Rule of Thumb

Chapters

Children Must Be Accompanied by an Adult
Planning Committee
Seriously, What's with the Bucket?
Children at Play
A Pack Of Five
Gossip
Introduction: Heads
A Few Hours Prior to the Destruction of Ponyville
Unidentified Disparity

Children Must Be Accompanied by an Adult

"You should have seen the look on his face! When I called him "Mini Twilight" he almost changed colors!" Scootaloo laughed. "If I didn't leave when I did, he might've exploded!"

"Ha! Mini Twilight. That's classic!" Applebloom smiled. The three fillies walked down a lonely street, oblivious to the lack of ponies.

Sweetie Belle grinned "So next time we will just use that and make him so angry that he says something silly."
Scootaloo nodded her head in agreement. "Works every time."

Applebloom started turning her head and looking in several different directions. "Ah don't remember the town being so messy. Somepony needs to do some cleaning up around here."

Scootaloo scoffs "The town always looks like this."

"What? Nuh uh!"

"Oh yeah? When was the last time you were in town Applebloom?"

"The last time was when we did the thing."

"Which thing?"

"Ya know, the thing."

Sweetie Belle gave her a surprised expression. "That was about a week ago."

"Besides school, selling apples, and crusading ah spend most of my time on the farm."

"See? The town always looks like this."

"No, I agree with Applebloom. The town definitely looked cleaner this morning."

"Pssh, you guys just don't notice the small stuff." Scootaloo waved a hoof dismissively.

"Applebloom pointed at the orange filly. "I bet you did it."

"What? How would I make a pot hole this big?" She motioned to a burnt crater still adorned with a black plume "My whole scooter could fit in it."

A quick chill ran down Sweetie Belle's.

"That's why you're playing the mess off. Cause you did it."

"Did not!"

"So where were you today?"

"I was totally talking to Spike! I just told you!"

"Suuuuure. That conversation took more than an hour. Ah believe you." Applebloom had a devious look.

Scootaloo flared her wings and flapped them in an aggressive motion. "You know exactly how Spike can be. You're lucky I wasn't there longer."

The yellow girl shook her head. "I bet you still had time. I mean, the town almost looks as bad as your desk."

"My desk isn't that messy. At least there aren't holes in it."

"You're right, if the town looked like your desk it would be covered in drawings of Rainbow Dash fighting monsters."

"At least my desk has character. Yours is just a normal boring desk. If your desk had a cutie mark it would have the word boring on it."

"Mah desk is clean, cuz I spend my time in class listening to the teacher."

"I listen to the teacher. I'm just good at multitasking."

"Can you spell multitask?"

"M-U-I-L-T-A-S-K!"

Sweetie Belle looked over at Scootaloo. "That's not how you spell multitask."

"How would you know?"

"Cause she listens in class." Applebloom grinned.

Scootaloo glared at her. "If I made a mess in the town, do you think I wouldn't tell you?

Applebloom shrugged "I guess you have a point. But still..."

Sweetie Belle shivered again. "Hey girls, is it just me or is it getting colder?"

Both Scootaloo and Applebloom looked at her questioningly. Apple Bloom responds "Of course it is silly. It's almost fall and the sun's going to set soon."

"I guess you're right." the white filly laughed. "For a second there I thought something weird was going on." She said while passing a gaping hole in the wall of a local shop.

Scootaloo responded "Yeah, cause nothing weird happens in this town ever."

The three girls shared a laugh while continuing their walk.

Applebloom rubbed her chin "So ah think we should write our friendship report on our Cutie Mark Crusader Sculpture Maker attempt."

Sweetie Belle scrunched her face. "Why would the Princess want to know about the disasters we were playing off as art?"

"For one, we can say how difficult it was to get the supplies and that hard work pays off."

"But it didn't pay off. None of us got cutie marks." the orange filly retorted.

"Yeah, but we can say how we will still be persistent even though we failed." Applebloom responded.
"How is persisting a payoff?"

"It shows a strong character. I bet we could write a report so unique and interesting that it would impress the Princess"
Scootaloo exhaled "If the report is going to be interesting, then we can't do it on sculpting. If we can call it that."

Applebloom glanced upwards. "Hmm. How about when we got lost last week and used the power of friendship to find our way back?"

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes "We were gone for like twenty minutes. It doesn't sound very exciting."

"It was exciting at the time. We can say how we were able to get through it by sticking together and believing in each other!"
"I don't know, that sounds a little too mushy." Scootaloo replied while making a gagging face.

Sweetie Belle gave her a confused expression. "But they're friendship reports. Aren't they supposed to be mushy?"

"Eh, I guess that would work. Then at the end we'll ask how Princess Celestia got her cutie mark!" she throws her foreleg in the air. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle nod their head in agreement.

The fillies continue walking, unaware of the magnitude of the dents in the buildings, and the scorch marks that adorn the ground.

Applebloom shivers "It's getting colder. Let's hurry up and get to Rarity's for the sleepover."

Sweetie Belle stops for a second to stretch her back. "I think I'm getting tired. My back feels heavy."

The red ribbon wearing filly responds "It's ok, we can relax at your sister's house."

The young girls turn the corner and face town square.

If they were paying attention, they would have noticed a drop in temperature.

Scootaloo points out towards a small group of ponies conversing amongst themselves. "Hey isn't that your brother and sister?"

The yellow filly nods her head. "Yup, let's see what's going on."

The three fillies walk up to the sitting Apple siblings. "Hey Sis, whatcha guys doing?"

Applejack turned her head, "Hi Applebloom. You don't know what happened?"

The three fillies shake their heads no.

"Did ya wonder how the town got so damaged?"

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom both point at Scootaloo.

The orange filly looks back and forth between them before shouting "IT WASN'T ME!"

Applejack and Big Mac chuckle. "Of course it wasn't you sugar cube. Look over there." Applejack points towards a glowing barrier.

The young girls turn their heads completely sideways to get a look at the spectacle. The creature is sitting against the barrier, with one knee up towards it's chest, a single foreleg hung over it in a lazy fashion. The creature sits motionless, with an occasional movement of its hood as if a small breeze blew through. A glint of unblinking eyes pierces the air. A strong sense of fear overtakes them and they quickly dart behind the older ponies.

Applebloom shakes as she grips her sister's leg. "What is that thing?"

"We don't know. That thing was so tough, that Big Mac had to come help us out."

The little fillies stare in awe and share a collective "Wow."

Big Mac nods his head. "Eeyup."

The creature then leans its head back into the barrier, creating a fantastic flash and a loud crack. The small group, excluding Big Mac, flinches.

Scootaloo glanced at the creature again before returning the safety that is Applejack's back. "If it's so dangerous, then why are all you ponies just watching it."

Applejack scratches her head "Ah don't think it'd get out, but we're here just in case we need to back up Big Mac. Plus we're waiting for the rest of the girls to show up. Then we can figure out what to do with it."

The small filly looked at her sister with a confused expression "So what made the thing attack the town?"

Applejack shrugged her shoulders "Some critters are violent, and some of those are big enough to cause some damage."

Applebloom glanced back at it. "It does look pretty scary. Maybe if it wasn't so dark and cold here, it would seem less creepy?"

Applejack shuddered "We think the creature is making it cold."

The fillies glance at it again.

Scootaloo motioned toward the beast "Where do you think it came from?"

Applejack shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows. Maybe the Everfree Forest, maybe a deep dungeon underground, we need to wait for Twilight to get here to answer more questions."

Applebloom looked over at her siblings "How long are you guys going to sit here?"

Applejack looked at Big Mac "How long are you going to be out?"

Big Mac just stared at the creature. Not breaking his gaze to respond.

"You're going to be here all night aren't you?"

"Eeyup."

The farm mare sighed. "I'm going to stay here with Big Mac for a while longer. At least until the others show up so we can do something about it."

The group watches the creature for a few minutes, no words spoken between them.

Sweetie Belle's eyes drift towards Big Mac cutie mark "How did you get your cutie mark?"

Both Older Apple siblings turn their heads to look at the little girl. Applejack responds "Ah think that's a story for when you girls are a little older."

"Ah come on sis. Why can't you tell us now?" Applebloom whined.

Big Mac responded without turning his head to face them again. "That is a story for big ponies."

Applebloom crosses her forelegs. "Hmp."

The creature then takes its over foreleg and slams it into the barrier, receiving another small reaction from the crowd.
Big Mac stares at the beast with an occasional blink. The rest of the ponies talk to each over while nervously glancing over to the monster.

The small white filly shivers again. "Why is it just staring at us like that. Its making me really nervous."

Scootaloo cocks her head to the side "What else would you do if you were trapped in a small magic prison? Learn to knit?"

Sweetie Belle straightened up "Hey, maybe we could get our cutie marks in knitting?"

Scootaloo shudders "I don't want a cutie mark in being an old lady."

The white pony shook her head "You don't have to be old to learn to knit."

"Who do you know that knits?"

Applebloom jumped up "Ooh! Granny Smith knits."

"Exactly." Scootaloo makes an affirmed expression.

Sweetie Belle looks towards Applebloom with a disappointed face.

The yellow filly responds "We can try that another time."

Scootaloo scoffs while Sweetie Belle perks up. Both older apple siblings roll their eyes.

The sun starts to hit the horizon and the temperature drops again. Several lamplights light up in response to the growing shadows. The darkness around the barrier particularly grows several shades darker. A cold wind passes through the town square and the shadows advance to claim more space. A stallion yawns and stands as a few older ponies get up and walk towards their homes.

Applejack shivers and motions to the girls. "It's getting kind of late, shouldn't you girls be getting home?"

"Yeah. So do you girls want to go back to my sister's house now? It's cold out here."

Both girls nod their head in agreement while watching the beast.

Applejack chuckles again before patting the two of them on the back. "Alright girls, this is not place for small fillies. Rarity will be home soon."

"Alright. Bye sis!"

"Good bye Applejack, bye Big Mac!"

"See ya tomorrow girls."

The young girls walk away from the square occasionally glancing back before they turn the corner.

"Those fillies sure are a hooffull."

"Eeyup."

The three crusaders walk towards Rarity's house when the sun finally sets. There is no pony in the streets and the town is silent.

As they walk, their shadows move away from the lamplights as if they were hiding behind the young fillies.
Scootaloo jumps in front of her friends and grins devilishly. A cool breeze passes through the street.

The two girls look at her questioningly.

"I know what would make an interesting friendship report."

Planning Committee

Nurse Redheart stood her ground firmly "I'm sorry Miss Rainbow Dash, but you are too injured to leave the hospital."

Rainbow Dash looked at the nurse with big pleading eyes. Eyes that were slightly watered on the corners. Her ears splayed flat against her head. A face that could melt the coldest heart.

"I've seen it all before. You need to stay and that's final."

Rainbow Dash looked over at Twilight and the others. She did not want them to go alone.

Twilight cleared her throat "I think I have to agree with the nurse. You're too hurt and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something were to happen to you." She then placed a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll be back tomorrow with updates on what's happening."

Rainbow Dash exhaled and slumped her shoulders. She then let the nurse escort her to her room. Nurse Redheart turned her head slightly and mouthed the words "Thank You."

The friends waved and moved towards the exit.

"Well that wasn't very fun." Pinkie Pie hopped along the street. "I would've like it if Rainbow Dash were here with us."

Twilight nodded "I would feel safer if she were here too."

Rarity moved her head from side to side as she started noticing the damages as they got closer to the square. "So what is the plan for this thing? If you can't touch it with your magic, how are we going to get rid of it?"

"We could try talking to it."

Pinkie jumped over Twilight to walk next to Fluttershy. "Did you see how big and scary that monster was? I bet the manticore would've peed himself!"

"You never know until you try."

Rarity winced. "If that creature could speak, then why didn't it when it heard all those ponies yelling at it? It didn't even say anything when it got captured."

Twilight looked at the sky and took a breath. "Fluttershy has a point. I doubt it, but maybe it'll talk to us."

"And if it doesn't? We can't have that thing rampaging around town with my poor Sweetie Belle frolicking around."

