by himself, while Granny Smith’s counting the days in bed. An I reckon little Apple Bloom’s off to high school by now…”

“At least she gets to go to high school,” Rainbow Dash frowned tearfully. “Meanwhile, Scootaloo’s stuck in Canterlot Hospital, wasting away… I promised her I’d be there for her…”

“Oh?” Starlight Glimmer looked up with piqued interest. “Who’s Scootaloo? And, if I may ask, why’s she in a hospital?”

The Spike and the other She-Beasts present — minus Fleur — all have a look of sadness, which matched the expression on their falcon-woman friend’s face.

The Reverse-Hybrids also looked at Rainbow Dash curiously.

“Scootaloo is my sister,” Rainbow Dash sighed. “Well, figuratively, I mean. She and I aren’t related by blood, or anything. But to her, I was her hero. She looked up to me and she wanted so badly to have me as her sister. Y’know, someone to take her under their wings and all…”

“Wow, that’s very nice of you, Rainbow Dash,” Starlight smiled in admiration, before she remembered her second question. “But then, what happened to her? Why’s she in a hospital?”

Rainbow Dash looked down solemnly, breathing in and breathing out to steady herself, until she was ready to answer.

“She was diagnosed with a terminal illness,” Rainbow cried tearfully. “She’s got it so bad that she was confined to a wheelchair and…”

Wiping her tears away, Rainbow quickly concluded the story, “Anyway, I had devoted a lot of my times to be by her side. I just wanted her to have the best times of her life, but… I’m here, with everyone… and…”

The rest of the She-Beasts, besides Fleur, all gathered around Rainbow Dash and pulled her in for a group hug. Starlight had also joined in the hug, offering her condolences.

Spike got up and walked over to Rainbow Dash, offering his condolence.

“I’m sorry,” Spike apologize quietly, dipping his head to the falcon-woman.

While he hasn’t known Rainbow for long, or even her sister-figure, Scootaloo, it was clear that the two meant a lot to one another. And that Rainbow Dash was really anxious of getting back home to Scootaloo. It was almost human. In a way, this makes Spike feel less scared around the She-Beasts.

Rainbow Dash walked over and gently wrapped her wings around Spike, pulling him in for a grateful hug.

Later that day, after their heartfelt discussion of home and the loved ones left behind, everyone were all going about their day.

Spike was washing his camera’s lens to make sure it was clear enough to take high quality pictures. Sunset Shimmer was dusting off her new dress, as if she was ready to get her pictures taken.

“So, Spike?” Sunset asked, walking up to the young photographer. “Is your camera ready?”

“I think so,” Spike checked the camera. “Ready?”

Sunset Shimmer giggled before she struck a pose, with her right hand behind her head, her left hand on her hip, and her left foot standing on her toes.

Spike then snapped a photo, before Sunset Shimmer did another pose and Spike took another picture.

After they were done, Spike and Sunset both took a look at the photos in Spike’s camera, smiling with satisfactory.

“I always knew you were so photogenic, Sunset Shimmer,” Spike smiled.

“Or maybe you have a keen eye for photography,” Sunset Shimmer chuckled, playfully kissing Spike on the cheek.

Spike was blushing a shade of red. But instead of feeling scared, it was a rather pleasant feeling. He doesn’t seem to understand it yet.

After he was done taking pictures of Sunset, Spike walked around the village, looking for another girl who would allow him to photograph her.

“Oh Spike~” Rarity called, strutting up to the young man, wearing a new floral dress with mini skirt. “Would you be a dear and snap a photo of my latest ensemble darling?”

“Sure thing, Rarity,” Spike complied, as he got into position for the right angle, and the right lighting.

Spike didn’t realize it then, but he was becoming rather comfortable of the girls’ presence. He was no longer scared of them. In fact, it was almost as if he’s known them for years.

Spike didn’t think too much on his recovery from his gynophobia. He was making sure he captured Rarity’s beauty.

Suddenly, without warning, someone jumped from behind and snatched Spike’s camera from his hands.

“Hey! What?!” Spike turned and looked to see the culprit was Loona. “Loona! Come back! Give me back my camera!”

“You want it, human?” Loona taunted. “Come and get it.”

With a laugh, Loona raced off with Spike’s camera in hand, with the young man running after her, leaving behind an annoyed Rarity.

“Rarity? What happened?” Applejack asked.

“Loona was what happened,” Rarity pouted, watching with the rest of the girls as Spike chased after Loona around the village, until they were on the beach.

Eventually, Spike caught up to Loona when the dog paused for a moment to catch her breath.

“Gotcha!” He took his camera back, before he catches Loona in a hug from behind.

“Come here you!” Spike laughed as he tickled Loona’s tummy, and they laughed, with the wolf-dog, kicking her legs and wagging her tail.

This playful moment between man and dog went until Loona’s laughter became a gasp for air. Spike immediately took notice and let’s go of her.

“What’s the matter, Loona?” He asked.

“I’m…fine…” Loona panted. “Just…having…trouble…breathing…”

As she was saying this, Spike took notice of the way Loona held her hands over her stomach.

In spite of the rips and tears on her dress, it was still too tight for her to breathe in.

“It’s…hard to…breathe…and run…in this…thing…Y’know?”

“Well, then just take it off,” Spike suggested, earning a rather shock, disgusted, and embarrassed look from Loona.

“You…human!” Loona growled, crossing her arms over her chest. “You want to take a good look at my disgusting body?”

“I won’t look. Don’t worry,” Spike reassured, turning his head away. “And besides, I’m sure Rarity can fix up something new for you to wear.”

“Oh?” Loona raised an eyebrow. “So…this dress isn’t…I mean…I don’t have to wear this dress all the time to be beautiful to you?”

Spike felt his cheeks turning red, scratching the back of his head as he searches for the words to tell her.

“I…I already thought you were beautiful, with or without the dress,” Spike stammered. “It’s not always the clothes that makes a person, or the creature, beautiful. But the person and the creature wearing the clothes…”

Spike looked to Loona and he was certain he saw her face turning red as she looked away.

“Whatever you say, human,” Loona muttered. “But…do you really think I’m beautiful, Spike?”

Before Spike could answer, the rest of the She-Beasts and Reverse-Hybrids had soon arrived.

“Spike!” Applejack called out. “Y’all alright?”

“Yeah!” Spike answered. “Me and Loona were just—“

“Talking,” Loona barked, finishing his sentence.

“Uhhh…”

“Honestly, what is wrong with you?” Rarity scolded Loona. “Stealing a sweet hearted young man’s camera. You ought to be ashamed of yourself!”

“Yeah! Like taking candy from a baby,” Pinkie Pie huffed.

“Hey, take it easy,” Spike stood up for Loona.

‘Whoa! Where did that come from?’ He thought at his sudden assertiveness.

“Loona was just playing! That’s all. Right Loona?”

In response, Loona simply looked away and huffed, “Yeah…just playing…”

Judging by her tone, it seemed Loona wasn’t sure. She seemed rather conflicted about something. Spike wished he knew what was troubling her.

He decided to let it slide for the time being as he and Loona followed the rest of the girls back to the village.

32 – Washing Up For Supper

The sky and clouds above the island was painted a blazing color of orange and red, by the sun setting over the horizon of the sea.

Up in the trees, a troop of devil monkeys screeched and hollered after they had returned from a successful raid.

The vicious primates were dividing up the spoils of their loot, tearing up the meats of their latest kills, and biting at one another.

Suddenly, the leaves of a nearby tree ruffled, alerting the monkeys the presence of an intruder.

The monkeys ceased what they were doing, watching and growling to see who would dare trespass on their domain.

The leaves ruffled, until finally, a face was revealed.

A rather cowardly monkey-man with blond hair had emerged. The monkey-man hooted, in a rather desperate tone, as if pleading for his life.

There was a moment of silence, until the devil monkeys laughed in response. Again, the monkey-man pleaded.

The devil monkeys grew impatient, so they all snapped their jaws, threatening the monkey-man if he refuses to leave.

Suddenly, there was a crack of whip in the air, silencing all of the monkeys. They turned their heads, in the direction of a large misshapen creature emerging from the shadows of the trees.

The creature appeared to be a cross between a baboon and a gorilla with snow white fur and tiger-like stripes behind it's back that goes all the down to its monkey tail, with icy blue eyes that pierced through the darkness. It wore a skull of an animal with large antlers, like a helmet to cover its face. Across its chest, almost like badges of war, the creature wore a collection of heads from several other Beast-Men, humans, even She-Beasts it had killed.

Wrapped around its left shoulder, it carried a long whip, made of spines, ending in a large sharp blade.

The devil monkeys all bowed their heads in submission to the beast, who walks across its branch, until it was looking directly into the cowardly monkey-man’s eyes.

“Wow!” Spike exclaimed, seeing the pile of meat stacked up in the Mess Hall. “You girls have been doing a lot of hunting!”

“Sure have,” Applejack nodded with her stomach growling. “Oh wow, I’m so hungry, I could eat a…a whole elephant!”

“Yeah? Well this giant crab’s claw is better suited for someone like Rarity,” Rainbow squawked, much to Rarity’s annoyance.

“I could go for a whole mountain of chocolate right about now,” Pinkie Pie moaned, before she felt her tummy rumbling. “Ooh, my tummy thinks so too.”

“Don’t you dare Dutch Oven us, Pinkie,” Sunset scowled at the pink Monkey-Woman.

“Anywho, let’s eat!” Starlight Glimmer shouted.

With that, all the carnivorous She-Beasts spring into action, pouncing on the meats, biting, clawing, and tearing away at the flesh, much to the disgust of their herbivorous friends, and Spike.

“Girls, girls, please!” Twilight shouted. “STOP!!”

The hungry She-Beasts immediately ceased their antics and everyone all turned to look at the disappointing look on Twilight’s face.

“Honestly, where are your manners?” Twilight shook her head. “I know we’re She-Beasts and all, but that no excuse to act like animals! Besides, dinner isn’t even ready yet. We have to wash ourselves first.”

The rest of the girls all exchanged agreements. All except for Loona.

“Hmph!” Loona muttered. “I knew there’s a catch to this…”

“I’m sorry darlings,” Rarity apologized. “I just don’t know what’s come over me.”

“That’s okay, Rarity,” Sunset replied. “No one blames you…”

“I’m afraid we’re all getting stirred crazy than usual on the island!” Applejack sighed. “We’re becoming more beasts than women by the seconds.”

“Still, Twilight is right,” Fluttershy said. “We have to remember our manners! We shouldn’t eat before we wash! Are we not women?”

“Uh, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash called, guiding the blind Woman-Bat. “We’re over here.”

“Oh! Sorry…” Fluttershy corrected her direction. “Let’s all wash up before dinner!”

The She-Beasts all got up and were heading towards the nearby river to clean themselves up.

Sunset Shimmer turned to the Reverse-Hybrids, and beckoned them to come along, “That means you girls.”

“Us?!” Loona barked in irritation. “Why? We’re not humans.”

“But y’all still need to clean up before supper,” Applejack reasoned. “Don’t want to eat while smelling something worse than what we eat, now do ya?”

Knowing that it's pointless to argue with the She-Beasts and their logics, the Reverse-Hybrids reluctantly followed along, with Loona being the last one to follow.

While the girls were getting washed, Spike was left to his lonesome in the mess hut, preparing dinner for everyone. He had a variety of fruits and vegetables in separate bowls.

One of which, to his surprise, was huckleberry which were grown in the north western part of the US, most notably his home state.

He didn’t know whether they originally grew here or Dr. Grogar brought them to the island but he was actually glad because he remembered the recipe for his grandma’s homemade huckleberry pie.

He looked over to one part of the large counter and saw a few various deceased beastmen which made his expression turn to a solemn one.

It was bad enough knowing that the Beastmen on the island have all lost their identity to become savage feral beasts, forcing the She–Beasts – including his girlfriends – to kill them for self-defense, to hunt and survive, but most of all, as some act of mercy. But the thought of butchering some of these Beastmen corpses, preparing them for the She-Beasts' dinner was making Spike feeling rather sick and squeamish.

Up until now, all the meat he has eaten have been fishes, crabs, and some of the wild pigs that Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack have hunted. But now, the predator She-Beasts have started craving for bigger meats. And the dead Beastmen have appeared on the menu.

"Ugh..." Spike groaned to himself, feeling rather sick to his stomach, and resisting the urge to throw up.

'I just don't feel hungry anymore...' Spike thought to himself. 'This is probably what a slaughterhouse looks like. I wonder if any crew members from The Essex that Moby Dick destroyed ever felt like this?'

Spike was trying his best not to think of the Beastmen as the humans they were before. But the more he thinks about it, the more his conscience conflicted his squeamish judgement. The thought of being a cannibal was sickening.

Spike struggled to shake his head to clear out the unpleasant thoughts of cannibalism.

"They're not humans anymore, they're not humans anymore," Spike said to himself, raising a knife to gut a dead boar-man. "They're not humans anymore, they're not humans...any...more..."

Spike stopped himself from plunging the knife's blade into the boar-man's skin when another epiphany had occurred. Neither were the She-Beasts. They're not humans. Although, the girls still retain their intelligence and their sentience, it doesn't change the fact that they're now She-Beasts. And day by day, it looks as if they're becoming more animalistic than humans.

Spike remembered a warning from Twilight and Sunset that eventually, the She-Beasts will completely lose their identity and become just as feral as Fleur-de-Lis. And what will Spike do when that happens? Will they all be fully feral She-Beasts and turn on him and kill him before they become mindless humans with no identity?

And what if Dr. Grogar finds Spike first and turns him into a Man-Beast? Will the girls kill him too?

Spike looked into the eyes of a dead Crocodile-Man, staring endlessly up into space. But Spike's reflection was staring back at him. It was almost like seeing his own dead body on the counter being prepared for dinner.

“Now this is Hell’s Kitchen for me…” Spike moaned to himself.

Nevertheless, the young man knew he has to make something for the girls’ dinner tonight. Worst case scenario, they might get really hungry enough to eat him.

A loud growl was heard from Spike’s stomach, and he groaned in agony, feeling the pit in his stomach.

“Oh well…hakuna matata,” Spike groaned, picking up a large butcher knife, trying not to think too much on the meat he was cooking.

“Hmph! Humans…” Loona grumbled at the notion of having to wash before eating.

“C’mon girls,” Twilight beckoned the girls to the river. “C’mon.”

After they had disrobed themselves of their clothes, Twilight and the girls were gathering a the riverbanks.

“P.U!” Fluttershy cringed. “We smelled stinky!”

“Just because we’re animals darling, doesn’t mean we have to smell like one,” Rarity stated her reasoning, before she remembers the Reverse-Hybrids present. “Oh! No offense, darlings.”

“Purple calamari fry,” Merida said in her gibberish talk.

Ignoring Merida’s alien talk, the girls turn their attentions to the river.

“Is it safe?” Fluttershy asked fearfully.

“Sure it’s safe, Fluttershy,” Sunset Shimmer assured. “I’ve skinny dipped in this river lots of times before. It’s safe.”

Pinkie Pie stuck a finger in the water and played with the ripples.

“Eeh eeh, it’s wet!” Pinkie hooted.

Leggy Lamb curiously inspected the water with a finger.

“BAA BAA BAA AAA AAA AAAAAAA!” Leggy bleated, shivering from the cold. “Cold!”

“Do we must wash?” Bea asked.

“Of course, darling,” Rarity replied.

“If it pleases Spike,” Fluttershy squeaked.

“I’ll take the chance for him!” Rainbow Dash smiled.

“Me too!” The other girls agreed.

“Ha! You girls are a bunch of saps!” Loona huffed. “Taking orders from that human male. But I’m warning ya! You give it an inch, then he’ll walk ALL over ya!”

“Don’t listen to that xenophobic bit…dog!” Twilight huffed, before she turned to the girls. “Come on, now girls!”

“How hard do you scrub?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Will our wools shrink?” Leggy asked.

“Do you get in the water?” Bea asked.

“Do we have to wash where it doesn't show?” Pinkie asked.

“Now, now, don't get excited,” Twilight consoled. “Here we go.”

With that, Twilight lead the girls on how they can wash themselves clean for supper.

Bluddle-Uddle-Um-Dum

All She-Beasts, including the feral Fleur, and Reverse-Hybrids, except for Loona, each picked up a bar of soap to wash their hands with lather.

Then, they scrubbed the soaps and lathers all over their faces, before they scooped up a handful of water, washed their faces, and went: “Brrr, brrr, brrr!”

Then, they repeat the process, washing their faces, and making loud babbling noises while cleaning themselves up.

“Bunch of old nanny goats, ya make me sick goin’ brrr, brrr, brrr!” Loona mocked.

At one point, Pinkie Pie got mischievous and splashed water on Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle. The two She-Beasts looked up at the pink monkey-woman, seeing her whistling not so innocently. Sunset and Twilight both looked to each other and exchanged devious grins in agreement.

"Get her!" With that, the two She-Beasts chased after Pinkie Pie who quickly made a run for the trees.

Pinkie Pie climbed up the trees, before she swung down from the branches to pull Twilight's ear and Sunset's tail, before she swings back up into the tree branches. Then, Pinkie Pie swung down again, and pulled accidentally pulled on one of Marina's tentacles. Eventually, all of the She-Beasts got involved as they chased Pinkie Pie along the river and trees, until they all ended up in the water, splashing about.

Meanwhile, Loona continued to watch the scene unfold, remaining ever so stubborn to not take a bath, “Hmph, next thing you know, that human decides to tie you up with pretty ribbons and spray you with that smelly stuff called...perfume. Ha!"

Eventually, after all of the roughhousing and splashing, the She-Beasts had gotten back on dry land to dry themselves up. Sunset Shimmer was shaking herself vigorously, causing all of her fur and hair to puff out.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Rainbow Dash laughed, pointing at Sunset, before she got doused by another splash of water from Applejack.

Pinkie Pie was smacking her head, due to some waters flooding her ears. She shook her head, but to no avail. Finally, Pinkie stuck a finger in her mouth and blew on it, which did the track as waters came shooting out of her ears, and bubbles.

Nearby, Leggy was drying up Kirin, when she was picked up by Fluttershy. The blind Woman-Bat had mistook the anthropomorphic sheep's wool for a towel and was using her to dry her face, much to Leggy's embarrassment. As an added insult to injury, Rarity had blindly motorboat in Leggy's chest to dry her face.

"A fine bunch of water lilies you turned out to be," Loona mocked, which didn't go unheard. "I'd like to see if any of you would make me wash. Even if I didn't wanna."

"Hmph!" Applejack huffed, giving Loona a death glare. "Ahem."

The orange wolf-woman called the rest of the girls over in a huddle, where she began to whisper her plan. The girls all exchanged giggles as they got started.

Applejack was the first to lead the party, whistling, with the others following, though Marina and Leggy seemed to be having trouble whistling along. The girls all surrounded Loona, who didn't realize what they were up to, until it was too late.

"GET HER!" Applejack barked, and the girls all pounced on the wolf-dog.

There was a cloudy struggle and blur of arms and legs, until the girls emerged, with a struggling Loona held in place. Her arms and legs were locked in place by Sunset Shimmer, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Beatrice.

“C’mon y’all!” Applejack barked. “Get her over to the river! Get her to the river!”

“Let me go you fuckers! Let me go!” Loona barked angrily, but to no avail.

“Get her to the river, y’all!” Applejack barked.

Eventually, the girls soon brought Loona to the river, where they begin to wash her.

Meanwhile, Spike had overcome his squeamish conscience, for the time being as he cooks and prepares the girls’ dinner.

After he had trimmed off the skin of a boar-man, Spike started cutting the meat into thin slices.

‘Just think of it as an ordinary pork,’ Spike repeated to himself mentally. ‘Just think of it as an ordinary pork. Just think of it as an ordinary pork… Ugh! Gross…’

Eventually, Spike had cut up a pile of uneven, but thin slices of meat, with which he then marinated in a bowl of ginger sauce that was in the village’s food hut.

“Okay…now that that’s over, I’ll just work on the cabbage,” Spike sighed, as he takes a large green cabbage and shreds it. “Like my friend, Mukoda, once said: can’t have ginger-friend pork without cabbage.”

Spike tasted some of the cabbage leaves for himself, smiling in satisfaction.

“Mmmm-mmmm!” He said to himself. “That’s good cabbage! Applejack’s definitely a farmer!”

Next, Spike heats up a frying pan with a bit of vegetable oil from the Food Hut. Then, he takes the marinated meats to fry them up in the frying pan. While he was cooking them, Spike took a whiff of the air, taking in the aroma of the meat.

“Wow!” Spike smiled. “This does smell good! I could almost eat it, right here, right now…if it wasn’t cooking…and…from a beastman’s…meat…”

Poor Spike was still struggling to cope with the reality that he and his girls will be eating the meat of a Beast-Man.

Meanwhile, the She-Beasts and Reverse-Hybrids tried to take her dress off, but Loona retaliated with a snap of her jaws and angry barks.

Loona tried to break free, but finds herself restrained by Marina’s tentacles that wrapped around her mouth, arms, and legs. Loona’s cheeks burned at the bizarre sensation of the tentacles wrapping her, turning her on.

Loona closed her eyes with her face burning as they pull the top of the bodice down, followed by the skirt.

There, she stood au natural in front of the girls.

“NOOOOOOOO!!!!” Loona wailed, her voice breaking into pitches, struggling to cover her naked human body. “Don’t look! Don’t loooooOOOOOOOKKKKK! My body is hideous!!!”

“Aw, nonsense darling,” Rarity exclaimed. “You have such a wonderful body!”

“Don’t lie,” Loona shivered. “It’s not my body. It’s not even as…big, or…curvy as…Sunset’s…”

“Yeah, okay,” Sunset blushed, while frowning in embarrassment. “I get that a lot. But honestly, big boobs are highly overrated and are kind of a curse. And if anything, I’d give to have a body like yours Loona.”

“But…it’s not mine,” Loona shivered from the cold. “Not anymore. This isn’t how dogs are supposed to look…”

“Well, this isn’t how humans are supposed to look either,” Applejack replied. “But we’re like this, because of Dr. Grogar. And there’s nothing we can do about it. All we can do is just accept what has happened and move on.”

Before the girls could give Loona another chance to speak, they proceeded to wash her before she can escape, or to shield her modesty, the girls quickly went to work, washing her, as they held onto her arms and legs to prevent her from escaping.

They poured water onto Loona, before Rainbow Dash scrubbed her head, followed by Pinkie Pie brushing her teeth.

“Now scrub good and hard,” Applejack sang, as she and the girls all scrubbed Loona, to the point she’s covered in suds. “It can't be denied that she'll look mighty cute as soon as she's dried!”

Soon, the She-Beasts all sang along, “But it's good for the soul and it's good for the hide to go…”

“Brrr, brrr, brrr!” Loona grunted when the girls picked her up and dunked her in the water repeatedly.

Meanwhile, Spike had finished a batch of meat to serve to his carnivorous She-Beasts and Reverse-Hybrids friends.

By then, Spike felt more unclean than usual, which was brought on when he stared at the soulless head of Dr. Grogar’s boar-man’s face.

“Get the fuck OUTTA HERE!” Spike yelled, kicking the head out of sight, as he shudders and brushes himself silly in a Willy frenzy.

“Ugh! First chance I’m off this island, I’m booking a month-long therapy session with Dr. Wolf!” Spike hyperventilated before he managed to compose himself.

“Where was I? Oh yeah! Grandma’s huckleberry pie!” Spike said as he starts baking the pie to take his mind off.

‘Let’s see, we got huckleberries,’ Spike analyzed mentally. ‘And how nice of Dr. Grogar to supply us with sugars, flours, and then some… I wonder if his faith was either misplaced, or he actually believed the Reverse-Hybrids would learn to experiment cooking…Speaking of which, I wonder how the girls are doing? Dinner’s just about ready…’

Thankfully, for Loona, it was all over, when the girls proceeded to dry her up with a towel, while wrapping a towel around her upper body. But as an added insult to injury, Rarity had started tying pretty pink ribbons to her hair.

“Ain’t she sweet?” Rarity giggled, before Rainbow Dash took a whiff.

“Hmmm! That’s no wet dog,” Rainbow chuckled. “Smells like a petunia!”

Fluttershy also took a turn to sniff Loona.

“Oh my! She does!” Fluttershy agreed. “I could just snuggle her up, like I did with Angel Bunny!”

“She’s a cutie pie!” Pinkie Pie added, when she puts a flower crown on Loona’s head, earning more laughs from the girls.

“I am going to hurt you ALL for this!” Loona barked angrily.

“SUPPER!!!” Spike called out, with the sound of pots clanging in the distance.

The She-Beasts and Reverse-Hybrids all turned to each other.

“Supper y’all!” Applejack exclaimed.

“FOOD! HOORAY!!!” The girls, except Loona, howled excitedly, dropping Loona back into the water, with some reclaiming their clothes, and making a mad dash back to the village.

“Brrr, brrr, brrr!” Loona resurfaced from the water, with an indignant huff. “Hmph!”

34 – Attack of the Storm King Part 2

”You peeping perverted primates are SO DEAD!!!!” Loona barked angrily, clutching a single sheet of towel, with one arm, to preserve her modesty.

She slashed, barked, and bit the attacking Devil-Monkeys with her free claws and teeth, while reaching out for her dress.

It was difficult for the wolf-dog reverse hybrid to fight off and get dressed at the same time.

“SOMEONE HELP!!!” Loona howled out loud.

Thankfully, a certain man and Monkey–Woman answered the call for help.

“Hey Loona, what’s—OH!” Spike yelped, blushing and turning away.

"Wow! You're glowing, Loona!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "Like the full moon you howl to at night!"

"Shut up!" Loona shivered, holding the towel over her chest and the area between her legs.

“Sorry Loona," A flustered Spike apologized. "Were you just showering?”

“Showering?” Loona seethed with tranquil fury. “Oh no. I was just drying off in the middle OF A FUCKING FIGHT! I LOVE BEING STARED AT!!!!!”

“…Really?”

"Well, duh. She started out as a dog, Spike!" Pinkie Pie hooted. "It's natural for dogs to go au natural."

“…Isn’t this what you humans call sarcasm?” Loona then barked out loud, “COVER ME SO I CAN GET DRESSED!!!”

"Oki-dokie-loki!"

With that, Pinkie Pie leapt down from her branch and jumped onto Loona, wrapping her arms and legs across the reverse-hybrid's chest and crotch.

"Like that?"

"GET OFF OF ME, YOU PINK BRAINLESS APE!" Loona barked angrily. "I didn't mean that kind of cover!"

"Oh! Well, why didn't you just say so, silly?" Pinkie giggled, before she leapt off of Loona and joined Spike with fighting off the attacking Devil-Monkeys.

In the meantime, Loona ran off to pick up her dress, which was left hanging on a nearby branch.

Spike jumped on top of a tree stump and screamed loudly.

“RAAAAAAARRRRR!!!” Spike roared, trying to look and sound intimidating.

In response, the Devil-Monkeys returned the favor and roared even louder, baring their fangs, and showing their claws to the intimidated man.

“Nu uh,” Spike whimpered in fright before he took off running in circles around Loona, who was getting dressed.

“Hey Loona?” Spike called to the dog. “Anytime now, I could use your help!”

"Like you've got trouble?" Loona replied, holding up the bodice of her dress in place. "I'm barely keeping this thing from falling!"

"I'll help you, Spike!" Pinkie Pie hooted and hollered, swinging on the tree branches to the rescue. "EAT COCONUTS YOU MEANIES!"

Pinkie Pie hurled several coconuts at the Devil–Monkeys. The coconuts exploded into colorful smokes upon impact, and the Devil–Monkeys were knocked off their feet and sent flying into high in the air.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" Spike screamed at the top of his lungs as a whole pack of Devil–Monkeys were chasing him.

Thinking fast, Pinkie Pie grabbed a bunch of bananas and peels their skin off and throws them across the field so the Devil–Monkeys would trip and fall on them. Some of them ended up crashing into one of the pitfall traps Spike and the girls had previously set up, killing the primates on the spot.

A Devil–Monkey leapt at Loona, who ducked and picked up her skirt in one hand to run, while using her other hand to holding the top of her dress up from falling.

"Of all the clothes Cozy Glow forced me to wear, why did it have to be this?" Loona snarled angrily.

Not looking where she was going, Loona collided into someone and they both fell the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.

"Spike!" Loona barked.

"Loona?!" Spike groaned.

Both reverse-hybrid and human helped each other up, and find themselves surrounded by Devil–Monkeys.

"LOOK OUT!" Spike and Loona said to each other, before they both twirled themselves to fight off the monkeys that were attack them from behind.

Spike smacked a Devil–Monkey in the face with a stick, while Loona kicked the other one way.

"Can you help me with this thing?" Loona pointed to the straps behind her back.

Spike frantically ties up the strings to help keep Loona's bodice in place, while frantically dodging the monkeys.

"Hold still!" Spike exclaimed, narrowly ducking a Devil–Monkey's swipe.

"I can't!" Loona replied, fighting off the Devil–Monkey to protect herself and Spike.

"Get away from my friends you big meanies!" Pinkie Pie screeched, swinging in, on a vine, to save the day. "I CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!"

Pinkie Pie bowls into several Devil–Monkeys on the way, knocking them down like bowling pins. One of them ended up being flung into a boom box, unintentionally turning it on.

The monkeys surrounded Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Loona, when suddenly, the boom box played a catchy mariachi music.

El José, El Marlon y El Mateo

The monkey-men quickly bounced up, looking at the boom box, then to Spike and the two girls, then finally each other.

“What’s up with them?” Spike asked.

“First time they’ve heard music, I guess,” Loona shrugged, which Spike returned.

"My kinda beat!" Pinkie Pie shrugged as she starts dancing to the catchy song and fight off the monkey-men at the same time.

Pinkie Pie picks up a couple of clam shells and starts clicking them, like a pair of castanets. Then, she dances across the forest floor, throwing kicks at some of the baffled monkey-men. She even kicked one of them in the groin, causing the monkey to howl in pain, clutching its smarten nether region and keels to the side.

"Olé!" Pinkie shouted, punching and kicking two more monkeys, and thrusted one of her shell-castanets and clamped it hard between another Devil–Monkey's nether region.

Spike picked up his stick and bashes a Devil–Monkey-man on the head, before he proceeds to whack another in the crotch.

A Devil–Monkey was lunging towards him, when Spike frantically holds up his camera.

“SMILE!” Spike shouted, snapping a photo of the monkey-man.

