"Trollen Floggen"

Chapters

Chapter 2: You can talk?!
Chapter 4: Sea-serpent Hairstylist
Chapter 5: Fluttershy is less than calm
Chapter 1: A cry for help.
Chapter 3: Inevitable conflict
Chapter 6: Apple Thief

Chapter 2: You can talk?!

“Um, un-understand?” The creature said with a raised eyebrow. It patted it's chest as if that would make communication easier for them. But after a few seconds of scared silence, the creature grasped it's forehead and sighed. “Of course not Dmitri', horse don't talk. Don't be silly.”

“u-um, I can talk.” Fluttershy replied barely a whisper, so low that a pony would probably not be able to hear her. The creature's long slender ears twitched, however, and he looked over to the small pony with a shocked face.

“Really? Vell....Um....sorry for almost eating you than.” The creature put his hand behind his head and redirected it's eyes so they looked anywhere but the small yellow pegasus. “I, uh...I try not to eat vhat can talk....uh....vell.....mine name is Dmitri, is.....pleasure?”

The creature gave a very toothy very awkward smile. Fluttershy nervously, though admittedly much less nervously than a second ago, returned it, but hide behind her mane a little bit.

“I'm, Fluttershy,...” She said through her mane, as quietly as she could.

“Dah, vell, vhat are you doin'c here Fluttahshy? Or do you live here an' am I trespassing?” Dmitri said, trying to be as playful as possible. Fluttershy didn't feel the same way. Tears formed in her eyes, and before Dmitri' could say a word, Fluttershy was bawling her eyes out, and speaking at a mile a minute.

“IcameheretofindoutwhatwasmakingthebiggrowlingsoundandIshouldn'thavecomeinthecavebutthelightningandthunderscaredmesoIjumpedintofindyoubutyouweremeanandscaryandthecavecollapsedandnowIcan'tfeelmylegsand I just wanna go hooooome!!” she bawled. The giant creature in front of her seemed to be taken a back by this, and wasn't sure how to handle the situation. But after a second, a look of determination blossomed on his face and he came to Fluttershy's side, and patted her on the head.

“Shhh shhh shh little von, I vill help you.” Dmitri' said as he moved to her hind legs. “Let's just see vhat sort of damage has been dun, dah?”

“Be careful!” Fluttershy shouted, a sharp concern piercing her normally calm demeanor, though it still wasn't a very loud shout. “I can't feel my legs....”

“Dah, It's alright.” Dmitri said with a reassuring smile, his booming voice becoming something altogether softer. “I know vhat I'm doing,...now, can you feel this?”

“Uh, no.” Fluttershy said sheepishly.

“Uh,..... no problem then, 'ow bout this?” Dmitri said with another poke at her hindquarters. There was no movement, and before she responded, Dmitri' knew she would at least be paralyzed for life....well, if he wasn't here that was. No use worrying her.

“Dah! You're fine. Mostly shock. I'll dig you out” Dmitri said as he reached a claw up to his wrist. He winced a little as his artery was cut, but he needed the blood to flow freely and for a while. Reaching over, out of her sight, as not to worry this small pony, Dmitri' grasped the rocks crushing the Pegasus to the ground and hefted them to the side in one quick motion. As the rocks shifted, the Pegasus’s blood began to leave her in spurts, and Fluttershy gasped in pain. She was certain her life was coming to an end.

Dmitri' however, was ready. In the same fluid motion, the blood spurting from his arm covered her backside, and Fluttershy's body began to heal. The process....didn't start as quickly as Dmitri' would have liked, he must really have been damaged by that fall, but it was happening. Fluttershy's color was coming back.

As she shakily stood to her hooves, She looked back at her hind legs with wide eyes. They were just fine. She was just fine. In fact, there wasn't a scratch on her! Though there was a little bit silver on her flank, and Dmitri' was holding his wrist....

“You're injured!” Fluttershy said with a look of concern. Dmitri smiled and waved her off, but her motherly instincts were kicking in. “Oh my, I need to take a look at that!”

“No, no, am fine!” Dmitri' said with a deep and throaty chuckle, as he hid his wound. It wasn't healing as fast as he would have liked, once again, and he was beginning to feel lightheaded. He needed to eat soon. “Just cut self on rock. Not bad vound.”

“Mister Dmitri'!” Fluttershy said forcefully, even though she was still shakily trying to maintain her balance. “I would feel much better if you allowed me to see that wound, so please, if you wouldn't mind,”

Dmitri' took a sharp intake of breath, but eventually allowed her. Showing his arm to Fluttershy seemed to pacify the mare. “Is not real problem, troll heal fast.”

“Troll?” She said pleasantly, trying to keep her bedside manner. “Is that what you are?”

“Yesin, that is vhat I am.” Dmitri' said proudly as he puffed out his chest. “I am Dmitri', Troll, und holder of sacred artifact of clan.”

“Oh my, that's an impressive title.” Fluttershy said with a genuine smile. As she turned his hand over in her hooves. His wound was actually beginning to heal, but she was still not content to leave it be until she had tied it up with bandages from her pack, and poured some disinfectant on the wound, though not necessarily in that order. “So, what is the sacred object of your people?”

“It's...vell, not here right now, but is shtick.” Dmitri' said with a shrug. Fluttershy gave him an incredulous look. “Vhat? Is a very good shtick.”

“I'm sure...” Fluttershy said with a shake of her head and a smile. She was taking this time to look over her new troll friend, and see if there was anything else visibly wrong with him. “So, I've never seen a troll like you before....normally trolls aren't so.... hairy,.... oh but no offense.”

“Oh, not surprising.” Dmitri' said with a grin. “Not from...not from round here.”

“Okay then,” Fluttershy said happily. She'd have to question him more thoroughly later. “It looks like you're all set. You really do heal fast mister troll, I...”

Fluttershy immediately fell over, buckling under her own weight. Dmitri' was ready for this though, and caught her before she hit the ground. “Hey, take easy. Body still in shock.”

“Oh, oh my,” Fluttershy said in a winded voice. Dmitri' smiled slightly at this.

“I vill carry you out of here, dah?” Dmitri said with a toothy grin.

“Um, but, do you know the way out of here- eep!” Fluttershy was interrupted mid sentence when the troll picked her up and placed her on his left shoulder, which was very broad. Dmitri' kept one hand on her to steady her, just in case, and soon she found herself nestled into the comfy fur.

“Have good nose, follow your scent out, und we get out.” Dmitri' said with a nod.

“You can do that?” Fluttershy asked, with reverence. Dmitri' managed to puff his chest out a little more.

“No problem, Troll nose best in business, home in time for,...vell, home pretty quick.” Dmitri' said with a shrug. “Not sure vhat time is.” Dmitri' said proudly while still smiling like a madman. Fluttershy couldn't help but be infected by his enthusiasm, and soon found herself smiling as well. After all, she wasn't that much worse for wear, she could walk. That was more than she had expected.

After about an hour of him backtracking her steps, Dmitri found the way out of the cave. It was light outside now, and Fluttershy realized that she must have been out for quite a while. Dmitri' hadn't said anything while he was inside of the cave because he needed to concentrate on following her scent. But the moment the mixture of star and moonlight greeted the pair, Dmitri' let out a hardy laugh.

“See?” Dmitri' said clearly proud. “Is like, von two three.”

“That is very impressive.” Fluttershy said sleepily. She failed to suppress a yawn. Dmitri wasn't too worried about her, the healing process could take a lot out of a body. It still expected the nerves to be screaming in pain, or be numbed and dead. The fact that they weren't, well, it was part of the shock. But still, being carried on his shoulder seemed like it might take a little to much out of her. She was just a little pony after all. Fluttershy let out an eep again as he hoisted her up, and then cradled her in his arms.

“Oh, no, you don't have to..”Fluttershy was silenced mid sentence as the troll put up one of his clawed digits to her lips.

“Am strong troll, don't vorry. Strong take care of veak.” Troll said with a chuckle. Fluttershy seemed to be a little bit offended at his comment, but she was to tired to argue. “Only von question, Fluttahshy,”

“Oh, and what's that?” The pegasus said sleepily.

“Vhich vay are ve going to?”

Fluttershy chuckled softly as she snuggled into his fur, it really was comfortable, and warm, then she pointed halfheartedly in a direction with her wing. The troll nodded, then attempted to hum her a song to lull her to sleep, while rocking her back and forth like a child. Fluttershy hardly even minded at all, to tell the truth.
Earlier.....