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Twilight smiled. "Isn't she and the other Crusaders having a slumber party at your house tonight?"

Rarity gasped as she placed a hoof over her mouth. "I completely forgot. With all the excitement, I daresay I lost track of time."

"It's ok Rarity. Maybe you should go home and make sure the kids are alright."

Rarity gave a careful glance at Twilights bandages. "Are you girls going to be alright?"

Twilight vaguely motioned towards Rarity's house. "Don't worry, we'll be fine. You need to make sure the girls are home safe. It's almost nighttime."

"Well alright. See you girls tomorrow!" Rarity trots off with the sun setting behind her.

The three ponies continue their walk through the streets. The sun's light slowly retreating into the distance until it finally sets. Lights from the houses light up the ground and converge with lights from the street lamps. The fillies cast several shadows as unique light sources hit them from different angles. They don't say much as they near the town square. They can feel the pressure in the air.

They start to hear consistent sharp cracking sounds, and as they face town square, the walls of the surrounding buildings light up with each noise.

The only ponies present are Big Mac and Applejack. The siblings silently watch, a grim expression adorned on their face.

The three girls approach the siblings while keeping a careful eye on the barrier.

Twilight cocks her head "Has it been attacking the shield this entire time?"

Applejack shakes her head "Not exactly."

Upon closer inspection, the creature's back is leaned against the shield. It's head slightly rocking back and forth. At each backwards motion, it's head strikes the shield, creating a brilliant flash and a loud snap as the barrier absorbs the impact.

"That doesn't look healthy."

Twilight squints her eyes and charges her horn. "Wow, the shield should be much stronger than it is. But it doesn't look like it's going to break soon."

Applejack sighed and took off her hat "That's good to hear. So what are we going to do with it?"

Twilight stares at the beast for a few moments. She then glances to see Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie eyeing the beast, not noticing her gaze. The flash from the barrier lighting up their faces periodically. "I can't move it with my magic. It's too resistant. This spell only worked because it was unique. I'm willing to bet only a very small amount of magic could work on it. Even then the magic has to be unconventional and even costly in nature. Whatever we do, we have to do it without magic."

"Would the elements of harmony work on it?"

"Technically, it should. But let's keep that as a backup plan. We should only use it if there is no way we can solve the problem. And we don't know how evil this thing is."

"Why does it matter how evil it is? The creature could be reacting to its environment based on instinct."

"The elements are an unconventional magic. It's extremely powerful, and even affects creatures like discord and ponies like Nightmare Moon even though they are resistant to magic. We don't want other countries to think we use it on just anything. That would be irresponsible."

"Hmm."

Pinkie shifts her gaze towards Fluttershy. She scratches her nose and lights up as an idea sparks in her head. "Hey Fluttershy, don't you have cages that we could put that thing in? Then we could just move the cage, so you wouldn't need any weird "no pony knows it" type magic!" Twilight and Applejack straighten up.

"I'm sorry Pinkie, but I don't have any cages that big. My cages are for birds and they aren't really cages since they can open the door and leave anytime." Fluttershy droops a bit. "I'm sorry."

Applejack rubs her chin. "We may not have any cages, but that doesn't mean we can't get some. How long does it take to rustle up a good cage?"

Twilight made a few quick calculations in her head as her eyes dart back and forth following invisible numbers. "I'd say a day or two. Give or take time based on when we placed the order, the dimensions of the cage, the strength, how-"

"Two days it is" Applejack stated. "What are we going to do in the meantime? This thing sitting here in town square. It's gonna scare ponies."

"I have a small tent I can set up. It doesn't have any walls, but it should keep it in the shade during the day."

Twilight glanced at Big Mac "How long are you going to be here?"

Big Mac shifted his sitting position. "As long as I need to."

The purple pony cocks her head to the side. "I know this thing is unusual, but why are you so interested in it."

Big Mac inhales and exhales slowly. "Ah reckon ah wouldn't normally take an interest in a critter. But this one's different."

The ponies all look at the creature before returning their gaze at Big Macintosh.

Pinkie Pie glances around before she bluntly asks "Why?"

BIg Mac takes another breath.

"It's intelligent."

Twilight looked confused. Her face scrunched up as she went over the events that led up to this moment. "How can you tell?"

Big Mac shifted his gaze towards the night sky. "There are many things that separate a wild creature from an intelligent being. The way it reacts to certain situations. How it handles stress. Even the way it walks. But the biggest giveaway was its eyes. They are cold. Intimidating." Big Mac returns his gaze to the beast. "And calculating."

"How intelligent do you think it is?"

"Ah'm not sure. But from what I can gather, it may be smarter than us all."

Pinkie Pie shivered with excitement. She tried to whisper but it sounded more like a quiet giggle. "Let's talk to it!"

Twilight took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's do this."

She gingerly stepped forward. Glancing back to see her friends giving her a look of affirmation. Another deep breath and she approached the barrier.

She walked right up to it, keeping a careful eye on the beast. The occasional flash from the barrier lighting the shadows. When she was not five feet from the barrier the creature stopped its rocking. Its head tilted higher to meet her gaze. She couldn't see its face under the darkness of its hood. Just a gleam of its eyes.

Twilight nervously cleared her throat. "Ehem. Hello, my name it Twilight Sparkle. Most faithful student to Princess Celestia." She announced her title to try and establish authority.

The creature sharply hisses and slams a claw into the barrier, a flash of light illuminates Twilight's face as she flinched.

Twilight paced around the barrier. Her head motioning up and down as she takes it in. The other ponies, excluding Big Mac, slowly walk up. The creature follows her with its gaze without moving from its sitting position.

Fluttershy hides behind Applejack, as Pinkie leans in and stares at it with one large eye. "HI! Whatcha thinking in there!" She then pokes the barrier and a few ripples flow throughout it.

Twilight snaps her head towards the pink pony. "Pinkie! Don't do that!"

The creature changes sitting positions and slams another fist into the shield. A loud shriek fills the air. The ponies wince and their ears lay flat against their heads.

Twilight approaches the barrier again. "I apologize for my friend's behavior. Maybe if we can talk about this, we can reach an agreement."

The creature lets out several grunts and illegible sounds in a slightly high pitched tone. It then turns its back to the ponies.

"It's ok. We won't hurt you." Fluttershy peeks out from behind Applejack."You don't have to be afraid."

The creature doesn't move.

Applejack fixes her hat. "Maybe it can't hear us through that thing?"

"Maybe not Fluttershy." Applejack glares at Pinkie Pie. "What? She's super duper quiet."

Twilight shakes her head. "No it can hear us. There's nothing to learn here."

The girls walk away from the barrier, Twilight trailing behind.

"...stupid pony."

Twilight's ears perked up. She slowly turned around to see the creature standing up. Its claws clenched. She walked up to the barrier again.

"...did you?"

Suddenly the creature throws back its head and roars. It franticly attacks the shield, vibrations from the barrier shaking the ground.

Big Macintosh stands up.

After a particular powerful strike, a crack spiderwebs through the shield.

Twilight jumps back. Pinkie points at the barrier and shouts "UH OH!"

Twilight lights her horn and squeezes her eyes shut. A torrent of clouds descends from the sky and circle the beast. Lightning reveals the silhouette of the rampaging beast, and shows the growing crack in the magic shield. Twilight grunts and the clouds spin faster. A flash of light. And the barrier is restored.

She turns back with a tired grin. "We may need a three day cage."

=====================================================================================

My sister and her friends are gone.

The sky is clear of all clouds. The night sky glimmers as its stars reflect off the windows and lamps of the town. No artificial lights present.

I sit there, quietly. Watching.

We have been here for hours.

The creature does not sleep, it does not show a pattern in its behavior. It rarely even blinks.

What are you doing here?

The creature hasn't moved in what seemed to be a century. It's gaze ever watchful.

Where did you come from?

Big Mac sighs and loosens his muscles. He stretches his neck and returns his sights on the beast. He puts himself in a meditative state, aware of his surroundings. But trying to conserve his energy.

I don't know when you will strike again. But I shall be prepared.

Hours crawl by. No ponies walk down the lonely streets.

The night is peaceful. Its beauty is striking.

The creature sits still, its forelegs crossed across its chest. Its hind legs crossed in front of it. Its breathing pattern changes at irregular intervals. If it weren't for the occasional gleam of its eyes, and the slight change in its breathing. No one would be able to tell if it was awake.

A familiar scent wafts through the air. Big Mac scrunched his nose, trying to identify the odor.

Salt?

He tilts his head, trying to get a better angle of the creature. He then looks around.

The creature remains motionless. A swift breeze eliminates the smell.

I shall sit here as long as it takes. When you escape, I will be ready.

The moon drifts across the sky. Its steady path painstakingly slow. It represents the amount of time that the two sit across from each other.

The unicorn statue casts a shadow that moves between the two. The only thing that connects them.

I'm starting to forget which one of us is the prisoner.

Seriously, What's with the Bucket?

Gentle light creeps into the room as the sun graces the day with its beauty. Twilight groggily raises her head from the mass of sheets that adorn her bed. She stretches her neck then lets out an audible yawn.

"Hey Twilight, you finally up?"

Twilight shouts to her assistant in the other room "Yes Spike, I'm awake." She then buries her head under her pillow and stretches her spine. A quick flick of her tail readjusts the sheets back on top of her.

Spike walked up the stairs and stopped at the end. "Would you like some lunch?"

"Lunch? What time is it?"

"Almost noon. How late were you out last night?"

Twilight groaned and squirmed under the blanket. "It wasn't too late. I just had trouble sleeping."

"Oh, I thought you were coming home after lunch."

"We had a small detour that took a little more time than planned for."

Spike frowned "You're not fooling me. I heard about the thing that attacked the town yesterday."

She perks up from under her blanket "Oh, you heard about that huh?"

The small dragon places a claw on his chest "I was worried! They said you were in the hospital? Why didn't you get a message to me?" He ducks his head. "I could have helped."

"I'm sorry Spike. Things happened really fast and before I knew it the day was over."

"Yeah I know how these things happen." Spike lightly kicked the ground "So what was it like?"

She sat up in bed and placed a hoof under her chin, the blanket still covering her horn. "Hmm, well it's hard to describe. Its taller than Big Macintosh, it is very agile, and surprisingly strong. It stands on two legs and it wore a hood the entire time. We couldn't see its face even once."

Spike's eyes moved to the corner as he imagined it.

"It had razor sharp claws, that looked kind of like yours actually. And it eyes were colder than the chill that runs up your spine on Nightmare Night."

Spike gulped and he rubbed his claws.

Twilight sat straighter and the blanket slide down her back. "If Big Mac weren't there, then it would have destroyed everything."

Spike shuddered and sat next to Twilight on the bed. "But you beat it and everything's fine now. Right?"

Twilight shook her head no. "Actually it's trapped in town square as we speak" She waved her hoof in a semicircle. " But the scariest part of the monster? The reason why it was able to wreak so much havoc. The part that made it so hard to contain."

Spike held his breath.

She leaned her head close to his ear and whispered "It's resistant to magic."

Spike pulled the covers closer. "If it was resistant to magic, then how did you trap it?"

"I had to use an powerful ancient spell, that I'm not even suppose to know."

His eyes grew as he gasped "Wow."

"I have to go to town square and stabilize the shield again. Who knows how much damage it took all night."

Spike sighed and lowered his head again. "I guess I'll stay in the library while you're gone."

Twilight smiled and rubbed his head with her unoccupied hoof. "That's ok. Why don't you come along today?"

The small dragon grinned. "Thanks Twilight."

She chuckled and got up. "Let me eat something and we can go."

=====================================================================================

With her trusty dragon on her back, Twilight walked through the town.

Spike shivered and wrapped his arms around his chest. "Is it getting cold in here, or is it just me?"

Twilight smiled, knowing exactly what the dragon was going through.

Spike rubbed his shoulders "Huh? The air feels like it's getting heavier."

Twilight turns her head and nudges Spike a little so he wouldn't lose his balance. "We're almost there."

Her assistant started shaking slightly as they approached. He wasn't the only one feeling the effects. Twilight was just familiar with them.