The bright flash from the camera startled the monkey-man so badly that he temporarily lost his sight.

The visually impaired monkey swung his fist and accidentally bashed one of his comrades in the face. Enraged, the Devil–Monkey slaps the blind monkey on the back of his head. In response, the blind monkey whacks the other monkey and they continue to slap each other relentlessly.

Back with Loona, with her dress secured in place, she can freely move both her arms and fights back some of the Devil–Monkeys attacking her.

A Devil–Monkey lunged at Loona, snapping its jaws at her legs. Loona retaliated by picking her skirt up in a flurry and thrusts her legs out for a kick in the monkey’s nose.

Another Devil–Monkey jumped out Loona, but missed and it went sailing over the wolf-dog reverse hybrid, who watches it land in a snare trap.

“Ha ha! You missed me!” Loona laughed mockingly at the monkey, before another monkey jumped at her.

Loona stepped on its left foot, causing the Devil–Monkey to holler in pain as it hops up and down and holds its smarten foot.

Loona walked over to the monkey and bopped it on the nose, causing it to fall hard on its back, into a pit trap.

Loona and Pinkie Pie both looked over and saw Spike climbing up a tree, frantically trying to escape from the monkeys.

“Hold on, Spike! We're coming!” Pinkie Pie shouted. "The non-sexual coming! Not the...y'know what I mean! Do you?"

"JUST SAVE ME!" Spike hollered, with his face heating up in a crimson red hue at Pinkie's innuendo.

Loona barked, running over to save Spike from the troops of monkeys, by pulling on one of the monkey’s tail and used him as if he were a mace to knock the others away.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie landed on the tree branch.

"Step away from Spike!" Then, she turned and pointed her backside in the Devil–Monkeys' direction. "This butt is loaded. I'll let you have it!"

In response, the Devil–Monkeys let out high-pitched girlish and bolted away from Spike and the girls.

“Phew! Thanks for the save, girls!” Spike thanked the dog and monkey-woman, while hanging onto a tree branch, like a sloth.

“You’re welcome, Spike!” Loona smiled with her tail wagging.

“Come on, let go of the branch, silly!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "We’ll catch ya!”

Though scared, Spike began by unwrapping his legs from the branch, before he completely lets go of the branch, and falls into Loona and Pinkie’s waiting arms.

“Nice catch, girls!” Spike panted heavily, while noticing the position they were in. “So…wanna…do something?”

Rolling her eyes, Loona dropped Spike like a sack of potatoes.

"Hey!" Pinkie Pie berated the dog.

Unfortunately, the Devil–Monkeys were still coming back for more. One of the monkeys accidentally hit the boom box, causing it to change music again. This time, it plays a fancy dance music.

Sly Cooper 2 — Dance with Carmelita

Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Loona exchanged looks with each other, before Spike bowed and offered his hand.

“May I have this dance, m’lady?” Spike asked.

“Okay,” Loona chuckled.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Pinkie Pie shrieked happily, beating Loona to taking Spike's hands.

"WHOA NELLY!" Spike exclaimed as Pinkie leads the dance, much to Loona's chagrin.

"C'mon, Spike!" Pinkie Pie hollered, as she drags Spike across the floor. "You gotta groove it! Groove with me!"

"I'm trying..." Spike moaned, for some reason, finding himself unable to stand in Pinkie's grips.

It was if his legs have become jelly.

Shake Your Groove Thing

"OOOH!" Pinkie chirped. "They're playing our song!"

"We don't have a song!" Spike argued. "We don't even have a duet!"

"Let's twinkle our toes! Turn!"

With a spin of her arms, Pinkie spun Spike into a tornado, causing him to crash and knock away many Devil–Monkeys in his path, until he finally came to a stop. By then, Spike was so dizzy that he could barely stand on one foot. Before he could fall and hit the ground, Pinkie grabbed him by the arm and pulls him back to her.

At that moment, the boom box changed song again.

Ottawan - D.I.S.C.O.

"Groove it like the waggies!" Pinkie smiled.

Then, without warning, Pinkie lifted Spike up in the air and thrusted him downward, swinging him between her legs, causing him to land two kicks at some Devil–Monkeys behind her. Pinkie then pulls Spike back up for another song by the malfunctioning boom box.

Tango instrumental

"Now tango!" Pinkie hooted, leading the dance, with Spike still dizzy from the adrenaline that he couldn't feel his legs and was bobbing helpless in the air.

"Spin! And tilt!" Pinkie cheered, once again, spinning Spike into a tornado, causing him to twirl around, knocking away all of the Devil–Monkeys he crashed into, until he finally came to a stop and almost fell into a pitfall trap.

"Whoa!" Loona barked, grabbing Spike and pulling him back to safety. "Watch it, human. You wanna lose your head?"

"Just...give me...a moment...to...screw it back on..." Spike moaned as he struggles to realign his whole world back into place.

"Wheee! That was so much fun!" Pinkie Pie hooted as she came running over to Spike. "C'mon! Let's go again!"

"NOOOO!!!" Spike screamed in horror.

Pinkie leapt back, startled by the sudden outburst, with Loona looking just as shocked. Seeing the hurt look on Pinkie's face, Spike composed himself.

"I mean...it's Loona's turn to dance now," Spike gestured to the wolf-dog. "You've had your turn, so...it's fair for Loona to have her turn next. Right, Loona?"

Spike looked at the wolf-dog, pleading with his eyes that she agrees, to which she does.

"Uh...what the human says," Loona replied to Pinkie.

"Oh, okay," Pinkie nodded, taking a seat and letting Spike take the stage with Loona.

"Man, that pink monkey is light on her feet..." Spike panted heavily. "And monkeys have feet that are prehensile! They're built like second pairs of hands!"

"Uh huh..." Loona nodded, before her scowl vanishes into a flirty expression. "Now let's show her how we really dance, Spike..."

Once again, taken in by Loona's swift change of expression, coupled with the haunting low tone in her voice, Spike complied as he stood upright.

"Ooh, Spike!" Pinkie grinned proudly. "You've tamed the dog!"

Sly Cooper 2 — Dance with Carmelita

With that, both Spike and Loona linked hands with each other and started to dance around the area.

The monkeys lunged at the both of them, but both Spike and Loona, still in the groove, fought them off.

A monkey leapt in front of them, which they both kicked away. Spike then twirled Loona into a dip, allowing the dog to simultaneously thrust a punch and a kick, hitting a monkey behind and in front of her.

During the dip, using his free hand, Spike backfisted a monkey, behind him.

Afterwards, Spike pulled Loona upright. From that position, the dog took Spike by the hands and spun him around, allowing him to kick the surrounding monkeys with his feet.

Once Spike touches back to the solid ground, he and Loona strut to the other side, to fight off some more monkeys.

“WATCH OUT!” They shouted, pointing to some monkeys behind each other.

Spike and Loona twirled themselves into a 180° spin, from which they spun their fists and swatted some monkeys away.

During the fight, Loona tripped on her dress again.

End of Music

“AH!” Thankfully, Spike caught her in time, wrapping a hand around her waist.

“Gotcha!” Spike said.

“Thanks,” Loona smiled. “Look out!”

In a blur, Loona grabbed Spike and rolled to the side, to evade some monkeys. The dog growled as she got up on all four, barking and snapping her jaws at the monkeys, standing protectively over Spike.

"ARRRGH! I can't with this thing!" Loona growled angrily.

Spike watched as Loona reached to the hem of her dress, tore up a big slit in the skirt, allowing her more movement. But rousingly, to Spike, he gets to see more of her legs.

No longer having her leg movements limited by her skirt, Loona got down on all four and proceeded to thrusts her legs out in a flurry of back kicks, fully supported on her hands.

During the fight, the curtain of Loona's skirt flew to the side, allowing Spike to catch a glimpse of her.

“Wow!” Spike gasped, which didn’t go unheard.

“Wow, what?” Loona asked, raising her eyebrow, and turning her head to look at Spike.

“Wow as in you’re very good!” Spike gives a thumbs up, while feeling his face heating up.

Before the talk could continue, Spike heard commotions coming from the docks. He turned to Loona, who nodded.

“Go on. we'll take it from here,” She beckoned.

With a nod, Spike took off running to the bay, leaving Loona and Pinkie Pie to fight off some remaining monkeys.

"I saw that," Pinkie grinned at Loona.

"What?" The dog scowled.

"You like him, don't you?"

With every muscles in his legs burning, his lungs working overtime, his breathing ragged, Spike literally running himself to exhaustion as he helps the girls fend off the Devil–Monkeys invading.

He was just arriving the docks, when a Devil–Monkey jumped out from the bushes and bared their fangs at him.

“YIKES!”

Spike turned around to run, only to find a whole troop of Devil–Monkeys advancing towards him from every direction. He has walked into an ambush.

“HELP!” Spike screamed.

Two Devil–Monkeys leapt into the air to attack the photographer.

“SPIKE!!!”

Luckily, the man was saved by the timely arrival of a crocodile and a shark jumping out of the water, snapping up the attacking primates.

"Starlight! Bea!" Spike exclaimed happily. Never before, had Spike felt so relieved to be saved by a couple of females, be it human or She-Beasts.

"Watch your back, Spike!" Starlight Glimmer grunted, twisting her hip and whipping her long thresher-like tail, stunning one of the Devil–Monkeys in place, before she lunged and chomped off a big chunk of its flesh off.

"Blech! Sharks actually eat meats this raw?" Starlight spatted in disgust.

Not too far away, Bea was grappling against a Devil–Monkey that was biting and clawing at her, until she clamped her jaws around its neck. The savage monkey-men let out a loud bloodcurdling shriek of agony as the crocodilian reverse-hybrid drops herself onto the dock, dragging the savage primate down with her, before she performs a death roll that killed the monkey with an audible snap of its neck, and they disappeared into the water.

Starlight continues to fight off the rest of the attacking Devil–Monkeys to protect Spike, who was flashing his camera to stun most of them.

"Say CHEESE!" Spike shouted, snapping a photo of a Devil–Monkey and Starlight Glimmer.

"Hey! Spike!" Starlight groaned, blinded by the flashing lights and seeing dots. "Watch the friendly fire!"

"Sorry, Starlight," Spike cringed in apology.

Suddenly, there was a burst of water, to which Spike turned around in time to see Bea leaping from the water and landed back on the deck. The crocodilian reverse-hybrid let out a vicious hiss with her pupils narrowing into slits.

"Duck!" Bea hissed.

"Duck? Where?" Spike turned around to look, only to realize what Bea actually meant. "WHOA!"

A Devil–Monkey had leapt at Spike, narrowly biting off the top of his hair. Bea quickly swatted the monkey away with a twist of her body and a smack of her strong tail.

"GRILL CHEESE MUFFIN TIME!!!" Hollered a voice.

Spike, Starlight, and Bea turned their heads to look behind them to see Marina stepping onto the dock, carrying what appears to be a black keytar, strapped across the octopus reverse-hybrid's shoulders.

"Marina?" Spike turned to ask Starlight, "What...What is that she's carrying? A keytar?"

"Oh, just something we've been working on," Starlight winked, before she realizes. "Speaking of which. HIT THE DECK!"

Color Pulse‎ (Instrumental) - Splatoon 2 ost - Nintendo - [x-minus.pro ai]

Without wasting a second, Starlight and Bea grabbed Spike and the three literally hit the deck, just when Marina aimed her instrument at the violent primates and pressed the first key which unleashed a powerful whirling wave that sent quite a few of them flying.

A couple of Devil-Monkeys attempted to attack Marina from behind, but the octo-woman saw this coming. She instantly whipped around and pressed the second key which unleashed an energy wave in the form of a vertical slash which sliced the monkeys in half.

Just then over a dozen of the savage primates attempt to attack her from above but Marina pressed the third and final key which formed an energy dome around her before unleashing a powerful shockwave which sent the monkeys flying everywhere.

Spike had peeked an eye open and was more than shocked of witnessing the sheer destructive capability of Marina’s keytar.

“Daaaaang…..!” Spike said slowly, slack jawed and bug eyed.

It was like watching an action movie, with an explosion set off behind Marina, illuminating her curvaceous figure, which Spike has started to notice.

Kirin was going as fast as his little legs could, trying to catch up to Spike who was fending off a couple of Devil-Monkeys.

However, the little lamb failed to notice the figure in front of him and collided with them. The figure was none other than Blueblood who had finally managed to get away from Rarity, only to suddenly get knocked down.

The monkey man quickly comes to and sees that the little lamb, who was still dizzy from the impact, was the culprit. Enraged, Blueblood instantly got up, stomped on over to Kirin, and kicked the little lamb so hard, little Kirin was sent flying across the area. Unfortunately for the sad, silly bastard however, someone saw him do this…

Not too far from where Blueblood and Kirin were, Leggy was trying to hold her own against some of the vicious primates until she noticed Blueblood stomping over to Kirin and kicked her child away.

The very moment Leggy saw this, something within her snapped. The sheep-woman lets out a loud scream and actually begins to bulk out, much to the Devil–Monkeys’ shock. Leggy now has an amazonian build, not too different from Applejack’s physique, and was breathing like a rabid animal.

Before the Devil–Monkeys knew it, Leggy then grabbed one of them and used him as a club against some of his comrades. Leggy then discarded the now dazed primate and made her way to Blueblood, punching and kicking any other Devil–Monkey that got in her way.

Meanwhile, Blueblood was dusting himself off when he noticed a shadow looming over him. Blueblood looks up and sees an enraged, bulked up Leggy looking down at him with pure hatred in her eyes.

Leggy then grabbed Blueblood by the collarbone and proceeded to give him a flurry of punches so fast, it was invisible to the naked eye. After a good fifteen minutes, a beaten, bloody, and bruised Blueblood was laying on the ground, barely breathing, with Leggy standing triumphantly behind him.

Leggy then hears a loud baa and turns to see Kirin running towards her. Happy to see her child okay, Leggy returns to her petite figure and runs towards her little lamb. Kirin then jumps towards leggy when he got close enough and embraced her with the sheep-woman returning the gesture.

"Oh my!" A voice exclaimed, revealing himself to be Spike, slack jawed and staring in awe at what he had witnessed.

Both Kirin and Leggy walked up to the man, only for him to fall to the ground, completely petrified from the raw ferocity displayed by a lamb as nimble and voluptuous than Leggy.

After he has overcome his shock from witnessing Leggy’s strength and protective motherly instinct that makes a mama bear’s look tame, Spike was back in the village, helping the other girls fend off the Devil–Monkeys. It was at that moment when he got to witness the brutality of Applejack's strength, combined with the ferocity of a wolf.

“YEEE-HAW!” Applejack howled, lassoing a huge ape-man and tossed him out of the village.

Another Devil-Monkey jumped at Applejack, and slashed its claws at her, scratching her cheek. In retaliation, Applejack bites down hard on the monkey's hand and ripped it off. The decapitated Devil-Monkey let out an agonizing screech as it runs off until it bleeds to death.

In the meantime, several more Devil-Monkeys surrounded the she-wolf who continues to spin her lasso at the ready, stares them down, and baring her fangs for further intimidation. But the monkeys wouldn't yield, and there were too many for Applejack to take on by herself.

"Applejack!" Spike called out. "The trap! This way!"

Spike quickly lead Applejack to some part of the forest, outside of the village, where they had previously set up some traps. Spike pulled on a vine, which triggers a trap to lob several stones at the pursuing Devil-Monkeys.

"Take that, you ugly baboons!" Spike mocked.

"Don't celebrate just yet, Spike!" Applejack howled. "There's more of 'em on the way!"

Spike looked up and he could feel his eyes widening in alarm to see a large troop of Devil-Monkeys advancing upon them. Snapping his head to the left, then to the right, Spike sees the giant head of the Draco-Snake that he had previously hunted with Applejack and Rainbow Dash before.

"Hey Applejack!" Spike pointed to the head. "Ever watched Enter the Dragon?"

Applejack smiled towards Spike, "I like the way you think, Sugarcube."

Applejack ran over to head behind the Draco-Snake's head, while Spike waved his arms to the monkeys.

"Come and get me you ugly primates!" Spike taunted the monkeys.

With a loud screech, the Devil-Monkeys gave chase after the photographer, who was leading them to the Draco-Snake's head. Spike picked up a stick on the way, which he then used to slap on the Draco-Snake's jaw. As if he had pressed a remote, the snake's head suddenly sprang to life, snapping its jaws, startling the pursuing Devil-Monkeys. To further their terror, a loud screech was heard from the Draco-Snake's mouth, scaring off the primates.

"It worked!" Spike laughed triumphantly. "They totally bought it."

Applejack stepped out from behind the Draco–Snake's head, revealing that she had been the one who was roaring through the serpent's mouth.

"How'd ya make that serpent's head snap its jaws, Spike?" Applejack asked.

"If I know my snakes, they have a freaky reflex that lets them snap their jaws, even after they were beheaded..." Spike explained. "Though...for an average snake, it only works for a few hours, but the fact that Grogar made his snakes retain their reflexes for days is...disturbing."

Before the conversation could continue any further, there was a loud hooting and yowling, to which Spike and Applejack looked up to see a large ape-like creature, which appeared to be a cross between a baboon and a gorilla with snow white fur and tiger-like stripes behind it's back that goes all the down to its monkey tail, with icy blue eyes that glowed.

It wore a skull of an animal with large antlers, like a helmet to cover its face. Across its chest, almost like badges of war, the creature wore a collection of heads from several other Beast-Men, humans, even She-Beasts it had killed.

Wrapped around its left shoulder, it carried a long whip, made of spines, ending in a large sharp blade.

Freedom Planet Mix - Major Boss Battle (Original + Chiptune)

"Who is that?" Spike asked.

"That's their big boss, Sugarcube," Applejack explained, with a whimper of fear in her tone. "That there's the Storm King."

"The Storm King..." Spike gasped, remembering the photo of the Storm King, along with photos of the other worst criminals in Grogar's lab. "The last of the big time criminals! Tirek, Sombra, Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, and finally, the Storm King! They're all here! And wow...Grogar's definitely done them all dirty..."

"Yer not telling me that you actually feel sorry fer those varmints?" Aj asked with a raised brow.

Spike shook his head, "Not at all," He replied. "If there's anyone who deserves to be Grogar's genetic playthings, it's definitely those five. Aaaand Blueblood to some extent."

With a loud roar, the Storm King unravels his whip off his shoulder, spinning it around the air, screeching loudly to add ferocity to his appearance.

"Is that...are those...bones?!" Spike screamed squeamishly.

“Careful, Spike! That thing looks sharp!” Applejack warned him.

"TELL HIM THAT!" Spike screamed loudly, alerting Applejack to the Storm King charging towards them, spinning his bony whip in the air. "LOOK OUT!"

Spike and Applejack both dive to the side to avoid the bladed tip as it flies forward, nearly impaling them.

The Storm King quickly retracted his whip and spins it again to ready for another attack. While he was doing this, the Storm King let out a cackling chuckle, which didn't go unheard. Spike looked up to the tree branches above, and his eyes widened to see him and Applejack were surrounded by a vast majority of the Storm King's troops.

However, the Devil-Monkeys and Ape-Men didn't lunge in for the kill. Instead, they were all banging their fists on the branches, shrieking loudly for their leader to kill both man and She-Wolf. They came to watch the show.

Spike was backing away, not looking behind him, when loud shriek alerted him, from behind. Spike jumped up with a yelp, realizing how close he was to one of the monkeys. Unfortunately, this also alerted the Storm King who raised his whip in the air to attack Spike.

"Oh no you don't!" Applejack barked, jumping up in the air and grabs the tip of the bone whip, before it got the chance to stab Spike.

Undeterred, the Storm King yanked hard on his whip, causing the sharp boney ridges and the blade, in Applejack's hands, to scratch her hands as they were pulled free.

"OW!" Applejack yelped in pain.

The orange She-Wolf looks at her palm to discover bleeding cuts.

Snarling through her teeth, Applejack swallowed the urge to scream at her open flesh wounds as she looked up, glaring at the Storm King, cackling wickedly as he spins his whip again for another attack.

Then, with a kick of his legs, the Storm King lunged forward, pivoting on one of his hands to perform a somersault, with his whip tailing behind him. Upon landing on one of his feet, the Storm King crunches down before he springs upward into a flutter kick, spinning his whip as if it was a ribbon, slashing through the air.

Applejack ducked her head down to avoid the blade and sprinted forward to gain some distance from the Storm King. Unfortunately, the ape-like Berserker caught sight of the She–Wolf escaping from him. Without breaking the momentum, the Storm King was literally quick on his feet, changing direction and slashed his whip in Applejack's direction, striking her at the left thigh.

"ARGH!" Applejack screamed, collapsing onto the ground.

"Yikes!" Spike cringed. "That big ape's got some skills!"

Looking down to see Applejack was in a great deal of pain, Spike looked at the She-Wolf, then looks back up at the ferocious primate berserker, who wasn't stopping with his flurry of whips and kicks.

"Applejack!" Spike called out to the She-Wolf.

"Forget about me, Spike!" Applejack called to the man. "Run! Get outta here!"

Without giving Applejack another chance to speak, the Storm King picked up the She-Wolf by the throat, tightening his grip, threatening to crush the air out of her.

"Applejack!" Spike screamed helplessly for the She-Wolf.

The scared man almost wanted to turn and run. But he knew that wasn't an option, because the Storm King's troops still surrounded him and they were all blocking his way to escape. He was being forced to watch as the Storm King suffocates Applejack in a slow and painful death.

As Spike continues to look on, his life flashed before his eyes. He blinked his eyes and for a moment, he saw a helpless little child, being crushed under the foot of a deranged woman, who was cackling loudly like a hyena.

"AH! GET OFF!" Spike screamed, impulsively picking up a rock and threw it at the wicked woman. "GET OFF OF ME!"

A loud shriek of a monkey filled the air. Spike opened his eyes and finds himself back to the cruel reality of him being on the island with anthropomorphic animals who were once humans. Speaking of whom, Applejack was on the ground, coughing and breathing heavily to catch her breath. Meanwhile, the Storm King glowered menacingly at Spike, with one of his hands rubbing a spot on his forehead. The man had hurled a rock at him, and the Storm King is beyond miffed.

"Uh...did I do that?" Spike asked, with a shrug, a sheepish grin, and sweating a storm.

With an angry howl, the Storm King slashed his bone whip at Spike.

"WHAAA!!!"

Spike screamed loudly, ducking his head to avoid the blade, before he took off running for his life. But not before he stopped to take a picture of the Storm King.

"Say CHEESE!" Spike yelled, snapping a photo of the primate berserker, with a bright blinding flash in the monster's eyes.

The Storm King let out a loud yelp, rubbing his eyes with one hand. While the big ape was slowly regaining his eyesights, he let out a loud screech that got his troops mobilized. The devil monkeys hooted and hollered as they chased after Spike around the village.

Spike ran over to a bush, where he remembered Pinkie Pie stashing some makeshift weapons, in case of emergency she said.

'If this isn't an emergency, then I don't know what is,' Spike thought to himself.

Reaching into the bushes, Spike pulled out what appeared to be a wooden gun. Paying no mind, he held the barrel of the gun at the oncoming monkeys.

"TAKE THIS!" Spike screamed, pulling the trigger.

However, instead of a bullet, or any kind of heavy ammunitions, what Spike unexpectedly shot was a large cloud of foul stenches imaginable.

"P–U!!!" Spike coughed, dropping the gun to the ground, pinching his nose, repulsed by the smell. "Pinkie...Really?"

The devil monkeys all took a whiff of the stench, and they immediately turned tail. Some have jumped into a water to escape the stench, where they were killed by Starlight Glimmer, Beatrice Santello, and Marina. Some other monkeys even picked up scraps of grasses to chew on them, much to Spike's bewilderment. The rest of the troops have even ran off into the jungles to get away from the stench.

'Well...if they don't like it, then I'm betting their alpha won't like a snoopful of this...' Spike thought, picking up the wooden gun and returns to the village to rescue Applejack.

By the time Spike got back, the Storm King had recovered his eyesight, just in time to see Spike holding a wooden gun in his face.

"Say hello to my little friend!" Spike shouted, holding in his breath, pulling the trigger, shooting another cloud of stench in the Storm King's face.

The Storm King sniffs the air, which he quickly regrets. With a loud howl, the Storm King dropped his whip as he wildly thrashed his arms out in a frenzy. Spike quickly ran over to help Applejack on her feet. Together, they watched the Storm King frantically clawing at his face in a vain attempt to get the foul smell out of his nose. In his blind frenzy, the Storm King stepped on his own whip, causing one of the boney ridges to pierce the arc of his foot.

With a loud painful yell, the Storm King started hopping on one foot, while clutching his sore foot.

"Ooh! I'll bet that's smarts..." Spike commented.

"Let's see how he likes them apples," Applejack huffed.

Soon, the Storm King stopped hopping on his sore foot. The angry primate picked up his whip and snarled, lunging towards Spike and Applejack.

Suddenly, a loud screech pierced the air and a familiar blue falcon and buttercup yellow bat swooped down and knocked the Storm King off his feet with a combined blow to his head. The big ape berserker picked himself up, only to be knocked down again by a fiery tiger-woman and leopard-woman. The Storm King used two of his hands to hold off the snarling Cat–Women, while one of his feet was struggling to find his whip along the floor.

"Yoink!" Pinkie Pie chirped, snatching away the bone whip.

"RARRRGGHHH!!!" Loona screamed, biting one of the Storm King's leg.

The Storm King let out a loud frustrated yell, hurling his arms and legs in the air, throwing off the She–Beasts. But before the Storm King could have another chance to retaliate, he felt a small light hit to his leg. Looking down, he spotted the young ram, Kirin, ramming his single horn into the Berserker.

The Storm King shrieked loudly, raising his arm to strike down the ram, when a lasso of rope wrapped around his hand and held him back. The Storm King looked back to see he was held back by Applejack and Spike.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Spike wagged his finger.

Without warning, the Storm King received a strong punch to his face, knocking some of his teeth out. The Storm King turned to look, finding himself at the mercy of an angry ewe, with a muscular, yet curvaceous build. Before the Storm King could react, Leggy thrusted her powerful legs in a front kick, striking the big ape in the groin.

The Storm King let out a high-pitched scream, before Leggy Lamb proceeds to wail on him with a flurry of punches and kicks, so powerful that they launched the big ape out of the village. The Storm King was flying through the tree branches, until he smashed headfirst into a thick tree's bark. The Storm King slides down, snapping several branches along the way, until he landed on another branch, between his legs.

"Ooooooh!" A nearby chimpanzee hollered, emphasizing the Storm King's insult to injury, watching as he falls to the ground.

Finally having enough, the Storm King let out a pitiful cry, before he swung himself away into the treetops, with the Devil Monkeys following him. Among them, a bruised and battered Blueblood was being carried off by some of the primates, all the while wailing and moaning like that of a diva from a soap opera.

End of Fight

Spike and his girls all let out a celebrating uproar, as they watch the Storm King and his troops retreating into the jungle.

“And stay out!” Rainbow Dash screeched, before she was pulled to the side by Pinkie Pie.

“WE DID IT, DASHIE!!!” Pinkie screeched, proceeding to kiss Rainbow Dash on the sides of her face.

“Yuck!” Rainbow Dash cringed as she swatted Pinkie Pie with her feathers.

“Whoa, I can’t believe it…” Spike panted, recovering from the adrenaline. “We’ve fought them back! We won!”

"Sure did, sugarcube!" Applejack smiled, when she suddenly felt a kiss on her cheek, that she turned to look at Spike with a stunned look.

"I...I...I, uh..." Spike stammered. "Wow...we...did I just…did I do that?"

"Why, Spike," Applejack smiled, bending down to look at the man in the eyes. "Did you just kissed me, Sugarcube?”

Applejack grins flirtatiously as she moved closer to Spike, who stayed still, sweating up a storm, feeling his whole face burning up, knees buckling, and a mixed feeling of fear and embarrassment. The poor man thought he was actually going to die of embarrassment on the spot.

It was only after a wet kiss licked across his face that Spike finally came to his senses of reality. He looks up to see a giggling Applejack.

“I love you too, honey,” Applejack smiled as she turned to walk away.

Spike watched her leave, but finds his eyes being drawn towards her swaying hip and swinging tail, teasing him for a stare.

“BRRRR BRRR!!!” Spike burbled, as he vigorously shook his head. “Get ahold of yourself, Spike…”

What Spike didn't notice were the jealous looks on the other girls' faces.

Later that night, Spike and the girls resume their dinner, which has become their victory feast, to honor their victory against the Storm King and Blueblood.

“I like to toast to us,” Rainbow began. “But mostly me, for a job well done at defending our home!”

“Well, to be fair,” Applejack began. “We all did a great job protecting our home.”

“That’s what I just said,” Rainbow retorted.

“And then you try to swoop in and steal all the credits for yourself…as usual,” Sunset shook her head.

“What can I say? I’m awesome!” Rainbow smirked.

“…Have it your way, darling,” Rarity sighed, before she glanced over at Spike with a grin. “However, I think the hero of the hour is mine other than Spike.”

“Wha…me?” Spike asked, pointing at himself.

“Well, of course, darling!” Rarity smiled. “None of this would’ve been possible without your help!”

Spoke blushed, feeling his cheeks burning.

“Oh…I…it was nothing,” Spike replied modestly.

“No, she’s right, Spike,” Sunset smiled. “If it hadn’t been for you, then I would’ve lost my mind and be at the bottom of a tiger trap…impaled.”

“Not a pretty picture,” Pinkie Pie cringed.

“And I would’ve been a goner at the hands of the Storm King,” Applejack brought.

“And I would’ve crashed!” Fluttershy spoke up. “A lot!”

“You do crash a lot,” Loona barked bluntly, to which the other girls and Spike shot her disapproving glares.

“Well…I can’t help it if I’m a bat,” Fluttershy replied. “But with Spike’s help, I was able to fly a lot better!”

“Then I’d say we’re all in agreement!” Twilight smiled, as she and the girls pick up their coconut cups up to toast Spike.

“To Spike!” The girls said together, much to his joy and modest embarrassment.

The festivity lasted all through the night, with Spike and the girls exchanging laughs and praises for one another.

All the while, Spike felt his heart beating faster than he’s ever felt his whole life. It was so strong, he was sure that it might burst out of his chest.

He couldn’t understand why, or what the feeling was. All he knew was that whenever he looked at the girls, he couldn’t stop smiling, his face keeps burning, and his heart was pounding even stronger.