Angel was running through the darkness, his master's scream still fresh in his ears. He knew that Fluttershy shouldn't have gone into those woods alone, he knew it, and her echoing cry of pain and fear was just confirmation of it. But she always had to be so damn kind! Even if would be the death of her.

The closest building was the library, and Fluttershy had mentioned somepony new in town was now living there, somepony he should go to for help. Angel arrived and rapped as loudly as he could on the door with his feet. He didn't stop until the door opened up and a small purple lizard man was standing in front of him, a perplexed look on his face.

“Uh, hello?” Spike said looking down with a raised eyebrow.

Immediately, the small bunny began to motion wildly and make all sort of sounds, something that spike was sure was something of panic.

“Um...wait right there. Twilight!” Spike yelled up the stairs. A tired groan answered him, but spike didn't stop. “There's somepon-er someone here to see you!”

The purple unicorn descended the stairs, circles darkened under her eyes. She was grumbling immensely. Twilight Sparkle was tired, she'd just saved Equestria for Pete’s sake! She deserved some sleep!

And now spike was having her come and talk to a......Rabbit. She gave spike a glare, and the slammed the door shut with her magic. “.....Ha ha, very funny Spike. Don't get me up again unless it's important.”

“Uh, actually, twilight, I think....” Spike was interrupted by the sound of loud rapping on the door again. Twilight cringed, rolled her eyes and went to open the door again. The bunny once again began frantically moving it's little paws, and making small audible noises, trying it's best to communicate with the purple unicorn. Twilight brought a hoof to her face and sighed.

“I can't understand you, who do you think I am, Fluttershy?” She said exasperated. However, at the word Fluttershy, the bunny jumped up and down as fast as it could. She raised an eyebrow. “Uh, did Fluttershy send you?”

The bunny nodded frantically, and Twilight's brow furrowed. “So, uh,......what do you want?....”

The rabbit wildly motioned for Twilight to follow him, and she rolled her eyes at first. But then, it looked at her with pleading eyes. She huffed. “Fine, lead the way. Spike I'm going out for a bit.”

“Okay Twilight,” Spike chuckled a little bit as he watched twilight and the rabbit run towards the Everfree. But he stopped when a dark chill ran down his spine. Spike shivered and looked around, it was as if someone had breath like Ice water, and they were breathing down the back of his neck. But the feeling left as quickly as it came and spike was left alone in the library, shivering slightly.

“Huh,” He thought, “Weird....”

Angel and Twilight had just arrived at Fluttershy's cottage. Twilight rolled her eyes, wondering what had been so important that Fluttershy had seen fit to get her up in the middle of the night to see about it, but when she walked up to the door, the bunny grabbed her hoof and pulled her along.

“What? Isn't she....” Twilight stopped as she interpreted the situation. The rabbit was motioning wildly to the Everfree forest, not the cottage. He looked absolutely terrified. It was the middle of the night, and Fluttershy wasn't the type to ask for any sort of help when it would put people at an inconvenience.

“Did,” Twilight's voice was aghast with surprise. “Did she go into the Everfree forest?”

The bunny shook his head yes, barely holding back tears. Twilight's eye twitched for half a second. Her mind raced with the possibilities, but then stopped. Her friend was in danger, probably, and most likely was in need of help. Imagining what could have happened wouldn't be productive at all..... of course that wasn't stopping her from doing it.

Angel observed the color drain from Twilight Sparkles face. She immediately bolted backwards towards Ponyville. She needed to get her friends together, and they needed to find Fluttershy yesterday.

Chapter 4: Sea-serpent Hairstylist

Dmitri' groaned in pain. He was cold, wet, hungry and tired. But hey, at least there was a fire nearby. Dmitri' sat up and gasped for breath before releasing a mighty roar. The purple sea serpent Alarmingly moved backwards in the river, winching and shielding his face. Dmitri' jumped to his feet and looked around himself, claws bared.

“Vill KEEL YOU!” Dmitri' shouted to no one in particular. Then he shuddered and fell over again, mumbling about tearing something apart, and something to do with salt and an unpleasant way of cleaning a toilet.

“You alright there fellow?” The sea serpent moved cautiously towards the shore. The hairy creature that had bumped into him was anything but normal. Steven Magnet had seen quite a few different creatures, living in the river of the Everfree forest. He'd seen manticores and timber wolves, hydra's and diamond dogs. But Steven Magnet had never seen something so huge and hairy.

“Vill be in a moment,” Dmitri' spoke, breathing heavily and coughing up a little excess fluid from his lungs. “....how long have I been out?”

“About two days, big fellow.” the sea serpent said, still cautious.

“Dmitri',”

“Huh?” The sea serpant said.

“My name, it is Dmitri',” Dmitri' said, shakily getting to his feet. “It is pleasure,”

“Oh, so well mannered!” The sea serpent said, losing all fear in an instant. “Well, the pleasure is all mine, and my name is Steven Magnet, sea serpent and hairstylist extraordinaire!”

“Hairstylist, really?” Dmitri' said in an amused tone. “Is unique, to say the least. Did not think undervater creatures have much to do vith hair.”

“Oh, I know, I'm dreadfully unappreciated,” Steven Magnet said, dramatically putting the back of his claws on his forehead. “Too soft to live among my own kind, too startling to live among the gentle ponies. Oh woe is the life of an artist, to have such fabulous hair and no one around to admire it!”

Dmitri' stopped what he was doing and looked at Steven Magnet, a look of concern, and possibly pity. “Dah, I understand completely.”

“You do?” Steven said hopefully.

“Dah, I have had.....eh similar problems vith mine upbringing.” Dmitri' said, then he flashed the biggest smile he could muster then raised his thumb in approval. “Just keep on doing vhat you love, and eventually the vorld vill see you for truth!”

A single tear slid down bright purple scales. “Could it be, that somehow I found a kindred spirit? A soul mate of sorts?”

“Vould not go that far,” Dmitri' said as he wobbled over to a tree and sat down. His body healed fast, but not that fast. If he wanted to heal faster, he needed to eat. Meat and magic, that was the trolls creed. Dmitri' enjoyed a piece of fruit from time to time, or a few vegetables, but to much would make him sick. He needed to hunt, but not just yet. He needed his legs to lift his weight first.

“Just,....a friend who knows vhat it is like to be different.” Dmitri began rubbing down his arms, and noticed that his fur looked a little bit different. He raised an eyebrow and began looking all over his body. Surely enough, his fur had had the knots cleared out of it, and smelled nice. It had a healthy sheen to it. Dmitri lightly touched his head, and noticed that his dreadlocks had been cleaned and redone, and there were red ribbons put into his hair. Dmitri's eyebrow still raised he looked to Steven Magnet.

“Oh, I uh, I hope you don't mind,” Steven said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his clawed hand. “I, Uh, well, I hardly ever get a chance to practice, and you were out for a while, and you were just a mess, so I, Uh,...”

“Are you having a mirror?” Dmitri' said pleasantly. Steven Almost flipped with excitement, with a crash he submerged himself under the river. After a few moments, he surfaced with a hand held mirror, for him anyway. For Dmitri' it easily was the length of his body. He admired his reflection and stood up from his tree.

“Not bad...” He muttered. He generally looked the same, except his hair was completely free of knots, and upon his head, his hair was slicked back. His dreadlocks were tied in red ribbons, and his hair had been brushed, and,...shampooed? Well whatever it was, it smelled better than anything he'd ever had in there. All in all, Dmitri' was quite pleased with his appearance.

He noticed, however, that he still had the orange ones hat, clutched in his hand. Dmitri' thought of the creatures that had attacked him without provocation, and his blood began to boil. He almost tore the hat in two right there, but decided against it. Perhaps he could use it's material for something at some point. He pocketed the hat and returned to admiring his reflection.

“Good Job Schteven!” Dmitri' said happily. Steven was absolutely fawning.

“Oh go on,” The sea serpent said, waving his hand.

“No, really, Have not looked this good in years!” Dmitri' said with a chuckle. “Und I smell amazing! Vhat is that?”

“Oh, just a little home recipe for a conditioning shampoo that I whipped up one day.” The Purple sea serpent was absolutely gushing at this point. “So you really like it, huh?”