When they reached town square there was an unusual lack of ponies present for it being the middle of the day. Big Mac was sitting in the shade closer to the building, munching on an apple fritter. Winona curled up next to him, asleep in a fuzzy brown ball.

The creature was sitting with its legs crossed. A small tent protecting it from direct sunlight.

Guess Fluttershy and Applejack were here already. Twilight straightened her back and her horn lit up. That's not what I was expecting. I thought the barrier would have taken some damage. She dispelled her magic and walked toward the large farm pony. Spike's head following the creature as they walked. "Good afternoon Big Mac. How was your night?"

Big Mac shrugged. "Uneventful."

"That's good to hear." Twilight turns to face the barrier, and Spike adjusts his sitting position. "Don't worry, It'll be in a cage before sundown."

Big Mac swallowed the last of the fritter and wiped his mouth with his hoof. He then nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"At least Winona's here to keep you company." Twilight motioned toward the small dog. "If something happens then you're not alone."

The farm pony looked down at the sleeping pet. "Ah think Applejack will be here later. She's gona check up on me again."

Twilight started walking away from the square "Tell her I said hi."

Big Mac nodded his head "Eeyup."

Twilight turned her head to face Spike "Do you remember where the metal shop is?"

Spike scratched his head with a claw "I think it's downtown near the tool stand."

"Alright, let's go there now."

Spike shivered while pulling his arms in close. "So that was the monster?" He made a brave face "I thought it would be bigger."

Twilight chuckled as she turned a corner "It may not be as big as a hydra, but it's definitely dangerous."

"If you say so."

The duo walk past a few ponies, not catching anyone's attention. A few fillies can be seen playing in the street. Twilight smirks as she contemplates their naivety, the monster sits not a few blocks away. Several minutes more and they arrived in front of a metal shop.

"Here we go."

The two check out several metal shops and none of them had what they were looking for. Some of them had small bird cages. Some of them had decorative statues shaped like cages. One guy tried to sell her a sword.

The ones that did have cages big enough would never be able to contain the beast. She was looking for high quality. Unfortunately no pony has a need for such a strong cage. Twilight promised several ponies that if she couldn't find a cage, she would be back with an order. She wanted to find one as quickly as possible. Who knows how long the shield would hold that thing. And she can't regenerate it forever.

The small dragon stretched his arms over his head "I'm beginning to think that we need to place an order for one. It's going to be sunset soon."

Twilight sighed "Maybe. Nopony has anything close to what we need."

Spike turned around and leaned on Twilight's neck. As Twilight turned a corner Spike saw a sign for another metal shop. "How about that one." he pointed towards a small shop on the street's corner.

"Ok, last one for the day."

Spike yawned and stretched. "You go without me, I'm going to wait out here for a bit." Twilight nodded her head before continuing on.

A bell rang as she enters the front door. The unicorn looked around to see many swords, rods, and sheets of metal covering the walls of the dimly lit shop. A few wooden stands stand in odd places in the room. They walk up to the front desk and ring the bell.

*DING*

An older earth pony walks up. The gray pony tips his silver hat "Good afternoon Ma'am. How may I help you?"

Twilight smiled and looked at the shelves behind the desk "Hello. I'm would like to purchase a cage. But it doesn't look like you have any premade"

The older pony grinned." I was wondering when one of you would walk into my store."

Twilight gave him a confused expression. "What do mean."

The gray pony starts walking along the counter "I've been in this here town for many years. I've seen many incidents come and go. Actually the amount of incidents picked up around the time the elements of harmony were found." The stallion winked. "I knew one day you would need my help." He motioned for her to follow him into the back room.

Twilight glanced at the doorway before following the stallion. After passing the hanging tarp that hid the doorway, the duo enter a room filled with all sorts of half finished projects and tools splayed across the floor. In the corner sits a large cage with the gray stallion leaning on it.

"I bet you could use this one."

Twilight eyed the cage. She walked around it and tapped it in a few places. It's higher quality than the ones we saw today. She turned her head to look at him "How strong is it?"

The old stallion grinned, a gleam in his smile. "This is the strongest one I've built. Trixie made us craft several cages for Mayor Mare and even though she asked for the strongest one we could muster, she picked the fancy looking one."

"If you had it since then, why is it still here?"

"Ah, we made several. And were just smelting them down when we need more supplies. Just never got around to smelting this one. Too much work put into it, you know?"

She looked at one of her hooves as if it were suddenly the most interesting thing in the room "The cage needs to be very strong, maybe even strong enough to hold an enraged manticore."

The stallion leaned close to her "This cage could hold two."

Twilight smirked as she looked at the cage. "I don't know, did you hear about the creature in town square? We need the strongest cage we can get."

"Alrighty then." The stallion nodded his head. "Test it."

Twilight lit her horn and a gust of wind blows around the debris across the floor. She charges a shot and fires. The area shakes, a loud bang fills the air, and a large scorch mark adorns the wall.

The cage didn't have a scratch.

"I'll take it."

=====================================================================================
Fluttershy giggled as she covered her mouth with her hoof. Rainbow Dash tried to laugh, but the bandages on her muzzle wouldn't allow it. Tank stood on her chest, licking her face very slowly.

Fluttershy sat in a chair next to the bed, a stack of books on the floor beside her. A warm smile on her face.

Rainbow Dash looked at her and patted her hoof. Fluttershy knew what she meant. "You're welcome."

The colorful mare picked up her tortoise, and placed him next to her pillow. She then sat up and looked at Fluttershy questioningly.

"Are you hungry?"

The cyan mare rolled her eyes and pointed to a tube that was in her foreleg.

"Oh right."

Rainbow Dash waved her hooves in a circular fashion, then she pointed at Fluttershy.

"Do you want to know where our friends are?"

She nodded her head.

"Umm, I think Twilight is getting a cage for the creature today. Pinkie Pie is working. Applejack is maintaining the farm while checking up on her brother occasionally. And Rarity is watching the Crusaders."

Rainbow Dash looked out the window before nodding her head. She then pointed out the window.

"I don't understand."

Rainbow Dash looked around, and then pointed at the clock.

"Are you asking when we're going back to town square?"

The bandaged mare nodded her head.

"I'm not sure. I don't think I want to go back yet. It's pretty scary over there."

She looked at her timid friend incredulously.

"I mean, if Twilight really needs us to help set up the cage then I guess I can go."

Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs and nodded her head.

Fluttershy looked at the clock again "Oh my, I can't believe I was here all day. Do you need anything else before I go?"

The cyan mare shook her head no.

"I'll be back tomorrow. Promise." The yellow mare waved as she lightly fluttered out of the room.

Rainbow Dash sighed. She had a long wait until tomorrow.

=====================================================================================
Twilight and Spike walked side by side down the street. Several ponies stopped to stare at them. Normally they wouldn't seem out of place, but Twilight was currently levitating a steel behemoth that could easily crush her. Over her head .

At town square, they were met with an unusual sight. Spike turned his head towards Twilight. "Are Applejack and Fluttershy trying to talk to it?"

Twilight shrugged. Big Mac was in the usual spot, observing the two ponies in front of the creature. As they got closer they can hear Applejack cooing. "C'mon, its only me. Please come home. Applebloom will miss ya."

Fluttershy floated a little above the shield "Don't be upset, we're just worried about you."

Twilight cocks her head and asks "What are you trying to do?"

Both mares snap their heads towards Twilight. Applejack looks back and points at Winona curled up against the shield. The dog was right next to the monster. "Ah don't know why, but she took a liking to this thing. We can't get her to move without forcing her."

The purple unicorn glanced at the creature. It was sitting with its back against the shield. It was back to back with Winona.

The creature slowly raises a claw and mutters something. "Unree" The dog's ears perk up, and she runs off.

"Winona! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?" Applejack charges after her pet.

Twilight watched them run off. "At least now Winona wouldn't be in the way."

Twilight charges her horn and the bottom of the cage comes undone. Spike covers his eyes with his claws. She then slides it under the barrier using her telekinesis. After it was securely positioned, she levitates the top of the cage onto the platform, locking the bars in place. The creature didn't even flinch. It continued to sit in a slack position, without moving.

Twilight exhaled slowly and the barrier that was encompassing the creature faded. The beast falls back about an inch and leans against the steel bars with a clank. I thought it would put up some fight? Its acting differently today.

Fluttershy slowly approached the cage "Where are you going to leave it?"

"I'll go into the Everfree and release it after it's an adequate distance away from the town." Twilight closed her eyes and an aura appeared around the cage. Twilight strained and her jaw muscles clenched, but the cage remained still. Huh? She took a closer look and saw the creature holding one of the bars of the cage.

"Is everything alright?"

"Drat! As long as its touching the cage, we can't move it." She lowered her head. "I'm not sure what to do now."

A bark is heard in the distance and the ponies look over. Winona runs over with a mouthful of hay. She stops in front of the cage, and drops it. The human turns its head slightly and mutters something under its breath. Winona whimpers and lowers her head.

Applejack rushes up to the dog and picks her up by the collar "Bad girl!"

Suddenly Winona starts growling and barking. She shakes unexpectedly and Applejack drops her. The dog carefully squeezes between the bars of the cage, and sits on the creatures lap.

Applejack dropped her hat "NO! Git back over here this instant!" She stomped her hoof into the ground.

"Please Winona, we don't want anything to happen to you."

Winona lowered her jaw, revealing her sharp teeth. Obviously she wasn't going to move willingly.

Twilight and Spike both scratched their heads. The purple pony looked at Applejack. "Has she done anything like this before?"

"Nope. We raised her better than that." Applejack picked up her hat. "At least I thought we did."

Big Macintosh walked over to the cage and looked it over for a few seconds. He then turns around and bucks it with a single hoof receiving a sharp bark from Winona. The cage didn't budge. He turned back and acknowledged his sister. "It'll hold."

Big Mac returned to his spot and Applejack looked pleadingly at Twilight.

Twilight lights up her horn and teleports Winona out of the cage. Applejack immediately grabs her. The small dog was squirming and trying to get out. Applejack sighed and waved goodbye, before departing home.

Fluttershy gives a tentative glance at the creature. "What should we do now?"

Twilight looks away. "There's not much we can do. We'll just have to think of something."

The trio take one last look before departing.

=====================================================================================
Twilight stirs in her bed. She laid on her left side. She turned on her stomach. Something's not right.

She sat up and opened her blinds. The moonlight bathed the room. She got up and paced in front of her bed. I think I'm missing something.

She recalled the events of the day. She woke up late. She and Spike went to see the creature. They went cage shopping all day. They caged the creature. Am I worried about Winona's behavior?

She shook her head. No, that's not it. Winona is safe at home with Applejack .

Twilight's ears perk up. For a second, I thought I heard something. She peeks out the window and dismisses her suspisions.

What could be it?

Twilight walked down her small flight of stairs. Fluttershy visited Rainbow Dash, so that's not it.

Twilight walked into the kitchen and opened a cupboard. Did I forget something on my list today? She grabbed a jar of peanut butter. Twilight walked over to the fridge and checked her list. Nope, everything has been double checked.

She opens the fridge and pulls out some bread. I'm probably just hungry, I missed lunch after all.

The purple pony makes a quick sandwich and pours herself a glass of milk. While eating she starts to think of every encounter she had with the creature.

It was acting a little off today. It didn't attack the shield once. It didn't even put up a fight when we put it in the cage.

Twilight moves in her chair so she could sit closer to the table.

It was saying something to Winona. I wonder what it was.

She takes a bite and chews slowly.

Unree. Unree?

Twilight takes a sip of her milk. Sun Free. Just Me. Cold Flea. Lemon Tea?

The unicorn chuckles to herself. If I didn't know better, I would think it was saying hungry.

She sits there smiling to herself and takes another bite of her sandwich. She chews slowly and takes another sip of milk.

Twilight's eyes opened wide and she immediately stood up, knocking her chair to the ground. "Hungry!"

As fast as her hooves could carry her, Twilight ran out into the night. A bucket in her mouth.

I don't know what it eats, so I brought a radish, various flowers, some carrots, a chocolate cupcake, , some of Spike's gems, a glass of water, and a half eaten peanut butter sandwich.