He was no longer scared of the girls. Instead, he felt a desire of wanting to be closer to the girls for some reason. He wondered why.

After their dinner, all the stuffed girls and Spike were just about to turn in for the night, when Spike spoke up.

“Hey…girls?” Spike yawned.

“Yeah, Spike?” Sunset answered, with the others following.

“Can I? I mean, could we…sleep together again for tonight?” Spike asked, with his face blushing up a storm, and his eyelids struggling to stay awake.

The girls all looked at each other, before they all, minus one, nodded in agreement.

“Of course we can, Spike!” Twilight smiled.

“Darn tootin’!” Applejack barked.

“Oh yeah!” Rainbow joined in agreement.

The girls approached Spike to smother him in a group hug, when Starlight noticed that someone wasn’t joining in.

“Well, Loona?” Starlight asked. “You joining?

“Huh? Oh. I, uh… Nah!” With a shake of her head, Loona took her leave.

In the meantime, Spike and the rest of the girls got settled together in a single hut, with the girls piling up around each other, with Spike smothered in the middle.

Spike was resting his head on Sunset Shimmer’s large fluff of fur, over her breasts, much to her arousal. At the same time, Rarity was resting on his chest to snuggle her head in his neck, while Leggy Lamb held him by the waist with her legs, from behind. Their combined snuggles have aroused him.

“Hey, girls?” Spike rambled, half-asleep, barely keeping his eyes opened any longer. “I…I’m really grateful to meet you girls.”

“We’re glad to meet you too, Spike,” Applejack smiled.

“No…more than that,” Spike yawned, half-awake with half of his awareness intact as he succumbs to his sleep. “I was scared of women. I’ve been scared of women since I was a little kid at the wrong time and place. And then, I met you girls. My angels. I was scared that I was going to die alone on this horrible island. But now, I see it’s not possible when I’m with you girls.”

“Oh Spike…” Twilight whimpered.

“…Everything’s going to be okay, Spike,” Sunset gently shushed, holding Spike closer to reassure his security.

“We will never let anything happen to you,” Rarity added, snuggling under his chin.

“No one’s going to die,” Pinkie smiled lovingly to the sleepy man.

In response, Spike smiled in his sleep, while his hands traced up along the sides of the nearest girls, until his hands wrapped around Sunset’s and Rarity’s, bringing them closer, much to the envy of the other girls.

“I love you girls,” Spike yawned. “I owe my life to you. All of you are…my life...girls of my life…”

All the girls present smiled to hear Spike declaring his love for them. This is the happiest moment of their lives. He’s overcome his gynophobia and has accepted them.

“We love you too, Spike,” The girls all said together as they each gave Spike a good night kiss.

However, as the girls fall asleep, they each have the same thought on their minds.

‘Spike is my life! Spike is mine!’ They thought with individual possessiveness on their minds.

Meanwhile, Loona was in her own hut, overwhelmed with the clashing thoughts that were driving her mad.

Why did she feel herself drawn to Spike? Why was her whole body heating up, as if it were on fire? Why did her stomach feel a buzzing sensation? Why was her chest aching with her heart pounding? Why did she feel wet?

She could hardly sleep. She needs answers. But no matter how hard she tried to figure, it just leads to more questions than answers.

Could it be possible that she’s attracted to Spike because her human body is attracted to him? Is that why she’s having trouble sleeping? Because Spike was not in bed with her, like last night?

Or is it because she is becoming human? Is she sick?

And if she were human, then is she no longer a dog?

‘No! I’m a dog!’ Loona told herself in her thoughts. ‘I am a dog! I! AM! A! DOG!’

Loona tried to sleep, but couldn’t. She was just too conflicted and confused about her identity.

‘Clothes is what separates the human and beasts,’ Rarity’s words echoed in Loona’s head.

‘That’s it!’ Loona thought to herself. ‘That’s what’s making me human…it’s these stupid coverings the humans called clothes! I have to take them off! That will prove I’m still a dog! That’s it!’

Without wasting another second, Loona got out of bed, standing on her legs.

“Alright cursed dress of Cozy Glow,” She growled, reaches up to the top of her bodice. “Prepare to meet your DOOM!!”

Loona pulled her dress, from the top of her chest, down to her waist, where she met some difficult resistance.

“Get off me!” Loona growled, hearing the fabric ripping apart. “Get! Off! ME!”

Mustering up all her strength, Loona pulled the skirt down, dropping it around her ankles. Concealed in the shadows of her hut, Loona stood au natural than the day she was born.

“There! I’M FREE!” Loona howled in triumphant. “You thought you could keep me forever, Cozy? HA! You’ve been—“

“Hey Loona! Quiet!” The screech of the falcon shouted. “Some of us need our beauty sleep!”

Though annoyed at the falcon, Rainbow Dash, to interrupt her triumph, Loona regained her composure and plopped herself on her bed.

“I’m free from Cozy,” Loona said to herself. “I’ve saved myself from becoming human! I’m a dog. I’m a dog! And I’m proud of it! Yeah! I’m not a human! And I still hate Spike! Spike?”

At the mention of the green-haired man, Loona’s triumphant celebration suddenly vanished. Her thoughts were once again about Spike’s kindness, his timid, but also caring nature, and his heroism that saved her from Cozy Glow.

“No! I-I-I don’t hate him! He…He saved my life…” Loona reminded herself.

Once again, just like before, she felt her heart beating again, with her tail wagging, and the buzzing sensation returning in her stomach.

“No!” Loona whined to herself, covering her eyes with her hands. “I’m not supposed to be feeling like this! I’ve…I’ve taken off my clothes! No, I mean, Cozy Glow’s dress! I’m not a human! I’m a dog! I can’t feel like this about Spike! Can I?”

And yet, the more Loona thought about Spike, the more she felt herself burning to the point she was sweating and panting from the heat.

‘Oh no…’ Loona thought to herself. ‘Am I sick? Am I having…a fever? Like that human did, after he was bitten by the spider? Is it…contagious? Is it spreading to me?’

Loona hugged herself in an attempt to calm her nerves and bewildered thoughts. Except now that she was no longer wearing anything, she ended up touching herself, as if for the first time.

Her conflicting thoughts turning to curiosity, Loona’s hands stroke down to explore and examine her human body. Every touch of her body, from her hands set, off a shocking wave of electricity that ran up her head.

‘Oh wow…Are all human bodies like this? And is this one mine?’ She mentally asked herself, as she continues with her examination.

After feeling her chest, she traced her hands along the curves of her torso, down to her hips.

‘Are my legs really that big?’ Loona thought to herself. ‘Oh? What…What’s this?’

Loona felt a wet fabric, covering her crotch, between her legs, to which she realizes she had forgotten one last piece of clothing. A strange garment the humans call an underwear.

‘How could I have missed this?’ Loona asked herself, reaching down to remove the soiled undergarment, only for her fingers to inadvertently touch herself in a very sensitive spot.

‘Oh! Oh wow…What is this feeling? Why…Why does it…excite me?’

Curious, and wanting to explore more of the new sensation, Loona wriggled her fingers in her sensitive area, which made her mind a blank.

“What a feeling!” Loona panted, and asked herself, “What is this? What’s happening to me? Why can’t I stop?”

But instead of stopping herself, Loona quickens the pace. She was itching in a very sensible spot that, up until now, was unexplored. And now that she’s scratching it, she couldn’t stop herself.

‘Do every single humans have feelings like this?’ She asked herself in her thoughts, until she let her human instincts to take over.

‘Why is this happening to me? Why am I so itchy? Oh, why am I burning? Why am I sick? I can’t even think clearly. What’s happened to my body?’

For the rest of the night, the only sound that can be heard from the village was Loona howling. But it was no ordinary howl, since it was hardly a dog’s. It sounded almost human.

35 — In Heat – Part 1

Author's Note

The alternate title for this chapter is: Spike's No Nut November! XD Lol

35 — In Heat – Part 1

The heat of the island has either gotten to him, or perhaps a passionate feeling was invoke from within. Whatever the reason could be, it was a crazy night when Spike found himself in a strange dream of some kind.

In his dream, there was an upbeat tempo of strange musics and the haunting voice of a woman singing, Spike was almost certain he was listening to the songs of a siren, a beautiful, but dangerous female that lulls unsuspecting men, such as Spike, to their fatal end.

Phao - 2 Phut Hon (KAIZ Remix) and/or Nico Staf | Fast and Run

Spike was wandering aimlessly through the dense jungles of Dr. Grogar's island. The island he and the girls have been trapped on for so long that it's starting to become their second home. It would've been their home, if it weren't for the dangers of the likes of Grogar, Shade Stalker, the Berserkers, or even Predator 00 – Ēferno.

Thankfully, it seems, his dreams are where Spike can simply escape the dangers of harsh reality.

"Where am I?" Spike moaned, wandering through the jungles, following the sounds of drumbeats, flute playing, and women's singing. "Where's that sound coming from? Girls?"

Spike kept on following the song in his dream, until he pulled huge leaves aside to reveal a sight to behold. Little did he know, for men his age, this was the kind of dream most men would want to have in their sleep.

Standing before him, dancing and playing instruments made from woods, shells, and animal bones on the island, are a bevy of beautiful young women, dressed in revealing attires made from scraps of animal furs, leaves, and torn fabrics.

Spike almost wanted to turn away and run, but something about the women looked familiar to him. He watched closely at their hairs, fluttering in the air, and their eyes fluttering open, revealing their colors to him. It was at that moment that Spike realized that he was dreaming and looking at the human forms of his friends – the She-Beasts.

Spike could feel his heart beating fast at the sight of the girls, besides Fleur de Lis, in what he perceived to be their true human forms. Normally, he would be scared to death at the sight of women, but for some strange reasons he didn't understand, he wasn't scared of the She–Beasts than he was before. Instead, he felt rather uncomfortable, yet enticed at the same time. It was all conflicting for him.

To further entice him, the women wrapped their hands behind their heads and swayed their hips side-to-side, so fluidly that the most well-endowed buxom bounced up and down.

Spike's eyes were bouncing along, until he shook his head, while rapidly burbling from his mouth in a vain attempt to get the images out of his head.

"Out with the images, Spike!" Spike said to himself, repeatedly slapping himself across the face. "Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! HEY!"

A pair of hands grabbed his cheeks, bringing his face to look up into the eyes of Rarity, smiling a loving, but intimidating smile that made Spike scared, but also enthralled that made his heart beat faster and his knees weaken.

"Oh, Spike," Rarity said lowly. "Stop resisting and just give in."

Much to Spike's fear, Rarity proceed to pucker her lips and inched closer in an attempt to claim his lips. All at once, his memory flashed to the horrible incident when the deranged teenager molested him when he was still a kid. Out of impulse, Spike slapped Rarity across the face, causing the woman to stumble back, holding her hand over her sore cheek.

"Rarity!" Spike yelped as he frantically apologized, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to–"

"Hit me harder!" Rarity squealed, much to Spike's bewilderment.

"Oh, Spike~" Another voice purred, to which Spike turned around to see Sunset Shimmer bending down, showing an ample amount of her cleavage. "I never pegged you for the rough type."

"Spike, you naughty boy!" Fluttershy added, baring her teeth, with two pronounced canines like those of a vampire's. "You should be punished."

Spike gulped.

"I've got to get outta here!" Spike hyperventilated. "But where's the exit? Where is...Oh! Loona!"

With renewed hope, Spike ran towards the silhouette of the wolf-dog Reverse Hybrid.

"Loona! Please! Save me! Be a good dog! Save me! Please!"

However, much to Spike's horror still, the wolf-dog steps out into the light to reveal she was no longer a wolf-dog, but a woman. A human woman.

"Oh no..not you too!" Spike moaned.

Without giving Spike a chance to react, human!Loona leapt onto the man and pinned him to the ground. Spike finds himself at the mercy of the former wolf-dog, who looked at him with a wide sadistic grin and red demonic eyes that glowed in the dark.

"Loona...don't look at me that way..." Spike whimpered.

"I...I can't wait...any longer..." Loona growled. "If you know your dogs, Spike, then you should know...I'm in heat. And I...I...I'm...I'm in so much lust, I'm losing my mind. Give me...your...weiner...NOW!"

"EEEEEKKK!!!" Spike screamed himself awake.

“Whoa, that was NUTS!” He hyperventilated. “What a nightmare!”

“Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity yawned. “Are you okay?”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!” Spike wailed at the top of his lungs, and he woke up with a start.

“Whoa! What the—“ The man hyperventilated, finding he was in his room, back at his family’s ranch. “Whoa! That was all just a…What a dream! I’m…”

“Spike, are ya alright there, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

Once again, Spike screamed out loud, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”

Spike woke up with a start to find himself tied down on a bed.

“Huh? Ah. AH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Spike screamed, as he struggles to pull himself free. “What…What’s happening? What’s going on? DON’T TOUCH MY SPLEEN!!!”

“I don’t want your spleen, dear boy,” A demonic voice boomed, to which Spike fearfully turned and looked to see Dr. Grogar…in a skimpy nurse uniform. “I want your still beating HEART!”

Spike screamed even louder at the gruesome nightmarish imagery, until he woke up, breathing heavily and finds himself in his hut.

“Okay,” Spike repeatedly slapped himself for reassurance. “You’re awake, Spike! You’re really awake this time! Okay…”

Spike got up from his bed and walks outside of his hut to see it was still dark outside, but barely. The crescent shape of the moon was disappearing in the sky with the stars. Behind the treetops are the faint hue of pink, hinting the approaching dawn.

Spike walked into the center of the sleeping village, with only the ambient sounds of the jungle, the wildlife that inhabit Dr. Grogar’s island, and the sound of crashing waves in the distance.

‘Hmmmm. Maybe a nice walk on the beach should clear my head,’ Spike thought to himself, turning in the direction of the waves, leaving the village.

“Loona! Loona!” A man cried out.

“Dad! Dad!” The voice of a young woman called out.

All around her, Loona was surrounded by fires. She was running frantically towards the silhouette of a man who was engulfed in the flames.

Unfortunately, by the time she could reach him, Loona finds herself in a cage. She is back in the pound, with all the other feral wild dogs that bite and clawed at her. They tore away at her dress to go for her arms and legs. Blood spilled everywhere.

Loona tried to fight back, but a muzzle suddenly appeared out of thin air and trapped her mouth shut.

The dogs all piled on top of Loona, who whimpered, pleading for the horror to end.

As if answering her prayers, a light shines through a doorway, banishing the darkness and the hounds away.

Loona looked up to see a figure stepping into the dark room.

“Loona!” The figure stepped into the light, revealing himself to be Spike, who removed the muzzle off of her.

“Spike!” Loona gasped.

Spike beckoned for her to follow him, through the door, into an open field of flowers.

Loona’s eyes welled up with tears as she lunged at Spike, pushing him down a hill and the roll into a ball, until she was on top of him.

Without hesitation Loona repeatedly licked Spike out of affection.

Spike giggled, “Loona! Stop! Stop it! That tickles! Cut it out!”

“Aw, but I love you, Spike!” Loona barked affectionately, with her tail wagging, and her tongue bouncing from her mouth. “I…I…I don’t know why, but…I just got to have you. I want you! I…NEED YOU! I just wished that I…I…that we…can be together!”

Suddenly, before her very eyes, Spike transfigured in a green fire until it disappeared to reveal a small purple dog in his place.

“Wha…Spike?!” Loona barked in confusion.

“Why so surprised, Loona?” Spike asked. “Now we can be together, as dogs, just like you wanted!”

“I know, but—Huh?” Loona looked down at herself to discover an expected development.

She was no longer standing on her two legs, but somehow became more quadruped, just like how she was before.

“I’m…I’m…I’m me again?” Loona asked.

“Wow! I’ve always wanted to know what being a dog was like!” Spike barked happily, chasing his tail until he fell over from the dizziness.

“You have a lot to learn about being a dog, Spike,” Loona chuckled, playfully nudging Spike up on his feet. “Or even how to be a wolf.”

“Teach me, please!” Spike wagged his tail excitedly.

“Okay,” Loona barked happily, as she instructed, “But first, close your eyes.”

Spike did what Loona told him to do, as Loona continued to lecture to him, “You don’t need your eyes to see. And you can hear every little thing that moves.”

Loona watched the young purple dog of the man tilt his head in the direction of a mouse’s footsteps, in the puddles.

“And your paws can hear through the earth,” Loona continued as both she and Spike can hear the rhythmic sounds of a bunny hopping.

“And you have four legs now, so you can run really fast and jump so high!”

Showing off, Loona started to run circles around Spike, until she teasingly stood atop of a tree log.

“Too bad your legs aren’t as long as mine though, so try and keep up.”

With a kick of her legs, Loona took off running into the woods behind her.

"Hey wait for me!" Puppy!Spike barked, chasing after Loona.

“Keep your nose down! Be a wolf!” Loona called to him.

Wolfwalkers | Running With The Wolves Tonight

Oh how she missed this feeling of being wild and free, with the wind blowing in her hair, the smell and the sound of the wilderness greeting her nose and ears like old friends, guiding her and showing her the hidden paths of the forest.

This was the life Loona had when she was a stray. Running on all four legs, matching the speed of a wolf. But there were times when she ran so fast, she believed that she could fly like an eagle.

And now, more than anything, she wants to share this life with the love of her life.

Loona looked behind her to see the little purple dog, Spike, was bouncing on his running legs, until he managed to catch up to her.

However, they weren’t alone. Spike and Loona both looked left and right to discover that a whole pack of a ghostly wolves have joined them on their run.

At first, both Spike and Loona were leading in the packs, until they came across a cliff, where young Spike skid to a halt, afraid to jump across the deep chasm.

Loona was able to jump across the canyon and landed on the other side just fine. But when she noticed that Spike wasn’t with her, she turned to look at the frightened dog.

“Come on, Spike! Jump!” Loona barked.

Loona watched as Spike turned tail and disappeared from the cliff. But then he reappeared, flying towards Loona, hitting her with such speed and adrenaline, he knocked her down a slope and they rolled together into a ball.

They kept rolling until they landed in a pile of leaves, and crashed in a puddle of water. Spike and Loona both played in the puddle like two playful puppies, until they caught up with the rest of their packs.

Eventually, Loona and Spike were both on top of hill, where they started howling loudly together with their packs.

Suddenly, Loona fell forward.

End of the Song

“OW!” Loona yelped in pain, finding herself on the floor. “What…What happened?”

Loona woke up to the first light of dawn. Wearily opening up her eyes, she let out a yawn, stretching her back and felt the island breeze blowing across her body.

“Phew! It’s cold today…” Loona hugged herself, to which she quickly realize she was in the buff.

With her cheeks burning, Loona looked down to see her furs drenched in sweat, her human body revealed, with the undergarment, called a panty, pulled down to her ankles.

“Ah!” Loona yelped in embarrassment, instinctively wrapping her arms across her chest and crotch.

‘Oh! I hope nobody saw my body!’ Loona dread at thought of someone catching a glimpse of her human body in broad daylight.

She frantically bent down to pick up her underwear and pulled it up her legs.

‘It feels like it’s crawling up my legs,’ Loona whimpered in her thoughts.

Once her undergarment was up, Loona reaches down to gingerly put on the dress again, which felt rather looser, barely hugging onto her.

“Well…at least I can breathe better now,” Loona panted heavily. “But…why…is it so hot?”

Loona’s face was burning up, and she was beginning to sweat from her head to the tip of her tail. Half-awake and still groggy, Loona stumbled and tripped out of her hut.

“Ugh…I…I think…I need to get some…go for a walk…”

With that, Loona turned to leave the village and disappeared into the jungle.

The sun had climbed up into the sky, basking the island in its morning glows.

The island’s wildlife all hooted and hollered to greet the new day.

By then, the She-Beasts had all awoken to the smell of meat and fishes being cooked on the sticks.

“Morning y’all!” Applejack howled. “How’d y’all sleep? Roasted some hamburgers!”

“But without the buns!” Pinkie added.

“That’s alright, you two,” Sunset growled, stretching her arms up and popping some muscles. “We’ll have whatever we’re having today.”

“Mmmm, smells good!” Rainbow Dash sniffed the aroma in the air, until she felt a sudden dizzy spell that nearly made her collapse. “Whoa…What’s…What’s happening? I feel kinda dizzy…”

“Oh my…” Applejack moaned, “Now that ya mentioned it, I’m feeling dizzier than that rodeo I went on back on Sweet Apple Acres…”

Twilight sniffed the air, before she noted a strange smell that is rather pungent, it was like smelling a flower with a strong odor.

“The smoke smells kinda funny,” Twilight noted. “Pinkie, Applejack, did either of you put something…strange, in the fire?”

“Sure did!” Pinkie chirped, before she held up some flowers. “I found these lavender flowers on the beach and thought we could use some to sleep better!”

Sunset Shimmer’s eyes widened in alarm upon seeing the flowers.

“Oh no!” Sunset shouted. “Pinkie! Those aren’t lavenders! Those are hydrangeas!”

“Hydran-What?” Rainbow asked.

“Hydran-Who-now?” Applejack exclaimed.

“Hydrangea!” Sunset repeated, before she frantically covered her nose. “Don’t breathe the smoke! The flower has a hallucinogenic effect that will—“

“Nyah!” A meow was heard, to which the girls looked to see Fleur De Lis with a rather wonky expression on her face.

Not too far behind her, Leggy Lamb was behaving rather erotic, by grinding herself against the base of a tree, Bea Santello gnawing on the walls of a hut, and Marina tripping over a log.

“Too late…” Sunset muttered.

Suddenly, the ground shook, to which everyone present turned and look, seeing that Pinkie Pie was repeatedly smacking her face in the dirt.

“I’m a woodpecker!” The pink monkey-woman hooted, before she resumed her antics. “Except with dirt.”

“Wow, Sunset,” Rainbow drooled. “What big boobs you have.”

“Rainbow, no! DON’T!” Sunset tried talking sense into the falcon-woman.

But it was no use. Soon, the rest of the girls pounced on top of Sunset, overwhelming the tiger She-Beast.

Soon, the air was filled with the sound of women screaming, giving into their animalistic instincts of a sexual pleasure they've kept repressed for so long.

Meanwhile, Spike had been walking along the beach for about an hour. By then, the sun had risen above the trees to cast its morning light.

Spike breathed a deep inhale, smelling the salty aroma of the sea and the sandy beach.

'Phew, I really needed this walk,' Spike thought to himself, while he looked around the beach. 'I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but if this island wasn't owned by a mad scientist and populated by the animals and people he mutated, then this would make a for a nice tropical getaway...'

Suddenly, without warning, the silhouette of a dolphin burst out from the sparkling water.

"Whoa! A dolphin!" Spike exclaimed, scrambling for his camera until he remembered that he had been wearing it around his neck the whole time. "I gotta catch a snapshot of this!"

In his haste, Spike fumbled with the camera, forgetting to take the lens cover off, until he pried it off the tube. With that, Spike immediately aimed his camera for where he last saw the dolphin, hoping to catch a sight of it breaching the surface again.

'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon,' Spike muttered to himself in his thoughts, anxiously waiting for the dolphin to reappear.

Then, as if answering his wishes, the dolphin jumped out of the water, with several other dolphins – most likely its pod.

Reacting fast, Spike's fingers found the shutter button and he quickly snapped several photos of the dolphins until they swam off.

"Yes! I got me some photos of dolphins!" Spike exclaimed happily to himself.

'I guess Newt wasn't lying after all when he said there'd be dolphins,' He thought to himself, before he came to an epiphany. 'Newt...Wow, I...I haven't thought about him for so long...I wonder how he's been?'

Spike's troubled mind glanced in the direction to where Dr. Grogar's manor is located at the top of a mountain. He shook his head to clear away his thoughts.

'What am I saying? He's the reason we're on this island to begin with,' Spike thought. 'Why should I care what happened to him? ...Still...he did helped me escape. But...Why?'

Spike's head was soon plagued with more questions than answers. Deciding for the best not to dwell on these questions by himself, he turned in the direction of the village to talk with the girls, and share his latest snapshots of the dolphins.

He was on his way back to the village, when he heard a loud moan nearby. It was a woman's, but it also sounded like the squeak of an animal. A bat's shriek.

"Hmmm?" Spike turned to the left and looked to see the familiar mane of light pink hair, in a nearby bush, with the large wings of a bat.

"Fluttershy?"

"Oh, Spike~!" Fluttershy shrieked, in a sultry tone, most unbecoming of her. "Is that you I hear?"

"Uh...Fluttershy?" Spike winced, creeped out at her tone of voice. "Are you okay?"

"You came for me," Fluttershy moaned.

Spike stepped back and watched as the Woman-Bat crawled out of the bush. It wouldn't be shocking for him if not for the fact that the She-Beast is wearing nothing but her underwear.

"Augh! FLUTTERSHY!" Spike instinctively covered his eyes. "What the–Where's your skirt? Are you–"

"So hot...so thirsty...Spike, I...I want you! I NEED YOU!!!!" Fluttershy shrieked loudly and Spike screamed as he jumped to the side to dodge the attack.

Spike turned around and watched in grimace as Fluttershy crashed headfirst into a tree. Much to his bewilderment, Fluttershy wrapped her wings around the tree and proceeded to clamp her mouth on its barks.

"Oh, Spike~" Fluttershy moaned, drools spilling from her mouth, and her hips riding on the tree's roots. "Oh my! You're so hard! Oooh! OOOOH!!!"

Spike stuck his tongue out, shuts his eyes tightly, and shook his head, wanting to get away from this weird disturbing sight.

"Brrrr!" Spike spluttered, shaking his head wildly. "What's gotten into Fluttershy? She's normally not like that!"

"Grrrr," A dog's growl was heard, which Spike turned to see a familiar orange wolf wearing a stetson hat.

"Applejack?" Spike asked nervously, to which his eyes widened upon closer inspection, "Oh no..."

Applejack was down on all four, scratching her head with her hind leg. For a woman-wolf, or werewolf, this wouldn’t be strange. However, what’s unusual was that Applejack has stripped off all of her clothes, leaving her wearing nothing but a red bra and panty. She was also making several occasional moans, mixed in with her howls.

Applejack turned her head. Upon setting her sight on Spike, she cracked a grin, baring her teeth, that looked as if she was drooling.

“Howdy Spike~” Applejack panted heavily, as she slowly stalked towards him, with wingding eyes.

Spike, frightened out of his wits, slowly backed away.

“Uh, Applejack?” Spike tried to appeal. “I don't mean to stare, but...why aren't you dressed?"

"I'm hot, Sugarcube~" Applejack moaned. "And I gotta let mah girls BREEEEEAAAATHE!!!!"

"Now, now, Applejack! Don’t look at me that way…HEEEEEEEEELLLLP!!!”

Spike screamed and tried to run away, but Applejack was quicker and lunged at him, pinning him onto his back.

“What’s yer hurry handsome?” Applejack asked, in a sultry tone. “It’s not nice to run from a wolf, ya know? Especially a lone wolf.”

“Wh-Wh-What do you want?” Spike whimpered.

“I just want yer time, Spike,” Applejack chuckled, licking Spike playfully. “The life of a wolf gets so lonely, when she doesn’t have someone to play with.”

“Uh, yeah…I can sympathize—“

“When I’m lonely, I become hungry. And when I’m hungry, I want to CHOKE ON THAT—“

Spike’s fright was taken to another turn for the worst at the sudden mood whiplash from Applejack’s mood swings.

Once again, frightened beyond all reasons, Spike screamed for help, pleading for someone to save him, at the very least, his sanity and virginity, from this insane beast of a wolf.

“HEEEEELP!!!!”

As if answering his prayer, help did came, in the form of Rainbow Dash, who swooped in and shoved Applejack off.

“PAWS OFF, AJ! He’s mine!” Rainbow Dash screeched.

“Oh, not you too, Rainbow…” Spike moaned.

“Last I check, he’d much rather be with me than getting his face smashed into a tree with you!” Applejack snarled.

“And what’re you going to do about it?” Rainbow Dash flared her wings out and challenged. “Ya wanna fight?! Ya wanna have a go, bitch?!”

“Oh, them’s fightin’ words, tweety!” Applejack snarled.

“Yeah, them’s fightin’ words! So what ya gonna do about it?”

While the two She-Beasts were busy challenging each other, Spike quietly snuck away, undetected.

“I have to find someplace to hide!” Spike panted as he ran like his life depended on it.

"HELLO!!!" Pinkie Pie hooted, jumping out of a bush, stripping off her apron in front of Spike, to reveal a banana skirt wrapped around her waist.

"Oh come on..." Spike moaned in exasperation, covering his face in the palms of his hands, to hide the blush.

"Aw, don't look so scared, Spike!" Pinkie Pie hooted. "Watch as I pay tribute to Josephine Baker's banana skirt dance!"

Spike's fingers parted a little, allowing Spike to peek through a gap, to see Pinkie Pie shaking her hips so fast, in such a wavy rhythm, that her banana skirt looked more like waves.

"Oh yeah! Uh-huh! Them hips don't lie~!" Pinkie Pie cheered as she continues to dance around Spike. "You know you like them~! You wanna touch them~! You wanna GET TO THE CLOPPING PART ALREADY YOU HORNY READERS!! IT'S DESTROY YOUR DICK DECEMBER!!!!"

"Pinkie! What's gotten into you girls?" Spike asked.

"I don't know what's come over me! But I LIKE IIIIIIIITTTT!!!!" Pinkie screamed at the top of her lungs, holding the last note as she wrapped her arms around Spike's head, and smothered him into her breasts.

"OH NOOOO!!!" Spike groaned, struggling to pry himself free from Pinkie. "Argh! UGH!"

"Nooo! Don't fight it!" Pinkie Pie moaned, wrestling with Spike who struggled to escape. "That's not how it works in these anime hentai cartoons or whatever! The main character meets some sexy looking girls, they fall for him, they all want to get in his pants, to take his virginity, and the main character falls for everyone of them! It's literally the bible for every mangas and animes in existence! Well, except for Yu-Gi-Oh, or Pokemon, or even Digimon. There's no harem in those stories. But it never stops the creepy fans from making waifus out of the females. Right?"

That's riiiiiiiight!

I've seen what you bronies want to do to us in your spare times.

Spike followed Pinkie's gaze, but saw nothing but trees.

"Uh...Pinkie? There's no one there," Spike replied.