“I love it, friend.” Dmitri said with a happy, toothy smile.

They sat there in comfortable silence for a few minutes, while Dmitri' sat back down and began to focus on healing. His body still had reserves of fat and magic to draw upon, he wasn't in critical danger yet, but he probably should eat soon.

“So, Dmitri', why were you doing the backstroke anyway?” The purple sea serpent said with a chuckle. Dmitri' looked a little crestfallen at that, and his face turned red.

“Don't vant to talk 'bout it,” Dmitri' grumbled, not looking Steven in the eye. Truth was, he was embarrassed about it. Even though they had outnumbered him, he still should have been able to defeat them. Next time he was attacked here, in this world, he would not lose. He would feast.

“Ok, mister sourpuss,” Steven Magnet said with a chuckle. His chuckle stopped when Dmitri' stood up. “Oh, don't be so negative, I was just joking!”

“Is not reason,” Dmitri' said reassuringly. “I need to eat, und soon, und the only vay to eat is to go und get some food.”

“Oh, if it's food you want, I just so happen to have a full tray of the most delicious seaweed quiche you've ever tasted,” Steven said rummaging around the river and pulling out a plate full of green squares.

“No thanking you,” Dmitri' said with a little winch. “I have special diet,”

“Oh, okay then,” The serpent's face fell almost instantly.

“I vill come visit you sometime, friend,” Dmitri said with a wave, then he turned around and began to walk into the woods.

“Oh yeah, I'd like that.” Steven Magnet caressed his fabulous mustache, and put on a strained smile. “I'll.....I'll just stay here then.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Everfree was unusually quiet that night. The animals had long since found solace in their dens. But one animal had just started his prowl. From the shadows he moved, sniffing the ground, looking, searching. Eventually however, the prowling beast found something, a trail of some creatures. They smelled different from what the beast was used to, but the tracks were familiar enough. Wolves. These were wolves. Moonlight reflected off the creatures teeth. He would feast tonight.

The wolves were tracking something of their own. The pack howled in unison, and ran through the forest at full speed., chasing the small animal at full speed. The creature was a young female beaver. Large eyes looked back at the wolves, scared and frantic.

The female beaver was nearly away when it tangled itself in some upturned roots The wolves circled around their prey, and began to growl in unison. The pack took turns lunging at her, and biting the air in front of her, barely missing. It was as if the wolves feed off of fear just as much as they would feed off of her succulent meat.

The leader of the pack, however, decided that it was over, and it was time to eat. The wolves moved to go in for the kill, but it stopped. The sound of the wolves growl was not the loudest in the forest tonight. From the trees, yellow eyes glowed, and white teeth reflected moonlight. The beast was here.

Down to the forest floor, with the grace of a cat, and the strength of a gorilla, the beast struck, slashing into one of the wolves with ferocity. The wolf went down, and the others charged the beast. The beast roared, and the charging wolves stopped and back peddled in fear. The beast then swiped.

It was a flurry of claws and teeth, of muscle and bone. The wolves fell and clattered down onto the floor. The beast and the pack leader were the only creatures left standing. The pack leader charged and bite down on the beast's shoulder. The beast let out an unearthly growl and slammed the Wolf into a tree. The beast opened it's jaw as wide as possible and bite down on the alpha males head, severing it from it's body.

Dmitri' spit the wooden head of the timber wolf out and began to scrape his tongue, picking out splinters, and sputtering up ivy. “Vood? MADE OF VOOD?!!!! OH COME ON!”

Dmitri' looked at the creatures made of wood and leaves. He couldn't eat wood! He needed meat! Succulent, delicious meat.....Dmitri's eyes turned towards the fallen female beaver.

“Vell,” Dmitri' said, his teeth shimmering once again in the moonlight. “Vaste not vant not.”

Dmitri' moved foreward, cracking his claws. The beaver was injured, and it's fear could almost be tasted in the air. Dmitri' didn't like taking another predators kill, it just didn't feel right. But hey, he'd killed five wolves, well, woody wolves anyway. It only seemed fair that he got to eat because of it. But as he moved closer to the creature she let out a slow whimper, and he stopped and tilted his head.

“Vhat?....” Dmitri' said after a second. The small critter let out another low moan. Dmitri's face just turned sour.

“Oh, geez....vell,.” Dmitri' wasn't happy about letting a meal go, but he had a rule. No talking meat. “Sorry bout' that.”

“So vhat is your name?” Dmitri' moved closer to her and helped her from her entanglement.

The creature made another low sound.

“Oh, vell, is a nice name, Delilah, Not a name that I think a beaver vould have.”

Delilah let out an annoyed grunt.

“Oh, no offense meant, did not know ponies could talk till recently either,” Dmitri said with a smirk and a nod.

The beaver nodded, then looked behind Dmitri'. Dmitri' turned around and groaned. The wolves were putting themselves back together. “Hokay, let's do this thing.”
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dmitri' was picking thorn like teeth out of his left shoulder, while Delilah the beaver sat on his right, chirping along. The wolves had continued coming back together again and again, and eventually Dmitri' had just decided to set the damn things on fire....but he didn't have a fire. Instead he just crushed them together into smaller and smaller pieces until they were close to sawdust. They didn’t' seem to be getting up from that.

“Dah,” Dmitri' nodded to her. “Is kind of odd I admit, But is good name, Dmitri'! Vas grandpappi's name.”

Delilah gave Dmitri' an incredulous look. “Vell, Hokay, I understand. No more judging names. So, ve close to your home yet?”

Delilah nodded fervently, then made a few more noises. Dmitri' chuckled.

“Is Hokay, I understand. I am big und scary. You go und tell your familiy you ok, ok?” Dmitri smirked. Delilah made more noises, and Dmitri' rolled his eyes.

“Hokay, Hokay, I'll vait here und meet them.” Dmitri' said with a chuckle. The female beaver left to go into a hollowed out log, and after a bit, more and more animals came from the woodwork. Beavers, Chipmunks, rabbits, birds, all of them came out of their happy homes. Dmitri' smiled and listened to their chatter, and it was odd there seemed to be a wide variety of animals here, and he was....understanding...all of them...his eyes widened in horrible comprehension. Dmitri' took a step back from the animals of the forest, and bounded into the woods, leaving Delilah the beaver to look on perplexed.

Chapter 5: Fluttershy is less than calm

Fluttershy's eye's were red and wet. Her friends had explained the situation to her, in a calm controlled manner, which is to say that it was panicked and not calm in the slightest, that they had fought and quite possibly killed her new friend. The truth had hit her hard and she had just stared at them for a while, tears forming. The silence in the room was deafening, and the tension could have been cut by a spoon. Her friends all assumed Fluttershy was about to cry, but decided to go down the route of anger instead.

“Get out.” Fluttershy's voice was stern, but still soft.

“What?” her five dumbfounded friends said in unison.

“GET OUT!!!!” Fluttershy was in full rage mode. “You, you bullies!”

“Fluttershy, calm down.” Rainbow Dash's expression was incredulous. “You gotta believe me, that creep was about to make a meal out of you!”

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Fluttershy shrunk for a moment, but then her momentum was back. “No, wait, I'm not sorry! Just because somepony looks a little different or acts a little different doesn't mean they're bad! You, you big meanies!”

Most of her friends were hanging their heads in shame, Pinkie Pie was sniffling, but not Rainbow Dash, she was getting angry right back at her.

“Look! I know that you like hanging around with bears or,... whatever!,” Rainbow Dash said incredulously. “ But not every creature is cute and cuddly! That..that thing was going to eat you! I saw it with my own eyes! Heck, he nearly killed us!”

“If he was going to eat me, then why did he save me?” Fluttershy said defensively, anger still present.

“Maybe he was saving you for later!” Rainbow dash said indignantly, throwing her hooves in the air for emphasis. “Maybe he wanted to cook you up first!”

“But didn't you say he was about to eat me while I wasn't cooked?!” Fluttershy yelled back.

“Yeah, well, maybe he got tired of waiting, you don't know! All I know is that you should be thanking us for saving your life, not getting hung up over some, some big dumb monster!” Rainbow Dash was breathing heavily, but the room had gone quiet. All the ponies were terrified of the tension and were not moving an inch. Fluttershy's eyes widened, and Rainbow Dash finally winched in the face of kindness.