Halfway to town square a thought crossed her mind. Do I even want to feed this thing? Maybe keeping it in a weakened state will allow us to pacify it. It worked today with the cage. Twilight slowed her pace to a brisk walk. Is it even moral to feed this thing? The monster that put several ponies in the hospital? What if it was weak this entire time? Feeding it could give it the energy it needs to escape.

Twilight stopped and looked at her reflection in a window. She saw a tired purple unicorn, holding a bucket in her mouth.

No, I cannot stoop that low. That's what separates us from the creatures.

A cold chill creeps down her spine as she entered town square.

Besides, how much energy can one get from a half eaten sandwich?

Twilight's stomach growled. I guess enough energy to run all the way here.

She stopped right in front of the cage, bucket in mouth. Winona was sleeping on its lap. Huh? Guess Winona snuck out. The creature turned its hood facing Twilight. It was too dark to make out any features.

Twilight teleported the bucket at the feet of the beast.

"You're lucky that you get even that."

She exhaled sharply and turned to go home. Suddenly she stopped. Twilight looked back at the creature to see that it wasn't facing her anymore.

What's under that hood?

She tip toed closer to the beast. A small light touches the tip of its hood. She held her breath.

Just a little closer.

Suddenly the creature turns and notices her glowing horn. Then notices the slight glowing on its hood.

It hisses.

Twilight quickly tried to pull the hood off. But during the pull, the creature grabbed the part of the hood that had Twilight's magic on it. The magic faded.

Winona woke up and growled at Twilight. Her teeth shinning pearly white.

Guess I'm not getting a glimpse of it today. The purple unicorn walks a few feet away before looking down.

A small piece of candy, probably abandoned by some careless filly, sat on the grass.

Eh, why not?

Twilight chucks the piece of candy into the bucket, before walking home.

=====================================================================================
Eww. What's that smell?

Spike stirred in his blanket, trying to hide from the unpleasant odor that was assaulting his nostrils.

He rolled and his face scrunched up as he tried to ignore the persistent odor that was plaguing his rest.

Spike woke up from his slumber to an unappealing scent. "Twilight, if that's your cooking then I'm not eating it." Spike unwillingly climbed out of his basket and made his way to the next room.

He opened the area to the main library and the scent overwhelms him. He stumbled and gagged for a few seconds before walking up to a preoccupied Twilight.

"Hey Twilight, what is that awful smell?"

"In a minute Spike, I'm in the middle of something.

Twilight was very busy, writing all sorts of things on several large chalkboards. She was quickly moving between chalkboards and various notes she had sprawled on the ground.

A lone bucket sat next to her.

Spike raised an eyebrow and approached the bucket.

He carefully glanced inside and-"EWW GROSS! WHAT THE HAY TWILIGHT!"

Twilight stopped her frantic scribbling and looked over. She rolled her eyes "It's not mine! It's the creatures."

"WHY! Why do you have a bucket of FECES and whatever else in there in the house? SERIOUSLY!"

"Calm down Spike, it's not that bad."

"IT'S DISGUSTING!"

"Ugh, fine." Twilight placed a lid on the bucket and carefully levitated it out a window. She then sprayed some pink air freshener around the room. "Better?"

"Now it smells like shit and air freshener."

Twilight gave him a stern look "It'll smell better in a few minutes. Go open some windows."

Spike walked around the room opening every window he could. "So do you have it house trained?"

"I didn't. I forgot to feed it, so last night I went and left a bucket of food for it. I woke up early this morning and decided to check on it, and the bucket was filled! Isn't that lucky?"

"No, that's gross." Spike looked towards the window, I could have sworn I saw some of my gems in there...

Twilight nervously scratched her head "Well I thought it might eat gems, and it didn't exactly empty the container before expelling so..."

"You... That is so wrong."

"Heh, heh heh. Sorry Spike."

Spike waved a claw dismissively. "You better have found something interesting about it's poo."

Twilight lit up "You'll never believe it! This thing expelled so many different types of chemicals I have absolutely no idea what it eats. Its insides must be more noxious than an elder dragon. I mean there were so many chemicals in there I can't even identify them all!"

"Lovely."

"Seriously! I'm surprised its even alive after ingesting such a wide variety of chemicals. For all I know, it might be a bomb waiting to go off." She points at the chalkboard "This one might be some kind of preservative? This one is highly flammable. This one doesn't seem to do anything."

"Why do we care about the chemicals in its doo doo?"

"We can find out what it eats. We can try to find out where it's from. We can learn so much about a specimen just by figuring out its diet."

"Did you find out anything?"

"Well, not really. But I'm working on it. There are so many chemicals in there I can't make out what was made by the creature and what was produced by its diet. Plus there is so much random stuff in there it might affect itself."

"That's very interesting but it still smells horrible in here."

"You're just being dramatic."

Pinkie Pie opens the door and skips inside. "Hiya guys whatcha doi-" She turns her head and sniffs the air. She turns green and her face scrunches up. She then does a 360 while balanced on one hoof before dramatically falling on her back.

Spike motioned toward the passed out pony.

Twilight placed a hoof to her forehead and sighed.

Children at Play

A gray stallion leaned against the counter, his hooves crossed across his chest. "And then when I turned around, my shipment was missing! A few weeks worth of ink, gone in a blink of an eye."

The brown shopkeeper nodded his head. "That is peculiar my friend. What would anyone want with that much parchment ink?"

"I don't really care. I just want to get compensated for my losses. I mean now we're behind and need to dip into our savings to cover costs."

"That's rough. I know what you're feeling. I don't have the largest customer pool either."

"Well that's what you get for running a mismatch item shop."

The brown shopkeeper snorted "I have a wide variety of miscellaneous things. You'd be surprised how often ponies find what they're looking for."

"Yeah yeah, I've heard this speal. What time are you going on lunch?"

"It'll be a few minutes."

The bell on the front door rang, as three small fillies approached the counter. The gray stallion rolled his eyes at the shopkeeper. "I'll talk to you in a few minutes." He then strolled out of the store.

Scootaloo looked around at the wide assortment of merchandise before pointing a hoof a medium sized burlap sack. "We want that one!" She struggled to reach the top of the counter as she placed a pouch of money on it.

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, before checking the money. "I'm sorry girls, but you are a bit off."

Scootaloo turned to Applebloom "Hey Applebloom! Can I borrow a bit?"

Applebloom looked confused "What? We need more than a bit."

"We're just a bit off, just lend me a bit and I'll pay you back next week."

"No, he means a bit as in a little bit. We need more than a single bit to buy that."

Scootaloo scoffed at the yellow filly "If we were off a small amount off then he would say that. A bit is a single coin in this currency."

Sweetie Belle looked at the money, then back at the item in question "Um, I think we're going to need more money."

Applebloom sighed, completely ignoring Sweetie Belle "You don't understand! A bit can also refer to a small amount. That means we're going to need like seven bits."

The brown stallion cleared his throat "Actually you're more than a bit off-"

The orange filly shook her head "How do you know this isn't a special deal or something? We could get it on discount!"

"If there was a special deal then there would be signs everywhere. There's always signs when stores have specials."

Sweetie Belle poked the farm filly "Actually in some of the shops my sister goes to, you have to ask specifically about certain deals. You only get them if you're popular enough to be in the know."

The little pegasus motioned towards the stallion behind the counter "See? We probably just have a deal or something."

The stallion raised a hoof "I'm sorry bu-"

"Do you know any deals at this place Scootaloo? Because ah don't."

"You're just not popular enough to know about them."

"AH'M just as popular as you!"

"ARE NOT!"

"ARE TOO!"

The brown stallion looked outside to see his friend looking at him questioningly. He quickly glanced at the clock and then back to the three arguing fillies. A few ponies walked by the shop and one pony noticed the three girls standing there.

"ARE NOT!"

"ARE TO-"

The stallion slammed the bag on the counter. "Here! Just take it! It's complimentary!"

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow "But we didn't buy anything?"

"It's fine! It's on the house! Now be good fillies and run along now!" The stallion pushed the money back towards them. "Come back another day with your parents!"

Applebloom smiled as she took the bag. "Thanks Mister!"

The three little girls giggle as they walk out of the store.

The bell rang as the gray stallion re-entered the small shop. "Those fillies are nothing but trouble."

The shopkeeper sighed "I didn't think they would ever leave."

"Well at least their gone now. Let's go get lunch."

"Uh huh." The stallion picks up a lunch bag from behind the counter. " You know what I can't figure out though?"

"What's that?"

"What the hay do they need fifty feet of PVC piping for?"

=====================================================================================

The Crusaders sat on a lonely bench in the park. Sweetie Belle looked down at a small sheet of paper "Fifty feet of PVC?"

Applebloom gazed at the sky as she consulted her mental list. "Check."

"Binoculars?"

"Check."

"Stylish red bandanas?"

"Check."

"Oversized Megaphone?"

"Check."

"Long stick?"

"Check."

"Granny Smith's record player?"

"Check."

"One pound of Caramel Balls?" Sweetie Belle scrunched her face. "I don't remember needing Caramel Balls."

Both Sweetie and Applebloom looked over at Scootaloo. She was currently in her own world, chewing on a ball in question.

"Right... Well we've got everything!" The white filly tossed the paper. "Guess it's time to get started!"

=====================================================================================

Pinkie Pie merrily trotted down the street. She was done working for the day and decided to take a tour of the town.

She walked past her favorite perfume shop and smelled the newest scents.

She found some random ponies and exchanged funny stories.

She had lunch with a very happy mother whose son just got an A in math class.

One could say Pinkie was having a pretty good day.

WOW! That was fun! I wonder what else I can do today.

The pink pony trotted down the street, eagerly taking in the sights. Upon passing an alley she heard the rustle of a trash can. PUPPIES? Her eyes lit up and she peeked into the alley.

The alley was well shaded, and various forms of garbage were sprawled across the stones and dirt. In the shadows, a small figure flinched as it noticed Pinkie's gaze.

"Hi Applebloom! Whatcha doing in this dirty alley?"

Applebloom pawed the ground a few times. "Oh, uh. Hey Pinkie Pie. I'm um, just playing."

"Why are you playing in an alley?"

"Oh, well me and the Crusaders.. are... Playing hide and seek! Yeah!"

"Ooooh! That sounds fun! Can I play too!" Pinkie bounced in placed.

"UH, sorry Pinkie, but we have enough players right now. I'll tell you next time we play."

"Aw, ok. Be careful though! You never know what kind of conniving creatures hang out in alleys!"

"Err, right. I'll keep that in mind. Have a nice day!"

"Okie dokey!" The pink pony bounced away.

"Phew!" Applebloom wiped a bead of sweat off of her forehead. She turned to face the other crusaders who were hiding behind the dumpster. "That was close."

Both girls nodded their heads.

Scootaloo picked up a piece of pipe from the floor and placed it in the burlap bag. "We're almost done anyways."

The Crusaders exchange knowing looks before moving towards the next alley.

=====================================================================================

The sun started to set as the three Crusaders walked down a local street. Sweetie Belle skipped excitedly. "We're finally done!"

Scootaloo stretched her neck. "Yeah, took long enough. It better be worth it this time."

Applebloom sighed. "I think it'll work out fine. Now we just need to wait."

The three girls continued their walk down the street. The orange filly suddenly straightens up. "Hey look! There's Spike!"

The Crusaders grinned devilishly as they approached the oblivious dragon.

The girls quietly approached him. Applebloom leaned in and put her face not 3 inches away from the dragon's ear. "HI TWILIGHT!"

Spike made a sound which could be mistaken for the sound a scared girl might make when waking from a nightmare. He slowly turned his head and his expression changed from shock to disdain. "Oh. It's you guys."

Sweetie Belle walked to the other side of the purple dragon. "So Twilight. What brings you out here?"

Spike put a claw to his face and sighed. "I'm not Twilight." He looked towards the shop behind him. "I'm actually here shopping with her."

Scootaloo placed a hoof on her chin. "That's right. He's not Twilight. He's Mini Twilight." She pointed a hoof at him accusingly.