"Of course there is, Spike!" Pinkie Pie screeched at the top of her lungs, and cupped Spike's face in her hands. "On the TV Show, in the comics, and the movies, our whole purpose was to teach children, teenagers, and their parents the benefits of being friends to everyone, because our tagline is Friendship is Magic in the CANON! But those were back in the old days before we had A.I.s, independent animations, and an OVERRATED ADULT-ENTERTAINMENT SHOW about a PRINCESS OF HELL and IMP ASSASSINS! Now our whole existence has gone to the FANDOM where the only goods we serve was to satisfy the LUSTFUL HUNGER OF THIRSTY BRONIES!!!! Depravity! Savagery! Loins hotter than fire! And don't even get me started on the fan-arts! AH! THERE'S ONE RIGHT NOW!"

*Wolf Whistles SFX*

"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! We haven't even entered the public domains yet!" Pinkie Pie hollered. "And they're already sexualizing me and my friends! And there's even a Creepypasta of me and RAINBOW DAAAAAAAASSSSHHH!!!!"

"Pinkie...take it easy," Spike backed away, not liking where Pinkie's meltdown was heading. It was then that a certain rumbling noise emanated from the monkey woman's stomach.

"I can't take it easy! I...feel...gassy!" Pinkie Pie moaned; her belly beginning to bloat.

"NO! DON'T DUTCH OVEN ME!!!" Spike screamed, running for his life.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!"

Before long, there was a giant pink mushroom cloud.

"EW!!!" Spike coughed and gagged at the foul stench of Pinkie's "fart-illery."

"Brrrr!!! EW! GROSS!!!" Spike shuddered until he arrived at the river. "I gotta get this stench off!"

He collapsed onto his knees, scooping up a handful of waters and washed them over his face. The young man was desperately trying to wash off the stench of Pinkie off him, while desperately trying to wake up.

“This can’t be happening! I must be dreaming. Wake me up! Wake me up!”

He desperately and repeatedly washed his face in a vain attempt to wake up from the nightmare he was in. Sadly, for him, it was all too real.

But the eventful morning was just beginning. Nearby, he heard a big splash in the water.

Spike only had time to turn his head to see a ripple of rings floating across the water.

Then, with a mighty splash, Sunset Shimmer burst up through the surface of the water, with a fish in her mouth.

The very sight of her made Spike’s heart beat faster. He can’t stop being mesmerized by the tiger-woman’s physique and ferocity.

He watched as Sunset waded through the water, swaying her hips, side-to-side, with droplets of waters cascading down her bikini clad body.

Once on dry land, Sunset proceeded to eat a good chunk of meat from the fish she had caught.

"Well, at least Sunset's still sane," Spike sighed in relief.

"Yes...Valentino~" Sunset moaned loudly.

"Uh..."

Spike watched as Sunset Shimmer suddenly collapsed on the ground, looking as if she was submitting herself to an invisible entity.

"You say to cum, I say...yes, Valentino~" Sunset hushed, with her voice breaking, as if she was choking on something. "You tell me to...stroke and fellate him, I'll say...yes, Valentino. I'm a pussy. I'm your pussycat. And I...have no one. I'm a nobody. Daddy~"

Spike could feel his face contorting to match his expression of disgust, grimace, or whatever he was feeling. He only knew that he find Sunset's episode to be disturbing. Wanting to the leave scene, Spike tried to sneak away, but ended up stepping on a frail twig, which snapped.

*SNAP

Sunset’s eyes blinked wide in alarm, and she sets her sight on Spike.

“Oh crap!” Spike whimpered, and lets out a shriek, as Sunset lunged at him.

Upon seeing who she had caught, her hissing expression softened.

“Oh! Spike?!” Sunset exclaimed.

"I wasn't staring!!!" Spike pleaded in his defense. "I mean...I kinda was, but I didn't mean to stare! I was just leaving and you–"

"Shhhhh, stop talking Spike," Sunset shushed, getting off of Spike, and squeegee excess of waters from her soaked fur. “Though, I don’t mind if you wanted to sneak a peek… You...saved me...”

"...Uh huh," Spike cringed, as he attempted to escape. "Well, I'll just...let you get back to yourself–WHOA!"

Sunset pulled him back, "What's your hurry, handsome? Y'know, I don't normally give a private show for men like you. But...you...Spike...for you, I...I... Let me take YOUR V–AH!!!"

"SNAP OUT OF IT, SUNSET!" Spike yelled, instinctively slapping his hand across Sunset's face in response.

*SMACK

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Spike cringed, backing away, while bracing himself for an angry Tiger–Woman to turn on him.

Instead, however, Sunset looked at Spike, with sparkling eyes – something out of an anime – and smiled, "Oh! Harder daddy!"

"Daddy?" Spike cringed. "I'm younger than you!"

But Spike's words fell on deaf ears as Sunset bared her fangs and growled louder as she stalked closer with hunger in her eyes.

"Whoa, whoa, Sunset...take it easy. You need an adult!"

"But you are an adult, daddy~" Sunset moaned sexually. "Please...take me with you–!"

"I'M NOT YOUR BOYFRIEND!!!!" Spike hollered, climbing up a tree to escape from Sunset's reach.

"Noooo, don't be like that!" Sunset pleaded. "Stop playing so hard to get! You're teasing me and it's turning me on, like fire~! Come here, Spike! You're my POGCHAMP!"

"HELP!" Spike screamed. "SOMEONE! SAVE ME! HELP!"

"Hold it right there!" Cried a woman's voice.

Spike screamed when a pair of arms snatched him up by the shoulders. Next thing he knew, he was smothered by a pair of large pillows as soft as marshmallows.

"Get your dirty claws off him, tiger!" Rarity roared in outrage. “How dare you attempt to use your sexual appeal to charm Spike and his animal loving ways!”

“He was just asking for it,” Sunset snarled in a challenge. “Besides, I’ve seen the way you strut and flaunt yourself at him, like a common pussycat.”

“As if you’re any better,” Rarity spatted. “I see the way you approached him, the way you were charming him, like you did to all the boys back in high school, to buy your way up to Fall Formal Princess!”

“You want to go another round, Marshmallow?!” Sunset snarled, getting into Rarity’s face, pressing her breast into the leopard’s.

“I’m not afraid of you, Bacon!” Rarity growled, pushing her own breasts back in retaliation.

With that, both Sunset Shimmer and Rarity got into a fight.

“I’ve heard of cat fights, but this is just ridiculous!” Spike moaned, sneaking away into the shrubs. 'Ugh! This is why I don't do women!'

Meanwhile, back with Loona, the wolf-dog Reverse Hybrid was in a turmoil of emotional stress since she had left the village.

“ARGH! What’s wrong with me!” Loona barked to herself in frustration. “Why am I thinking like this? Why do I even care for some human?”

The feeling was all too intoxicating for Loona. Lately, she’s been thinking about Spike. Every time, her stomach felt sick, and she couldn’t think clearly.

"You'd think a dog would know better..." Loona grumbled.

I won’t say I’m in love – Disney's Hercules

Even though Loona had grown fond of the human, Spike, she doubted that he would see her the same way. And how could he?

He’s a human, whereas she is still a dog. A dog with a human’s body. A body that isn’t even, as the humans say, an eye catcher.

Her breasts weren’t as big as the tiger-woman, Sunset Shimmer, nor the snow leopard, Rarity. Her back was forever ruined by the scars and bruises she received from Cozy Glow.

Just the thought of Spike being repulsed by her human body was already enough to break her heart.

Loona was skipping on some stones to get across a stream. She had to lift up the bottom of her skirt in order to avoid tripping on her dress. Unfortunately, she still slipped on a rock, causing her to trip and fall forward.

Out of impulse, she held her hands out, desperately reaching for something to grab onto to save her fall. Thankfully, her hand found a branch to grab. She looked up, seeing the silhouette of Spike.

With her tail wagging underneath her dress, her cheeks burning, heart pounding loudly, and the buzzing butterflies returning in her stomach, Loona walked up to the silhouette to rub her cheek for a loving snuggle, only to realize she was embracing a tree.

Regaining her composure, she huffed and turned to walk away, until she came across a clearing, close to the village.

She laid herself onto the soft grass, bathing in the sun’s light, warming herself. She turned her head to snuggle against the grasses that tickled against her face and scratching the back of her neck.

The tickling sensation excites her so much, driven by instinct, she rolled around in the grass, rubbing her nose, face, arms, and legs, to get more of the tickling sensation.

It reminded her of the carpet back home, where she would rest, with her previous owner, Blitz, sleeping on the couch. He would often scratch his hand behind her ears, to which she would always snap her jaws at him in retaliation. Looking back, and thinking to how Spike scratches behind her ears, Loona realized in shame now, that Blitz was just being affectionate towards her all along.

Loona looked up, seeing a nearby flower bed. She reached out to pluck a purple flower and smelled it.

'At least out loud, I won't say that I'm in love,' Loona thought to herself, with the biggest grin on her snout.

36 — In Heat – Part 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

37 – The Call of the Wild

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!” Screamed the terrified voice of a scared man.

Spike screamed at the top of his lungs as he, once again, runs for his dear life. Close behind him, a large angry dog chased after him, barking and snapping her jaws at him.

“Loona, stop! Sit! SIT!” Spike screamed desperately to the feral wolf-dog. “Can you roll over and play dead?”

But his words fell on deaf ears, as Loona continued to snap her jaws after him.

Looking ahead, desperate to find any means of escape, or fighting back, Spike frantically climbed up a tree to escape from the dog.

Spike looked down, seeing Loona scratching at the tree, barking after Spike in vain at not being able to climb after the man.

The dog continued to bark angrily up the tree at Spike, who sat alone in the tree branches to catch his breath.

“Et tu, Loona?” Spike sighed. “Now every one of you girls have gone crazy and are out to kill me, or whatever. It’s just me now, on this god forsaken island…”

Beneath him, Loona continued to bark up to Spike, when suddenly, a loud thunderous roar rang out from the right. Spike and Loona turned their heads in the same direction of the roar and Spike’s eyes widened in shock to see it was Sunset Shimmer.

However, it wasn’t the fact that Sunset was down on all four, nor her eyes being soulless that startled Spike. The most shocking was that she has a noticeably bruised black eye on the left side of her face.

“Whoa…did I do that?” Spike asked himself, remembering how he smacked her with a branch the last time she chased him.

Spike watched as both Sunset Shimmer and Loona exchanged barks and roars between one another, until Loona made the first strike.

The feral wolf-dog Reverse Hybrid snapped her jaws at Sunset’s arms. But Sunset leapt backward to dodge the attack. The tigress then retaliated by kicking her legs, causing her to pounce forward, and pinned Loona to the ground.

Sunset Shimmer relentlessly snapped her jaws at Loona, who quickly held the tigress back, by the throats, with her front paws. Loona kicked her legs into the tigress She-Beast’s abdomen to throw her off. Loona quickly rolled back onto her legs and lunged forward, biting her jaws at tigress’s back, right on the long scar she received from Shade Stalker.

Sunset Shimmer let out a loud bloodcurdling roar, before she turned and grabbed Loona, tossing the wolf-dog off. Sunset Shimmer chased after Loona and they raced off into the village.

“Phew! Glad they’re gone,” Spike sighed, before he realized with dread. “But the other girls! Kirin! They’re in trouble!”

Spike quickly dropped himself down from the tree and ran after both Reverse-Hybrid and She-Beast.

With his breathing sharp, his brow drenched in sweat, and his whole body aching from so much running and screaming, Spike burst through the shrubs, and discovered utter chaos.

“What the—“ Spike exclaimed in horror.

Everywhere he looked, all the girls have lost their mind and became the savage animals they were modified to be.

Applejack was in a tug-o-war with Rarity, as both She-Beasts were fighting over a piece of meat in their mouths, like dogs fighting over a frisbee.

Pinkie Pie was screeching at the top of her lungs, while perching on a scarecrow, and pounding her fist onto its head, like King Kong on the Empire State Building.

Rainbow Dash was eating fish, when Beatrice attempted to steal a piece. But Rainbow immediately sprang to life, flapping her wings in her attempt to intimidate and scare off the alligator hybrid.

However, Beatrice was undeterred. Instead of backing down, the alligator hybrid’s whole body started to contort and assumed a more beastly stance, falling to the ground, and her entire mass expanded. Finally, Beatrice let out a low rumbling roar as her transformation came to an end. There, Beatrice stood resembling the prehistoric Deinosuchus.

With the table turned, Rainbow Dash surrendered the fish to the transformed alligator Reverse-Hybrid, and flew off.

Fluttershy was flapping her wings, flying in a rather zigzagging flight path, like an out of control airplane, before she blindly crashed through the rooftop of a hut, which collapsed on top of her.

Emerging from the water like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Starlight Glimmer let out a low grunting roar, chasing after Kirin.

At that moment, Leggy Lamb arrived to defend Kirin. Once again, the motherly ewe had assumed her muscular physique and fought off Starlight.

Little did either sheep and shark realized, however, was that an even bigger beast was lurking nearby.

Spike watched as the river suddenly turned to a darker color. Then, without warning, a large cephalopod burst out from the water, catching both sheep and shark by surprise.

The giant cephalopod has a large round shaped head, and it moved freely on land as it did in the water, leaving behind a trail of ink behind. The giant cephalopod continued to leave more trails of ink, and destroying more of the huts on the way.

“These girls are worst than before!” Spike shook his head, and decided to walk away. “Maybe I’ll just…hide this one out and—“

“Meow!” Fleur meowed.

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!” Spike screamed.

The man took off, screaming around the village, catching the attention of the others.

Applejack stopped to look, which gave Rarity an opportunity to run off with the meat they had been fighting over.

Appejack chased after Rarity, who collided headfirst into Spike, and Fleur. Soon, the girls and man were in a tangle of limbs, until Spike stood, with the meat in his hand.

Applejack and Rarity all snarled hungrily for the meat, which Spike held up.

“You girls hungry? You want it?” Spike asked, waving the meat. “Go get it!”

Spike tossed the meat away, and the carnivorous She-Beasts chased after it. Unfortunately, the meat was quickly snatched from the air by Sunset Shimmer.

Then, as an added insult to injury, Sunset Shimmer quickly devoured the meat in front of all the other girls.

Enraged, Rarity lunged at Sunset, swinging her claws at the tigress, who countered with her own claws, before kicking Rarity away. Applejack lunged at Sunset, who slashed her claws across the werewolf’s stomach in retaliation.

“Applejack!” Spike shouted, running over to inspect the werewolf, only to be intercepted by Fleur, who lunged after him.

“Stand back! Stay away from you…you…catwoman? Cat girl? Or whatever Japanese refer to you types?”

But Fleur wouldn’t listen, until Spike picked up a discarded cucumber.

“Nuh-uh! I have a cucumber! And I’m not afraid to use it, kitty cat!” Spike threatened, which Fleur hissed and swatted the vegetable out of his hand.

Thankfully, the giant cephalopod returned and carried off Fleur before the jungle woman could do anything to Spike.

In the blink of an eye, Spike was certain that the cephalopod gave him a wink.

“Huh?” Spike stared dumbfounded.

Suddenly, the sound of neighing brought Spike’s attention back to reality.

He turned to the side to see Twilight, on all four, kicking her legs, and fending off whoever jumped at her.

Twilight was just about to kick Rarity away, when Spike quickly shoved Twilight into a hidden cage used for a trap, and closed the door shut, trapping the neighing mare inside.

“Sorry, Twilight,” Spike apologized. “But it’s for your own good.”

With that, Spike quickly went back to work, trying to get most of the girls under control.

During the chaos, Sunset Shimmer and Loona were once again at each other’s throats. Sunset snapped her jaws after Loona, but Loona dodged the attack and bites hard on the tigress’s neck. Luckily, Sunset’s neck was protected by her thick mane, thus, Sunset was able to break free from the wolf-dog’s grip.

Sunset slashed a claw across Loona’s face, nearly taking one of Loona’s smaller eyes out.

Loona snarled angrier, before she pounced at Sunset, viciously swinging her claws left and right, across the tigress’s face.

Sunset Shimmers was down for the count, and Loona lunged forward, with her jaws wide open for a bite when—

“SUNSET!” Spike shoved the tigress out of the way, but his right hand ended up in Loona’s jaws, which bit down hard.

“AAAAHHHH!!!” Spike screamed loudly, pulling his hand back, shocked and breathing heavily at the sight of the bloody bite marks on his hands.

A loud whine pierced the silence, to which Spike turn to look at Loona, whose eyebrows were raised to accommodate her wide eyes, matching his shocked expression.

“Spike…”

Spike turned to look, seeing Sunset Shimmer looking just as shocked than him and Loona.

But Spike wouldn’t hear another word.

He just turned and ran away, leaving both wolf-dog and tigress even more despondent.

“What have we done?” Sunset asked.

Suddenly, without wanting, two large nets flew out of nowhere and entangled both Loona and Sunset. Both dog and tigress fell to the ground, and the net shocked both of them as they struggle to break free.

Several more jolts of electricity shocked them both, until finally, they passed out.

Before Sunset lost consciousness, she looked up to see a familiar hunter walking overhead.

“OW!” Spike screamed in agony, clutching his right hand, with noticeable bite marks. “Ow, ow, OW! DAMMIT!”

It was so painful, Spike bit his lips, struggling to swallow in his scream, but it made his pain worst.

The poor distraught man cried as he struggled to stop the bleeding, while feeling a sense of defeat as he considers resigning himself to his fate.

Then, as if his situation couldn’t get any worse, Shade Stalker appeared from the bushes.

Before Spike had any time to react, the hunter blew into a small pipe.

“AH!” Something sharp had pricked Spike on the left side of his neck, which he reached up to feel.

His hand was starting to numb, just as his fingertips brushed against something soft and fluffy.

With every ounce of strength he had left, Spike pulled something from his neck, just in time for him to see a dart, right when his legs suddenly gave away, as if his bones suddenly disappeared from his body.

Spike struggled to scream, but he can’t. The only sound he could muster was a weak pathetic moan.

He struggled to wiggle free, but he could hardly move his arms, his legs, or his whole body.

Poor Spike is a prisoner in his own body.

He stared endlessly into the sky above him as Shade carries him away, having at last captured his prey.

Spike didn’t need to turn his head to look to know where they were going. It fills him with dread with every passing second.

Dr. Grogar’s manor.

The Burned Out Village — Mulan OST

“Oh…what happened?” Applejack moaned, slowly getting up and rubbing her temple, with the throbbing sensation that rang loudly in her ears.

“Wha…ma head…it hurts louder than a bell on a Sunday,” Applejack groaned before she wearily blinked her eyes open.

“Argh! Wha—“ Applejack yelped in pain, feeling a searing painful sensation burning across her stomach.

She clutched her stomach in the palm of her hands to feel a sticky, wet, and warm sensation.

It took awhile, but her blurry vision soon readjusted to a shocking sight for Applejack.

It was blood in her hands. Her blood. Not only that, but her shirt and denim shorts were completely ripped to shreds, leaving her in only her red undergarments. But modesty was the least of her concern.

The village was completely ruined. The huts have been torn apart. Across the jungle grounds, the other girls were sprawled, flat on their stomachs, back, and their sides.

It all looked as if their village had been ransacked, or a tornado had come through and ripped their homes to shreds.

“Shoot!” Applejack exclaimed, while covering her stomach to stop the bleeding. “Looks like a twister came through here. What in tarnation happened?”

Applejack got up and limped over to one of her friends nearby.

“Rainbow?” Applejack gently nudged the falcon-woman. “Rainbow? Rainbow, get up!”

“…Ow,” Rainbow groaned, rubbing the top of her head with one of her wings. “My head feels like it’s going to explode…AJ? Is that you? What-What happened? AJ! You’re bleeding!”

Rainbow stared at Applejack’s stomach in alarm, to which the orange werewolf crossed her arms over.

“It’s just a scratch,” Applejack replied. “I’ll live. But let’s search the place for survivors. Then we’ll figure out what to do next.”

Rainbow nodded and flapped her wings, which cracked.

“ARGH!” Rainbow yelped, crashing to the ground. “Ooh! That hurt…looks like I’m grounded…”

Rainbow and Applejack resumed searching the wreckage that used to be their village.

Applejack search the Mess Hut, where the girls and Spike usually gathered together to eat.

There, Applejack discovered Rarity, Fleur, Starlight Glimmer, and Beatrice Santello, bloated, covered in blood, from eating the meats of all the wild pigs and Grogar’s Boar-Men they hunted, leaving nothing but bones behind.

“Oh, good heavens,” Rarity groaned, rubbing her head. “What came over me? And…what is that god awful smell?”

Rarity looked down at herself and immediately freaked out.

“AAAAAHHH!!! I’ve committed a heinous crime!” Rarity screamed dramatically. “I’VE MURDERED SOMEONE AND I’M…NAKED!!!”

“Hey! Keep it down, will you?” Starlight groaned, hacking Rarity with her tail fin. “Some of us are having a splitting headache.”

Starlight groaned as she got up and was horrified at what she was seeing.

“What happened?” Starlight asked. “Did the Devil Monkeys came back?”

“For some reason, I doubt that,” Applejack shook her head. “C’mon, let’s look for the others.”

On Rainbow’s part of the search, the falcon-woman was shocked and dismayed to find her photo of her little adoptive sister, Scootaloo, in pieces.

“Scootaloo…” Rainbow whimpered, picking up the torn pieces of her sister’s face and held onto them, before they were scattered to the winds.

“Help!” Cried a voice. “Someone, please, help!”

Rainbow bent down to pick up a destroyed rooftop, with her remaining good wing.

“Hang on! I got ya!” Rainbow grunted, lifting up the roof to allow the crushed occupant free.

Fluttershy crawled out from beneath the roof. The blind woman-bat was shaken, bruised, but was able to stand.

“Are you okay, Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked.

“I…I think so,” Fluttershy replied, before she asked, “Rainbow Dash? Is my face okay? Do I have anything broken? Are my breasts still covered?”

“Fluttershy, you look fine,” Rainbow reassured. “I’ve got more bumps and bruises than you honestly.”

“Oh, oh dear goodness!” Fluttershy asked. “What happened? Is everyone okay? Oh! Spike! Where is he? Have you seen him?”

“Uh…we’re looking for him,” Rainbow replied. “You just sit there, and I’ll…try and find everyone from the air.”

“Oh, thank you, Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy sighed in relief. “I knew we can always count on you!”

Rainbow smiled, but just a little. She feels bad for lying to Fluttershy by saying she can look from the air. But the falcon didn’t want to worry her bat friend by saying her wing was broken.

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, Rainbow searched the area, until she spotted Applejack nearby.

“AJ!” Rainbow called, running over to the werewolf. “Find anyone?”

“Ah jus’ found Rarity wit Starlight, Fleur, n Bea in the Mess Hut,” Applejack replied. “Or what’s left of it. You?”

“I found Fluttershy trapped under a roof,” Rainbow answered. “So now, I guess we have to look for…Twilight, Pinkie, Sunset, Leggy, Marina, and Loona then. Oh! And Spike!”

“Don’t forget little Kirin,” Applejack reminded.

“Oh, right! The little guy…” Rainbow acknowledged. “Can’t forget him. Well, knowing him, he’s probably wherever that Leggy Lamb is. We find her, we find him.”

“Still, I’m not one to count my chickens before they hatch, Dash,” Applejack replied. “Let’s find our friends and then we can all regroup back here…”

With that, Applejack and Rainbow Dash resumed searching for their missing friends.

Applejack found Twilight trapped in a cage, with the pony-woman exhausted and having no recollection of how she was trapped in the cage to begin with.

Beatrice found Marina in a large pool of ink, the size of a large ship. And as usual, Marina couldn’t speak properly, but the girls can guess that she too has no recollection to what had happened to her either.

Rarity found both Leggy and Kirin taking shelter inside one of the huts that was still standing. At first, Leggy stood defensively between Rarity and Kirin, until the anthropomorphic ewe’s legs gave away. Rarity had to reassure both sheep that she meant them no harm.

Rainbow Dash found Pinkie Pie hanging by the leg, after she was entangled in a snare trap.

“What can I say? I’m just hangin’ around!” Pinkie Pie joked to the reader.

Afterwards, the eleven girls, and little ram, gathered together for a headcount.

“Where are Sunset and Loona?” Twilight asked anxiously. “And more importantly, where is Spike?!”

“Help! HELP!” Loona barked out loud, behind some wreckages. “We’re over here!”

“Help!” Sunset added. “Get this thing off of us!”

With that, the girls and Kirin all gathered around Sunset and Loona, to find both tigress and wolf-dog, trapped in nets.

“Are you girls okay?” Twilight asked as she bent down to cut Sunset free. “What happened to the both of you?”

“Shade Stalker! That’s what happened,” Sunset groaned.

“Shade Stalker?!” The other girls exclaimed.

“H-He was here?!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Where’s Spike?” Applejack asked anxiously. “Have either of you seen, Spike?”

“I…I have,” Loona croaked, in a low dismal tone. “I…I saw him…right over there…”

The wolf-dog pointed to the spot she last saw of the young man. The girls went over to investigate and were horrified to discover a single dart, next to a camera. Spike’s camera.

The girls picked up the camera, with dread, as they looked through the latest pictures, and realized what happened to Spike.

“Shade Stalker!” The girls gasped.

“He’s got Spike!” Rarity gasped.

“…And he’s taken him to Dr. Grogar’s manor!” Twilight said worryingly.

“Oh no! Spike!” Loona barked dreadfully, immediately dreading at the thought of Spike entering the one-way door.

“No…we can’t!” Fluttershy whimpered. “We can’t go back there!”

“…We can…and we must!” Twilight proclaimed.

38 – The Gargoyle

Author's Note

WARNING: This chapter contains some strong materials, which includes sensitive depiction of suicide. Readers discretion is advised.

Some of the terms spoken with Loona in this chapter are based on the terminology from Erin Hunter's Survivors.

In the next chapter, the final showdown between our heroes and the evil Dr. Grogar!

38 – The Gargoyle

Shade Stalker carried Spike off into a dark cave, leading to the catacombs of Dr. Grogar’s manor.

Once inside, the pitch black darkness greeted Spike as if he was having the same nightmare again, but it has gotten even more terrifying than the last time he slept.

Without his flashlight, the only thing he could see was darkness.

His ears listened intently to the sounds of water dripping and hitting the floor, combined with the sound of Shade Stalker’s footsteps, splashing in the puddles beneath them.

Somewhere amidst Shade’s footsteps, are the crunching sounds of what Spike can only presume to be the bones of the catacombs deceased prisoners.

Compared to his first trek in the catacombs, the rotten smell of the catacombs has gotten milder. The stench wasn’t as strong before, but the pungent air was still unbearable that Spike would hold his breath, if he was able to. But the smell was the least of his problem.

‘What’s going to happen to me?’ Spike moaned in his thoughts at the possible horrors that await him. ‘What’s Grogar gonna do to me? What kind of animal is he going to turn me into? Oh lord! Once I’m a Man-Beast…and the girls see me…They’re going to kill me…LIKE THE OTHER MEN!’

Spike’s eyes watered tearfully at the horrifying thought of his last dying moment be his throat torn out by the She-Beasts. The very same She-Beasts he looked up to and thought of as his friends. Maybe more than just friends. Soon to be former friends.

'Aw man,’ Spike thought. ‘What’s Dr. Grogar gonna do to me? What kind of Man-Beast is going to turn me into?’

Spike could hardly think straight, feeling the anticipation was torturous enough than what Dr. Grogar would actually do to him.

‘I’ve seen way too many horror movies and read a few books to know how this could turn out for me. The old quack is probably gonna blend my DNA with a fly, and my last seconds will end with my head getting blown off! Unless there’s a Spider-Man who would be nice enough to make it quick and painless for me? Oh! I might end up being turned into a bug, like that novel I once read in high school about that poor guy who was neglected by his family who wanted him dead!’

Spike gasped mentally, while his heart was beating rapidly and he was beginning to feel his whole body again.

‘Oh! Why Professor Doodle! Why did you have to make me read that book? Now I’m living the story! Except I know why I transformed! But now those girls are going squash me like a bug when they see me as a grotesque cockroach! Oh, I can’t make up my mind! Fly? Roach? Either way, I’m going to die! Is there a fate worse than death from being mauled by savage She-Beasts?!’

As if he had tempted fate, or fate has a wry sense of humor, a dreadful thought popped up in Spike’s traumatized head. A mental image of himself, as a She-Beast.

*Rule 63 alert*

A wolf whistle could be heard, and Spike ended up howling in horror at the thought of losing his masculinity in such a way.

‘AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!’ Spike screamed, which came out as a pitiful wheeze.

However, his mind has been scarred for life, mentally screaming, ‘FATE WORSE THAN DEATH CONFIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRMMMMMMEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDD!!!!’

Spike silently started to pray for something more merciful than being torn limb-from-limb by the girls.

‘What did I ever do to deserve this?’ Spike asked himself in his thoughts. 'What did I do? WHAT? DID? I? DO?'

Meanwhile, the girls, plus young Kirin, had left what was left of their village, following Shade Stalker’s trail, with nothing but Spike on their minds.

They passed through the mosquito infested swamps, avoiding the octo-diles, before they came across a ravaged field; trampled-down forests, flocks of vultures and piranha-gulls ripping off the last remaining meats, from piles of rotting sheep, cattle, even the bones of humans and Man-Beasts were present.

Not too far away, was a large crater in the shape of two cloven hooves, where several devil monkeys laid still. Dead. Tirek was here.

Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, and Loona sniffed the air, following the scent trail of Shade Stalker, and Spike. However, Loona was the only girl lagging far behind the group, with her tail tucked between her legs, beneath her skirt.

She was still tasting the blood of a human in her mouth. Spike’s blood, after she had bitten his hand. She feels rather sick to the core, wrought with guilt, knowing that she had bitten him.

Loona couldn’t seem to remember why she did it, or what had come over. The only thing she knew was that she had bitten Spike, and his distraught face will forever be frozen in her memory.

The reminder was gut wrenching and she whimpered, feeling hurt to her stomach, and a sharp pain pierced her chest, as if her heart has been torn out.

“Oh Spike…” Loona whimpered, in a way that a normal dog would express how saddened they are.

”…Loona…”

Loona gasped at the sight of a familiar silhouette, lying in the light. His face was barely visible, but Loona was certain from his hunched over body, his hand clutching his chest, he was hurting. From a distance, she thought it was Spike, but when she got closer, it changed into the shape of another human. A human she is very familiar with.