“...n..now shy....” Rainbow Dash, not quite as confident as before, attempted backing away, slowly.

“Get out.” Fluttershy said simply. Rainbow dash didn't need told twice. She moved for the door.

“O-okay shy, maybe you need some time to cool down, but I'm not admitting I'm wrong here!” Fluttershy huffed steam out of her nose and Rainbow was off. The rest of her friends Mumbled their apologies to Fluttershy as they left, not daring to look her in the eye. Soon, all that was left in the room was Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Angel. Fluttershy just sat there, cradling a rather startled Angel, not looking at her friend.

“F-fluttershy?” The pink Mare said tentatively. Fluttershy's sharp gaze turned towards her, but pinkie wasn't looking at her, she was looking at the floor. “I-I didn't mean to hurt one of your friends....I just, I thought that he was trying to hurt you and so did Twilight and all the others, we thought you were in danger and we tried to save you, and I'm really sorry and....and....”

Pinkie Pie was crying now, and Fluttershy's face struggled to stay stern. Dmitri' could be dead now, but,....she knew that her friends didn't mean to hurt him, even though Dash was just being a bit of a meanie. But she couldn't keep herself mad, not at such a sad looking Pinkie.

“Pinkie...” Pinkie Pie looked up from the floor to Fluttershy's face. Not being able to be mad, and not being able to be happy, Fluttershy decided to join the pity party and just be sad. The premiere party pony of Ponyville was great at throwing all kinds of parties, and while she tried to avoid pity parties, she still knew her way around one.

The two mares and the little bunny named angel came together in a crying hug that lasted for a quite a while.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dmitri' sat down on a log in the middle of the Everfree. He was downtrodden, and sad. His Journal, which he'd had enchanted long ago to survive nearly anything, lay open before him, and on the page was a list. This list started with pony, then moved onto beaver, rabbit, chipmunk, moose, birds, mice, manticores, dogs, and turtles. Dmitri's stomach growled, and he pulled a piece of bark full of nuts and berries he'd collected after he found out the horrible truth of this world. Through investigation and his sense of smell, he knew them not to be poisonous, and his immediate danger of starving was relieved. Still, he knew that he would need meat sooner or later to be able to keep on going....but...his options were running thin if he wanted to find something non-sentient.

Dmitri' groaned, he wished he could just go home! The place where animals didn't talk, where it was perfectly acceptable to eat those who hit you, where the rules were simpler....but no, he couldn't leave just yet, after all, he was the keeper of the sacred object of the Trolls, and returning without it...well.... that wasn't even a consideration. He'd be welcomed back with or without it, but the honor of his family wouldn't survive, and a Troll without honor,....well, that was just unheard of. Seriously, unheard of, no songs sung of your exploits, no stories told of your deeds. It was like you didn't exist in Troll society, and Dmitri' wouldn't do that to his family, he would die of starvation first.

“Vell...I had better find a place to stay...” Dmitri' said with a sigh. His thoughts turned to what sort of structure he could make in these woods, after all the Everfree was probably where the stick had landed....even though he'd lost track of it....a place near the river would be nice, a source of fresh water easily accessible. Perhaps his new river dwelling friend would know where he could make his base camp.

It had only been a day since Steven Magnet had met Dmitri' the troll, and he was already missing the company. Steven was doing a little bit of fancying up in a mirror, as there wasn't really anything else for him to do really. Though earlier, he had socialized a little with a passing group of minotaur merchants, if you could call that socializing.

They'd wanted to know directions to the Gryphon kingdom, and he'd told them of two different routes, one dangerous route through the Manticore nesting areas, and one relatively safe route that would make them walk around the edge of the Everfree forest. They'd chosen to go with their carts down the Manticore ridden route, believing themselves to be able to handle it. Two hours later, the group returned without their carts, but with substantially more scratches adorning their bodies. Hey, at least they'd all come back alive.

Steven stopped fussing with the purple half of his mustache, and instead found himself with a nice surprise.

“Oh, Dmitri'! How wonderful!” The purple sea serpent said with a flourish. “And here I was, about to put the tea on!”

“Vould love a cup, Steven,” Dmitri' said with a smile.

“So,” Steven said, smirking as he pulled an overly huge kettle out of the water out of the river, then a giant bag of tea leaves. “How was your first day in a new place?”

“Oh, it vas eventful, let me tell you,” Dmitri' said with a groan. Dmitri' than proceeded to go into great depth and detail of his adventures in the Everfree. Steven laughed at the appropriate bits, and even showed surprise at the talking beaver.

“Personally, I've never met a beaver who could talk, or a rabbit, or any of those animals you mentioned.” Steven said with a chuckle. “But it certainly is interesting.”

“Dah, is word for it,” Dmitri' said low growl. “Still, seems like I vill be here for a vhile, so, I vas vondering, do you know of a place around here that I could maybe stay? A cave near a forest clearing vould be nice.”

“Oh, a drab old cave, no, that will simply not do!” Steven Magnet said waving his arms for dramatic effect. “I have just the right place in mind, and I think you'll just love it!”

Fluttershy was back in her cottage. She'd been allowed to go home the next day, and she'd talked to her friends, save Rainbow Dash. She knew she would forgive them, after all it was the kind thing to do. But she still needed some time. Angel had noticed that Fluttershy was feeling badly, so he tried to help his momma in any way he could. She was still sad about Dmitri', because at this point, she couldn't help but feel that he was hurt or dead, and that it was her fault. She knew that logically it wasn't her fault, but she still felt that way.

The night bathed the land in peaceful slumber, and most of her animals had gone to bed. Fluttershy couldn't sleep, so she just sat there with a cup of carrot juice, sipping lightly. She just couldn't stop thinking about Dmitri', and that she was the cause of his peril. She sniffed silently, and a single tear fell into her carrot juice. It was odd, she thought that she was all cried out, but maybe she had a few tears left in her after all.

There was a knock at Fluttershy's door, and she looked up surprised. She hadn't expected any visitors, especially since she was still mad at all of her friends. She went over and opened it, but found that there was nopony there.

A shiver went down her spine, and Fluttershy felt that something....wrong was watching her. She shut her front door as fast as she could, and pulled herself together on the couch with Angel held tightly in her hooves. She didn't know what it was that had scared her, but she didn't feel, right at the moment. After a few minutes, the feeling passed, but not without a lingering feeling of something not....right...something not natural.

“I-it's alright....” Fluttershy said to Angel with a nervous smile. “It's probably nothing.”

Angel nestled a little further into her chest fur, before silently settling down. The little cottage at the end of town had never seemed so isolated in her life.

Sleep came with difficulty that night, but Fluttershy eventually succumbed to it, though her dreams, if they could be called that, were a pony of a different color. Fluttershy found herself in an ethereal darkness surrounding her, filled with far off lights, each one it's own world. There were floating bits of earthen debris all around her. There were crystals, and besides them the remnants of a million million destroyed worlds. Fluttershy didn't know how she knew any of this, only that what she knew was true.

She began walking forward, and when she looked down, she realized she was walking on a bridge made of light, and in fact that bridges similar to hers seemed to go in every which direction. They seemed to go between the dots of light, between the worlds. But then there was a noise, similar to the screeching of a bat, but Fluttershy's trained ears could hear the difference, well... assuming that her dream self had ears. Some sort of creatures were here, something....something not right, not altogether natural.

Fluttershy was coming up to a large amount of debris that had been fashioned together into some sort of makeshift floating city, or continent, she really couldn't tell. The area seemed devoid of life, nothing, just abandoned structures. She didn't know how long she lingered there amongst the abandoned city, but the screeching noise came back, faint as it was. Fluttershy looked around frantically for the source of the noise, but once again, it faded away, and she was left to wander.

But she didn't get to wander far. The pathway slowly began to collapse around her, culminating in a pile of broken rubble and glass. This place seemed far to empty for what it was. The shadows themselves seemed to envelope Fluttershy, and soon she wanted to scream, but she couldn't, something was stopping her. She began to panic, and hyperventilate, looking for anyway out of the darkness she'd fallen into. Finally, above her, she began to feel the flap of a gigantic creature's wings, and she saw three large red eyes, shining down upon her. The last thing she heard was an earth-shattering screech, louder and more high pitched than any of the noise she'd heard before. The eyes encompassed Fluttershy's small form, and the screeching reached a crescendo...

“SKEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!”

As Fluttershy awoke, scared out of her mind, so to miles away in Canterlot did Luna awake with a start. Something was wrong, and she didn't know what. Still weak from her return, she wasn't completely in tune with the dreams of her subjects, but there was a big enough disturbance that she could feel that something was wrong. Her body had a cold sweat, but her mind was blank of the whole encounter, save that it made her feel very wrong inside, as if something didn't belong to the natural order of things had found its way into Equestria.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

“So, Dmitri' do I have good taste, or do I have good taste?” Steven Magnet said with a chuckle. Dmitri' looked over at the structure that he'd been led too. It was true, it was roomy, and Dmitri' did love old architecture and buildings.

“Has nice bones...” Dmitri' mumbled under his breath. Besides, even though it was old, abandoned, and rough around the edges, Dmitri' had always wanted to live in a castle.

Chapter 1: A cry for help.

Fluttershy was worried, though that was nothing new. Fluttershy was always worried. After all, there were so many things in the world, and it was so big, and many of those things could hurt you, or worse, say mean things to you. But this time was different, as any pony who looked upon her could tell. Her face was screwed in determination, and her hooves were moving fast as they could. This time, Fluttershy was not worried for herself. This time she was worried about an animal who was clearly in pain.

It had all started shortly after The elements of harmony had come together for the first time in centuries. Everything had turned out OK, so far as Fluttershy could tell. The princesses were reunited with each other, and even though Luna still scared Fluttershy a little bit, she was happy that it had turned out alright. Pinkie had thrown one of her signature parties and the whole town got involved,....but Fluttershy didn't deal well with crowds. She didn't want to be a bother, so she politely stayed for a while, quietly as she could, and then left and found her way back to her cottage. It wasn't quite night yet, the sun was still a few hours from setting.

Angel was waiting as patiently as he could for his owner to arrive home and feed him, which was not patiently at all. The bunny was both equal parts worried and angry that she had been away for
so long. As Fluttershy walked over to him, she smiled apologetically.

“Oh, Angel bunny, I'm sorry that I made you wait so long, but there was something really, really important that I had to deal wi...”

Fluttershy's words were cut off buy a low rumble that shook the very earth, emanating from the ever free forest. Fluttershy immediately grabbed Angel and rocketed into her cottage. The rumble passed but Fluttershy hardly noticed from her place under the couch as she was shaking with nerves, clutching her bunny companion closely for comfort. She would have stayed there for another hour or so, just to be safe, but then another noise replaced sudden unexpected rumble. A noise that started as a low growl, that moved into a long and deep wail. No other noise was able to be heard in the Everfree forest, as the creatures misinterpreted the howl as one of dominance, but to Fluttershy's trained ears, it was a cry of pain.

Immediately Fluttershy gasped and stood up. Her mind having been made up the second she heard it. It was a sound she was all to familiar with, a sound that she had spent her lifetime hearing. As she rooted around her cabinet and stuffed her saddlebags with whatever medical supplies she could carry, She quickened when the noise got louder.

Angel was at the door, trying to block her exit, but she hardly even noticed as she pushed past him and towards the Everfree forest. That noise she heard was loud, and still going strong. It was the noise of an animal in pain, it was a wail of agony. Fluttershy was not one who would allow a moan like that to exist, not if she could help it. She would find the poor creature that was making that noise and help it however she could.

Angel once again jumped in front of her in an attempt to stop her from leaving. Fluttershy's expression softened for a moment as she addressed the bunny.

“Angel dear, I have to go and help. If I'm not back before sundown, please go and get Applejack or Rainbow Dash, oh! Or you could get Twilight. You haven't met her yet but she's really nice. She lives in the library.”

Angel moved in front of her again angrily and stamped his foot.

“Oh, I know, but I can not just sit here and let whoever or whatever it is suffer, and it's still light out. There shouldn't be to much of a problem.”

Angel sighed in defeat, and considered his options. He did not want his master wandering around alone in the Forest, but at the same time if he went with her, no one could go and get help. Eventually he turned to the side and allowed her to pass. She gave him a smile that could melt a glacier, and the little bunny remembered why he loved his master so much, even if she was unreasonable sometimes.

It had taken Fluttershy a while to find the source of the moaning, and the sun in the sky had become obscured by dark rolling clouds. It had begun to rain, though do to the nature of the Everfree forest, she wasn't sure if it was raining in Ponyville or just out here. The moaning continued resonating through the entire forest, and Fluttershy was slowly losing her nerve. What if it was a dragon? What if it was a Hydra? What if it was a Dragon Hydra hybrid that made fun of her for flight camp? Fluttershy tried to calm down, but she was hyperventilating. She managed, however, when she found herself at the entrance to a cave, the source of the moan slowly exiting, becoming weaker, and more pathetic.

Fluttershy gulped down her nerves. Some creature needed her, and she wouldn't let them down. Even though the cave was dark, and the noise was creepy, and it was raining.....

Maybe she should go back and get Twilight? She could cast a light spell. Or Rainbow dash, she wouldn't be afraid of the dark. Or Applejack, she probably would have been prepared. Or.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a thunder crash overhead. With a meep, Fluttershy lurched forward into the cave.

As the butter-yellow Pegasus looked around the cave, she couldn't help but gasp at the innate beauty of it. All around her multicolored crystals vibrated and hummed with an almost distinct tune. As the groan of the injured creature echoed through the cavern, Fluttershy noticed that it was growing louder with each passing second, and the crystals seemed to grow brighter as the sound grew. The crystals were amplifying the sound, she concluded, and the creature could be a lot smaller then she first thought. This gave her a feeling of renewed confidence, all things considered, and she continued down further into the cave.

She didn't even know she was lost at first. After all, the cave was big, but she could just backtrack to the entrance if she remembered where she came from right? The problem was that multicolored crystals seemed to be nearly identical, and the creatures moans had been redirected and amplified so thoroughly that she'd been drawn deep into the bowls of the cave. All of a sudden, another low rumble seemed to happen out of nowhere. It grew, and the crystals seemed to magnify it as well.

Soon the entire cavern was shaking, and Fluttershy looked around frantically, and ran down a side passage. She had time to let out a piercing shriek of pain and fear as the cavern collapsed on top of her before darkness invaded her vision and she blacked out.

Fluttershy didn't know how long she was out, and the only thought that came to her was that she shouldn't have come into this forest alone. It was dark around her, illuminated slightly by the soft glow of the crystals. She tried to move her legs, and found that only her fore hooves had any range of motion right now. She tried again, and realized something scary.

She couldn't feel her back legs. All she could feel was cold.

Fluttershy was frantic now, and tried to move her legs as swiftly as possible. But she couldn't. Her legs weren't responding to her commands. Finally Fluttershy calmed herself. She didn't know how long she had been here, Angel had probably went to get help already. And they'd find her and help her and everything would be just fine.

...but if that was true why did she feel like even if they did find her, she would never walk again?

Her train of thought was interrupted by a sudden realization that the sound she was hearing was not in fact her own breathing. It was something else. Something else was breathing. Two round orbs of yellow stared at her from the darkness. The rhythmic breathing became louder, more strained, and the yellow orbs moved forward with vigor.

“U-um, he-hello,” Fluttershy managed to squeak out to this new creature. It was obviously the thing that was in pain. “I came here to-to...”

A clawed hand stretched out from the darkness and grasped a rock. The arm was covered in rusty red fur and dripping a silver liquid that smelled like blood. The arm was also the size of a gorilla's. The creature pulled itself into the light, and Fluttershy was face to face with a wild animal. It's ears were long and like bat wings. It's eye's had no pupils, only orbs of yellow light. Staring hungrily at the wrecked form of Fluttershy. It's chest was pink and bare of fur, much like it's face. Atop it's head sat two small nubs, which Fluttershy identified as horns, and it's mouth was open, drool falling from long sharp teeth. In fact it's teeth were all long and sharp. All canines. Fluttershy knew this creature was designed for eating only meat.

“M-my name is Fluttershy...” She was speaking quietly, barely a whisper. The creature's eye's seemed to move to her, and it's nose sniffed the air repeatedly. It's mouth formed a sickening grin. “I-I just sort of came to help you out, if you don't mind....”