"Scootaloo!" Spike glared at the fillies.

Sweetie Belle made a concerned face "What's wrong Mini Twilight?"

"You girls don't understand. Twilight and I spend a lot of time together! Of course I'm going to pick some things up from her."

Applebloom giggled "Yeah, I bet if I spent enough time there I'd turn purple too!"

"Gah! Our color doesn't even matter!"

Scootaloo put a hoof around Applebloom. "I don't know Applebloom. I'm having a hard time seeing any dragon qualities huh?"

Spike stomped his foot into the ground. "It's not my fault! I spend so much time with her it's ridiculous! We eat breakfast together! We do chores together! We study things together! We sleep together!"

The Crusaders simultaneously burst out in laughter. Sweetie Belle wiped a tear from her eye as she choked out a response through her chuckles. "You sleep with Twilight?"

"Wha- THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT AND YOU KNOW IT!"

The girls continued laughing in their own ways. Scootaloo was rolling on the floor, Sweetie Belle was trying to hold in her laughter ineffectively, and Applebloom was flat out laughing in his face.

Spike scowled and crossed his arms. "Stop it."

Suddenly a loud explosion shook the area and every head turns towards the shop. A gray plume escapes from the crevices in the front door.

The three girls exchange glances before slowly creeping away. Applebloom turns to Spike "Uh, sorry Spike, but we should probably get going. So... yeah."

The girls turned and scurried away. Right after they turned the corner Scootaloo pokes her head back. "Have fun sleeping with Twilight!"

The giggles could be heard with Spike's angered scream.

====================================================================================

Big Mac closed his eyes and felt the crisp night air on his fur. He exhaled and returned his gaze to the beast. It hasn't moved in quite a while.

He inhales deeply. For a second... I thought I smelled... Caramel?

A shadow darts in front of his. He quickly turns to face the roof.

Nothing.

Big Mac returned to his post. A cool breeze rustled the grass.

*Creak*

Big Mac raises his ears and looks around.

I must be imagining things.

The large pony yawns and blinks his eyes.

A loud shriek severs the silence.

Applebloom! Big Mac stands up. I didn't imagine that!

He franticly looks around before staring at the still beast. I'll be back for you.

He then darts out of the square.

Oh no! Where is she! He runs through the streets checking every alley.

He circled around the block before it hit him.

She's supposed to be sleeping over at Rarity's!

Big Mac stormed through the streets until he reached his goal.

Rarity's House.

The red pony continuously slammed the door until a shout could be heard from inside.

"Just a second! You can't come to my door at such a late hour and expect a speedy response!"

Rarity opened the door. "Yes."

Big Mac pushed the door open and let himself in. "I need to see Applebloom. I think she's in trouble."

"Whatever do you mean darling? They've been quiet all night."

Big Mac turned his head "That's what I was afraid off."

Both ponies stopped in front of Sweetie's room.

Big Mac takes a deep breath. And opens the door.

"Applebloom?"

From the mess of covers that is Sweetie Belle's bed, a tired yellow filly raises her head. *Yawn* "Hey BIg Mac. Are you sleeping over at Rarity's too?"

Big Mac froze. He watched his sister rub her eyes. He listened to the sounds of the other fillies sleeping. He looked at Rarity who smiled at him. "Uh, no sis. I was just checking up on you."

She yawned cutely again. "That's nice. Thanks Big Brother." She then turned and snuggled into the blanket.

Rarity motioned towards the hall. Big Mac sighed in relief and walked out.

Rarity flipped her hair "See? She's perfectly alright darling."

"Yeah. I thought I heard her yell when I was in the square."

"Oh, I know what's wrong. You've been out there all night and got little sleep. You go home and get some rest."

Big Mac looked at the ceiling. "Maybe you're right. That cage is pretty strong."

"Yes, you can come check up on it in the morning."

Big Mac waved as he walked out.

"Good Night Dear."

=====================================================================================

Applebloom removed her ear from Sweetie Belle's bedroom door. She looked at the clock and waited a few minutes.

She walked to the closet and flipped a record on the record player. She added pillows to the pile on the bed, to imitate her sleeping form.

She then opened the window and pulled up a piece of PVC pipe. She put her mouth to the end and whispered "Where's he heading?"

" It looks like he's going to Sweet Apple Acres."

Applebloom pumped her hoof in the air. "Yes! I'll be there in a minute." Applebloom put on a stylish red bandana to hide her face.

If one were to follow the pipes, one would see that the pipes stretch across several blocks. Normally fifty feet of piping would not reach very far. But the fillies connected the gutters of the houses to extend the piping quite a bit.

Applebloom jumped out of the window and ran out into the night.

After passing a few blocks she stopped at a certain house. She knocked on the gutter three times and Sweetie Belle popped her head out from the roof. She was wearing the same bandana as Applebloom. "Hey Applebloom. Let's go meet up with Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle tossed her the megaphone and climbed off the roof. Then both girls started walking towards the square.

"So ah think my acting was so good, that I almost got my cutie mark."

"I don't know. You sounded like you were hurt. You were supposed to sound scared."

"Eh, it worked didn't it."

"I guess so."

The two fillies reached town square and waved at Scootaloo who was sitting on another roof. She had a pair of binoculars over her bandana and was chewing on some caramel balls. She motioned for the two girls to go over.

The girls climb onto the roof and faced each other.

Scootaloo pointed to the street "Alright, you guys try to make friends with it. I'm staying here as lookout. Here's the stick."

Sweetie looked towards the mountains in the distance. "So if we befriend him, we'll be able to write an interesting friendship report to the princess?"

Applebloom nodded. "That's the plan."

Scootaloo motioned towards the cage. "Why is that tent over it anyways?"

Sweetie scratched her head "To make us seem more hospitable?"

"It's in a cage."

"I don't know. Maybe to keep it cool in the daytime?"

The yellow filly nodded. "That sounds like it makes sense."

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom carefully climbed down from the roof. They hesitated for a moment before deciding to make their approach.

They left the safety of the shadows and the two fillies carefully snuck over to the cage. They reached the wooden poles of the tent before they stopped advancing.

Applebloom took the stick, and gingerly poked the bars of the cage. She then quickly removed the stick and watched.

No response.

She tried again and this time poked the bars a few times before quickly pulling back.

No response.

She looked at Sweetie Belle before calling out to the beast. "Hellooooooo. You awake?"

Both fillies flinch as the beast adjusts its seating.

The white filly looked over "Well it's definitely alive in there."

"Then why isn't it doing anything?"

"I don't know?"

Scootaloo watched from the roof, before something caught her eye. A shadow approached from the distance.

Oh no! How am I supposed to signal them? Scootaloo looked around but couldn't think of anything to do. She thought about throwing the megaphone. That would give us away for sure. She stopped as she decided on an action.

She cawed like a seagull.

Both fillies looked up to see Scootaloo frantically waving her hooves in the air. They looked at each other before letting out an audible "Uh oh."

They dart from the square and dash into a dark alley. The ponies watch the shadow grow bigger as it approached.

The shadow got bigger and bigger until finally the figure was revealed.

Applebloom scratched her head "Winona?"

The brown and white dog slowly approached the cage and laid in front of it. The creature made a gesture and the dog perked up and squeezed itself inside.

"What in tarnation does she think she's doing?"

Sweetie and Applebloom looked up towards Scootaloo. She gave them the ok with a wink. The yellow pony loudly whispered to her friend on the roof. "Ya can't caw like a bird at this time of night!"

"What? Why not?"

"It's too late, the birds are all sleeping."

"Then what am I supposed to do next time somepony walks over?"

"Ah don't know, but don't caw like a bird."

Scootaloo crossed her arms and mumbled under her breath.

The small fillies make their way towards the beast again. When the two ponies reached the tent, Applebloom called out for her dog. "Winona! Get away from that thing."

The dog grunted and refused to move.

"Winona! You're supposed to listen to me too! Not only Applejack and Big Macintosh!"

Sweetie gasped and grabbed her friend. "Do you see what this means? If Winona can make friends with it, then so can we!

The white filly grabbed the stick and poked the beast with it. The creature made no reaction and Winona raised her head curiously at it.

"It's still not doing anything."

The farm pony chuckled "Maybe it only speaks dog?"

"Is dog a type of language?"

"Umm, I don't think so. Maybe?"

Scootaloo perked up as she saw another shadow.

She was about to call out to her friends but stopped herself. What am I supposed to do now? It's probably a real pony this time! She started grinding her teeth when she experienced the aftertaste of caramel.

She looked into her bag and found that she only had one left. Well. It's for the greater good.

The small pegasus picked up the ball and chucked it at her friends, hitting Sweetie Belle in the back of the head. "Ow!" She looked over to see Scootaloo motioning towards them again. "Somepony's coming!"

Both fillies dart towards the alley again and watch from the shadows.

Twilight walks up with a bucket in her mouth.

The white filly whispered "What's Twilight doing here?"

Applebloom shrugged and they continued watching. As Twilight started to walk away she stopped. She turned around and tried to telekinesis the creature's hood. Both fillies gasp as the creature grabbed the magic making it fade. Winona got up from its lap and started showing her teeth.

Scootalo watched in awe from the roof. Twilight then noticed the caramel ball on the ground. Wait, you're not...

Twilight chucks the piece of candy into the bucket.

Scootaloo shook her head. How'd she notice the little piece of candy and not that Big Mac was gone?

The purple unicorn looked at the creature one more time, before walking into the night.

The orange filly moved her sitting position. I guess her attention to detail can make her miss big things.

The two fillies look at Scootaloo for the ok. The pegasus waved them on and started looking through the binoculars again.

When they reached the tent Sweetie grabbed the stick. She started poking the beast with it again.

After a particularly forceful poke, Sweetie found that she couldn't move the stick. When she looked up, the beast had the stick in its claw.

Before she had time to react, the beast pulled the stick, bringing the small unicorn with it. The stick flew out of the cage and snapped in half against the wall. The creature grabbed the small filly and placed her on its lap.

Both Applebloom and Scootaloo gasped. Then Scootaloo dives off the roof towards the cage.

The creature sat quietly, stroking the small filly's mane while she shivered and whimpered in fear.

Scootaloo started fidgeting with a rope that was holding the tent straight "Don't worry Sweetie Belle, we'll get you out."

Applebloom looked at Winona and then back at the filly "Don't worry, I don't think its gona hurt you. Winona seems pretty calm."

Sweetie Belle looked at the monster. She couldn't make out any features from the darkness of its hood. "Please Mister Creature, I'm sorry for bothering you. I just want to go home."

The creature sat unresponsive, and continued to stroke her mane.

Scootaloo straightened up "Ok, I'll be back in a minute. If it looks like it's going to do something go get Twilight."

Applebloom nodded her head, before turning back to Sweetie Belle. "Don't worry, we'll get you out."

"I'm scared Applebloom."

"Ah know, Scootaloo will be back soon."

"I don't want to be in here."

Suddenly the creature tensed up and slowly tilted its head towards Sweetie Belle. A low raspy voice could barely be heard from under its hood. "You... can talk?"

"Of course she can talk! She's not a baby."

The creature started stroking her mane again "Why didn't you talk this whole time?"

Sweetie Belle wiped her tears "We were talking the whole time! I'm pretty sure everypony tried to talk to you at some point!" The little girl shivered. " You just didn't answer."

The creature lifts a claw to scratch something on the inside of the hood "That's weird."

Applebloom knocked on the bars of the cage "What are you going to do with her?"

The creature turned its head away from the yellow filly. "I'm going to keep her here *cough* until you let me out."

Sweetie stuttered "But we don't know how to get you out. Twilight locked the cage with her magic."

"Then I'll wait for her to see that I have you. I'll use you as bargaining material. Then she will let me out."

The white filly started sobbing "Please let me go! Rarity is going to be so mad that I snuck out!"

"....you snuck out?"

She sniffled and whipped her nose with her hoof "Yeah, we're supposed to be sleeping over at my sister's house."

The creature sat motionless for a few minutes. It then removed the bandana from Sweetie's face to reveal her teary face. It sighed.

The creature released the small filly and pocketed the small bandana. *cough* "I'm keeping this though."