“That night,” The man began, without turning to look at Loona. “When I came home drunk, and you…you tucked me in bed… I thought you were starting to come around. I gave you a home. I gave you food. I loved you like a daughter. And what do I get? Why did you leave me to die alone? Why do you pretend to care? Why did you pretend to love me?”

Loona whimpered, feeling her lips quivering, her ears flattening, and tears falling from her eyes.

“Blitz…” Loona whimpered, walking up to the broken man. “I do love you. I just didn’t know it at the time… I’ve never loved anyone before…”

Loona’s eyes stung as the waters cascade down her cheeks, and she whimpered, limping to the man.

“I’m not cut out to be a human…” Loona sobbed. “I’m scared of Cozy Glow. Can I come home?”

”…Loona…Loona…? LOONA!”

Loona finds herself back to reality, when she finds herself being shaken vigorously by Bea.

“Loona! What’s the matter with you?” The Crocodilian hybrid asked. “You completely — how did the humans say? — zoned out there! What’s wrong with you?”

Loona turned to look at her former owner, Blitz, but was perplexed to see only a tree stump where she saw him. After she collected her thoughts together, Loona followed Bea and they quickly caught up with the rest of the girls.

Sunset Shimmer was leading the group, when she came across a large pile of light, thin sheets of translucent scaly skins that hung from the trees that have been cut by something sharp. Upon closer look at the skins and the claw marks, the first creature that came to mind was none other than Ēferno — Predator 00.

The island’s apex predator was near. The very thought of Grogar’s fiendish pet dragon was enough to send chills down Sunset’s spine, her hairs stand on end.

She still remembered how close both she and Spike were to be eaten by the dragon, after they were separated from their group, by Shade Stalker, after the Hunter destroyed their previous hideout.

At the thought of Spike, Sunset felt a sharp pain piercing her heart.

“Spike…” Sunset paused a moment to cry, flinching when she rubbed her black eye, on the left side of her face.

Eventually, the girls and little Kirin have arrived to the tall gates of Dr. Grogar’s foreboding manor.

“Never thought we’d actually come back here again,” Rainbow shuddered.

“If anyone we knew from the mainland were here,” Rarity began, “Then they would say that we’re crazy to be doing this. Which…we actually are, for Spikey-Wikey’s sake.”

Starlight cautiously inspected the gate and her webbed claws flinched from a sudden jolt of electricity.

“Ow!” Starlight yelped. “Uh…have those electric fences always been there before?”

“Looks like Grogar has tripled his security the last time we were here,” Twilight winced. “Nobody gets in and nobody gets out.”

“Like Fort Knox…” Applejack cringed.

“Maybe on the ground,” Rainbow flapped her wings and became airborne. “But not in the sky!”

Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash spoke too soon, when several bullets suddenly flew towards her, and the sounds of gunfire were ringing in the air.

“AH!” Fluttershy squeaked, covering her sensitive ears and crouching down to avoid the gunshots.

“Whoa, WHOA!” Rainbow screeched, falling to the ground, losing some of her feathers.

“DASH!” The girls shouted, as they all ran towards the downed Falcon-Woman.

“Rainbow!” Applejack whimpered, helping her up. “Are ya alright?”

“Yeah…I’m fine,” Rainbow replied. “I’m not doing that again…”

“So we can’t go through, and we can’t fly in,” Sunset shook her head. “But we have to get in and save Spike!”

Suddenly, without warning, Loona took off running from the girls and Kirin, charging furiously towards the fence.

“Loona!” The girls shouted after the canine Reverse Hybrid, who tripped and stumbled in her dress.

“Stupid…DRESS!!!” Loona growled angrily, biting and tearing away at the dress Cozy Glow forced her to wear.

With a loud scream, Loona took her mark and sprinted forward on all four, charging at the walls like a mad bull, until she was an inch away from the walls, kicked off the ground, and leapt up in the air, with her claws clinging the ledge of the wall.

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!” Loona screamed, upon receiving a full blast of electricity from the wall.

Loona fell to the ground, charred and burnt. But the Reverse-Hybrid soon got back up and charged toward the wall again. But like before, Loona was electrocuted from the wall’s security, and fell to the ground, spasm in shock. And again, Loona got back up and kept on throwing herself at the electric wall, repeatedly.

“Loona, it’s no use!” Sunset shook her head, as she and the girls gathered around the charred wolf-dog.

“Loona okay?” Leggy asked.

“NO!” Loona barked. “I’m NOT OKAY! I’m burned! I’m charred! I’m wearing a FUCKING DRESS THAT COZY FORCED ME TO WEAR! And I bit Spike’s hand!”

“WHAT?!” The girls exclaimed in shock.

“You bit him?!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed in horror.

“YEAH! I BIT HIM!” Loona snapped at the pink monkey-woman. “All because he got in between me and the tiger! Now I HAVE TO SAVE HIM!!!”

“And how do you plan to do that?” Sunset asked.

“Whatever it takes! NOTHING IS GOING TO KEEP ME FROM SAVING THAT HUMAN!” Loona hyperventilated, repeatedly throwing herself at the wall, and electrocuting herself multiple times.

“I have to save Spike! I have to tell him I’m sorry! I wanna go home! I have to be there for dad! I! CAN’T! LET! THEM! DIE! ALONE!”

After she had slammed her head senselessly for the last times, Loona moaned and fell to the ground.

The other girls gathered around the shattered wolf-dog, who could do nothing but curl herself up in a fetal position, with her arms wrapped across her chest, and her nails digging into her arms, as she sobbed miserably.

“Spike…” Loona sniffed. “Spike…”

“There, there,” Fluttershy shushed, stroking Loona’s tail, though it looks as though she blindly intended on stroking her head.

“It’s okay,” Fluttershy consoled to the wolf-dog.

“No…” Loona sobbed tearfully. “It’s not okay…Spike’s gone…He’s gone through the one-way door…and it’s all my fault…”

“It wasn’t your fault Loona,” Sunset consoled the wolf-dog Reverse Hybrid. “Not entirely. We are all to blame for what happened…”

“What good is it now?” Loona sobbed. “He hates us! He hates me!”

The distraught wolf-dog hobbled on her feet, picking up a vine, much to the other girls’ shock.

“Loona? What’s are ya doin’ with that?” Applejack asked in concern.

“I’m not strong enough to be a wild dog,” Loona sobbed, while walking away from the girls. “Not smart enough to be a guard dog. Not even loveable enough to be a house dog. I’m not even a dog anymore. I’m not even human. What am I?”

Loona sobbed, tying a noose around her neck, and secured the other end of the vine around a tree branch, at the edge of a cliff, hanging over the ocean.

The girls quickly caught on, realizing what Loona was planning to do.

“Loona! DON’T!” Sunset cried out, racing towards the dog.

“I’m done trying to belong,” Loona whimpered. “There’s nowhere else for me…Blitz is gone…Spike is gone…I might as well just…die, before Cozy gets me again…”

With tears stinging in her eyes, Loona gulped, swallowing a lump in her throat, ready to walk off the cliff to end her life as quickly and painlessly as possible.

“LOONA! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” The other girls screamed, with time seemingly slowing down for Loona.

Loona opened her eyes to look at the setting sun, one last time before she dies. But instead, she was perplexed to find herself in a starry plane of existence.

The sky is so dark, that the stars were the brightest lights in the sky. The trees that stood tall around Loona were not like the trees of the evil doctor’s island. Instead, they were shaped like the traffic cones she used to see on human streets.

Furthermore, she was flabbergasted to find herself on all four legs, as her normal self again.

“What? What is this…place?” Loona asked herself. “Is this…what we dogs call…the Forests Beyond? The afterlife where all dogs go...to run with a pack...forever safe and happy?"

As if answering her questions, Loona's ears perked up to the sound of howling, coming from her left. She turned until her ears were facing in the direction of the howl.

Compelled by instinct, Loona lets out a howl of her own in response, letting the other dogs know where she was. A presence was felt, which Loona turned to look and sees a whole pack of dogs racing by her and disappearing into the trees. Loona quickly gave chase, running after the dogs, before arriving in a large clearing, where she was astonished to see a large circle of dogs, gathering together to howl at the moon.

"It's a Great-Howl," Loona gasped, slowly walked over and joined the circle, howling with the dogs together.

Loona looked at the dogs, left and right, when her eyes caught sight of a little dog.

"Spike?" Loona barked in surprise. "You're...Are you...dead too?"

In response, the little dog simply took off running, breaking away from the circle, with Loona giving chase.

"Spike, wait!" Loona barked, frantically chasing the little dog. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...What the..."

Loona slid to a stop, when she saw several bright figures materializing before her.

The first figure she saw was a Wolf-Dog that looked just like, Loona. But with a whole litter of puppies. One of these pups is a playful little rascal who was biting and tugging on her mother's ear.

"...Mom..." Loona whimpered, walking towards the luminescent silhouette of her mother, reaching her nose out to lick across the old dog's muzzle, but only felt air.

The figures suddenly changed into the shape of some humans, snatching up the puppies – young Loona included – who were all barking for their mother, who lied motionless...lifeless...and helpless...

Loona could only growl angrily, watching as the cruel humans tossed the helpless puppies in the sack, tying them up with a rope, tied to a large brick, before they were all tossed into a river to drown. Except one pup managed to tear a hole open in the sack's skin, allowing her to escape. Unfortunately, her siblings weren't so fortunate and the pup could only howl in grievance at the loss of her family – her original pack.

Loona watched as her past puppy self went on to grow up into a lone-dog, wandering aimlessly in the Wild, confronting creatures called Giantfurs – bears to the humans – and Mountain Sharpclaws – mountain lions.

Eventually, Loona in the past arrived in the city, where she found more constant struggles for dogs. Every lone-dogs had to dig through human trash to find food. Foods that are tastier than papers, or any disgusting junks that humans have thrown out. This was Loona's life, until she was captured by the dog catcher, taken to a place called the pound, where dogs are either adopted or doomed to await the day their time is up and they enter the one-way door.

And just as she remembered, Loona was adopted five times. But each stories ended with her being returned to the pound. One family had moved away and left her behind. Another family kicked her out after one relative complained having dog allergies. The third family was having a baby, but the mother wanted nothing with Loona and had her kicked out. The fourth family was abusive towards her and wanted her to entertain some kids at a birthday party, until a trick was botched and she ran away. Lastly, the fifth family was just a cruel man who trained her in the circus. But rather than following his orders, Loona retaliated and bit the man and ran off, until she was caught by the dog catcher again.

Loona was certain she would've entered the one-way door, until one fateful day...a man named Blitz came into her life and adopted the young loner.

Loona kept on watching her memories play, letting her reliving some of the biggest moments in her life. She whimpered and looked down in shame, knowing that her owner and savior, Blitz, had been nothing but kind to her. Even wrote a song to her. He treated her like she was his daughter.

LOONIE (Loona’s Lullaby) - Helluva Boss [Fan Song]

Loona didn't show it then, but after she looked back on this memory, her tail started to wag. Appreciating the song that her owner wrote for her.

But then, her story with Blitz came to an abrupt end, when Cozy Glow arrived. And like the raging barks and lightnings of a warring Sky-Dog fight, Loona's life all went to hell from there, when she was one of many creatures who were subjected by Dr. Grogar to become Cozy Glow's new playmates.

Although, it wasn't entirely hell, because that was when she met Spike. As a matter of speaking, the last figure to materialize in front of Loona is the glowing silhouette of Spike Draco.

“Look. I know we humans aren’t always perfect, but…” Spike echoed in the past. “But at least try to cut us some slack. We may not get things right, but…we’re trying. And that’s more important than you think.”

"You are your own creature!" Another Spike from a recent past repeated. "You’re smart, you’re resilient, I mean you’re one tough dog. But more importantly, you’re our friend!”

"...as beautiful as dogs go. So, I’m sure when you find the right dog, you two can make it work.”

Loona walked up to Spike silhouette, putting a hand up to his head.

"I love you, Spike," Loona whimpered. "You're a human. You're...loud...kinda annoying...but you're also a good human. And I want to make it work with you... I love you, Spike."

Before Loona knew it, the entire Forests-Beyond was swallowed up by light.

Loona blinked her eyes open to find herself back to reality, where she was a foot away from walking off the cliff to end her life.

“LOONA, NO!” The girls behind her called, begging and pleading for the wolf-dog to reconsider from ending her life.

Thankfully, Loona heeded and stepped back onto solid ground.

“I have to save him…” Loona whimpered, pulling herself free from the noose. “I have to save him. And even if Spike doesn’t love me anymore, I still love him… human, dog, or whatever I’ve become, there’s only one Spike for me…”

"There's only one Spike for all of us," Applejack whimpered.

"And we all love him," Rarity added.

"And he loved us," Sunset croaked. "Or at least...he used to..."

"You girls…women…YOU FEMALES ARE INSANE!” Spike's terrified scream echoed, to which Sunset cringed, remembering the last time Spike talked to them. “I actually thought you She-Beasts were my friends! We even sleep in the same bed together! I COULD’VE BEEN RAPED!!!!”

Sunset was barely keeping herself composed, straining to swallow her tears, recalling the time it all came crashing down, when Spike struck her with the tree branch before she could get the chance to explain what had happened.

“HOPE THAT’S…KINKY FOR YOU…BITCH!!!”

"I'm not a bitch..." Sunset sobbed. "I'm not a bitch! Not anymore!"

"You're a disgrace to the family, Sunset..." The voice of a man echoed in the tigress's memories, and her tears burned hotter. "I raised you to be better than this...What happened to the girl I once thought as my angel? Where did I go wrong? You're no daughter of mine... You're dead to me..."

"Dad, no!" Sunset screamed, startling the other girls at the tigress's sudden outburst.

"So is it all worth it now?" Another male voice haunted, driving the sharp pain even deeper in Sunset's heart. "You're popular. You're the Princess of the Fall Formal. Just like you wanted..."

"Flash, please. I'm sorry!"

"I loved you. I supported you. I did everything for you. I treated you like a queen. But it wasn't enough for you... I told you to take it easy, to take a break! Now my friend is dead, because of you!"

"Flash! I never meant for it to happen!"

"But you did," A much scarier male voice spoke in Sunset's troubled thoughts.

"No...No! Not you!" Sunset shivered, feeling her whole body freezing up.

"Sunset?" Twilight asked in worry.

"She's losing it!" Starlight exclaimed, stepping back.

"Not her fault!" Rainbow Dash explained. "She's kinda having PTD, or somethin'."

"PTSD, Rainbow Dash," Rarity corrected, before she looked back in concern for the tigress, who continues to be haunted by the voices in her head.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha. You really thought you could be rid of me that easy, didn't you, Sunny? You really think that your angel of a MILF, Tia, and her pet, Twilight Twinky, can get you out of work? To FUCK with me? To tear up your contract so you can be free? I own you...body...and soul! Or have you forgotten that?"

"No! I'M NOT YOUR PROPERTY! Not anymore!" Sunset cried, clutching her head.

"You were nothing...without me, Sunset Shimmy. You were cast out on the streets, before I found you. You were broke. But I rebuild you. You got to where you are in life, because of me! Bitches like you never have a future...until they met me. You owe your lives to me. I gave you a job to make money...for me... But then...you acted out of line... Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. HA HA HA HA! No. You actually think you can change? Addict trash like you doesn't change. You belong to me, Sunny. Body...AND...soul..."

"Sunset?"

Sunset gasped, snapping herself back to reality, broken out of her thoughts to find herself back in the jungle, with a concerned Twilight putting her hands on the tigress She-Beast's shoulders.

"Sunset? Are you–" Before Twilight could finish, Sunset threw herself at the pony-woman She-Beast, wrapping her arms around her for a tearful hug.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay," Twilight consoled, gently stroking the fiery tigress's back.

"No...it's not okay..." Sunset sobbed. "Spike's gone...it's all my fault..."

"No...Sunset," Twilight continued to console. "It wasn't just you. It's all ours...we...weren't ourselves..."

"Twilight's right, Sugarcube," Applejack joined in, as the other girls gathered around Sunset. "We're all to blame for scaring the poor fella to death like that. We wouldn't have come at him so strong."

"And I wouldn't have bitten him," Loona whimpered.

"Or maybe we wouldn't be like that if I hadn't brought those stinky flowers in the first place," Pinkie Pie frowned sadly. "I didn't know that they could...you know...make us do all that...I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, Pinkie," Rainbow gently patted the pink Monkey-Woman. "You didn't know."

"...Flowers? What flowers?" Loona asked curiously.

"Hydrangea," Twilight explained. "They're special types of plants that–Wait..." She did a double-take, turning to Loona and asked, "Loona? How can you not know? We burned them this morning, remember?"

"Actually...now that I think about it," Applejack scratched her head. "And if I'm rememberin' right, ah don't recall seeing Loona present before we went all...loopy. Where were you Loona?"

"Oh...that..." The wolf-dog blushed. "Well... I was out for a walk. Just...clearing my head."

"Just...clearin' yer head?" Applejack raised an eyebrow, clearly knowing there was more to Loona's story. "Of what exactly?"

But before Loona can answer, Pinkie Pie started blabbering, "You were walking in the woods, because you've been harboring a secret crush for Spike, but you decided to keep it to yourself, because you were afraid of being vulnerable to your own feelings. But then you worked up the courage to put yourself out there for Spike, trying to admit your feelings to him, with a bouquet of flowers, except you found him hyperventilating, having a heart attack, so you comforted him until he was feeling better to talk again. Am I right?"

Loona simply stared at Pinkie Pie with her jaws hanging wide open, uttering a squeak, until she finally asked, "How did you know?"

"Just a hunch!" Pinkie squeaked, as the girls all looked at Loona with sly looks on their faces.

"Soooo..." Rainbow grinned. "You have a crush on Spike, don't you?"

"You really do like him, don't you?" Starlight added. "And by that, we mean like him, like him?"

With her face burning up from the embarrassment, her ears flattening for further emphasis on her expression, Loona struggled to muster up a growl in a vain attempt to look tough.

"So...what if I do?" Loona frowned, before she whimpered sadly. "It doesn't matter anyway. I bit him...he hates me."

"Hate is kind of a strong word," Twilight spoke up. "Granted, he may be a gynophobic, but he could never hate females. He's just scared. And...he just doesn't know the full context of what happened."

"Hence, why we have to find him and explain everything to him," Sunset added, while gently rubbing the sore area around her black eye.

"That is...IF we'll ever find him before Grogar turns him into a mindless Man-Beast," Rainbow Dash frowned, while remembering of the time she and Spike went fishing, and how it disturbed him that they were fishing a Fish-Man.

"Y'know, at first, I didn't have any problem killing Man-Beasts because they're long gone," The Falcon-Woman winced. "But...if Spike does become a...I really hope it doesn't come to that..."

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Loona barked at Rainbow Dash, while also scaring Fleur to run up a tree. "None of you will kill Spike as long as I have ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT!"

"Okay, okay, chill!" Rainbow coaxed the wolf-dog.

"And keep yer voice down, Loona!" Applejack advised the Reverse-Hybrid. "We don't want to alert Grogar that we're here."

Loona nodded and lets out a deep sigh, "I'm sorry...I'm just...really worried for Spike."

"We all are, Sugarcube," Applejack consoled.

"That being said..." Fluttershy spoke up. "Why did you bit Spike to begin with?"

"There was a high pitching sound," Loona explained. "It...It was driving me crazy and...I don't know what I was thinking. The next thing knew, I bit Spike..."

"Hey...I also heard a high pitching sound too!" Sunset exclaimed.

"So did we!" Applejack added. "In fact, I think we all heard the noise sometimes after that weird flower was clearing out of our systems!"

"...We all lost our minds because a noise?" Rainbow asked. "Even Spike?"

"Actually, Rainbow, Spike might not have heard that sound," Twilight explained. "To my knowledge, there are some sounds that only animals can hear. Animals...like what we've become! Spike is still human, so he wouldn't have heard it!"

"Oh yeah..." Applejack winced. "Now I know how ma dog, Winona, must've felt whenever I blew a dog whistle..."

"It was no whistle," Called a voice. "It was one of Dr. Grogar's tricks..."

The girls and Kirin all turned in the direction of the voice to see Scorpan walking out from the trees.

"Scorpan!" The girls exclaimed.

"Wh-What are you doing here?" Twilight asked.

"Same reason as you girls–" Scorpan took notice of little Kirin in Leggy's arms. "–and fawn – are here. The whole island has gone mad, ever since Dr. Grogar had played that signal of his. Called it the Call of the Wild."

"Hmmm. Like the novel," Twilight rolled her eyes. "Although, I'll have to admit, it is rather apropos, in an evil twisted clever way."

"Not the time for your egghead talks, Twi," Rainbow said to the Pony-Woman, before she turned to the gargoyle-like Man-Beast. "Continue."

"As I was saying," Scorpan continued. "The moment I heard the Call of the Wild, I knew that Grogar was up to something. He rarely activated that signal, unless it was absolutely necessary for him to drive the entire population on the island into madness. Many other Beast-Folks have become more aggressive than usual, I'm afraid."

"I know I'm going to regret asking," Starlight began. "But on a scale of 1 to 10, how bad are we talking about?"

"Very bad," Scorpan answered grimly. "Carnivores have started to compete with each other for new hunting grounds, with the herbivores being abnormally aggressive than usual, attacking anything on sight. And worst, my brother, Tirek, and his colleagues, the Berserkers, are on their way here."

"Berserkers?" Applejack exclaimed.

"Colleagues?" Twilight gasped.

"Herbivores?" Loona asked.

"Carnivores?" Fluttershy whimpered.

"Pinkie!" Pinkie Pie chirped.

"PINKIE!" The others scolded angrily.

"If by colleagues and Berserkers," Rainbow Dash began. "You mean like...the Storm King, Chrysalis, Sombra, and your brother included."

"Even...Cozy Glow?" Loona whimpered. "She's coming...here?"

"Then we don't have much time!" Applejack stammered. "It's bad enough, knowing that Spike's in there! But those hoodlums are on their way here? This changes everything!"

"Wait a minute...Spike is in there?" Scorpan asked. "Grogar has captured him? How long? When? What happened?"

"Long story short," Rainbow Dash began. "We lost our mind when Grogar played that Call of the Wild of his, and now he's got Spike!"

Sunset soon took over, "So now we're trying to come up with a plan to save him before he gets turned into a mindless Man-Beast! Or something worse..."

"The only problem we have is this stupid electric wall that Grogar had set up!" Loona barked angrily.

"And we can't fly our way in," Rainbow Dash frowned. "Trust me, I tried. And I nearly got blasted, like Duck Hunt."

"Hmmm," Scorpan scratched his chin. "I think I know of a way in. But I'm afraid even Grogar isn't foolish enough to not set up traps in case of any potential break-ins. And there is still the problem concerning your...inner beasts. Considering how easy it was for Grogar's signal to drive all of you into madness, then I fear the worst. The animal DNAs that Grogar has engineered into your very beings have become too strong. It's only a matter of time until it has completely overridden all of your rationality that you ended up as feral as all the Beast-Folks before you."

"Then...what should we do, Scorpan?" Twilight asked.

"We have to save Spike!" Applejack barked. "We can't let Grogar hurt him and turn the fella into a mindless Man-Beast!"

"And we can't lose our minds again!" Sunset added. "And we don't want to kill Spike!"

Soon, the girls were all howling and bellowing their anxieties to the gargoyle-like Man-Beast, who had enough.

"SILENCE!" Scorpan shouted. "I understand you're all scared. But I can help. Now listen well...and learn."

Meanwhile, with Spike, a sudden burst of light pierced through the darkness, burning Spike’s eyes so intense, he thought he would go blind.

Worse still, Spike was still paralyzed and he couldn’t close his eyes to shield himself from the burning light. It was like staring into the sun. And while his body was still paralyzed, he could still feel the cold touch of large straps binding him to a large chair. A chair that patience normally sit in, at the dentist’s office.

Spike strained to look to the left and he almost had the urge to jump out of his own skin. There were some large tanks, containing bizarre looking creatures preserved in liquid solutions, looking almost like oversized jars of preserved specimens found in science labs, or at natural history museums.

What's most disturbing was that the creatures inside the tanks are alive. One such creature looked like a misshapen blob of flesh and organs, with heads, arms, and legs sticking out of it in different places. In another tank, a creature looked like a cross between a man and a fly, like something from a horror movie. Another creature that looked like it came from a horror movie appeared to be a man, but with scaly fins and gills of a fish, webbed hands and feet with massive claws at the tip of its fingers.

Spike was certain that the mad scientist had been busy making even more horrible creations since the last time he was here. He would look if he could, but Spike was still paralyzed, so his squeamish fears can only be left to the imaginations.

“Ah, good evening, Mr. Draco,” Called an eerie voice, that Spike dreaded to hear.

He could barely turn his head. His eyes darted to the side, until he sees the mad scientist, wheeling into the room, with a sinister grin that sent shivers down Spike’s entire body.

“I must commend you on your survival skills, Mr. Draco. No humans, besides myself and Bray, would last more than a day on my island. But you have surpassed some expectations! You had somehow managed to survive more than 6 months! Congratulations. I trust that by now, you are familiar with the inhabitants of my island. The creatures I have created living in their natural habitats. And of course, your lady friends, the She-Beasts.”

If he wasn’t paralyzed, Spike would question how Grogar could’ve known. He had an urge to tense his whole body up to express how surprised he was to learn that Dr. Grogar had known about him and the girls.

“Oh yes. I know, Mr. Draco,” Grogar chuckled, as if he read Spike’s mind. “I have been watching you, courtesy of my son, Shade Stalker. I‘ve known for quite some time! You had come into contact with the remaining She-Beasts who still retain a fragment of their dwindling sentience and intelligence. Together, you eventually came into contact with the Reverse-Hybrids in their village.”

Dr. Grogar pressed a button on his keyboard, revealing photos of Spike living with the girls for the past 6 months. Spike was horrified at the revelation that this madman had known all along about his location, his state of living, and the girls.

“Newt was right about you, Mr. Draco,” Dr. Grogar chuckled. “You have a way with animals. And something about you has certainly brought out the best of these girls. It was almost like watching something from a fairy tale. But sadly, real life isn’t a fairy tale. And like all things in life, all good things must come to an end, which you have discovered when the girls have — how should we say? — gone savage.”

Dr. Grogar chuckled wickedly as he wheeled closer to Spike and continued, “Now, now, don’t be so hard on the young ladies. We are, after all, in the endgame. Meaning their time is just about over, you see. For some strange reason, like all the other She-Beasts before them, they have all managed to hold onto their sentience longer than their male counterparts. But only temporary. Afterwards, they eventually begin to exhibit erotic behaviors before finally succumbing to their inner beasts, which you have had to witness.”

Spike felt as if his heart was breaking, realizing that if what Dr. Grogar said is true, then the She-Beasts are losing their identities. The girls he knew have become the savage beasts that he had witnessed. The girls he thought he knew and loved are now gone.

“Well, never you mind, my good man,” Dr. Grogar continued, wheeling himself around Spike. “Soon, they will be out of our lives, forever. Now that the She-Beasts have lost themselves to their inner beasts, then it won’t be long now until they become human again. But by then, they’ll be without their identities and have completely forgotten their existence.”

Dr. Grogar continued to gloat as he wheels towards some machines, switching on several buttons to bring the machines to life.

“I’m sure it hurts you mentally, Mr. Draco, more than that ghastly bite you received from the wolf-dog. How you and these magnificent creatures have grown so close together, only to have it all taken away from you. But as I’ve said, all good things must come to an end. For now, your time has come to serve a higher purpose, in the name of science.”

Before Spike could regain any feelings in his entire body, he suddenly heard what sounded like the whirring sound of an engine’s wheels turning, coupled with the humming sound of electric wires.

“First, I require something of you,” Dr. Grogar grinned deviously as a giant robotic arm came into view, equipped with large syringes.

Meanwhile, back with the girls.

“Once, we were merely humans and animals,” Scorpan lectured to the girls. “But on this island, courtesy of Dr. Grogar, we have all become much more. We are all Beast-Folks.”

Scorpan marched in front of the girls as he continued, “Grogar had altered our DNAs to become who we are, both inside and out. But somewhere inside us, he had engineered strands of our DNAs to match our animal DNAs. Our inner beasts.”

Scorpan turned to the Rainbooms, “I’m certain you girls have resisted your inner beastly instincts many times before. And that was your first mistakes. You are all Beast-Folks, now. Your beastly instincts are part of you. Your struggle to resist the temptation only makes them stronger and harder to control.”

Scorpan turned to look grimly up at Grogar’s manor.

“That was how Dr. Grogar took advantage over many of us. He has a signal, called the Call of the Wild. Any Beast-Folks who hear it will turn completely feral, lose all senses of awareness and rationality.”

“Then…what do we do?” Sunset Shimmer asked anxiously.

“You must accept both sides of yourselves. Humans and beasts,” Scorpan lectured.

The girls all exchanged looks of uncertainty between one another, before they all closed their eyes and concentrated on Scorpan’s words.

“Feel your inner beasts deep within your subconscious. Bring your beastly instincts and your humanity together. Let them work in harmony and let them both make you stronger than you were before.”

Sunset Shimmer was the first to growl loudly, as she connects to her inner tiger. Scorpan and friends all watched as Sunset fell to the ground, down on all four, growling ferociously, baring her fangs, and her eyes dilated to a small dot, until she shook her head.

“Whoa…” Sunset exclaimed, quickly regaining control of herself. “That feels…that was…kinda…strange…but in a…good kind of way…”

“As long as you don’t try to eat us, then that’s good with us,” Starlight replied.

“But if ya can do it, then so can we!” Applejack barked.

“Remember,” Scorpan lectured. “Never try to fight your inner beasts. Let them help your human mind, both in battle and in peace. And the fate of young Spike, rests in your hands. Now let's go! Hurry!”

1 — The Man Who Wanted To Photograph Wildlife

The air is salty. The ocean was calm. The air was a crispy tropic breeze.

A large ship was cruising across the surface of the ocean. Onboard the ship is a whole crew of explorers on a trip to photograph marine biology. Perched in the crow’s nest is the youngest member. A man in his early 20s, with an emerald green hair that matched his eyes, and narrating to himself in his thoughts:

My name is Spike Draco. I just turned 20 a couple months ago and right now, I’m on a ship, as a member of a crew, on a trip to photograph some marine biology.

I love animals. I was born and grew up in the state of Montana, which was part of the reason I wanted to be a wildlife photographer.

Since I was a kid, I’m very much drawn to animals. Mostly cats, dogs, and sometimes horses. I usually prefer to be around animals than people.