The creature didn't seem to be listening to her. It was crawling towards her now, pulling itself forward with it's clawed hands. As the back of the creature came into the light, Fluttershy gasped at the creatures legs, or rather the broken jagged stumps of bone that were where it's leg should be. The silver blood that on it's arms was flowing freely from the stumps, creating a line of silver behind it. The creature was also wearing red shorts, which was odd, but even odder was it's striped tail. But the Oddest part of all was that it's legs were changing as it crawled. It's muscle and bone were reforming, it was healing itself. By the time it was in front of her, the creature was standing on it's newly formed hind legs instead of crawling, and it towered over her, it must have been at least ten feet tall.

“I just wanted to help....” Her speech was interrupted as the creature's stomach let out a groan. It's eye's lit up, and its smile seemed to grow. Fluttershy was familiar with animal behavior, but even if she wasn't it didn't take a genius to realize that this creature was hungry and a carnivore, and she was a source of meat.

“Please,...please don't” The creature seemed to let out a low chuckle as it raised it's hands, as if her fear had done something to excite it. Fluttershy closed her eye's and shivered for a moment. She was going to die here, because she'd gone alone. She was going to die and never see her animals or Angel or Rainbow Dash or Applejack Or Twilight or...

“No...” She whispered fiercely as she opened her eyes and looked at the creatures torso. “NO!”

Locking eyes with the monster, she imposed her will, and started to stare him down. The creature blinked slightly and paused. “You big jerk! I come here to help you and you try to eat me? Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners? Did you even stop to think if I had a family? If I had any friends? I have to many people who depend on me, to many people who love me, and you won't take me away from them !”

The creature seemed to be stunned into silence, as it blinked and began to shake. It shook it's head for a few moments and grasped the bridge of it's nose. Fluttershy was surprised when the being's eyes began to change, from glowing yellow to a pair of regular ocular orbs, though they looked a lot more like a dragons slitted eyes than that of a ponies. They were vibrant green now that they weren't glowing. The creature then turned back to Fluttershy, looking less hungry and more quizzical. It lowered it's head to her mane and sniffed her deeply and a look of contemplation came onto it's face. Fluttershy's face was still stern, but softened as the creature seemed to be making odd noises, like grunts or groans. After a few seconds Fluttershy realized that it was trying to communicate.

“Oh, I'm sorry, I don't understand.” She said calmly. The creature gained a look of surprise at her voice, and then reached a hand over to her. Fluttershy shuddered in fear as the hand passed over her head and moved towards her back. She could feel it touch her, and squeaked as she felt a slight pinch on her back before the hand was withdrawn, covered in a red sticky substance that she recognized as her blood. The creature took the blood to it's mouth, sniffed it, and then licked it's finger clean.

Oh my gosh, it doesn't matter! Fluttershy thought frantically. He's still going to eat me, and there's nothing I can do!

Fluttershy closed her eye's and awaited the inevitable, shivering in fear. But the feeling of claws closing around her throat never came. After a few uncomfortable seconds, she heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.

She peeked up tentatively at the creature who had it's hands raised in a nonthreatening gesture, and he gazed back down at her sheepishly.

“ Um, hallo,” The creature said slowly, in what the reader may know as a Russian accent. “Cun you understand me?”

Chapter 3: Inevitable conflict

“Hmmm hum humm.” Dmitri' had started a campfire. The encampment was small, but cozy. Fluttershy had long since fallen asleep during the journey, and if Dmitri' knew anything about his particular healing process, she'd be ravenous when she woke up, but otherwise fine.

But she was cold, that was another side effect. He'd started a fire near a running river, and moved her near it. Besides that, he had bundled her up in warm leaves that seemed to be none deadly. He'd have gotten animal skins, but he himself was tired, and didn't want to fight with anything. Fluttershy let out a shiver, and spasm-ed out of the leaves. Dmitri' was concerned, that wasn't a normal reaction.

He lifted the small butter yellow Pegasus as gently as he could, and brought her closer to the fire. Just to be sure, he brought her close to his mouth and began to sniff her, just to make sure she was OK. There didn't seem to be an issue. He smiled with a sharp toothy grin. She seemed to be fine, and the muscle spasm was probably just something that she- Bam! The side of Dmitri's head was slammed into by a flash of cyan and rainbow, and Dmitri' tumbled backwards. Fluttershy fell to the ground into the bundled pile of leaves, still unconscious.

“Take that you big jerk! Guys! Over here!” The cyan blur shouted as she made another pass. Dmitri' was confused beyond belief. Something was attacking him, which was new, but now that his vision was blurred, he couldn't very well defend himself. Another blur of cyan and rainbow, and Dmitri' was knocked back another ten feet. The creature was definitively smaller than him by a large degree, but it was fast, and it was dangerous. Even though he couldn't see very well, Dmitri' knew well enough to know that. Before he could come up with a strategy, the blur slammed into his gut this time, and Dmitri' was beginning to get angry. He reared back, and this time when the cyan Pegasus flew into his face, he roared with all his might, flinging her backwards with the sheer ferocity of his roar. The Pegasus tumbled into a tree, and then to the ground.

Now Dmitri' had a policy, no eating talking meat under normal circumstances. However, if something attacked him, he killed it and ate it without a second thought. So, he lunged forward mouth open teeth bared, and was ready to sink his fangs directly into the pony. Rainbow Dash flinched, and closed her eyes, but before he could finish the deed, Dmitri' was pulled backwards by a lasso that had somehow found its way around his neck. He managed to make the noise Gurk! Before being slammed into another tree.

“You all right sugercube?” an orange earth pony had arrived on the scene just in time. Rainbow took back to the air and smiled sheepishly.

“I-I'm fine!” She said, obviously still shaken. “now lets take this bozo down, hard!”

Dmitri' was gagging on the forest floor. A single claw came to his throat and sliced the rope clean off. His eyes were beginning to glow yellow again, and his brow furrowed. Breathing heavily the angry troll yelled in a near deafening voice“I VILL EAT YER BONES, UND MAKE FEAST OF YER BLOOD!”

The two ponies were shocked by this, then Rainbow turned to a bewildered Applejack and said. “He can talk?”

She was interrupted when Dmitri threw a tree at her, sending her flying. Applejack flung some apples out of her bag and bucked them as hard as she could. They flew like bullets, Striking Dmitri' in the face. He groaned, then picked up a pine cone and hurled it back. Applejack ducked, and the pine cone went soaring above her. She smiled triumphantly, but Stopped when she felt A clawed hand grasp her around the midsection and pull her up. Dmitri' was not smiling when he opened his mouth. This fight was not one he was enjoying. He planned on biting down and severing her head from her body.

But before he could, white hooves struck him in the groin region, and his eyes widened. He immediately dropped the orange pony and cradled his injured manhood. “Take that you brute! That's what you get for picking on poor defenseless Fluttershy!”

Dmitri' had had more than enough of his fill that day. Recovering slightly, he sent a clawed arm at the white unicorn, intending to kill. But the blue Pegasus hit him again in the head. He hadn't planned on this, but his reaction time was still pretty good. He grasped the blue one out of the air, and swung her like a club, beating the orange one unconscious. The white one reared back and sent another kick to his groin, but he grasped her back hoof and threw her into a tree, cutting her side something fierce. Now, the three ponies were a huddled mass of groans and pain, and now Dmitri' was smiling. He cracked his fingers and moved in for the kill. This time he'd....he'd....

“Vait a minute...” Dmitri' was a genius as far as trolls went, which put him right at average human intelligence. The white one had mentioned Fluttershy. Instead of just eating them right away, he moved his face incredibly close to their clustered forms, they shivered in fear, but he just inhaled deeply. Sure enough, they shared some scent with Fluttershy. They really did know her. Oh......., this was just one big misunderstanding, that's all! He'd just explain himself and everything would be okay. He reached a hand out to try and help the orange pony to its feet....

*Bazap*! His left shoulder was hit with a blast of confetti, balloons, and other assortments of party supplies, while his right shoulder was hit with a beam of pure indigo magic. The momentum of both those forces hitting him at the same time sent the troll careening twenty feet in the air, and he landed in the fast current of the river. His clawed hand had somehow grasped onto the hat that the orange one was wearing, and he clung onto it, trying to find his way to the surface for air, but he couldn't, as trolls bones were thick as stone, which was good for fighting but bad for swimming. The last thing he heard before succumbing to unconsciousness was a shout of celebration from the group of ponies who'd just knocked him flat on his face.