Sweetie darted out and hugged Applebloom. The yellow filly turned to face the creature. "What are you going to do with Winona?"

The creature sat quietly for a bit before responding "Winona?"

"Ma dog."

"Oh you mean Ragnarok."

"Her name's Winona! And she's a girl!"

The creature looked down at the small dog. "You don't say. Guess I couldn't tell the difference."

"Let her go too!"

The creature motioned towards the dog, and she came over and sat on its lap. "I'm not holding her captive. She's here because she wants to be here. But I am going to call her Ragnarok. If she's going to be my new dog she needs an appropriate name. It sounds much more appealing that Winona."

"But her name's-"

Scootaloo ran over, carrying another stick in her mouth. "I got the sthick!" She dropped it when she saw Sweetie outside the cage. "How'd you get out?"

The yellow filly raised an eyebrow. "You were going to get Sweetie out with a stick? Even though she got into the situation with a stick?"

Scootaloo scratched her head "Yeah?"

The monster slammed a fist into the bars. "Get out of here before I start making noise. You don't want to get in trouble do you?"

All three fillies shake their heads no.

"Then get out!"

The three girls ran as fast as they could, and didn't stop until they were safely back in Sweeties room. They all sat on the floor and panted as they tried to recover their breath.

Sweetie Belle looked at her fellow Crusaders and frowned. "I don't think he's as mean as everyone says."

Applebloom shook her head. "No, he's trying to keep ma dog! That's pretty mean if ya ask me!"

Scootaloo scratched her head "Then if it's so mean, then why did it let Sweetie Belle go?"

The white filly lowered her head. "I kinda started crying."

"Well how can you eat something that's crying?"

"What! It wasn't going to eat me!"

"How do you know?"

"It didn't eat Winona."

"That's because ponies taste better than dogs."

"This is no time for jokes Scootaloo!"

Scootaloo looked at Applebloom, then at Sweetie "What should we do now?"

Sweetie Belle stood up and looked out of the window.

"Where going to help him get out."

A Pack Of Five

Twilight studied the information in front of her. "This doesn't make any sense! What does this thing eat?" The purple unicorn levitated a book from across the room and quickly flipped through the pages. "Why does it have such a high level of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)?"

"I don't know" Spike laughed. "How about you ask Pinkie?"

"Come on Spike! This is serious."

"But it's funny! She's talking in her sleep!"

Pinkie rolled to her side and pulled her hair over her head. "Don't do that Pinkie!"

Twilight rolled her eyes "She probably gets that one a lot."

The pink mare hid her hooves under her hair "Princess Luna doesn't even talk like that anymore!"

Spike laughed and rocked on his stool. "See? She must have some weird dreams."

She rolled to her other side and let out a sigh. "You don't understand! You can't possibly do it alone!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow "That's peculiar."

The pink mare sat up, and boomed in Princess Celestia's voice "Twilight Sparkle! That is enough!"

Spike and Twilight straightened up, and then stared at Pinkie. She sat still for a few moments before sneezing and waking herself up. She looked around and slowly came to. One could see the glaze of sleep leave her eyes. "Hey guys, whatcha staring at?"

Twilight shook her head. "Hey Pinkie... Have any interesting dreams?"

The earth pony cocked her head in thought for a moment. "Mmm, nope! Just the usual."

Spike whispered to Twilight "She usually dreams about the Princess yelling at you?"

Twilight shrugged. "Well it's nice to see you Pinkie, but why are you here again?"

Pinkie Pie stood up and stretched her back "Well I got up extra early to help Mrs. Cake with the morning batch, and we made some French toast, fresh bread, and we ended up making extra bagels. So I thought maybe Twilight and Spike would like some bagels. So I decided to bring you some."

Spike looked at Pinkie's hooves and back at her face "I don't see any bagels."

She snorted during her laugh "That's because I don't have any bagels, silly!"

Twilight looked confused "Then where are the bagels?"

"Oh! I was walking over and I saw some blue jays. They were chirping and happy because the sun was coming up. After I passed them I walked past the monster and said Good Morning! Then he said Good Morning. And I was like I didn't know you could talk. And he was like I didn't know horses skip everywhere they go. And I was like that's just me silly. And then he was like are you sure? Then I thought about it for a bit and was like I'll look into it. Then I bumped into-"

Twilight raised a hoof "Wait a minute. You talked to the monster?"

"Yeah? But that's not even the good part-"

The purple unicorn walked right up to Pinkie "But you talked to it?"

"Yep!"

"We need to go to the square!" Twilight stumbled around the room grabbing things with her magic.

Pinkie followed her with her eyes. "Why?"

"So we can talk to it!"

"Don't you want to hear about the bagels?"

Spike raised a claw "I do."

"Ok, so-"

"Maybe later Pinkie. Let's see what we can get it to say." Twilight put a few books and various other supplies into her bag.

Pinkie walked up to Twilight "But-"

"Spike, go get something to eat. We'll be back in a bit."

=====================================================================================

Fluttershy peeked into the dim hospital room, a small basket in her mouth. A few beams of light filtered through the blinds. The melodic sound of steady breathing set the atmosphere. The yellow pegasus slowly tiptoed into the room and sat quietly on the chair. I'm sure Rainbow Dash would be happy to see me here when she wakes up.

She placed the basket on the floor and waited eagerly for her friend to wake. An excited smile adorned her face. I know I would want to be with my friends if I were in the hospital.

Rainbow Dash flipped an ear in her sleep, her face looked content even with the bandages covering her muzzle.

A nurse was walking by and stopped to look into the room. She waved and nodded her head in affirmation.

Fluttershy smiled and returned the gesture.

I understand that she's tired. But I hope Rainbow Dash wakes up soon.

=====================================================================================

Twilight and Pinkie stopped in front of town square. She knew she had to go up to it, scary as it looks. Twilight looked at her friend. She asked her friend more for her own reassurance than need for information. "Are you sure it talked?"

"Yep!"

Twilight took a deep breath "Alright, let's do this." Both ponies approached the cage. The similar sensation associated with the creature was prominent. Even on a cloudless sunny morning there was a chill in the air. The two fillies stopped in front of it, while it gnawed on something under its hood. From what Twilight remembered from the bucket, it was probably one of carrots.

"Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle. And I assume you've already met my friend here, Pinkie Pie."

The creature stopped chewing and said with a raspy monotone voice "Hey."

Twilight glanced at Pinkie to see that she was unfazed. "So you can talk. Why weren't you talking to us before?"

"I was doing more than talking. But I haven't been able to understand what you were trying to say."

"Now all of a sudden you can?"

" I guess"

Interesting. There was a language barrier but now it's gone? "I'm not sure."

The creature turned its head and looked around. The square was lacking in commerce despite it usually being busy. "Hmm."

" I was wondering what it is you are doing here?"

The creature stopped chewing and turned to face the unicorn. "What?"

"Why are you in our town?"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know your reason for being here?"

"I dunno. It was an accident?"

Twilight snorted. "You don't just accidentally walk into a town and start demolishing things."

"How do you know?"

"If it was accidental then it wouldn't look like you were specifically targeting foals."

The creature put a closed claw to its hood and sat in silence for a few moments. Twilight stared at it while Pinkie watched curiously. "I guess not."

"So why are you here?"

"I still don't know."

Twilight twitched her tail in irritation. "Fine. Then can you tell me about yourself?"

The creature adjusted it's sitting position and waited a moment before responding. "No."

"Why not?"

"I want to know what you're planning on doing with me."

"We're not planning anything. The cage is to make sure the town is safe from you."

"So I'm in here so no one will get hurt?"

Twilight narrowed her eyes "Exactly."

"If you let me go, I promise I won't hurt anyone. I'll just leave."

"We have no reason to trust your word."

"Why don't you just move this cage and let me go somewhere else?"

"First off, I can't seem to move you with my magic. And even if I could, what would stop you from coming back and hurting more ponies?"

"I have no reason for coming back here."

"You didn't have a reason for coming originally."

The creature slammed a claw into the cage ceiling " I want to get out of this cage!"

Twilight backed up a few steps "You're going to stay there until we can think of something to do with you."

"This is inhumane! You leave me here with no air conditioner, no food, and no water all day to be stared at! I want to leave!"

Pinkie Pie cocked her head "Do you like bagels?"

The creature paused for a second, obviously caught off guard. "Do I wha?"

"What do you like to eat?"

The creature's movements calmed "Uh, I liked the peanut butter sandwich? I could use another one of those."

"OH! That's a good idea." Twilight levitated a piece of paper from her saddlebag "If you want to eat, you're going to have to give me a list of things." She wrote the word peanut butter sandwich on the paper. "What else?"

"I need some water. Like, a lot of water. Umm, I bagels are ok. Carrots are cool. Radishes taste gross. I don't eat flowers, or rocks." The creature tossed the end of the carrot out of the cage. "I like milk, and pears, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, waffles, and macaroni and cheese."

Twilight looked up from her list. Hmm, this creature can eat some of the things we can. "Alright, I think we can work with these.

Pinkie got excited and started shaking "Do you like sweets?"

The creature turned to face her "Like candy?"

"And cake, and muffins, and doughnuts, and cup cakes, and cookies, and brownies!"

Twilight noticed a slight change in tone, from the raspy monotone the creature used thus far "I could eat some."

The purple unicorn put away the list. "Ok, we'll see what we can do."

"Ok."

Pinkie pointed at the creature "Ooooh ooooh, what's your name?"

"My... name?"

The party mare giggled "Yeah! What do others call you? Does everypony call you creature? Is creature your name? Why would your parents name you creature? Do you have parents? Where are they? How come-"

Twilight placed a hoof on Pinkie's back to stop her rambling. "Yes. Like my friend was saying, what is your name?"

The creature didn't immediately respond. Twilight turned her head to try seeing under the dark hood, but alas, it's face was still hidden. "...I'm Edward..."

"Ok then, Edward. We'll see what we can do with the food situation. When we come back we are going to need more answers."

"One more thing?"

Twilight raised an eyebrow "Depends on what it is."

The creature rubbed its claw along the back of its hood. "I need another bucket."

=====================================================================================

Applejack smiled as she looked across the field to see her brother bucking apples. She stood and watched him work. He walked at a leisure pace to the next tree, and bucked every apple out of it with a single hoof. She's often amazed how easy he makes it look. The large pony moved systematically between the trees, knocking all the fruit into preset buckets.

Applejack yawned and casually strolled over. "Got tired of sitting in that square huh?"

The large pony continued walking to the next tree. "Eeyup."

"Do you think that cage will hold up?"

"Eenope."

"But Twilight picked that cage herself?"

"Eeyup."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I don't know when or how. But creature is not going to stay in there for very long."

"How do you know?"

"When you're facing an opponent, it's important to try and understand as much about them as possible. You learn to pick up on the subtle things that give insight to their character."

Applejack looked out across the field. Typical Big Mac. Of course he's most vocal when he's talking about fighting."What'd ya learn?"

"This creature is strange. I got a bunch of conflicting signals, but there were a couple things that stood out amongst the rest." He sighed. "I got the feeling that the creature was very intelligent, and very ferocious."

Applejack chuckled "I got the ferocious part. I don't think anypony missed that." She adjusted her hat and looked at her brother. "So what are we going to do."

"Be ready."

=====================================================================================

Winona darted through the streets, weaving in and out of the crowd. Her tongue hung out of her mouth in excitement. The ponies either didn't notice her, or paid her no mind as she swiftly navigated the mass of ponies.

She would stop at stands and stare for a moment, before darting off again.

She quickly inspected various stalls, searching for one item in particular.

The thing that pack leader needed.

The citizens of ponyville usually walked at a steady pace, so timing the space between them was puppy-play. She darted between one's legs, she slipped under a passing wagon. It seemed more crowded today.

There! On the edge of a table, a shiny piece of metal flickered in the sunlight.

There was a light brown pony sitting behind the table. Winona slowly snuck up on the object with her head to the ground. The stall owner noticed her, and offered to pet her. An ear scratch would feel good right now. No, gotta get the thing. She gingerly poked it with her nose and the stall owner let out a hearty laugh. He thought she was curious.