Don’t get me wrong, I have some friends who are humans. And I like them as much as I love my parents and grandparents. It’s just, I like being around animals. They’re a lot of fun and I’m always discovering something new about them everyday.

“Spike!” A voice with a British accent called, startling the young man out of his daze. He looked down to see an older man.

“Uh, Mr. Newt Chimera!” Spike greeted the older man. In appearance, he was a rather tall man (6'1"), with brown hair and hazel eyes, and looked like he was around the age of 29. Even though he gave off the appearance of a slight, awkward man, he was actually rather muscular under all that attire. Speaking of which, he wore a blue coat, brown vest, white shirt, bow tie, blue and yellow scarf, dark brown trousers, and brown boots.

“How are you today, Spike?” The older man, identified as Newt Chimera, asked. “Seen any dolphins yet lad?”

“So far, just the ocean and some clouds,” Spike confirmed.

“Hmmm, they’re around here,” The man replied. “We’ll find them. In the meantime, why don't you come down here and take a break?”

“Sure thing, sir.” Spike replied as he began to climb down the Crow's nest.

Shortly after, both of them headed their way to the mess hall, "What do you think Stumpy is gonna make for lunch today, Mr. Chimera?" Spike asked.

"Don't know honestly. I just hope that it isn't Tuna Casserole again." Newt replied with a shudder.

"You really don't care for seafood, do you?" Spike asked.

"Let's just say that I... don't like eating fish." The older man replied glumly. "You know, Starlight's been talking about you lately."

"H-Has she now?" Spike asked with a bit of nervousness. Starlight was one of the marine biologists who came aboard and a damn good swimmer as well. She is currently doing some scuba diving to film some sharks. When Spike first met her, she seemed nice but had difficulty approaching her due to a certain phobia of his.

"Yes, it's been three weeks since we've been out here, and she's been wanting to know you bit more." Newt said rather coyly.

"Well... I would like to know more about her too but well..."

“Spike, do you have a lady waiting for you home?” The man teased, much to Spike’s discomfort. “Surely, a handsome chap like you would—“

“We’ve talked about it, sir!” Spike interrupted. “I’m…I’m still looking. She’s out there. I’ll find her, just like how we’ll find some dolphins to photograph…”

“I’m just messing with you, Spike,” The man smirked. “But y’know, you’re still in your golden years. It’s not too late to find love.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Spike replied.

In truth, Spike wasn’t planning on finding a girlfriend anytime soon. On the account of his gynophobia. Meaning he’s terribly afraid of girls. How and why? That is a story for another time. Spike then noticed Mr. Chimera clutching his head.

"Whoa, you okay sir?" Spike asked in concern.

"Wha... Oh yes, just a bit of a headache is all. I get them from time to time, nothing that a bottle of brandy can't fix." Newt assured him. "You know what Spike, you go on without me. I'm going to go rest for a bit.

"Sure Mr. Chimera, whatever you say." Spike said as the older man take his leave.

After what felt like hours, have passed, the sun had set, and night had fallen.

Spike retreated to below deck, to get some sleep.

The young man was sound asleep to the gentle swaying of the ship, until it suddenly turned wild and bumpy, throwing him out of his bed.

“AAAAHHH!!!” Spike screamed, landing on the floor with a hard thud. “Ow!” The young man got up to rub his sore head, "What the hell? What's going on?"

With the ship still rocking violently, to and fro, Spike nimbly got up on his feet, struggling to walk up the stairs to see what was going on. Spike was certain that a violent shake like this, anyone onboard the ship will be seasick.

Reaching for the knob, Spike turned the door open and was startled awake to a nightmare of a stormy ride. The ship had sailed into a hurricane. Thunder roared in the air, the sky was darkened by thick clouds, with bolts of lightning streaking across the sky, lighting up the darkness in the blink of an eye.

When did this happened? How is this happening? More importantly, why did the ship steer into a storm? Wanting answers, Spike battled his way through the cold, icy, wet wind of the sea, struggling to make his way up to the ship's bridge. He'd like a good word with the captain.

It wasn't easy, but Spike finally made it, onto the bridge.

"Captain! What's going on?" Spike asked, as he threw himself into the room. "Captain? Captain!"

Spike soon got his answer, when a flash of lightning illuminated the dark room, to reveal the captain was on the floor. Knocked out, or dead, Spike doesn't know. But one thing's for certain, no one was steering the ship.

Stricken with fear, for his very life, Spike quickly grabbed the wheel, trying to steer the ship out of the storm. But to no avail. He checked the radar, to get a read on their location, but the navigation device had been switched off.

Turning to the nearest radio device, Spike screamed in distress, "Hello? Hello? U.S. Coastguard? This is–WHOA!" Before Spike could finish, the ship was hit with another tidal wave, sending Spike flying towards the ceiling, hitting his head against a pipe.

With that, his head was ringing as Spike fell to the floor, and his world went black.

Force of Nature (feat. Sarah Murray)

4 – Lions, Tigers, and SHE-BEASTS?! Oh my!

The winds howled. The trees swayed and danced to the breeze. The ocean sprayed and crashed against the shores of the island. A young man coughed horribly, after a terrifying escape.

“My life just flashed before my eyes…” Spike moaned, collapsing on his back, as he recovers from the adrenaline he experienced.

It was all too much for the young man to take in. A mad scientist, who was obsessed with turning people into animals? Newt Chimera is involved? And now...

"My camera!" Spike exclaimed, upon realizing his device is gone. "Shit! That crazy doctor's loony butler must've taken it when I was out! It must be back in that mad scientist's laboratory..."

Spike looked up, straining to see the said facility pass the trees of the jungle. He shook his head, deciding to drop the camera, for the time being.

"I guess the camera's not important, right now," Spike turned his attention back to his surroundings. "Right now, I gotta find a place to camp out, for the night," Though, the sounds of the animals howling, hooting, and barking, had sent him on edge. "And hopefully, some place that's not too...crowded..."

Digging through his backpack, Spike was relieved to find he is still in possessions of some essential supplies. He got out his flashlight, turned on the switch, relieved that it still shines on a bright light.

"Well, at least I can still see in the dark," Reaching into his pocket, he was relieved to see his compass was still functional. "Good. I'd be lost without this..."

Confident with the gears he still has in his possessions, Spike sets off into the wilderness.

After what felt like hours, Spike was certain that night had already fallen. The jungle around him had gotten darker and darker. Everywhere, all around him, the cries of animals, or whatever came out of Grogar's horror show, sounded creepier and creepier.

"If I don't find a place to sleep quick, I'm gonna be someone else's dinner," Spike whimpered in fright, before he began listing to some of the places he's tried on the island.

"The swamp. Too much mosquitos. And the mosquitos are girls!" Spike shuddered, while rubbing a sore arm, where he was bitten. "It's always the girls..." Pushing that unpleasant experience aside, Spike continued, "After the swamp, I found this creepy elephant's graveyard in a clearing nearby...too creepy!" He shuddered. "A tree...too thorny."

Spike kept on ranting about the places he's been, before he shined his flashlight on a potential place for shelter.

"A cave!" He exclaimed, relieved to find a place to sleep.

With newfound hope, Spike quickly raced towards the cave, eager to finally settled down for a sleep.

Upon arriving at the cave, Spike stood at the entrance, before he shouted, "Hello?" His voice echoed through the cave.

After a few minutes have passed, with no response, Spike quickly deemed the cave was vacant.

"Finally, someplace I can sleep for the night."

With that, Spike walked over to the wall, where he slid his backpack off, emptying it off some hard items, until the pack was soft enough to be used as a makeshift pillow. Once that was done, Spike practically curled himself up into a ball, snuggling himself onto his backpack.

Unfortunately, Spike had assumed too soon, and was in for a rude awakening.

"Well, what have we here?" A voice squawked.

"HUH?!"

Spike yelped as his eyes burst open, to see that the cave wasn't so vacant at all.

Standing before him are a group of seven colorful creatures, and judging by their anatomy and voice, without a doubt, they're all women.

The first hybrid – a pony-woman – appears to be the leader of the pack. In appearance, she seems to have the face and hooves of an equine of some sort, with long moderate sapphire blue mane and tail, with moderate violet and brilliant rose streaks, and lavender skin. The only attires she has on her are a light blue blouse, and a dark purple plated skirt. Her breast sizes is estimated to be the size of C-Cups.

The second hybrid – a bat-woman – is buttercup yellow in color, with a fluffy mane of pale pink fur covering the collar of her neck, back, chest, and half of her face. Her left eye is moderate cyan, while her right is colored blood red, but they both seemed blind. Whether she is wearing a top, underneath all that fur, it's anyone's guess, though the only visible attire she appeared to be wearing is a green mini-skirt, with pink laces at the bottom, and butterflies printed on the hips.

The third hybrid – a falcon-woman – is covered in head-to-toe, with cyan blue feathers, has wings instead of arms, with the feathers on the tips of her wings colored in different shades of the rainbow, almost as if she’s either part hummingbird, or parrot. She has the talons of a raptor, instead of legs, and a sharp curved beak, for her mouth. Her attires are a black crop top, and a tattered black short short. Her breast sizes are a pair of decent C-Cups.

The fourth hybrid – appears to be a pink monkey-woman. She has bouncy locks, with baby blue eyes, and her only attire, much to Spike's discomfort, is an apron, with a cleavage of a well-endowed chest trying to peek out, from the top.

The fifth hybrid – an orange wolf-woman – is easily the best description of a werewolf. She is covered in brilliant gamboge fur, with freckles of white dots that framed her emerald green eyes. She is incredibly muscular, with a slender build – in other words, thicc – with wide hips, eight-pecks, breasts that are estimated to be D-Cups. Her attires are a worn, brown stetson hat, with a white shirt that is tied up front, and a ripped jean skirt.

The sixth hybrid – a beautiful snow leopard-woman – is semi-human, with purple hair that is styled in an elegant curl, with feline traits of a leopard, shown on her face, ears, claws, skin, and a tail growing. She has hypnotic sapphire eyes, and long eyelashes. Unlike the rest of the hybrid present, she seems to be the most dressed up, with a white dress covering her whole body, and a pair of sandals…or what's left of them.

Finally, the seventh hybrid – a tiger-woman – like the sixth hybrid, is near human. She has fiery red hair with streaks of gold, that almost gave her the resemblance of a lion. She is covered in black stripes, sharp claws growing from her hands and feet, with a long tail. Her only attires are a black bikini, adorned with white jewels that resembled claws and teeth, baring her shredded abs, and holding her breasts that seemed to be an arousing E-Cup sizes, barely covered by a large fluff of fur on her chest.

"Well, well, well, look what the tide dragged in!" The falcon-woman scowled. "That creep Grogar's got himself a new flunky!"

"YIKES!!!" Spike yelped, as he picked up his backpack, holding it up as a shield. "More of you...you...whatever you are. I'm sorry! I didn't know this cave was occupied...with GIRLS?!!!"

"Oh...a sexist, eh?" The falcon-woman scoffed, sounding offended. "Well, prepare to face the fury of the falcon!"

"Uh, Rainbow..." The pony-woman began. "Maybe we shouldn't–" But it was too late.

The falcon-woman was already flapping her wing, lunging at Spike, who quickly ducked his head, to avoid her claws. Having missed her target, the falcon-woman crashed into the cave's wall.

"Oh! Oh dear goodness!" The bat-woman exclaimed. "Rainbow Dash! Are you alright?"

"I'm ok..." The falcon-woman groaned, pulling her head out of the cavern walls, and straightening her beak. "I was...just going easy on him."

"Yeah, right," The wolf-woman rolled her eyes, in a voice with a southern drawl to it.

Desperate to salvage what was left of her hurt ego, the falcon-woman made another lunge at Spike, who was frantically running and screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Leave me alone, bird woman!" Spike shrieked. "Go away! SHOO!! Fly away! Buzz off! Aren't birds supposed to be in trees?!"

Watching from the sideline, the rest of the she-beasts looked on with confusion, and skepticism.

"For someone who is Grogar's new flunky, he doesn't seem like the type Grogar would hire," The wolf-woman commented. "Not like that Shade Stalker we've had to contend with..."

"That's because I don't think he's another of Grogar's flunkies," The pony-woman said, looking down to see a photo of Spike, with Newt Chimera. "Newt Chimera?"

"AAAAAAHHH!!!" Spike kept on running for his life, trying to get away from the falcon-woman. "Look! I'm going, I'm going! Color me gone! OOF!!!"

Before he could get away, Spike found himself pinned to the ground by the tiger-woman, with one of her claws on his throat, as she snarled viciously, baring her fangs.

"No one can know of our location!" The tiger-woman snarled. "You're not going anywhere!"

"No! Don't kill me!" Spike wailed. "I won't tell! I promise! Cross my heart, hope to–YIPE!!!"

"LET 'IM HAVE IT, SUNSET!!!" The falcon-woman screeched.

"Sunset! No!" The pony-woman shouted.

The tiger-woman was just inches away from clamping her jaws on a screaming Spike, but she stopped. Spike was still screaming, when the tiger-woman pulled her head back and started to sniff him from the head to torso.

"W-W-Well, what are you waiting for?" Spike asked. "Just get it over with!"

The tiger-woman kept on sniffing, until she was done smelling Spike, and she looked at the man with wide eyes, "You're no henchman of Grogar!" She confirmed. "...But...you know Professor Chimera?"

"What the what?" The falcon-woman exclaimed.

"Newt Chimera?" The bat-woman squeaked.

"What..." Spike gasped, still recovering from a near death experience, and the adrenaline he had experienced. "H-H-How...you know, Newt Chimera?"

"You could say we were his students," The pony-woman answered, as she walked over. "And...I take it you arrived the same way we did, huh?"

"...If by that, you mean getting caught in a storm, and shipwrecked on this island...then yeah...pretty much," Spike nodded, before he turned to the tiger-woman. "Um...can you get off of me, please?"

"Oh! Sorry," The tiger-woman complied, as she helped the man up. "HEY!"

Once the tiger-woman was off of him, first chance Spike got, he quickly bolted away and climbed into a tree.

"Hey! What're you doing up there?" The monkey-woman asked, as she climbed after Spike. "Come on down! We won't hurt you."

"Stay away from me!" Spike spatted, breaking off a tree branch, and use it to stave the woman away from him. "Stay back! BACK! You hear me?!"

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier," The falcon-woman called, when she flapped her wings and perched on a nearby branch. "Really. I didn't know you were–Whoa!"

"Get out! Get away from me! SHOO!" Spike screamed, trying to beat the falcon-woman with the stick.

"Hey! Take it easy!" The falcon hybrid screeched. "Whoa! Stop swinging! You're gonna–"

"Whoa!!!" Spike screamed, as he lost his balance and fell off the branch.

Luckily for him, the falcon-woman, and monkey-woman, both caught him by the legs...with their legs.

"Put me down! Put me down!" Spike yelled frantically.

"Okay, okay," With that, the two hybrids gently put Spike down, on the ground, only for the man to run away again, and hiding inside a bush.

"Oh dear," The leopard-woman muttered. "The poor thing's scared to death..."

Before the falcon hybrid could resume pursuing Spike again, the bat-woman stopped her friend.

"Dash, maybe you should let me talk to him..." The falcon hybrid nodded, as the bat hybrid tried to coax Spike out of hiding. "Excuse me? Um...sir?"

"Go away!" Spike called out from his bush.

"But...we're not going to hurt you," The bat continued. "I promise. My friends are nice, once you get to know them."

"That's what you women always say," Spike grumbled. "But ever since I was six, lots of women would try to chase me, seduce me to hurt me, or even molest me! You're all just as horrible as that...that Grogar creep! Now leave me alone, or I'll really...You don't want to know!"

"Oh dear!" The bat-woman exclaimed, with her friends sharing her bewilderment.

"Sounds to me he's more afraid than we thought!" The wolf-woman commented.

"But...you can trust us," The pony-woman said, as she stood alongside the bat-woman. "We're just as scared as you are."

"The last thing I'd do is trust a female!" Spike spatted.

At that moment, both the bat-woman and wolf-woman's ears perked up, and they looked up with dread and alarm.

"LOOK OUT!!" They both screamed.

Thundering from the trees, stood a large misshapen creature, with the body of a gorilla, the arms of a polar bear, and quills of a porcupine.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Spike exclaimed, pointing at the beast.

"Two words," The falcon-woman replied. "BIG trouble."

"And five words from me," The pink monkey-woman added, before she hooted, "It's on like Donkey Kong!"

Freedom Planet Mix - Major Boss Battle (Original + Chiptune)

With that, a fight breaks out, as the pink monkey-woman and the falcon-woman were the first to charge into the fray, against the mutant gorilla/bear/porcupine hybrid.

In retaliation, the chimeric hybrid slashed its claws at the falcon-woman, who quickly rolled to the right, dodging its attack, before she made a sharp turn for another dive, narrowly dodging the monster's quills and slash.

With the monster distracted, the pink monkey-woman reached into her hair and pulled out, what appeared to be, a pair of coconuts. With a twist of her hip, and a swing of her arms, she hurled the coconuts, like a professional baseball player, lobbing the nuts at the creature. One of them hit it squarely on the nose, while the other hits the chest.

This only irritated the beast, as it lunged at the pink monkey-woman, swiping its massive bear-like claws at her, while emitting a dreadful roar of a mad gorilla.

"EEEEEEEKKK!!!" The pink monkey-woman screeched in fright, as she turned and retreated into the trees.

"Look out!" The pony-woman shouted as she and her fellow she-beasts took cover.

Spike was pulled along with the others, as they hid in the shrubs.

"Whatever you do," The wolf-woman advised. "Stay down."

Spike, too scared out of his wits, didn't argue and simply nodded his head.

Back in the scuffle, the chimeric beast roared as it slashed through the tree branches in its pursuit after the monkey-woman. It didn't realize how high up it was, nor did it realize it was climbing onto brittle branches that couldn't support its weight.

"Welp, ya know what they say," The monkey-woman chirped. "What goes up, must go down. Have a nice fall!"

Before the chimeric beast realized it, the branch it was standing on snapped, and the beast fell to the ground, with a bone shattering thud.

"Oh! Oh dear, what just happened?" The bat-woman squeaked.

Not willing to count her chickens before they hatch, the wolf-woman cautiously stepped forward to inspect the downed monster, poking it with a stick.

"I think...it's dead..." However, the wolf-woman words got eaten, when the monster opened its eyes and rolled onto all four limbs. "Or not!"

With a dreadful roar, the chimeric beast slashed its claws out at the startled wolf-woman, hitting her across the face, knocking her to the side. The wolf-woman let out a hurtful whimper, upon being struck, as she rolled across the ground.

"Applejack!" The she-beasts cried in horror.

For a brief moment, the sound of the wolf's hurtful whimper resonated Spike. For awhile, when he looked at the she-beast, he didn't see an abomination, a freak show, or even a woman he's terrified of. But a hurt animal, that's probably just as scared than he is.

"Applejack!" The bat-woman tried running to her friend, but tripped on a tree root, and fell on the ground. "Oof!"

"Fluttershy! Behind you!" The wolf-woman shouted, trying to warn her friend of the monster's attack from behind.

Before the bat-woman had time to realize, the chimeric beast was already upon her. Before it could bite down on the helpless bat hybrid, a blur of orange, red, and yellow stopped the beast from clamping its jaws down.

The tiger-woman had leapt into the fray, barely holding the beast's jaws open, with her claws.

"Sunset?" The bat-woman called.

"I'll hold him off!" The tiger-woman grunted. "You help AJ out of here!"

With that, the bat-woman scrambled up to her feet, as she went over to inspect her downed wolf friend. In the meantime, the tiger-woman leapt away, just as the beast snapped its jaws shut. The beast then chased after the tiger, as she fought the monster, alongside the falcon and monkey hybrids.

During the fight, the falcon-woman took notice of Spike, who was still watching the battle, from the bushes.

"What are you doing?" The falcon-woman asked the man. "Get outta here! Save yourself!"

"Huh?" Spike stammered, startled from his observation of the battle taking place.

"Get outta here! Leave this guy to us! Find a boat. Build a raft, or whatever. Get your ass out of this place!"

Spike immediately complied as he was about to turn and leave. But then, he stopped. He felt a sudden attack of conscience, as something nagged in the back of his head. Could he really ditch these she-beasts, just like that? Sure, he was told to run. But, should he? Especially since they're fighting for their life?

Hiding from behind the bush, Spike watched to see the falcon-woman, trying to keep the monster's attention, while her friends, the monkey and tiger she-beasts, were fighting the monster to the bitter end, it seems. In the meantime, the orange wolf-woman was badly hurt, with a bruise on her face. Her friends, the bat, pony, and snow leopard she-beasts, were crowding around, as they try to help the literal bitch recover.

"AAAAHHH!!!" A loud screech was heard.

Everyone all looked to see that the falcon-woman had accidentally pricked her foot on the monster's quills.

"Ooh! That's smart!"

Without giving the falcon-woman a chance to recover, the beast jumped onto a tree, before jumping off its barks and branches, to get a higher jump on the flying she-beast, knocking her out of the air.

"RAINBOW DASH!!!" The she-beasts cried.

"Get off of her you brute!" The tiger-woman roared, slashing her claws across the monster's face.

The monkey-woman joined in the attack, launching coconuts, like cannonballs at the monster. In retaliation, the beast swatted the two away, before it beat its chest, and let out a bellowing roar, like that of an actual gorilla. Unfortunately, for the beast, it was revelling too much in its triumph, that it failed to see one last attack.

*SNAP

The chimeric beast's triumph turned painful, with the she-beasts cringing in discomfort, after a hard low blow, to its southern tender area, by a tree branch attack, from Spike.

"Ha ha ha! Bet you didn't see that one coming, did you, King Porcupine Kong?" Spike laughed, in a mocking tone. "Them's street rules!" In response, the beast glared at the human man, who realized it was time for him to go. "Uh he he he...AAAAH!!!"

Spike let out a high-pitch scream, as he ran for his life, with an angry beast, chasing him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Spike wailed at the beast. "I never should've whacked you in the nuts, like that! That was totally my bad! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please, don't eat me!"

But the young man's screams fell on deaf ears, as the monster proceeded to chase him, into a swamp. The mosquitos buzzed and bit at both Spike and the creature, though the creature was undeterred, as it had its eyes on Spike. Spike was exhausted, after running so hard and so long, he collapsed in the pool of mud. Though, both he and the creature wished they hadn't. Slowly, but frightfully, they were beginning to sink deeper and deeper in the mud.

"Quicksand!" Spike realized as both he and the beast tried to escape. "Help! HELP! GET ME OUT OF HERE!!"

It wasn't long, before the she-beasts arrived on the scene. By then, the wolf-woman was back on her feet.

"Excuse me, mister?" The wolf she-beast called. "Don't move! Or it'll make ya sink faster!"

With a quick inhale, Spike immediately froze up, though, the buzzing mosquitos were making it hard for him. In the meantime, the chimeric beast that had been chasing him, was frantically thrashing its claws, trying to escape in vain.

"Here! Grab this rope!" The wolf-woman shouted, hurling the end of a lasso towards Spike.

"I got it!" He said, once he's got a firm grip on it.

"PULL!!!"

With that, the she-beasts proceeded to pull the man out from the quicksand, while the chimeric beast drowned to its death in the swamp.

End of Fight Song

“Phew! I thought I was a goner that time,” Spike panted heavily, before he turned to the She-Beasts. “Thanks for the save.”

“Yeah, well, thanks for not leaving us,” The falcon-woman replied. "Though, I gotta say, swinging a stick like that, hitting him in the nuts? You must be crazy."

"Believe me, I'm not doing that again," Spike replied.

“Anyway, now that the danger’s passed,” The pony girl began. “Let’s start over. I’m Tiffany Sparkle. But friends call me, Twilight.”

“And I’m Dash, Rainbow Dash!” The falcon-woman introduced herself, before she boasted, “Fastest girl alive! And now, the fastest flyer to ever flew! Oof!”

Rainbow Dash grunted, when she crashed her head, under a tree branch.

“Yeah, so long as you don’t crash into trees,” the tiger-woman snarked.

“I’m Ashley Apples, but friends call me Applejack,” The wolf-woman introduced herself. “And it’s a mighty pleasure of making your acquaintance.”

“I’m…Fluttershy,” The bat-woman introduced herself.

“I’M PINKAMENA DIANA PIE, but you can call me PINKIE PIE!!!” The pink monkey-woman screeched, startling Spike.

“AAAAHHH!!!” Spike screamed, falling to the ground and quickly beating his chest to ease his beating heart.

“Pinkie! Don’t frighten the poor thing!” The snow-leopard scolded, hugging the man close. “Can’t you see he’s had enough?”

“Yeah, uh about that…” Spike frowned in discomfort, to which the snow-leopard quickly caught on.

“Oh! I’m terrible sorry,” The leopard apologized, letting Spike have some spaces, before she introduced herself. “I’m Francis Rivers, but you may call me Rarity,” The snow leopard hybrid introduced herself. “Lovely to meet you, darling.”

“And I’m Sunset Shimmer,” The tiger-woman introduced herself. “And I’m…sorry about earlier…”

After a moment of processing, gathering everything to remember the women’s names, Spike nodded.

“Uh, okay…” Spike replied. “Alright. Nice to meet you all…I guess. Name’s Nathan Draco. But…friends call me Spike.”

“Nice to meet you, Spike!” Twilight greeted, walking to shake hands with him, which he immediately flinched away.

“Uh, with all due respect, can you…please…stay where you are, and don’t come near me?” Spike pleaded, still not ready to fully trust the she-beasts.

Though, slightly hurt, the she-beasts complied.

“Of course, Spike,” Twilight nodded.

“We’ll remember to respect your needs and give you some…distance,” Rarity agreed. “Won’t we, Pinkie?”

All eyes fell on the pink monkey-woman, who simply shrugged and gave a sheepish smile.

“Uh, sure! No problem!” Pinkie giggled.

“Now then,” Applejack began. “With the whole meet-and-greet behind us. What say we had back to camp?”

The she-beasts and Spike all exchanged random agreements, before they all turned and headed back to the cave.

“Oh, and Spike?” Applejack spoke up.

“Yeah?” Spike flinched.

“Ya may want to bring your stuffs with you,” Applejack winked. “We’ll be going deeper into the cave.”

“Deeper?”

“Whoa!” Spike exclaimed, as he and the she-beasts arrived into camp.

As it turns out, deeper in the cave, was a hidden passageway that leads to a hidden underground lake, surrounded by plants, with the ceiling opening into an atrium, letting in some moonlight in. Along the walls, seven caves have been dug, most likely the she-beasts’ sleeping quarters.

Around the lake, sprouted large crystals, some of which appeared to be minerals that produced a fragrant smell, in the hot springs, close by.

“This is your camp?” Spike asked.

“Yeah!” Rainbow smiled. “Ain’t it awesome, or ain’t it awesome?”

“Especially since it comes with spas!” Rarity added, enthusiastically.

“It’s beautiful!” Spike marveled, as he looked around.

“Anyway, feel free to pick a spot and sleep, Spike,” Applejack said, as she and the girls retreated to their dens, to sleep for the night. “Tomorrow’s gonna be a big day, for all of us!”

“…Uh, yeah,” Spike replied. “Goodnight!”

Once he was left by his lonesome, Spike looked around, before he found a spot to rest his weary eyes, underneath a tree.

A lot has happened in a short amount of time. He, and his colleagues, were on a cruise, looking for dolphins. Instead, it would seem, their ship was sabotaged, sailed into a storm, before crashing on an uncharted island, where all the animals are products of a mad scientist. And now, Spike is in camp, with seven of these creatures.

Thank goodness they’re sane, however. Though, how can it be?

With so many unanswered questions running wild in his head, Spike was rendered fatigue, and was out like a bulb.

Author's Note

Okay. Spike's harem for this story are:

Twilight – Pony

Rainbow Dash – Falcon

Applejack – Wolf

Pinkie Pie – Monkey

Rarity – Snow leopard

Fluttershy – Bat

Sunset Shimmer – Tiger...or is she a liger? I don't know, with a hair like that, someone could easily mistake her for a lion, from a distance. But lioness don't grow mane. You could say she's a female tiger with a male lion's head and be...y'know what? I'm not going to overthink it. But, jokes aside, her design is an expy of Marvel's Tigra.

*Sees bewildered/unamused/confused readers.*

...What? It's not that strange to find furry females attractive. Ever seen Eric W. Schwartz? Or Minerva Mink from the Animaniacs? Don't say you never had the hots for Lola Bunny, back in Space Jam's heyday. Besides, most of you just HAD to make a fuss about her transformation in 2021, didn't you?

Ahem.

Some furry roasting out of the way, the story can now really begin, with Spike and his "She-Beasts."

22 – The Wolf and the Falcon

It was a clear sunny day on the island. The sort of day for hunters to go out and hunt for games. Or to survive another day. Another competition of life and death.

Competitors, such as Applejack and Rainbow Dash, would prefer games of strength and athleticism, to prove their worth, as humans.

But now that they are She-Beasts, they now compete in a matter of life and death. They now hunt for games to live, or die. They have been forced by Dr. Grogar to eat and survive.

On this day, Applejack and Rainbow Dash are once again on the hunt for food, and they brought Spike along for the trip.

Being genetically altered with the DNAs of a wolf and a falcon respectively, two of the fiercest carnivores of the animal kingdom, they’re on the hunt for meat.

Be it pig, goat, rabbits, or even a fish, they’re all so appetizing as they have been on the She-Beasts’ minds for the past concerning days. They’re becoming more and more animalistic, which Spike finds it concerning at an alarming rate.

At any moment, they could fully succumb to their inner beasts and completely lose their humanity. They might even be brain dead, or as feral as Fleur-de-Lis has become.

“See anything, Dash?” Applejack called up to the falcon-woman.

“Not so much than a mouse,” Rainbow screeched in response. “How about you? Ya smell anything?”

Applejack turned her snout up to the air again and sniffed the air, “Nothing fresher than a pig. And a live one at that...”

“Well let’s keep hunting! The others are starving,” The growling stomachs from the two girls spoke up. “And so are we…”

Not far behind, Spike was busy taking pictures of the surrounding florals of the island. Ever since he had gotten his camera back, courtesy of Starlight, the man had been taking pictures almost nonstop. But like the girls, he need sustenance and fast.

“Look! There’re some bananas, up there!” Spike pointed up at the top of a banana tree.