“Rarity, are you OK!” Twilight ran over with concern for her friend. Pinkie too, was concerned, but showing an uncharacteristic side of herself, she decided that crowding her friend might not be the best idea.

“Oh, I'm fine darling, it looks much worse that it is.” She winced as she got to her hooves. Twilight couldn't hide a sigh of relief, or the worry that was still present in her face. He friends were OK, it seemed, and the monster was gone. Still, she'd never seen anything like it before, so just to be safe she made a mental note to write the princess about it when she got back.

Fluttershy was laying motionless in the leaves. As the five ponies who were her best friends surrounded her, no a single hoof was moved. They were all thinking the same thing. Was she, alive? Had they made it in time? All of the tension dissolved however, when a loud snore came from her unconscious form.

The assembled ponies all sighed in relief, and then Rainbow Dash chuckled and shook the sleeping Pegasus vigorously.

“Geez Fluttershy, you really had us scared there for a minute.” Rainbow Dash laughed. Fluttershy didn't move a muscle.

“Come on Shy, rise and Shine!” Rainbow shouted. Fluttershy didn't move a muscle. Rainbow lifted her up by her shoulders and shook her harder,but Fluttershy remained asleep, and her head fell backwards in a comical fashion. Rainbow wasn't about to give up though.

She flew to the sky and got a raincloud and brought it back right above the snoozing pegasus, and jumped up and down on it. A cascade of rain poured down on Fluttershy, but after it cleared, she remained asleep, this time her snores coming out as gurgles.

“Stand back Dashie,” Pinkie pie said as she stood between Rainbow dash and Fluttershy. “ This looks like a job for Pinkamena Diane Pie!”

Pinkie Pie pulled out a variety of instruments from seemingly nowhere and began beating drums, blowing on horns, and crashing symbols, but for all of her efforts Fluttershy just remained asleep. The most of their combined efforts seemed to do nothing but make her roll over and grumble.

Twilight's horn lite up, and Fluttershy's unconscious form was cradled in violet energy.

“I think that she's just going to have to sleep this off girls,...but I don't think there's anything really wrong with her.” The lavender unicorn stated.

“I reckon she's right,” Applejack said absentmindedly. Her concern for Fluttershy sated, Applejack had proceeded to look around the small clearing. “Not much we could do fer her at this point anyway.”

“What are you looking for applejack?” Pinkie said popping up right next to her.

“Gosh darn it pinkie don'cha go scaring me like that!”Applejack said as she raised her right hoof to her heart. Pinkie's face turned concerned for a minute, until Applejack continued. “It's mah hat, I think I lost it in the tousle, and I can't seem to find it.”

“Doncha worry Applejack! We'll help you find that hat lickadie split!” Pinkie said draping her hoof over Applejack's shoulders.

“Um, darlings, sorry to be the bearer of bad news,” Rarity piped up, winching as she trotted over. “ But that thuggish brute was holding it when it swan dived into the river.”

The five conscious ponies looked over to the rushing river, and a collective shiver crossed down their spines. That thing had almost killed Fluttershy, and nearly the rest of them to. If they hadn't taken it by surprise, if Twilight and Pinkie hadn't knocked it into the river.....well the rest certainly weren't happy about a creature possibly dying, but it had left them no choice in the matter.

Being stabbed, cut, subjected to blunt force, poisoned or diseased generally didn't concern a troll,.. well, unless they were stabbed with silver. But that certainly didn't mean that trolls didn't have weaknesses. Stab them enough and they'd run out of steam and die. Same if you hit them with enough force. But if you really wanted to kill a troll, there were three generally proven was of doing it. One was silver, which, while simple enough, silver isn't always readily available, and isn't very reliable as a weapon. The second was much more popular and easier to get a hold of. Fire would stop the regeneration ability of a troll, tried and true, and burning would definitely make sure a troll wouldn't come back, especially dragons fire.

The third and final method was something that was not quite as popular as the rest, but it was still utilized from time to time, It was the method that Dmitri' found himself succumbing to at the moment. Water. Trolls were like bricks in water, mostly due to the thickness of their bones. And while a troll could grow back its arm, or leg, or anything really, a troll still needed to breath.

Dmitri', to be fair, was more accustomed to water than your average troll as he bathed frequently, a not so common practice among his kind. That said, he was still unconscious in a raging river, and his lungs were filling up with water. It did not look like things were going to work out for Dmitri' the Troll.

Whether luck or divine providence, or the fact that it would be a very boring story if Dmitri' died here, Dmitri' hit something in the water. Something long and scaly, something purple. Something with a fabulous mustache. It looked deep into the water and saw a hairball striking against its side. After being disgusted for half a second, the sea-serpent grasped the hairball and hauled it onto shore. Dmitri' coughed up the river water, and a giant looking fish, before sputtering for air and resuming his unconscious state.

Muffled voices, that was all Fluttershy could hear. She was in a soft silvery void, and everything felt warm and calm. She felt alright. She felt at piece. But reality was pounding on her head. There was this soft beeping noise, and it was getting progressively louder. Light, light was pouring in from everywhere, and the voices were becoming louder.

It took no more than a sensation of being touched to wake Fluttershy up. In her fore hooves was a small bunny that she was very familiar with. Angel was tearing up, crying into his surrogate mother's chest. Fluttershy looked with kind eye's into her little bunnies face and hugged him back. Angels face lite up, and he literally threw himself deep into Fluttershy's fur.

All around her the chorus was the same. “Fluttershy!” Spoken with varying levels of concern and surprise.

Now, Fluttershy looked around the room she was in. It was Ponyville general hospital, and she was in a hospital bed with an IV hooked into her vein. All five of her best friends were around her, all of them obviously sleep deprived. Fluttershy, on the other hand felt like,.... well she hadn't felt so well rested in years! She felt like her muscles were clouds, and her mind felt clear. That must have been the best sleep that she'd had in years.

The quiet before the storm broke a few seconds later, and all of her friends were now crowding around her, drowning her in a sea of sound. Fluttershy flinched and spoke very quietly. “Please...one at a time.”

After a few more attempts to calm them down, and failure following each one of them, a nurse pony finally shouted “Quiet!”

All the ponies in the room seemed to be humbled by the nurses outburst. “What's wrong with you ponies?! She's still recovering!”

Twilight sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck, but Fluttershy just smiled kindly at them.

“Its alright Nurse Redhart, I think they're just happy that I'm OK,” Fluttershy spoke happily. All of her friends began smiling right back at her, except for Rainbow Dash.

“What were you thinking Shy?” She said getting as close to her as possible to her friends face. “You could have been eaten by monsters! Heck, you almost were! Why didn't you get at least someone to go with you!”

“I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” Fluttershy said looking down at the little bunny cradled in her forearms. But then a smile found itself on her face again. “But if I didn't, then I wouldn't have meet my new friend!”

All the ponies in the room tilted their heads to the side slightly and looked at Fluttershy, save the nurse who was busy reading a chart. Of course with Pinkie that didn't last long.

“Oh boy, a new friend!?” Pinkie said with a great big smile. “Well why didn't you say so, oh wait I guess you did say so... huh, well anyway that's super fantastic terrific! Not only can I throw a, We're glad you didn't get eaten by a big hairy monster party for Fluttershy, but I can double up and have a welcome to Ponyville party for your friend!”

“Speaking of which,” Fluttershy pipped in, though Pinkie was still going on and on about decorations and confections, but she'd learned that there was no point in trying to get Pinkie to listen at this point. “Where is Dmitri' anyway?”

Silence, save for the chattering of Pinkie Pie, filled the uncomfortable little general hospital.“Uh, Fluttershy, when we found you, you were alone, there was nopony else around you.”

“Oh my, no!” Fluttershy tried to stand up, only to be pushed back down to the bed by an aura of lavender. “I've got to get out there and find him! He must be scared and all alone!”

“It's alright Fluttershy, it's ok,” Twilight said with concern. “Look, we'll look for him, just, just tell us what he looks like and we'll start search parties.”

“But..but....ok...” Fluttershy said, resigned to her fate. “His name is Dmitri', he's Really tall, about twelve feet it seems. He has hair all over his body, except for on his chest, claws, and face where he has tan skin, and a long stripped tail. His ears are like bat wings, and his eyes looked like Spikes'. He wore red shorts and he has long fangs.”