She looked back at the crowd for a moment, waiting for the perfect opportunity. She glanced back at the owner. He was trying to get her attention. He must be bored. She watched the ponies for a few more moments.

A gap! Here it comes. She deftly grabbed the wrench off of the table and darted into the street.

"Hey! That's not a toy!" The stall owner lifted his hat to reveal a glowing horn. He tried to grab the dog but he missed by an inch and watched her start to blend with the crowd. "OH no you don't."

He got off his stool and raced after her.

"HEY SOMEPONY STOP THAT DOG!"

Winona gave a playful bark while quickly bouncing between gaps in the crowd.

The stall owner groaned and chased after her. He kept trying to grab her through the crowd, but there were too many ponies in the way.

After a few grab attempts, the dog was getting farther and farther. And the owner was getting more frustrated.

After a minute, he sees the dog leave the crowd and run down a cold alley. Now I got her.

He followed her down an alley and turned into another street. He grabbed again with his magic and just barely missed her.

"Get back here you mangy mutt!"

His grabs were getting closer and closer. One time he grazed her fur, and Winona yelped.

"Almost got ya!"

Winona started running faster and he noticed that she was getting ahead of him.

He threw out another grab and grabbed a tuft of grass about a foot away from her.

The owner strained his teeth and focused. A bead of sweat rolled down his face.

YELP! The dog was lifted into the air and the wrench slid across the street.

"HA! Gotcha!"

He looked past the squirming mutt to see the wrench clank into a metal surface.

A claw extended out of the cage and picked it up.

The stall owner's ears laid flat against his head. He finally realized where he was.

He put Winona down and approached the cage. He saw the wrench it it's claw and tried to grab it with his magic. To his surprise, nothing happened. He heard a light chuckle from the beast and he looked back at Winona.

The beast slid the wrench into the folds of its jacket. "Good girl."

Winona barked in affirmation and squeezed herself through the bars.

"Give that back you beast!"

"What?"

"That's mine!"

"What's yours?"

"That dog took my wrench from me. And I want it back!"

"I don't have one."

"You better give it back now, or you'll be sorry!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You'll be sorry." The brown unicorn looked behind him to see a pony passing by. "HEY! I NEED SOME HELP OVER HERE!"

=====================================================================================

Iron Will chewed deliberately while he strolled though the town. Each compression of his jaw extended the pleasure that was a freshly baked bagel. "MMM! Iron Will should make a note to pick up more of these in the future!"

A pony quickly rushed past him, slightly bumping into his side as it sped in front of the minotaur.

"HEY! WATCH WHERE YOUR GOING!" The pony was oblivious to his shout and was lost as it made a turn. Iron will continued his stroll as a few more ponies race by, whispering incoherently. Iron Will wonders where all these ponies are trying to go in such a rush. He picks up his pace to see what the commotion is all about.

As he nears a crowd of ponies, he can make out shouts from the horde.

"-IVE IT BACK YOU SCOUNDROUL!", "WE'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU IN THIS TOWN!", "-OU STUPID BEAST!"

Somepony seems to be getting it pretty bad.

As he got closer he noticed several ponies swirling rocks in their telekinesis. Every pony in the crowd looked furious. In the center sat a giant cage with a small bundle in the middle.

Wait a minute... what is that?

A light brown pony banged on the top of the cage. "COME ON BEAST! YOU CAN'T HOLD ONTO THAT FOREVER!" He paced around the cage while the crowd roars their own insults.

A small movement from the bundle in the cage and Iron Will's eyes bulged out of his head. "IS THAT A MINOTAUR!" The crowd silenced and every pony turned to face Iron Will.

He walks forward, pushing ponies out of the way left and right. The brown pony jumps out of the way as Iron Will bends down and leans his head against the bar to get a better look. There is a bundle of cloth that was barely moving. "Hey, you awake in there?"

The bundle moves again and sits up straight. A hand slips from under the baggy jacket. Iron Will snorts and turns to the crowd. "WHO PUT THIS MINOTAUR IN THIS CAGE!" Ponies from the crowd avoid his gaze, and a few ponies look towards the brown pony. "WAS IT YOU!"

"What? Of course not! It was caged before I even got here."

"WHY ARE YOU PONIES SO INSENSETIVE? HE CAN'T EVEN STAND UP. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS DIFFERENT THAN YOU DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO TREAT THEM LIKE ANIMALS!"

The brown pony stepped forward. "This thing is an abomination. And a thief. It-"

"SHUT UP. I KNOW HOW YOU PONIES ARE. IF YOU DON'T LET THIS POOR MINOTAUR OUT OF THAT CAGE, SOMEONE'S GONA FEEL MY RAGE!"

"That thing almost destroyed the town!"

"THAT THING IS A MINOTAUR!"

"How do you know!"

"I THINK I CAN TELL ONE OF MY OWN KIND WHEN I SEE THEM!"

Suddenly Rarity pushes herself through the mass of ponies. Iron Will and the brown pony turn to face her. "Can somepony be a dear and tell me WHAT the hay is going on?"

The brown pony speaks up "That monster stole my wrench, and I'm just trying to get it back."

Iron Will snorts "That monster is a minotaur, and it couldn't steal anything if it's in a cage!"

Rarity chuckles as she looks at Iron Will "I can assure you whatever that is, it is not a minotaur."

Iron Will turns to face the cage. "You don't have to be scared. Remove your hood and show them you're one to be feared."

Every eye was on the creature as it turns its head up. I glint in its eyes and Iron Will gasps. It pulls the hood farther over its head, completely hiding any trace of distinguishing features.

Iron Will slouches a bit "Huh."

"It's alright Darling. Come with me so we can talk. I'll explain what's going on" The minotaur starts walking toward the white pony.

The brown pony stepped up. "I still want my wrench back!"

Iron Will turns to face the cage. He walks up and puts his hand in the cage. "If you have it. Give it back."

The creature turns and seems to examine the whole crowd. It sighs and tosses the wrench into Iron Will's hand. Iron Will drops it on the floor, "Ok, nothing to see here. Take your stuff and get out."

The crowd turns into quiet mumbles as it disperses. The brown pony squinted at Iron Will before picking up the wrench and getting lost in the crowd.

Both of them start walking. Rarity flips her mane. Maybe if I'm nice I can get some information from him. "Darling, you really need to behave yourself when you're in town. No offense, but you don't want to give the wrong impression."

Iron Will points his thumb at himself "Iron Will behaves accordingly. I have high morals and stick by them."

Rarity notices the minotaur's huge frame. "Yes, very well. I don't see how causing a scene each time you're here is gaining you any popularity though." Iron Will is very strong. It wouldn't hurt to have someone like him around when the creature acts up.

Iron Will raises an eyebrow "If it was a pony in that cage, how would you react?"

Rarity slows her pace for a few moments, before picking it up. "I'm not sure actually."

"Hmph." Iron Will blinks in surprise as he noticed Rarity's less than fabulous condition. He points at her "What happened there?"

"Oh this? Just a consequence from fighting with that thing in town square."

"Really, you fought it?"

"It was vicious. Deflected all of the magic we threw at it. I got hit by a few stray shots and well, that's how I burnt my tail."

"It'll grow back."

"Oh, I'm not worried about that. I'm glad I got out with minimal injuries. Some ponies weren't as lucky."

Iron Will nods his head "I see."

Rarity smiles at his serious tone Aww. He cares. "So what are you doing in town anyways? Another seminar I presume?"

"No. Iron Will is just passing through. Maybe picking up some things from the market."

"How long are you staying?"

"Iron Will is not sure. Maybe a few days. Depends how much a room at the motel costs."

Rarity snorts "Ugh, you want to stay at a motel? Those places can be dreadful."

"It's not that bad. You just have to pick out the right ones."

"Well no friend of mine is staying at a dirty motel. I insist you spend your stay at ponyville at my place."

"That's awfully kind of you, but Iron Will doesn't mooch off others."

"It's not mooching. Think of it as a favor for listening to me in that square. How about you stay for just one night?"

Iron Will notices some ponies giving him a weird passing glance. "Ok. Iron Will shall stay there for one night only." Both of them continue their walk down the street.

"Good, but before you do we have to talk about your conduct."

*Sigh*

Rarity gives him a pouty look.

The minotaur smiles and leans down to shake her hoof. "Thanks friend."

No pony noticed as Winona strolled by on the side of the street.

=====================================================================================

The purple mare trotted with a an assortment of fruits and vegetables in her telekinesis. Pinkie bounced after her with a bucket swinging in sync with the girl's energetic d disposition. With newfound purpose, they approached the cage.

Twilight levitated the food to orbit around the cage. "Hello Edward. We've gathered a few supplies that I think falls into your dietary requirements."

The creature turns its head to examine the display. "That'll work." It reached a claw out of the cage towards an apple. But as its hand approached, the apple shifted just out of range.

"Not yet. We need information first." Twilight pulled out a notepad from her saddlebag. "If you cooperate then you can have something to eat."

"....."

"You are hungry right?"

"What do you want to know?"

I'm going to be skeptical of everything this creature says until I get solid evidence. "What is your kind called?"

"We're humans."

"What is a human?"

"I'm a human."

"No I want you to describe what a human is."

"How can I do that? We are all so different."

"I'll give you an example. A squirrel is a mammal. It has a layer of fur covering it's body. It has four legs and a tail. It primarily eats nuts and berries. They live in colonies ranging from 10 to 50 depending on the location."

"Umm, humans are humans. We have 2 legs and 2 arms. Amount of hair is different for everyone. And we live in colonies ranging from 1 person to 5 billion people."

Twilight rolled her eyes "5 billion?"

"Sometimes."

"I hope you're taking this seriously."

"I am."

The purple unicorn scribbled in her notepad. He's not giving many straight answers. "Alright, on to the next question. What makes you resistant to magic?"

"I don't know what magic is."

"How come I can't levitate you, or hit you with magic beams?"

"I have no idea."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

I think he's withholding information. Twilight glanced at Pinkie who was gazing off into the distance. *Sigh* Too bad I don't have someone a little more involved to help me with this. "Fine. Last thing and you can eat." She took a step forward to get a better view. "I want to see your face."

Pinkie snapped her attention and eagerly looked towards Edward. "Oooh. I wana see too."

The human shuffled uncomfortably in its cell. "Can I get a different question?"

"That's not a question."

"I can't do that."

Twilight wrote some more on her pad. "Why not?"

"Because I said so."

"You can have food as soon as you show us your face."

"No thanks."

Twilight increased the speed of the orbiting food. "Remove your hood Edward!"

"No."

The food stopped spinning and drifted away from the cage. "Fine. When you choose to cooperate then you can eat."

"That's not fair! I answered the other questions."

Twilight turned and started to walk away. "Show us your face first."

Pinkie gasped. She looked back and forth between the two "But Twilight-"

"He gets food when he decides to work with us."

Pinkie dropped the bucket outside the cage. "Sorry Edward."

The two walked out of sight as the human sighed and slumped his shoulders.

=====================================================================================

The small white filly shivered as she pressed her side into the cool building under the night sky. Her two friends leaned close against her as she peeked around the corner. A wave to her friends, and they dart across the street into the shadow of the next building.

The trio continue the elusive journey, crawling under windows, holding their breath to listen for ponies, and running as quietly as hooves can on soft green grass.

Scootaloo suddenly stopped, and the two friends walk back to check on her.

Sweetie Belle whispered "Is everything alright Scootaloo?"

"I'm not sure we should be doing this."

Applebloom put a hoof on the orange filly's back. "We're just helping a friend."

"How do we know this thing is a friend?"

Sweetie Belle scratched her head "Well it let me go when it could have easily trapped me."

"That doesn't mean it's friendly."

Applebloom looked back into the street "It didn't tell on us. And we never saw it do anything bad."

Scootaloo shook her head "But this thing hurt our friends. Rainbow Dash is still in the hospital. It's in a cage. How can we trust it?"

The white unicorn looked into Scootaloo's eyes "It's weird but I just have this feeling that it's not as bad as everyone thinks it is."