“We’re gonna need more than fruits, Spike,” Applejack called out. “Some of us meat eaters need some meat. Really big a juicy meat, and fast!”

“Speak for yourself,” Rainbow Dash retorted. “You’ve got the appetite of a full grown stallion.”

“How do ya like that?” Applejack scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Like yer any better. Remember back on the farm, during the Apple Cider Festival? Ya drank the whole barrel!”

“What can I say? Apple cider and me are destined to be together! So sue me!”

“I’d be glad to, when we’re home!”

“Hey, girls?” Spike called out. “Can you two like not go at each other’s throats? We still have to focus on hunting for food.”

The two She-Beasts exchanged looks, and silently agreed, knowing that Spike was right.

“Sorry, Spike,” Applejack apologized. “Sometimes, we tend to get a little too…competitive about these sort of things.”

“I can see that,” Spike replied. “Though, I could’ve sworn, you were both bickering at each other like a married couple.”

Spike looked up, just in time to see Rainbow Dash and Applejack immediately blushing a bright shade of red.

Seeing how uncomfortable they were, Spike coughed and changed the subject, “So…what’re we looking for today? Another fish-man? Maybe a Minotaur? A centaur? I understand we need to hunt something that would last us for a whole week, or so.”

“At this point, I don’t know anymore, Spike,” Applejack replied. “We could be hunting deers, goats, or even a whole herd of longhorns, if there are some. There’s just so many creatures on this island. And a whole lotta them aren’t humans, or even animals, anymore…”

“We just got to find something,” Spike said aloud, expressing his concern. “Now that Starlight Glimmer has joined the group. Not to mention Sunset Shimmer’s been acting feistier lately. She’s kinda freaking me out.”

“…And that’s different because?” Rainbow asked skeptically.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Spike replied. “I know you girls mean well and…I’ve gotten used to you. But hasn’t anybody noticed the way Sunset’s been…weird, lately? She was crawling on all fours more frequently than usual. She even looked at Twilight, Leggy, and even Starlight scary. And I mean scary hungry. And it’s not just her, either.”

“Hmmm, I‘be been noticing it too,” Applejack pondered. “I figured we might be…hungry. I know I’d behave scarier than a lion on an empty stomach…”

“All the more reason we should hunt now, then be eaten,” Rainbow Dash retorted. “And as long as we don’t run into that Shade Stalker again, the better. It’s a miracle that guy hasn’t found us by now…”

“You think maybe he’s given up?” Spike asked.

“Highly doubt it,” Rainbow replied. “But I’m not gonna stay out here long enough for him to find us. I'm gonna go ahead and get a bird's eye view from up there."

With a flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash took flight into the sky, leaving Spike behind with Applejack. The young man walked over to a nearby tree and sat down at the base, resting beneath the tree's shade. Spike held up his camera and looked through the wildlife photos he had taken with it.

"Howdy, Spike," Applejack softly barked, reminding the young man of her presence. "Mind if I sit down beside ya?"

"Not at all," Spike offered, patting a spot next to him, on the right.

At this point, Spike was more than tolerant of the wolf-woman and her fellow She-Beasts's presence. In fact, he has come to welcome them.

"It's a nice day, isn't it?" Applejack sighed. "It kinda reminds me of the days when my siblings and I would rest our heads against the trees at Sweet Apple Acres, after a hard day of work."

"Sounds nice," Spike replied. "You must really miss your home, don't you?"

"I do...quite an awful lot," Applejack hung her head solemnly low. "We all miss our homes and our families an awful lot. Which is why we're really anxious to get back home as soon as possible...but, at the same time..."

Applejack was hesitant to continue, to which Spike asked, "But what? At the same time what?"

"...Well, we wondered if we can ever belong again," Applejack finally answered. "We're all She-Beasts...this is who we are now... This is what we've become... This is what Dr. Grogar had made us. And jus' a little bit sooner, we'll all be humans again. Except we'll be as brain dead and loss of identity as Fleur has become. And even if we do manage to escape this awful island...there ain't no place for She-Beasts in the...in the civilized world. Who could ever love a bunch a beasts like us?"

Hearing this overwhelming heartfelt spiel from Applejack puts a heavy weight on Spike that tugged at his chest. For every words the wolf-woman has spoken were all too true. For any sensible humans, living a life, without an identity, sense of self, or purpose, is a fate worse than death. A lack of awareness.

Furthermore, even if they can get off the island, before they became human again, they would still be She-Beasts, and be regarded by the public as neither humans, nor animals, but abominations of nature. Products of a twisted science tampering with the laws of nature, reality, and evolution.

For a moment, Spike experienced a brief flashback to when he first met the She-Beasts, and how he reacted poorly at their first interactions. This brought a newfound guilt on the young man's conscience. If he were to bring the girls back home with him, then would the public react just as badly as he did, upon meeting the girls for the first time? And what of their families? Or their friends? How would they react upon learning their beloveds have become She-Beasts?

"Anyway, I'm sorry for bringing this up on ya, out of the blue, Sugarcube," Applejack apologized. "I don't mean to burden ya with this...this trouble of mine...of ours, I mean..."

"It's no burden," Spike replied. "If anything...I'm the burden."

"Huh?" Applejack turned to look at Spike, raising an eyebrow, to express her confusion.

"...If you want to talk about burden, then you're looking at him," Spike began. "Ever since I've met you girls, I've been...I don't know. I think I've been some sort of – how do you say? – tagalong? Like I've been getting in your way. You girls have been hunting for food and for survival. You've been here for how long? And all you had was each other. And then I happen to came along and...I've clashed with Rainbow Dash's hunts on some Fish-Man, I practically lead Shade Stalker on your previous camp, and...when those Devil Monkeys attacked us at the village, I did nothing but hide."

Spike turned to look away, wanting to avoid any look of disappointment from the Wolf-Woman.

"I...I don't know how you girls could put up with my presence for so long, or...why you didn't just...kick me out, or..."

The young man couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. But Applejack said otherwise.

"You've never been a burden to us, Spike," She reassured. "I can't tell ya how many times we've said that to Fluttershy, because the poor dear was blind as a...y'know what I mean. But like her, we're willing to protect ya, because yer our friend. I mean, granted, we did kinda jump the gun on ya, upon first meetin'. But...I guess it's jus' animal impulse? You are kinda the first human fella we've met in ages. So...we sorta forgot a few manners, now and then."

Spike stiffened up when he felt Applejack wrapping an arm around his shoulder, pulling him close to her left, nearly smothering his cheek against her fluffy chest, peeking from the hemline of her top tied-up shirt.

"But even so, you've been a big help to us, Sugarcube!" Applejack chuckled, "I still remember how we were all in a pickle with that porcupine ape thing, and we would've been goners if ya hadn't...cracked his nuts."

Spike nearly burst out laughing, remembering how he had impulsively attacked a chimeric beast of a gorilla-porcupine, with a stick to its crotch.

"And it doesn't end there. You've been a big help with Twilight finding some equipments to plan our way home, to saving Fluttershy, Leggy Lamb, and little Kirin from a Manticore, and let's not forget about you giving that Starlight shark gal a needed CPR, after her tussle with one of them Octo-diles. If those weren't heroics, then I don't know what is."

Spike nodded his head, letting all of these past accomplishments sink in. Up until now, he hadn't quite given much thought of them as long as he needed.

"You're right," Spike nodded. "I guess I have been a big help. I just...haven't thought about it that much. I did find Fleur-de-Lis...or, more like she found me... And I did helped Twilight teach the Reverse-Hybrids to better communicate. Well...most of them, anyway...there's still the trouble with one angry dog."

"Hmph. The nerve of that Loona," Applejack growled. "Who's spit in her doggy kibbles?"

"It's anyone's guess," Spike shrugged. "But...if it means to get on her good side, I'm keeping my distance away from her."

"Pah! I don't care what her issues are. That bitch needs to know some decent manners and actually try being nice for once. Because if she is ever in some kinda trouble, then we may not be there to help her. And I doubt she'd come crawling back to us, pleading for help."

"I don't know, Applejack. That's kinda harsh, especially to Loona. Remember, she must've been through a lot, for a dog. And I mean before Dr. Grogar. And if I know my feral dogs, then we should give her some space and she'll warm up in time."

“Fine. But I don't have to like it. Argh! Not again!” Applejack groaned, to which Spike turned to see the wolf-woman scratching her back.

Spike immediately remembers the last time Applejack tried to scratch her back, which involved her stripping off her clothes, and a thorn tree.

Before history could repeat itself, Spike walked over to the wolf-woman.

“Easy there, Applejack,” Spike assured. “I gotcha.”

“Huh? Spike?” Applejack watched Spike with curious eyes as he walked behind her and puts his hands on her shoulders. “What are—Oh!”

Applejack was taken by surprise when Spike started scratching her shoulders.

“Oh, wow,” The wolf-woman sighed. “That feels kinda good.”

“Better than that thorn tree, huh?” Spike asked.

Applejack chuckled, “Darn tootin’. This is a lot better," As Spike continued to scratch, Applejack’s moaning intensified. She sounded as if she was about to howl, “Uh, could ya…move down a bit, Spike?” Applejack asked.

Spike complied, moving his hands down to where Applejack’s back arched into a valley, where her tail grew, meeting at the waistline.

“Oh. Right there,” Applejack moaned in pleasure. “Oh! Perfect~”

Out of impulse, Applejack let out a long and loud howl that must’ve been heard for miles. To further add the traits of her genetic altered canine characteristics, Applejack was thumping her leg excitedly.

Spike kept on scratching, until Applejack was more than satisfied and was panting her tongue out, with a wagging tail to match.

“Oh, Spike~” Applejack smiled. “Ya never told me ya have such pleasant hands.”

Before Spike could reply, the sound of a woman clearing her throat startled both Spike and Applejack. They turned and looked, to see Rainbow Dash folding her wings across her chest, with one of her clawed feet tapping in annoyance. A scowled expression on her face was as clear as day, that she was more than jealous at the loving treatment Spike was giving to Applejack.

"Rainbow Dash?!" Spike exclaimed in a high-pitch voice.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Rainbow Dash apologized in a sarcastic tone. "Was I interrupting something? 'Cause I've spent some of my precious time, hunting for some meat, while you two were having some fun..."

"Nothin' happened!" Spike reassured, frantically.

"Spike was just giving me a good ol' scratch," Applejack moaned with satisfaction. "He's got some wonderful hands, y'know?"

Rainbow Dash scowl soon softened to a mischievous smirk, “Oh yeah? I'll be the judge of that,” Rainbow walked over to Spike and held her wings out. “Care to give yours truly the same treatment?”

“Uh…sure, okay.”

And so, Spike proceeded to scratch Rainbow Dash’s wings. In response, the falcon-woman let out an arousing trilling chirp, which sounded almost like a purr of a cat.

“Oh yeah~” Rainbow swooned lovingly. “That feels pretty good.”

“I take it you don’t normally get massages much, have you?” Spike asked. “Because your wings are surprisingly tense!”

“What can I say? I’m awesome!” Rainbow boasted. “Plus, when you’re a falcon like me, ya have to fly everyday to get this nice and strong!”

“Plus, she doesn’t want anyone to catch her getting a spa treatment,” Applejack whispered, with a wheezing snicker. “Especially the froufrou kind.”

“You promised not to tell—“ Rainbow squawked, until she caught herself, “I mean…I don’t know what you’re talking about. I only go when I get a really…really deep tissue…sore muscle…”

“Yeah right,” Applejack smirked, with a bouncing eyebrow. “Ah know a lie when I hear one.”

Regardless, Rainbow Dash resumes enjoying the relaxing sensation of Spike massaging her wings. Truly, she felt as if she was in heaven.

Afterwards, the two She-Beasts resumed the hunt, while Spike took pictures with his camera. The young man looked up at the trees and happened to catch sight of a bizarre looking bird he’s never seen before.

Carefully holding his camera up to his eyes, Spike adjusted its angles and its lenses, making sure he’s got a good shot of the bird.

“Hold still little fella,” Spike whispered, gingerly pressing the button to take the pictures, when he was suddenly knocked to the ground.

“SPIKE!” Applejack shouted, pouncing on Spike, while Rainbow Dash let out a bloodcurdling screech and flew over their heads.

“Ah! AAAAHHH!!!” Spike screamed, panicking, until Applejack clamped his mouth shut.

“Shhh!!!” Applejack shushed, and took Spike behind a tree.

Spike turned to look and his eyes widened at a bloody sight to behold. Rainbow Dash was tussling with, what appeared to be a giant snake, with four long claws, like those of an eagle, and a large pair of wings.

The snake creature has two rows of outer teeth like a crocodile, with inner rows of snake teeth, complete with snake fangs. A sail fin is found beneath its chin.

“What the hell is that?!” Spike screamed in horror.

“Another one of Dr. Grogar’s creations!” Applejack muttered. “Half-snake, half of a Draco lizard, he said.”

“A Draco-Snake,” Spike coined.

Rainbow Dash was furiously flapping her wings furiously to try and get airborne, to put some distance between herself and the snake.

But the snake was hissing and repeatedly snapped its jaws at her wings, furiously keeping Rainbow from flying away, plucking a few of her plumage in the process.

In retaliation, Rainbow Dash slashed her claws out to keep the snake at bay. The snake lunged forward, snapped its jaws at Rainbow Dash’s legs, successfully clamping onto her claws.

“AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!” Rainbow screeched in agony. “GOT MY LEG!!”

“Hold on, Dash!” Applejack barked, lunging from the trees to free the falcon-woman.

Applejack leapt at the Draco-snake, clamping her jaws at one of its hind legs. Distracted, the Draco-snake immediately lets go of Rainbow Dash, turning its attention on Applejack, thrusting its leg repeatedly in attempting to throw the orange wolf-woman off.

Finally, the Draco-snake whipped its tail at Applejack, finally knocking her off. Angered by her intervention, the Draco-snake proceeded to advance upon Applejack.

“Applejack!” Spike shouted, frantically picking up a stick, and was about to run.

“Spike! No! Stay back!” Applejack shouted to the man. “Jus’ stay back!”

But Spike didn’t listen. He just couldn’t stand idly by and watch his companions being killed. Even if they are girls, whom he has grown less scared of. He threw the stick at the Draco-snake, causing it to snap its head in his direction.

“You leave my friend alone, you big bully!” Spike shouted.

In response, the Draco-snake let out another hiss, when suddenly, a blur of cyan and rainbow swooped down from the sky, followed by a streak of blood that splashed in the air. The blood splashed across Spike’s face, nearly blinding him.

“Ugh!” Spike cringed in disgust, having the misfortune to taste the foul bloody entrails trickling down his face. “It’s in my mouth!” He gagged.

Spike squeamishly wiped the blood off, regaining his vision to see Rainbow Dash perching atop the dead Draco-snake’s body. Not too far away, with its eyes lifeless and looking to the sky, was the decapitated head of the serpent.

“Wh-Wh-What just happened?” Spike asked.

“I just took to the sky,” Rainbow replied a matter of fact. “And once I was high enough, I swooped down and I let him have it on the feet!”

The falcon-woman proudly showed off her bloodstained talons, before she resumed tearing the meat off of the Draco-snake’s corpse and eats them.

“Hey, save some for the rest of the pack, Dash!” Spike reminded the falcon-woman.

“Share me a slice of the meat, Dash!” Applejack pleaded, walking over to the Draco-snake’s lifeless coil, for some meat.

“RAAAWWWRRR!!!” Rainbow Dash screeched, suddenly flaring her wings out, and lurching at Applejack.

“What in tarnation?!” Applejack exclaimed in bewilderment. “What’s gotten into ya?”

“Maybe she ate a bad meat?” Spike deduced, whilst analyzing the situation from a safe distance. “Or maybe she’s defending her kill!”

Spike noted the behavioral traits from the falcon-woman, seeing the way she was hunching over, while flaring her wings out to the side, and had her eyes locked into Applejack while standing atop of the Draco-snake’s corpse.

And whenever Applejack got close, within range, attempting to snatch a piece, Rainbow would viciously flap her wings, kicking her feet up to stave the wolf-woman away.

To Spike, Rainbow Dash is no longer human. She has succumbed to her inner beast. She has become a falcon, entirely, and she is not sharing her meal.

“She’s gone full beast mode!” Spike exclaimed in horror.

“Dash?” Applejack tried to coax to her friend. “Dash! Snap out of it! It’s me! Yer friend! We’re your friends! Don’t ya remember?”

Still, Rainbow Dash stood her ground, atop of the Draco-snake’s body, when the ground suddenly shook.

“Wh-Wh-What’s g-g-going on?” Spike asked, with his voice shaking from the sudden tremor.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash both ceased their squabble, also taking notice of the sudden disturbance.

The three friends looked out into the thick foliage of the jungle, surrounding them. The trees swayed from side to side, as the tremor shook more violently the closer it approached Spike and the She-Beasts.

Adding to the fearful atmosphere was the sound of birds, flapping above the tree lines, practically sounding the alarm that something dangerous was approaching.

Rainbow Dash flared her wings out, resuming her defensive stance, her body language to say she was ready to fight and stand her ground.

“Get behind me, Spike,” Applejack ushered Spike, standing protectively in front of him.

Spike listened closely to the nerve wracking ambient sound of the jungle, with his frantic heart beating rapidly, almost matching the tremor of the ground. At that moment, he noticed a change in the sounds of the tremor. They sounded more like the galloping rhythm of hoof steps. The gallop of a whole herd of horses.

Spike’s suspicions were soon confirmed, when an entire herd of horse-like monstrosities burst out from the foliage, before coming to a full stop, presenting themselves in the sunlight.

Spike was horrified at what he was seeing. From a distance, they appeared to be people riding on horseback. But upon a closer look, they were really humanoids whose waists are attached to the back of the horses they rode on.

Worst still, they appeared to be skinless, exposing their red muscles, veins, and the black blood that runs through their body. Their eyes were bloodshot, to show they haven’t slept in days, due to their lack of eyelids, and their lipless mouths have a permanent unnerving smile. To further their nightmarish ghoulish appearance, the heads of every humanoids are 10 times bigger than Spike’s, with their arms being long enough to reach the ground, from their sitting posture on the back of the horses.

Spike was beyond scared. These creatures hardly seem to be Beast-Folks, Chimeras, or any creatures in general. They looked more like creations from his worst nightmares made real.

With a horrifying neigh that sounded ominously like a man’s scream, that curls any living thing’s hair. The nightmarish horse creatures came stampeding towards the trio, causing the grounds to shake once more.

With a flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash lunged into the air, throwing a kick at the scary horse creatures. But one of the beasts had swung its arms, anticipating Rainbow Dash mid-flight.

The falcon-woman fell to the ground and was nearly trampled on by the rest of the stampeding herds. Thankfully, Applejack sprang into action and barked at the horse creatures, while standing protectively on all four, over Rainbow Dash.

During the chaos, one of the frightening horse creatures spotted Spike and started to gallop towards him.

“AHHHH!!!” This gave Spike such a fright, that he held his camera aloft, as if it was a shield, pressed the button, and snapped a picture, flashing in the humanoid creature’s face.

The sudden burst of light was so bright that it blinded the creature in a frightful panic. With another nightmarish neigh, the creature reared up on its hind legs, kicking and screaming, and galloped away, blindly stumbled and crashing into its herd and trees on the way.

This gave Spike the idea to use his camera to take pictures of the rest of the rampaging horse monsters, scaring them off, until they were out of sight.

“They’re gone now,” Spike panted heavily.

“Phew! That was some smart thinking back there, Spike!” Applejack panted heavily. “Nice work!”

“Thanks,” Spike replied, when the next thing he knew, Applejack claimed his lips in a passionate kiss. "OOMPH!"

Spike was beyond surprised, when Applejack did something even more shocking. She pinned him to the ground, forcing her tongue into his mouth, and proceeded to wrestle his for dominance. At this moment, Spike experienced a sudden flashback of his childhood trauma, recalling the horrible memory of when he was nearly molested by the derange teenage girl.

Out of impulse, Spike kicked Applejack in the stomach, forcing her to let go, as he shoved her off of him.

Spike scrambled to his feet and hid behind a tree. He poked his head out from his hiding spot, to see Applejack, looking at him with wide eyes of horror and heartbreak.

"Spike?" Applejack whimpered. "I...I'm...I'm sorry. I...It's not what you think...I mean, it is, but...I wasn't tryin' to...please, don't look at me that way!"

Spike wanted to believe her. But at the same time, he was rather cautious. Still, he cautiously approached her, but kept his eyes on hers.

"What was that for?" Spike asked. "Why did you kissed me like that?"

"I...I just...I felt like rewarding ya, hun," Applejack replied, looking rather ashamed of herself. "The way ya handled them horse varmints like that. How ya...used that camera of yours, it was...amazing. You were like a hero. And I just wanted you to know that. I'm sorry if you didn't like my kiss..." Applejack looked away, hiding her face behind her hat. "If ya don't want to look at me, then I understand and–"

"Actually...that kiss wasn't that bad," Spike said, while tracing his lips with his fingers. "It felt kinda nice, actually. Wow...so that's an actual kiss?"

Applejack blushed a shade of red, while her lips curled in a rather shy smile, and she fidgeted with her tail, "I take it that was your first time gettin' a kiss, like that? Because, I could've sworn, ya did kinda kissed Twilight the same, and the mouth-to-mouth with Starlight–"

"My kiss with Twilight was just an accident!" Spike exclaimed frantically. "And what I did for Starlight Glimmer was CPR! Totally not a kiss!"

'At least, I think it is,' Spike secretly thought to himself. 'And let's not mention the accidental ones I got from Rarity tripping on me, or me tripping onto Bea...and stuff.'

"So, uh...if it's not too much to ask..." Applejack began, timidly. "Do ya...wanna...try again? We'll go slow and...I'll let you decide if you want..."

Spike can tell that Applejack really wanted to kiss him on the lips again, seeing and hearing how anxious she is on the subject. The thought of kissing a women has never crossed Spike's mind before. But he knew Applejack was a good one.

"Well...okay," Spike sighed, as he walked up to Applejack, tracing his hands up to her snout, bringing her closer to him, until their lips made contact.

This time, Spike took the lead, which Applejack simply allowed. The young man didn't pull back. He just kept his lips connected with Applejack's, with his hands pulling her face closer to his, to the point he can feel her soft wet nose touching against his. He wondered if this is how a real kiss felt? Is this really him wanting Applejack? Does he want them to be closer than just friends? Or fellow survivalists? Is he really kissing a wolf-woman?

For what felt like three minutes, or so, which was actually ten, Spike parted his lips from Applejack. He looked up at the wolf-woman, to see her smiling. He looked down to see her tail was wagging vigorously, to show her enjoyment of the passionate make out. Applejack then leaned forward to kiss Spike again. And this time, Spike didn't try to resist. He closed his eyes, melting into the passion of love, feeling Applejack's tongue breaching into his mouth, once again, for dominance.

Together, both Spike and Applejack gently laid themselves on the ground as they continued to kiss for half an hour, pausing once in awhile to catch their breaths, before they resumed their kiss. Unfortunately, they were so into their kissing that both of them had forgotten about Rainbow Dash.

The falcon-woman had just gotten back up, on her feet, still shaken from nearly being trampled.

“What happened?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I…I blacked out there for a second…” The falcon-woman's eyes widened in shock, upon seeing both Spike and Applejack making out.

Rainbow Dash let out a gasp, "What the WHAAAAAT?!!!" She screeched in outrage, which stopped both Applejack and Spike from their kiss, "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

"Well, howdy do there, Blue Falcon," Applejack greeted. "Back from Feral World?"

"Don't get all witty with me, AJ," Rainbow Dash glared. "I just woke up to see you and Spike making out?!"

"Well, what's yer excuse for going all defensive against us, after killing that there, Draco-snake?"

"Huh? What?" Rainbow Dash turned around and was surprised to see the decapitated Draco-snake, lying on the floor, surrounded by hoof prints, made from horses. "Whoa! Did I do that? And where did these hoof prints come from?"

Spike and Applejack both exchanged confusing looks. Rainbow Dash's lack of memories, regarding her feral state and the recent human-horse hybrids attack was rather concerning.

“You don’t remember going all feral?” Spike asked.

“Or how we were just attacked by a whole herd of strange horse-men?” Applejack asked.

“Uh…what?” Rainbow Dash asked, dumbfounded.

Once again, Spike and Applejack turned to look at one another, sharing their concerns, as if they were all in agreement. This is serious.

“We’ve got some catching up to do,” Spike replied, before he turned to the dead Draco-snake. “But first, let’s get that thing back to the village.”

"Okay," Rainbow agreed, before she smirked to Spike, "So...do I get a kiss out of this?"

"Huh?" Spike asked.

"Rainbow!" Applejack scolded.

"C'mon. You got to give AJ a kiss. So it's only fair that ya give me one too."

"And why should Spike kiss you? He and I were jus' kissing because I was rewarding him for his triumphant against them varmints!"

"Hey, any dude who gets to kiss you that deep, must be good. I just want to see how much percent cooler he is."

"Or perhaps we should let Spike decide," Applejack turned to Spike and asked, "Well, Spike? What do ya think?"

"Hmmm," Spike pondered for a bit, until he nodded and shrugged. "It kinda goes against my better judgement. I mean...a man kissing more than one woman. But...what the hay?"

"Score!" Rainbow cheered, as she walked over and wrapping her wings around Spike's back. "Give me your best shot, dude!"

With that, Spike braced himself as he and Rainbow Dash locked lips. Unfortunately, they were rather struggling to lock lips with each other, since Rainbow Dash's beaks were curved and sharp at the tip, like knives. And because of the uncomfortable change of her facial structure, Dash had to turn her head at a certain angle, on the side, in order to clamp her beak with Spike's lips.

As for Spike, he was in such a state of pain, at the feeling of Rainbow Dash's beaks, cutting into the sides of his face, like he was being stabbed through the cheeks, by sharp needles, with a tongue in his mouth. Spike's eyes were watering as he swallowed in the pain, along with Rainbow Dash's tongue. Thankfully, it didn't last long, and both Spike and Dash broke apart from the kiss.

"Wow, AJ, you weren't kidding," Rainbow smirked. "He's quite the kisser."

"Yeah...glad you liked it," Spike rubbed his sore cheeks. "Ow!"

With the kiss out of the way, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were both hauling the Draco-snake’s dead body, while Spike assisted with dragging the snake’s head back to the village.

“Man this thing weighs a ton!” Spike grunted.

Thankfully, Applejack had also tied a rope at the bar of the snake’s skull, so that she can also help with carrying the head. Thus, taking some weight of the heavy lifting in Spike’s favor.

On their way back, both Spike and Applejack brought Rainbow Dash up to speed on the recent events that had transpired.

“So you mean to tell me that…I lost my mind for a moment, I was all feral, and…I almost got trampled by a whole herd of strange looking horse mutants?” Rainbow asked, for the seemingly umpteenth time.

“Eeyup,” Applejack confirmed. “That’s the whole story. But thankfully, Spike was smart enough to save us all with some quick thinking of his. And the little handy dandy camera of his.”

“No kidding,” Rainbow replied with an impressed smirk on her face. “Way to go, Spike!”

“Aw, it was nothing,” Spike blushed shyly.

This is one of the few times he’s ever received compliments from a girl. And he’s rather shy about it.

“So, you took a picture of these horses…” Rainbow began. “Can we have a look?”

“Uh, sure! Okay.”

With that, Spike and the two She-Beasts paused their heavy lifting in order for Spike to hold up his camera, browsing through the library, and displaying the recent photos.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack gathered around Spike to look at the photos.

“Ugh! That’s disturbing!” Dash cringed. “These don’t look human…”

“Well, to some reasonable people, neither are we,” Applejack reminded Rainbow Dash. “At least, not anymore…”

“Still, what was Dr. Grogar trying to make with these guys?” Dash asked. “They don’t look like any animals I would want to be…plus, they kinda make Tirek look like an improvement.”

Spike couldn’t help but share Dash’s agreement, until he took a closer look at the grotesque horse-creatures.

“Hold on…” Spike squinted his eyes, zooming in on the photos, to find some familiar characteristic traits to the creatures. “No…it can’t be!”

“What is it, Spike?” Applejack asked, with both herself and Rainbow sharing a look of concern for their human friend.

“I…I think I know these horses…” Spike looked up with dread and horror. “They are…or were…my missing crew members!”

“WHAT?!!!” Rainbow and Appejack exclaimed in shock.

"Those horse-creatures were...my former crew members!" Spike repeated, choking on his words, as the dreadful feelings overtook his very being. "They were my crew...Newt's crew...Starlight's...everyone we knew..."

"Oh, Spike. C'mere, hun..." Applejack immediately dropped the Draco-snake she and Rainbow Dash were hauling, walking over to pull Spike into a comforting hug, smothering him in her fluffy fur. "Shhhh."

Spike didn't even flinch from Applejack's touch. He's too overwhelmed with depression to be scared of the She-Beast's touch. He just puts his face into Applejack's chest fur, letting himself sink into the soft fluffy texture of the fur, that comforted him, as if he was on a pillow clouds. To further soothe his shaking anxiety, Applejack gently stroke her hand across his back.

It was all so soothing for Spike. He felt more secure in Applejack's embrace.

'This feels nice...' Spike thought in the comforting moment. 'Nostalgic even. Kinda reminds me of my mom even.'

Spike felt another soft sensation, snuggling him from behind, as if he was sandwiched in between by layers of clouds. The young man didn't need to turn and look to know that it was Rainbow Dash who had joined in the hug.

“They’re gone,” Spike finally spoke. “They’re all gone…”

“I know, Sugarcube,” Applejack said, in sympathy.

"Hey,” Rainbow began, breaking up the hug. “I hate to break up the moment, but we can’t stay out here any long. We need to get back to the village. The others are hungry."

Knowing that Rainbow Dash was right, all three friends resumed hauling their kills back to the village, in time for lunch and dinner.

On the way, Rainbow Dash softly consoled Spike, “Spike…I know it’s hard…but ya gotta pull it together. There’s literally nothing you can do…”

“I know…” The young man replied. “But it’s hard to move on…I…I can’t…I mean, I don’t…”

“It’s a survivor’s guilt,” Applejack said solemnly. “We’ve all had it. Especially for us, for the other She-Beasts who were here before us. But the least we can do for them now is to live our life and move on.”

“And…how do you do that?”

“Just take one step at a time, Sugarcube. And we’ll figure something out…before it’s too late,” She muttered at the last part, upon seeing Rainbow Dash hunting a mouse.