"Fluttershy, Darling, that doesn't sound like any stallion I've ever met," Rarity said perplexed.

"Oh, he's not a pony, silly," Fluttershy said with a slight giggle, the medication might have been making her lightheaded. "He's a troll."

All of Fluttershy's friends slowly had the same dawning conclusion. Five ponies different expressions all reaching the same look of surprise, but going on different routes to get there was an amusing thing to witness.

“You mean that freaky monster thing? Uh, news flash Fluttershy, he tried to eat you!” Rainbow said exasperated.

“Oh, Dmitri's not a monster, he's a troll!” Fluttershy said defensively. “He would never try to eat me, he's really quite nice when you get to know him. He saved my life, these rocks fell down on me and nearly crushed me. But he managed to dig me out and help me! I would've died without him! I got so exhausted for some reason....anyway he was going to carry me home!”

The ponies all began looking very uncomfortably at each other, none of them daring to say a word to Fluttershy. Twilight's face had gone bone white, Pinkie looked on the verge of tears, Applejack turned away and looked to the wall. Rarity's mouth was just a gasp, and Rainbows face continually flip-flopped from being serious and angry, to being confused and perplexed.

Fluttershy looked around perplexed. “So you guys did meet Dmitri'? Where is he?”

She was greeted with stunned silence.

Chapter 6: Apple Thief

Castles were fun. Dmitri had suspected that in his heart from birth, and for the next month, he'd proved it to himself with his new......well it wasn't his really. He knew that. Strong magic...different from the magic he'd normally known was still lingering there. It may have been different, but he knew already that the owner of the castle was one not to be trifled with. To have this strong a residue this many years later....they were mighty indeed.

Celestia and Luna both sneezed at the breakfast table.

They were mighty, he knew that..but ...but rules of salvage apply...so..it sorta was his wasn't it?..... When he'd gone to clear the garbage out from the tallest tower...there was...residue. A dark thing was here. It was...evil? no...not evil just....dark. Powerful. It was very close to winning whatever was going on here...but..but..what stopped it....breathing the air hear made him feel full with how powerful the residue was....shards of darkness..small bits still of the dark one...remains of it...with some of the residue of that magical nuke that had hit it...he licked his lips and popped one of the shards in his mouth greedily...and one thought came into his mind.

“...I vish to eat this magic...” He said with a hunger in his eyes. “...I vould like it very much...”

But after that Dmitri' had played. The castle looked damned good for being abandoned so long. It had taken some time, but with his claws he'd cut the stone and wood into the right shapes. He'd made a door, and fixed most of the holes in the wall. Dmitri hated drafts. The foundation was in surprisingly good shape, and he'd hauled away the garbage and leftover debris from the previous owner and burned it. He'd hauled stone and wood, and many other things too from the forest and the mountain, cutting trees and stones with his razor sharp claws, and carrying them with his mighty muscles...but for finer details he'd needed tools if he was to be proud of his work.., and he'd always prided himself on his work..

He'd needed tools....luckily his friend Steven had helped him with that as well. Steven was a fine friend..a little...queer but Dmitri' liked him. He'd told Dmitri of the abandoned caravan in the Manticore mating grounds....and Dmitri had gotten them....sadly without any real confrontation. He'd gone in, hoping for a fight..but on his way he'd found a small Manticore cub stuck under a large rock...he'd sighed...picked up the rock, and returned the cub home. Another potential enemy...another potential food source lost. They'd almost made him a part of the family. Of course he could take the carts..no one cared about them anyway....

Dmitri had also spent the time feverishly looking for his Trollen flaggon. He'd not yet found it but...it was a big forest, and it smelled of wild magic everywhere, that didn't help...also it didn't help that there was no trail to follow...it had fallen and presumably just stuck where it landed. There was nowhere more or less likely to have his Floggon. He'd already begun mapping out the forest...even though it wasn't the best map he'd still managed to separate the area into sectors, and mark them off as he checked...there were still many sectors he'd not checked....and if something or someone found the staff and moved it...he could...be here a while....

“...Trollgrum...” he sighed as he thought of it. His familiar stomach grumble greeted him. Hmm...food time. He went down to the pantry and found it suprisingly empty. Oh..he must have eaten all his stores...oh well...a slick smile spread across his face. “is time for...shopping.”

___________________________________________________________________________________

“....are we really doing this applebloom?”

“...shhhhh!!!” Applebloom said almost angrily. Scootaloo frowned. They'd been here for hours, with a nice big warm apple pie sitting in a net...what a waste. Sweetie bell was even more nervous than the others..and here they were just sitting a little bit in the ever free forest, right on the outskirts of sweet apple acres.

“...m-maybe we should...”

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Applebloom said as she cut off Sweetie bell. “...he'll be here soon...he's runnin' outta food...”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. Applebloom had been on this for two weeks now...every since the incident....

Applebloom had been snug in bed, desperately wanting a slice of that apple pie her granny smith had baked for the next day, only to realize that risk begot reward..so she'd snuck down to the kitchen window....there it was. Glorious flaky crust, golden brown outside and delicious apple filling on the inside...oh how delicious it was going to be....

Until...until she reached for it, and something else reached first. A clawed hand, yellow eyes....and a monsterous grin in the darkness. Applebloom screamed and scurried backwards. The thing, the monster, opened it's mouth wide and swallowed the pie whole, leaving the pie tray and hurrying off before others came. Applebloom hadn't stopped screaming.

Her older siblings and her grandmother had rushed to her aid a moment later. They'd assured her she was sleepwalking, and that she'd had a nightmare...though when she described the creature, applejack had looked a little bit shocked and nervous. She'd shaken it off, but....it was there. No one was willing to listen to her, no one wanted to hear. But she knew, she knew deep in her heart,...the pie monster was out for their pie.

The next few days, some of the more outer apple trees had been raided. The bark had scratches on It, as if a few giant claws had dug into it, as if something had climbed them to reach the top. Her sister had been a little bit scared, had even gone to twilight for help. The place had been given a few small enchantments, and now Big Mac and AppleJack took turns staying up at night. Applebloom knew when her big sister was lying...because she was incredibly bad at it, and even though she'd said everything was fine,...she was frightened.

So, they were going to capture the monster. The pie eating giant fur ball of a brute. There was the apple pie, knocked from a basket that seemed too have been dropped on accident. And they were waiting...movement. There was movement in the treeline! Downwind, Applebloom had remembered to be downwind of the creature....her friends gasped and became quiet.

Slowly it circled, they could tell...checking to be sure that the pie was as it appeared...the bushes, trees, everything moved as it did...but it did not reveal itself just yet. The movement stopped..and then a tentative step into the clearing.....the three had to contain their gasp. A giant hairy monstrous fur ball with bat wing like ears and spear like teeth...it was smiling, and that itself was disconcerting. It took another step forward and sniffed the air. Applebloom smiled...it was working. Sweetie-bell was shaking...Scootaloo calming her. This would work. It had to work. The creature sniffed...then took another step forward...then another. Then it sat down at the pie, and it's catlike whipped happily behind it. It picked up the pie and began to slowly savor it, gulping it down much quicker than ponily possible.

This was it. Applebloom took the knife in her teeth, raised it high, and brought it down to cut the rope holding the net in place. The net came up and the creature let out a yell in surprise as it was hoisted into the air. It struggled and struggled then became silent.

“WE DID IT!” Applebloom shouted as she walked into the clearing. The other two followed suit.

“CUTIEMARK CRUSADER MONSTER CATCHERS YAY!” They all rammed their rear ends together in a curious fashion and looked to see if their mark had appeared...it had not.

“Well...we still caught him at least.” Applebloom said happily, gazing at their prize.

“....yeah....well..what do we do with him?” Scootaloo said earnestly.

“....we could..get Twilight?” Sweetie-bell said with a smirk. “...I mean...it is kinda a dangerous monster right?...and..she knows the princess?”

“Mah sister knows tha princess too, sweetie, an she's who we should get. She'll know what ta do with it.”

“'scusing me” A low grumbling voice said as the three crusaders gaze slowly turned to the captured monster, their mouths agape. “ but am I to be having choice in this matter?”

Author's Note

Been a while, but this is for fun so...hopefully more coming soon!