The falcon-woman immediately stopped with what she was doing, when all eyes were on her.

“Nothing happened,” Dash said abruptly.

After they got back to the village, Spike was sitting in his hut, still shaken up, contemplating on everything that had transpired.

This day was a lot for him to process, with the discovery of his former crew members having been turned into another of Dr. Grogar’s monstrosities.

He was startled upon hearing a knock at the entryway of his hut.

“Hey Spike?” It was Starlight Glimmer. “Mind if I come in?”

“Uh, sure, not at all,” Spike replied, letting the shark-woman come into the hut.

Starlight Glimmer gently sat down on the bed, besides Spike, “Oh! I’m…I’m sorry,” She apologized, forgetting she was still wet from the water, and was drenching the bed. “Spike, I’m-I’m sorry!”

“That’s okay,” Spike gently forgave her. “So, what’s up?” He asked, “What brings you here?”

“I…I heard about what happened to our crewmates,” Starlight began somberly. “Reef, Fin, Emma, Lo, Broseph, Johnny, Ripper, Lance... all of them..."

"Yeah..." Was all Spike could say.

"Emma... this was her first time out to sea." Starlight began, "Reef and Fin always had this "will they or won't they" thing going on with them. Lo, her father sent her out on this little expedition as punishment for that particular party that trashed their estate, I can't imagine what he's gonna think when he finds out what happened to his daughter. Broseph had to be the most laidback guy I have ever met. Lance and Ripper, those two were always thick as thieves. Bummer... he was kind of a dick at times but that was because he was just trying to keep us focused. And Johnny... he was always a chill guy to hang around."

Spike sighed. In truth, he didn't really interact with his fellow crewmates all that much, especially the female members. They were always a little too rowdy for his taste and he felt that most of them didn't take their jobs all that seriously, really the only crew mates he befriended and talked to were Newt and at times, Stumpy. Still, that didn't mean he hanged out with them from time to time.

“It’s not fair. They all had friends and families…” Spike continued. “And now…they’re never going to come back to their loved ones…and chances are, they’ll never know what happened to them…and I barely even got to know them proper.”

"I know, Spike," Starlight sighed, as she held Spike close and gently stroke his back. "I know..."

For the rest of the night, Spike held Starlight Glimmer close, and they slept in each other’s embrace. Now haunted by the knowledge of their crew’s untimely fate. The world has gotten darker. And the night has become lonely for both Spike and Starlight, as if it was just the two of them, now facing the world together. They need each other. They need all of their friends and loved ones.

Spike needs the girls.

33 – Attack of the Storm King Part 1

“Dinner time girls!” Spike continued ringing the pot to alert the girls. “Come and get it!”

Faster than a wave washing the beach at high tide, the girls came pouring into the Mess Hall to take their seats, while Spike served their meals.

“For the carnivores, we have Ginger Fried Red Boars, Rockbird-Teriyaki and Onion Soup, and Bloody Horn-Bull Steak.”

At the mention of the meats, the carnivores — Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, Fleur, Marina, and Beatrice — were all drooling at the mouths.

“Mmmm! Smells good!” Sunset growled hungrily.

“Oh, where are my manners?” Rarity exclaimed, taking a moment to compose herself. “I shouldn’t behave like this, especially after everything dear Spikey-Poo has cooked for us.”

“Nyah,” Fleur meowed.

After he had a moment to shake off some unsettling feelings, Spike turned to the herbivores to present their dinners.

“For Twilight, we have some hayburgers cooked extra crispy. Fruit salads for Fluttershy. Bananas for Pinkie Pie. And every vegetables we’ve grown for Leggy and Kirin.”

“Baaa,” Both sheep bleated in gratitude.

“Smells good!” Twilight smiled.

“Thank you, Spike!” Fluttershy smiled, after the man gave her bowl to accommodate for her blindness.

Spike looked around and noticed the party was missing one more.

“Hey? Where’s Loona?” Spike asked.

“Oh she’ll be here,” Rainbow reassured, while snickering with Applejack. “She’s just…drying herself up.”

“Yeah, she’ll be along. Don’t worry,” Applejack giggled, as she and Rainbow shared a fist bump of sort with their hands and wings.

Spike was rather unsure of what Applejack and Rainbow Dash could be laughing about. But he decided to just shrug and let it slide, before he puts his own plate of meal on the table. A plate of spaghetti, with tomato sauce.

“Oooh,” Spike groaned to himself.

“Is something alright, Spike?” Rainbow asked in concern.

“I’ll be fine, I…I…Ugh!” Spike grimaced, rubbing himself all over. “Ugh!”

“What? What’s wrong, Spike?” Twilight asked. “Are you sick?”

“I…I feel sick…Maybe I am sick,” Spike moaned. “I mean, I just butchered the corpses of several innocent man-beasts! Beasts who were once humans, or who were somebody’s father, uncle, or brother! Now I have the willies!”

With that, Spike resumed jittering, much to the girls’ sympathy.

“Oh you poor thing,” Fluttershy whimpered, blindly walking over to console Spike.

“Fluttershy, watch out!” Sunset shouted, but it was too late.

Fluttershy had bumped the table, causing her to fall over, knocking a bowl of fruits in the air and come crashing down on Spike.

“Spike! Are you okay?” Twilight shouted.

“I’m…I’m okay,” Spike groaned, getting up in his feet, and suddenly turns to see Rainbow Dash laughing at him. “What’s so funny, you…you…Falcon-Woman you…?”

Soon, the girls all joined in laughing at Spike’s misfortune. Had he looked at himself in the mirror, he could see he’s wearing fruits on top of his head like a large hat.

Suddenly, the laughter came to a sudden stop when the village’s wooden wind chimes rang out loud in the air. Something has tripped up Pinkie’s wind chime alarms, meaning something is approaching the village.

Not only that, but the trees above shook violently as flocks of birds flew up in the air.

Applejack’s ears perked up in alarm to the distant sound of monkey chattering.

“The Devil Monkeys are back!” Applejack howled.

“Ugh! And right in the middle of dinner time?!” Sunset Shimmer roared angrily.

“And we just got done with washing ourselves and everything!” Rainbow Dash huffed.

“Well, ain’t like they’re go in’ us a choice,” Applejack sighed, getting up from her seats. “Time for some action, gals.”

With that, the She-Beasts and Reverse-Hybrids all left the Mess Hall to take actions against their uninvited guests. This leaves Spike alone with Kirin, in the Mess Hall.

“So…Should we just stay here and man the house?” Spike asked, when suddenly, a Devil Monkey popped its head through an open window.

The monkey bared its sharp fangs and roared at Spike, who screamed at the top of his lungs.

“AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!” Out of fearful impulse, Spike whacked the monkey in the face with a frying pan, knocking the fiendish primate out.

Spike and Kirin both exchanged looks, with Spike sighing in defeat.

“I know I’m going to regret this…” Getting up from his seat, Spike took another frying pan in his other hand and marched off into battle, with Kirin following.

“Ugh…the nerve of those creatures!” Loona grunted with indignity, as she climbs out of the tub. “How dare they undressed me! And how dare they look at my human body?”

Furious from the indignity she suffered from the others’ paws and claws, Loona angrily shook the waters off her.

However, when she was done shaking, her fur suddenly puffed up, which caused Loona to look like a poodle.

“Argh! This is all Spike’s fault!” Loona barked, as she straightened her fur out, and picked up a towel to dry herself with.

“So what if I stink? So what if my natural smell is too strong for the humans and their sensitive nose? What? Like they can smell better than us dogs? HA! THEY CAN’T EVEN SMELL A MONKEY’S BUTT A MILE AWAY!”

Then, as if she had tempted fate, a devil monkey suddenly dropped down from a tree branch and landed in front of Loona with a loud screech.

“AAAAAAHHHH!!!!” Loona screamed a high-pitch scream, immediately covering her naked body with the towel. “Don’t look you…you…primate!”

Suddenly, the sound of more hooting and cackling caught Loona’s attention to which she turned around to look and see even more troops of devil monkeys surrounding her.

“God dammit…” Loona moaned.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!” Spike screamed, bashing the attacking monkeys on the left and right. “GET AWAY! GET OUTTA HERE!”

Spike screamed, hitting the devil monkeys with his frying pans, and Kirin head-butting any that attacked them from behind.

A devil monkey jumped at Spike. In retaliation, Spike swung one of his frying pans at the monkey and knocked it to the side.

Another devil monkey came swinging down on a vine to slash one of its claws at Spike, scratching him across his back.

“YOW!” Spike cringed in pain. “Ooh, that’s smarts…”

At that moment, a whole squadron of devil monkeys charged towards Spike, who lets out a loud high-pitch scream, that sounded like a girl’s scream.

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!” Spike screamed.

“SPIKE!”

Without warning, a wired fence suddenly burst out from the ground between Spike and the monkeys. To further the surprise, the Devil Monkeys were electrocuted to the point they were charred and shocked.

“…Uh…What?” Spike muttered.

Another loud screech startled Spike and Kirin to look behind them to see a whole troop of Devil Monkeys charging at them.

Before the monkeys could reach either man and ram, several wooden guns suddenly appeared from the surrounding trees and shot coconuts at the attacking Devil Monkeys, repelling them away from Spike and Kirin.

The monkeys staggered back from the barrage of flying coconuts, until the ground beneath them gave way to reveal a large hole. Even more unexpectedly, there was a loud boom and the Devil Monkeys were launched out of the hole and were sent flying off, somewhere on the island.

“Uh…what just happened?” Spike asked dumbfounded.

“My latest remote controlled Home Invaders-Begone traps!” A voice boasted proudly, revealing herself to be Twilight Sparkle.

“Twilight?!” Spike exclaimed. “You did all of this?”

“Uh-huh!” Twilight nodded proudly, while showing off a remote control in her hands. “Each and every traps are controlled by this handy dandy little remote!”

“But…how did you manage to make any of this possible?” Spike continued to ask.

“Well, I’m not one to brag, but in case you forget, I was voted the most smartest in my school’s robotics class,” Twilight smirked. “And I have used the creative liberty of taking apart the nearest technology Dr. Grogar used to monitor and stimulate his Reverse-Hybrid experiments’ home for our favor. In this case, making our village a fortified fortress against incoming threats.”

“That is amazing!” Spike marveled at the intelligent pony-woman. “You are a genius!”

Twilight blushed in response, “It was nothing. Really.”

Suddenly, the loud scream of a woman filled the air, alerting Spike and Twilight, reminding them of the current battle.

“Rarity!” Spike shouted.

“Go on, Spike!” Twilight insisted. “Go! Save them! I’ll take care of things from my end.”

Though initially reluctant of leaving Twilight’s side, but also aware that Rarity needs help; Spike nodded and headed off in the direction Rarity screamed.

“I’m coming Raritiy!” Spike called.

Shortly after Spike left, Kirin followed.

Spike kept on racing through the crossfires of the battle, knocking away any Devil Monkeys that were in his way, and outrunning any that tried to chase him down.

Spike kept on running until…

“AAAAAHHH!!!”

He was suddenly lifted off the ground, dangling by one foot, ensnared in a snare trap, bouncing in the air from a tree branch.

“Oh great…” Spike moaned, realizing the awkward predicament he finds himself in. “Help? Help! GIRLS! GET ME DOWN FROM HERE! Can someone please help me down? HEY! Can anyone hear me?”

Then, as if answering the man’s question, a shriek cried out from the treetops as a Devil Monkey poked its ugly face out from the leaves.

“Except maybe you?” Spike asked in rhetorical sarcasm, before he lets out a loud. “HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPP!!!! SOMEBODY! SAVE ME!”

The Devil Monkey cackled maniacally as it started climbing down on the rope, getting closer and closer to Spike with every threatening second.

“Get away from me! Shoo! Shoo!” Spike yelled at the monkey, frantically kicking his free foot in a vain attempt to stave off the monkey.

Thankfully, like an angel answering his prayers, a blur of white and orange cuts across the rope, dropping Spike and the monkey to the ground.

The Devil Monkey let out a bloodcurdling screech as it lunged at a screaming Spike. Thankfully, a familiar blur of orange, red, and yellow lunges across and knocked the monkey away from Spike.

The blur was none other than Sunset Shimmer. The fiery tiger-woman was viciously biting and clawing at the Devil Monkey, who screeched loudly as it returns the blows at the tigress.

At that exact moment, a couple more Devil Monkeys jumped at Sunset from behind, in an attempt to save one of their own comrades. They bite and clawed at her, and for a moment, Sunset let out an aggravating roar as she turned her jaws in an attempt to get the monkeys off her.

The monkey that Sunset had pinned down quickly got up and joined the other two in their combined assault on Sunset Shimmer.

“Hey! Get off of her!” Spike shouted, running in with a frying pan, and swung it hard and blindly at the Devil Monkeys.

*BONG!

“OW!” Sunset groaned, clutching her sore head.

“Oops! Sorry, Sunset…” Spike apologized, before he swung his frying pan again and hits a Devil Monkey on the nose.

The angry monkey turned its attention on Spike and jumped at him. Thankfully, Kirin arrived just in time to knock the monkey away with a strong headbutt in between the groin.

The devil monkey immediately keeled over, clutching its smarten groin, while Spike recovered.

“HA HA!” Spike laughed hysterically at the downed monkey. “How do you like THEM apples, monkey?”

“SPIKE!”

“Rarity?!”

Spike looked up in time to see the snow leopard-woman falling from the branches, plummeting towards him.

“OH! I gotcha!” Spike frantically shouted, holding his arms out to catch Rarity, and running backwards to catch the She-Beast. “I gotcha! I gotcha! I gotcha! I gotcha! I gotcha! OOF!”

Spike and Rarity both fell down with a hard thud. Spike was sprawled across the ground, flat on his back, with his face smothered in Rarity’s breasts.

“Oh, good catch!” Rarity sighed with relief. “Thank you, darling~!”

“You’re welcome,” Spike groaned, with his nose bleeding.

After a moment to recover, Spike and Rarity got up in time to find themselves confronted by a very familiar monkey-man.

“Blueblood!!!” Rarity shrieked in outrage. “You’re behind ALL THIS?!!!”

The monkey-man responded with more loud shrieking.

“Uh…I didn’t quite catch that. What did he say?” Spike asked.

“Honesty, darling, if I could speak monkey, my answer for him will always be no,” Rarity huffed.

Blueblood let out another loud shriek, while beating his chest angrily.

“And I think that’s monkey for him not taking no for an answer,” Spike frowned frightfully.

Blueblood proceeded to march over towards Spike and Rarity, when the man suddenly stepped forward, holding one of his frying pans in front, like a sword.

“Hey! You want Rarity? You gonna have to go through me, you entitled son of a bitch!” Spike declared. “I have a frying pan! And I’m not afraid to use it…”

“Oh, Spikey-Wikey~!” Rarity purred, with her hands over her chest. “How…How brave of you~!”

Both Spike and Rarity look back at Blueblood, seeing him crack a wicked grin, before he lets out a hoot, which summoned several more Devil Monkeys to come over and aid him.

“There’s too many of them!” Spike moaned. “Rarity. Grab Kirin and get out of here!”

“Absolutely not darling!” Rarity huffed. “I can’t just leave you alone with these ruffians. A lady must do what a lady must do.”

“What’s that?”

“Finish a fight!”

Then, without warning, Rarity jumped up in the air, darts across the trees as a magnificent blur of white, faster than a speeding bullet.

Spike and Kirin could barely keep up with the fast leopard. Rarity was knocking the Devil Monkeys left and right, until only Blueblood was left standing.

“Rar!” Rarity growled.

Having lost his backup, and his bravado quickly fading from his face, Blueblood could only let out a miserable weak hoot, before he takes off running for his life.

“Hmph! Even as a Man-Beast, he couldn’t even bother doing his own dirty work,” Rarity huffed, before she turned to Spike with a look of concern.

“Spikey-Wikey! Darling? Are you alright?” Rarity asked, a gulp smacked Spike.

Spike blinked his eyes for a couple of seconds, dropping his frying pans, looking up at Rarity, not of fright, but from enchanted amazement at what he and Kirin have just witnessed.

“Wow!” Spike finally gasped. “That…was…the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!”

“Aw, why thank you, darling!” Rarity smiled, before she frowned sadly. “I’m…sorry if I…stole your heroic moment, or anything…”

“You’re forgiven.”

Suddenly, a loud roar brought Spike, Rarity, and Kirin’s attention back to the present.

“SUNSET!” Spike and Rarity exclaimed together.

They looked to the left to see a furious tigress savagely mauling all of the Devil Monkeys that were biting at her, clawing her hair and furs out, with the light blue sundress she was wearing from that morning.

“Oh my!” Spike moaned in dread.

“Oh! They’re tearing away her lovely sundress!” Rarity screamed in outrage.

Blood spilled across the grounds of the village, with bits and pieces of the Devil Monkeys, and torn fabrics of Sunset’s sundress.

Sunset continued to roar and hiss loudly with such a fury that Spike felt as if the whole world was shaking.

In spite of all the bites and scratches she’s been getting, Sunset continued fighting off the monkeys. But that wasn’t what scared Spike and his other two companions.

It was more or less the display of savagery that Sunset was exhibiting, as if she was no longer in control, let alone aware of her surroundings.

“Sunset?” Spike called out.

In response, Sunset Shimmer snapped her head, growling at Spike, baring her fangs, with her eyes glowing an eerie brighter of cyan, and her pupils so thin that she almost looks soulless.

On first glance, Sunset Shimmer has completely become the tiger that Dr. Grogar engineered her to be. Her humanity was gone.

“Whoa, Sunset! It’s me!” Spike screamed in fright.

“It’s us, darling!” Rarity followed. “We’re your friends! Remember?”

Unfortunately, Sunset Shimmer wasn’t listening. She let out another thunderous roar and stalks towards Spike’s group.

“Sunset! Stand back!” Spike yelled at the tigress She-Beast. “I’m warning you!”

Sunset didn’t listen when the ground beneath her gave way and Sunset Shimmer fell into a tiger trap that was previously set up.

“SUNSET!” Spike shouted, reaching out for the tigress’s hands and was almost dragged in.

“SPIKE!” Luckily, for Spike, Rarity quickly jumped into action and grabbed him by the belt around his pants.

Kirin quickly joined in the rescue and grabbed onto Rarity’s tail, pulling her back.

Together, the three friends pulled the tigress She-Beast out of the pitfall trap, saving her from being speared by the sharp pikes that were planted at the bottom.

“Sunset? Are you okay?” Spike asked, to which the answer he got was a low growl from Sunset.

The tigress She-Beast got up and growls as she slowly advanced upon Spike, sniffing his air. Spike was freaking out, both from the adrenaline of saving one of his friends from death, and the fact that a girl was getting too close to his discomfort.

He closed his eyes, feeling the hot air of Sunset breathing, and the sensation of her sniffing him.

“Please…Sunset,” Spike pleaded, while wishing that the She-Beast, who was formerly Sunset Shimmer, would have some decency to make his death quick and painless.

However, it didn’t came. Instead, he felt a slobbery wet tongue scrubbing up his cheek, and the sound of low, short vocalization sounded in the air.

Spike opened his eyes to see Sunset was licking him across his face, while chuffing.

“Ew!” Spike groaned, trying to push Sunset off him. “Sunset! Stop! Cut it out!”

For a moment, Sunset wasn’t listening, until a little later, when she opened her eyes to reveal that they were back to their normal shade of moderate cyan and her pupils were round again.

“Wha-Huh?” Sunset exclaimed, shaking her head. “What…What happened!? Where am I? Spike?”

Sunset looked down to see she was sitting atop of Spike, in a rather compromising position.

Her legs were straddling across Spike’s stomach, her claws were holding his arms down, and her nose was too close to Spike’s face. Close enough for her to see his quivering lips, his wide eyes, and the sweaty droplets trickling down his head, mixing with the fresh cuts on his face.

Sunset’s growing anxiety reached its peak when she got a quick look at herself down.

Her sundress was torn to ribbons, revealing her bikini bottom, and her breasts were spilling out from the gaps, pressing against Spike’s chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat.

“S-S-S-SPIKE?!!!” Sunset Shimmer stammered, flustering a bright shade of red as she frantically got off of him, and covered her breasts. “I am SO sorry! Whatever I was doing, I had NO idea what happened or what came over me!”

“It’s fine…” Spike replied awkwardly. “Let’s just…pretend this never happened. Right Rarity?”

“What happened, darling?” Rarity played along.

“Exactly.”

At that moment, a loud scream was heard in the air, to which Spike, the She-Beasts, and Kirin looked up to see Fluttershy was flying blindly and crashing through some tree branches, unintentionally tripping up some of Pinkie’s air traps, along the way.

“I gotta go check up on Fluttershy!” Spike explained to Sunset and Rarity.

“Of course, darling,” Rarity nodded. “The poor dear must be hurt!”

“We’ll handle things from here, Spike,” Sunset reassured.

With a thumbs up, Spike ran off, with Kirin following, leaving both big cat She-Beasts alone together.

“Oh darling!” Rarity gasped in horror, at the sight of Sunset’s torn sundress. “Your new sundress is ruined!”

“Eh. It was hot day anyway,” Sunset shrugged, with her blush still burning. “Though…I’m going to need something more than my fluff to cover my…you know…for Spike’s sake…”

Meanwhile, Spike had just ran out the front gate of the village wall, with Kirin following close behind.

They had evaded some Devil Monkeys and brushed past some ferns to find Fluttershy, upside down, in a tangle of vines. It wouldn’t be so awkward for Spike, if not for Fluttershy’s skirt flipping over to reveal her green striped panty.

“Help! HELP!” The blind She-Bat screeched. “Help! Get me out of here!”

Shaking his head clear of some awkward thoughts, Spike got out his pocket knife, which he used to cut some of the vines.

“Fluttershy, hang on!” Spike called. “I’ll get you down!”

“Hurry, Spike!”

Spike was sawing one of the vines, when the ground shook. Both he and Kirin looked up to see a whole herd of his mutated crew members, stampeding through the forest. One of the mutated nuckelavee-like hybrids happens to see Spike, and reared up on its hind legs, letting out a bloodcurdling shriek before it charged after Spike and Kirin.

“Oh SHIT!” Spike screamed, hiding behind a tree to dodge the monster’s sharp cloven hooves.

The monster slashed its claws at Spike, who ducked behind a tree, barely dodging the sharp claws that tore three deep gashes in the bark. The gashes were so deep that Spike can fit his whole hand in one of them.

Spike held out his frying pans, but the monster’s horse head lunged forward, biting a large chunk of a pan, leaving behind a huge bite mark.

Scared out of his wits, Spike tossed the other frying pan at the beast, to which it swatted it away with its massive claws.

Spike quickly dropped to the ground to avoid another attack, then he rolled across the grounds to avoid the monster’s stomping hooves.

During the fight, Spike had dropped his pocket knife, which ended up being smashed to pieces underneath one of the monster’s hooves.

Spike rolled across the floor, until he was at a good distance to get back on his feet.

Spike frantically got up a ran for his life, with the savage monster chasing after him. However, the monster didn’t get very far when the little ram, Kirin, came running out and hits one of its legs with his single long sharp horn.

Momentarily distracted by the ram, the monster looked down and angrily waved its sharp hooves to scare off Kirin.

Spike didn’t stop to look behind. Instead, he kept on running until Devil Monkey jumped out from the bushes and lunged at Spike.

The Devil Monkey clung onto Spike, who frantically held his hands out to hold the monkey by its neck, keeping its sharp snapping jaws away from his face. The monkey continued to scratch his arms with its claws and feet, much to his agony.

“AAAAAHHHH!!!” Spike screamed.

“SPIKE!”

A loud screech pierced the air, and a large bird swooped down to snatch the Devil Monkey off of Spike.

He looked up in the air to see a familiar feather of blue and rainbows flying in the air with the monkey held in her claws, by the neck.

With a twist of her body, Rainbow Dash tossed the Devil Monkey at Spike’s mutant crewmate, who sliced and diced the monkey to pieces.

“Grab on, Spike!” Rainbow Dash cawed, when she flies over to Spike with one of her clawed feet stretched out.

Spike reached a hand out, grabbing onto Dash, and was lifted off the ground, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the monster’s massive claws.

Spike looked behind him, seeing Kirin head butting the monster’s legs again to distract it.

He also noticed that Fluttershy was still tangled up in vines, with a swarm of Devil Monkeys closing in.

“Rainbow Dash!” Spike shouted. “Fluttershy is in trouble!”

“I know! Hang on! We’re coming around!” Rainbow tilted her wings to the side and they made a full rotation to fly back towards the tangled Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash and Spike both went to work cutting off the vines, while fending off some of the attacking Devil Monkeys. Rainbow Dash was flapping her wings furiously, trying to intimidate the savage primates, while Spike picked up a rock to cut the vines off of Fluttershy. Once he finished cutting the vines around Fluttershy's wings, the She-Bat immediately took flight.

"WHOOOAAAA!!!" Spike yelped, quickly grabbing onto the pink ring of fur around Fluttershy's neck. "Fluttershy! STOP!"

"I CAN'T!" Fluttershy shouted in a frantic panic.

"Why not?" Spike asked.

"I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO STOP!"

Spike held onto Fluttershy's mane, looking up to see the monkeys were hooting and howling as they climbed across the tree branches, before they leapt towards them.

"GET AWAY FROM US!" Spike screamed, swatting a branch at the attacking monkeys, barely holding onto Fluttershy. "Whoa! AH! FLUTTERSHY! LOW BRIDGE!"

"Where?" Fluttershy asked.

But it was too late.

SMACK!

"OOF!" Both Fluttershy and Spike grunted, upon crashing into a tree branch.

"AAAAH!!!" Spike fell off of Fluttershy's back, desperately reaching for the She–Bat, grabbing onto her skirt, accidentally pulling it down to her ankles.

"AAAAHHH!!!" Fluttershy yelped in embarrassment. "SPIKE?!!"

"I'M SORRY! I WON’T LOOK!” Spike loudly apologized, looking away, but unintentionally looked down.

Almost immediately, he started to feel lightheaded, with his whole world spinning wildly from a wave of dizziness washing over him at the dangerous height he and Fluttershy were hanging.

"AAAHHH!!!" Spike screamed, closing his eyes shut, desperately clinging onto Fluttershy's skirt. "FLUTTERSHY! DON'T LET ME GO!"

"Why would I let you go?" Fluttershy asked the frighten man.

"I...I...AH!" Spike yelped, when he felt his grip losing. "I...Can't...Hold...On...Much...LONGER!!!"

From down below, little Kirin galloped after the man and the She-Bat who took him. The little ram got into a couple of troubles on the way, when several Devil Monkeys had ambushed him, and Kirin had to zig-zag to throw the vicious primates off his back.

Kirin had ran under a monkey, causing the other monkeys chasing him to crash into that monkey. A Devil Monkey landed in front of Kirin and screeched loudly, scaring Kirin.

But the little ram stood his ground, firmly determined to not let anything standing between him and Spike. With a kick of his legs, Kirin rammed his head in between the monkey’s legs.

The monkey keeled over in pain, while Kirin ran off to help Spike, who was dangling by Fluttershy’s legs.

"Hang on, Spike," Fluttershy grunted, clawing her thumb across the tree's bark, climbing up to pull Spike up towards her, all the while holding onto her skirt, by her toes. "Spike? Are you still there?"

"Yeah! I'm hanging!" Spike replied, with his eyes still tightly shut. "Quick! Pull me up!"

Suddenly, the tree started to shake and both Fluttershy and Spike nearly fell off.

At that moment, the nuckelavee–mutant hybrid from before had followed Spike and Fluttershy to the tree. It viciously shook the tree, until its barks snapped and it fell to the ground, with Spike and Fluttershy in a mighty crash.

With his ears ringing from the crash, Spike’s whole body was sore, with the taste of blood trickling his nose, wafting over his tongue.

The loud neigh of the nuckelavee-hybrid filled the air, which Spike turned his head to the left.

Though his world was still spinning, Spike could see Rainbow Dash fighting off the mutant hybrid of his former crewmate.

His visions slowly returns and he could see the Falcon—Woman pecking and clawing at the hybrid’s eyes, blinding the beast.

“Spike?!” Fluttershy squeaked, to which Spike turned around, seeing the blind She—Bat wobbly getting up on her legs.

“Fluttershy?” Spike limped slightly over to the woman—bat. “You…okay?”

“I’m fine,” Fluttershy grunted. “Are you okay?”

“Shaking a little,” Spike admitted. “But I’ll live.”

Back in the fight, Rainbow Dash flies away, while the blind nuckelavee flails its arms, aimlessly in the air. Kirin had also joined in the fight, head butting one of the hybrid mutant’s forelegs. The monster blindly slashed it claws at the ram, but unintentionally slashing off its own horse-head.

The blind nuckelavee stumbled about, until one of its hooves steps on the covers of a pitfall trap and it ends up falling in, where it was speared by the sharp wooden spikes at the bottom.

Spike looked away, hugging Fluttershy and burying his face into her scruff.

“Oh, Spike,” Fluttershy cooed, wrapping her wings around the man, gently patting him on the back.

Eventually, once the nuckelavee had screamed its last dying breath, Rainbow Dash flew over with Kirin.

“Hey! You two okay?” Rainbow asked.

“Yeah. Thanks, Dash!” Spike replied. “How’re we doing so far?”

“From what I could see,” Rainbow explained. “We’re driving them off. But some have already gotten into the village. They’re coming in from the treetops, and Pinkie’s barely holding them back.”

“Sounds just like a monkey,” Spike figured. “Monkeys are definitely built for the tree tops. So if you want to stop them, you gotta knock them down. Can you handle them, Rainbow?”

“Knocking down monkeys? Can do!” Rainbow smirked.

“And what about me, Spike?” Fluttershy asked.

“Fluttershy…you…” Spike looks down, seeing Kirin still at his legs.

“You can look after Kirin and Rainbow can look after you!” Spike said, giving the little ram to the She—Bat.

“Where are you going?” Rainbow asked.

“I’m going to run back into the village and get the other Devil Monkeys out,” Spike replied as he took off running. “See ya!”

“Good luck, Spike!” Fluttershy called, while a squirming Kirin tries to follow after the man.

“Oh, by the way, Flutters,” Rainbow began. “Nice pair of panties.”

"EEEP!!!" Fluttershy screeched as she grabbed her skirt to tighten around her waist, unintentionally dropping Kirin in the process.

The little ram then went after Spike.