"Plus ya'll got us if anything gets out of hoof."

The orange filly frowned "Alright, but if anything goes wrong I'm going straight to Twilight."

Sweetie looked back into the street "Ok fine, but we got to go. We don't have much time."

The three fillies nodded their heads and continue their journey.

A few blocks later and the three can see the cage. The creature was silent as the three gingerly walked up.

Sweetie Belle spoke up first "Hey, you awake in there?"

The creature stirred and stretched its arms. "I am now."

Sweetie looked back at her friends "Oh good. So uh how's it going?"

"What are you three doing back here? I thought you weren't supposed to be out so late."

Applebloom stepped forward "We aren't. We just came here to tell you that we're here to help."

"Really now? How can you help?"

The yellow filly glanced to the side in a fidgety motion. She seemed cautious of onlookers. "We can get you stuff if it's small. We can tell you stuff too. My name is Applebloom."

"I'm Sweetie Belle."

"And I'm Scootaloo."

"Thanks. You can call me Edward."

Sweetie spoke up "So is there anything we can do to help?"

"I want a wrench."

Scootaloo shook her head in confusion "Why do you need a wrench?"

"I'm going to use it to break out."

The orange filly chuckled. "You can't get out with a wrench. Can't you see, this cage doesn't have any bolts or screws. It was locked by magic."

"Then how do I get out?"

The little pegasus circled the cage, taking in every detail she can find. She stepped past the bar of the tent and knocked on the cage. "I don't think you can just break out of this. It was locked with magic, and the only person in town who has the magic and experience to unlock it is Twilight."

The creature folded its arms. *Sigh*

Sweetie Belle perked up "But if we can convince Twilight that you're friendly then I'm sure she'll let you out."

Applebloom shook her head "That's not going to be easy. We'd have more luck trying to convince the whole town before we could convince Twilight."

Scootaloo raised a hoof "How about we just convince the other Elements of Harmony? They can convince Twilight for us."

"Sweetie Belle grinned. "That sounds perfect. We'll talk to the other Elements one at a time until they all think you're good!"

The three give each other a high hoof "Yeah!"

The creature chuckled "Thanks guys."

Sweetie Belle turned to face Edward again."Is there anything else you'd like us to do?"

The creature pondered for a moment "Yeah, I could use a peanut butter sandwich. And some water."

Applebloom saluted "We can do that. We'll be back in 25 minutes."

"Cool that'd be great."

Sweetie Belle smiled "It's not problem. Just ask and we'll see what we can do.

The creature shuffled in its seat "... actually, there is something else I'd like."

"What is it?"

"Do you know what a first aid kit is?"

Scootaloo squinted her eyes "Yeah are you hurt or something?"

"........yeah."

Gossip

The quaint jingle of a bell woke Iron Will from his slumber. His eyelids parted as wakefulness slowly overtook him.

"Ah, I see you're finally awake darling. How was the couch?"

He cracked his neck to the side "It wasn't as bad as it sounds." He looked over to see Rarity fussing with a piece of fabric while sitting at a table. "Thanks for having me over."

"Oh it was no problem at all." Rarity took note of the way Iron Will cracked his neck. They may be different but there are a few similarities. "So do you have any plans for today?"

"Not really. Was just going to walk around town for a bit. Check out some stalls. Maybe strike up a conversation with somepony."

"You don't take me as a conversationalist."

"Iron Will is not bad at it. Although, Iron Will admits sometimes talking with a minotaur can be frightening. But you have to make connections to stay in business somehow."

"That reminds me. At the square yesterday, you were getting pretty passionate. It seemed a little more personal than anything."

He sighed as he sat up. "Yeah, Iron Will knows." He tossed the blanket to the side. "It's rough out here if you don't know how to stand up for yourself."

"Whatever do you mean? Ponyville is one of the nicest places I've ever been to."

Iron Will snorted. "For ponies."

Rarity chose to ignore the rude gesture. "Would you be so kind as to elaborate?"

"Ponies are known for their kind nature right? As children all we ever heard of ponies were the kind things. But going to a pony town for the first time changes that. And after talking to other species about their experiences with the ponies, they aren't what we originally thought. You see, ponies are very protective of their friends and family. So when something unfamiliar shows up they usually stay by who's closest to them. Going to these towns, getting shunned, made fun of, and above all feared. You have to toughen up to deal with it."

"And you thought that was another minotaur."

"Yeah. Iron Will can empathize with being the center of an angry mob for no reason. I teach anyone to grow that tough exterior so they can deal with their problems head on. A slight attitude adjustment, and no one bothered me again. If all their stares are made to pierce, return the stare and become fierce."

"I guess I've never considered it from an outsider's point of view." Rarity scratched her chin "Now that you mention it, outsiders don't usually stay long."

"Iron Will would feel bad for any species that wander into town not knowing what to expect."

The white unicorn nodded her head "I understand."

"I always tell young ones to always walk with a group."

"Having a pony with you should ease the tension a bit, no?"

"For creatures not as tough as a fully grown minotaur."

Rarity rolled her eyes. "So what do you think of the thing yesterday?"

Iron Will looked to the side thoughtfully. "Iron Will is not sure. I had a very strong protective instinct when I saw it in the cage since I thought it was a minotaur. But I got a very quick glance at its face."

Rarity leaned in "Yes?"

"It was too dark to make out many features, but it didn't have a muzzle. Nor did it have recognizable horns."

"I knew it wasn't a minotaur."

"Indeed." Iron Will returned his gaze to Rarity "Now Iron Will is curious about it. What type of species is it?"

"I don't know of any species that is so magic resistant."

"Maybe it had a charm or accessory that helped to deal with your magic. It's hard to tell what exactly is going on under that heavy jacket"

"I didn't consider that. Who knows what it could be hiding under there." Rarity folded up her stitched piece of fabric. "I bet it isn't happy being in that cage though."

"No one would be."

Rarity levitated the cloth and placed it in a drawer. "So I'm ahead with my schedule. Would you like me to accompany you today?"

He looked at her face. Trying to find a reason for her random acts of kindness. "If you want to. Iron Will doesn't need to be watched over."

"I'm not really watching over you. It's more of a mutual thing between friends. It'll be easier to go about town with me with you. And you can do something if the creature acts up. Hmm?"

Iron Will chuckled. "If you wanted someone to keep an eye on things, Iron Will is your minotaur."

"But before we go, how about some breakfast?"

The large minotaur smiled "Iron Will could use some nourishment." Iron Will got up and they both walked to the kitchen. Neither of them noticed a small filly gingerly tip toe down the stairs when they were out of sight.

=====================================================================================

*knock* *knock*

The pink door swings open to reveal Applebloom. "Hey Sweetie Belle. *yawn* Glad you could make it."

"Me too."

Scootaloo was on the desk, looking decidedly at a piece of paper. "We're trying to figure out who to talk to first." She picks up a crayon in her mouth and scribbles something on the paper. "I was thinking Rainbow Dash, but she can't really talk right now anyways."

Sweetie Belle walked in "Well I don't think we need to worry about Rarity anymore."

Scootaloo turns around to face her "Why not?"

"This morning I heard her talking with Iron Will-"

Applebloom interrupted "Iron Will is at your house?"

"Yeah, they bumped into each other yesterday. Anyways, Iron Will was talking about how hard it is to be another species in Ponyville." Sweetie Belle lightened up. "We might not have to say anything to Rarity at all!"

Scootaloo punched her hoof in the air "Yeah!" Then who'll we work on first?"

The yellow filly glanced outside the window "How about Applejack? She's the closest one here."

The little unicorn hopped in excitement "That's a great idea! If Applejack agrees with us first, then surely everyone else will be easy to talk to!"

"Alright! Let's go find Applejack."

The three fillies stroll out and start wandering the apple orchard.

"Where do you think she'll be?" asked Scootaloo.

"Well today there isn't much for us to harvest, so it'll be easier to find her."

They walked for a few more minutes, glancing around for any signs of the farm pony.

"Ah reckon she'll be in the field close to the barn."

"Do you think she's over there with Big Mac?" Sweetie Belle pointed.

"That's strange. Why is Big Mac going that way? We don't have any apples to buck over there."

Scootaloo piped up "Maybe he missed some?"

"Ah doubt it." Applebloom furrowed her brow "Now that I think about it, Big Mac has been acting strange lately."

"Oh he's proably just stressed out from all the monster fighting."

The white filly gasped "Scootaloo! I told you, Edward is not a monster."

"Yeah yeah, I know that. But no one else knows that."

"Maybe he knows where mah sister is. Let's follow him."

The fillies nodded their heads in agreement. They made sure to stay a good distance behind him, ducking behind trees and bushes every time they thought he might turn around.

After quite a few apple trees were passed, Big Mac stopped at a hill. He looked around for a moment, barely missing a glance of Applebloom's bow, before removing a grass tarp from the hillside. It revealed a small tunnel, which Big Mac proceeded to walk down.

Sweetie waved a hoof towards the hidden entrance "I don't think we should follow him there."

"What! Of course we're following him in there!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"Ah don't know. Ah've never seen my brother go in a place like that."

"Come on. Don't you wana find out what he's up to?"

The yellow filly looked down "Well yeah, but-"

"No butts! Let's see! Come on guys."

Sweetie nodded her head "If you say so."

The three girls move the tarp to gain access to the tunnel. It was dark, and the fillies kept bumping into each other while making their way through. After stumbling for a bit they see a light at the end. They carefully make their way towards it.

At the end of the tunnel was a secluded area, with many boulders and rocks strewn around. There was a large rock formation with what appeared to be spiderweb cracks running along the bottom. Big Mac was at the bottom of the formation, sitting with his eyes closed.

The orange pegasus poked Applebloom "What's he doing?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

Suddenly he opened his eyes, quickly turned around and bucked. Adding another rather large crack to the set. The fillies' jaws dropped.

They continued to watch as Big Mac hefted a heavy boulder onto his back. He then carried it to the top of the rock formation. When he made it back down, he stood there for a few moments. He took a few deep breaths before pulling on a rope. The rope released a platform which released the boulder. Applebloom almost shouted out as the boulder landed squarely on his back, shaking his stance only slightly. The look on his face was one of determination.

Sweetie Belle poked the younger sister "I think we should go before he finds out we're here."

The other two fillies nod in agreement.

After exiting the tunnel Scootaloo exclaimed "What was your brother doing?" while she waved her hooves around.

"Ah'm not sure. It looked like he was trying to hurt himself." she started to tear up. "I don't like to see him hurt himself."

Sweetie placed a hoof on her shoulder "I'm sure there's a good reason for it. I mean, he's never shown that he was hurt before. Right?"

The yellow pony wiped her eye "Yeah. I wish I knew why he was doing that though."

"Hey! What are you fillies doing out here!" the trio turned to see Granny Smith hobbling up to them.

"Uhh, nothing Granny! We were just looking for ma sis."

Granny smith eyed them carefully "Are you sure? You fillies looked as if you saw an apple tree get up and walk away."

"Well, ah-"

"Spit it out Applebloom."

"Ok ok." She looked at her two friends. "We were looking for Applejack in the field and we found Big Mac. We followed him and saw him dropping rocks on himself." The two other girls nod their heads in agreement. "We didn't mean to see it."

"Oh, you saw that." Granny smith scratched her head "Ah reckon you fillies are old enough to know how your big brother got his cutie mark."

The three fillies sang in unison "Really?"

"If'm you promise not to try it! If ah knew at the time what Big Mac was going to do, ah'd have smacked the fur off him!"

"We promise!"

"Now Big Mac was a strange one growing up. Sometimes he would wander the orchard to be lost with his thoughts. He used to talk to me more. And he would tell me these strange philosophies about how he saw the world, and how ponies are doing stuff wrong."

Granny Smith smirked "He even got his cutie mark later than I've ever seen anypony get one in all my years."

"How late?"

"He didn't get his cutie mark until his sophomore year of high school."

Applebloom looked shocked "What! Really?"

"Yep. The youngins would poke fun at him fer it, but it didn't bother Big Mac. He was a tough one."

"Wow."

"Do you fillies know what griffons are?"

"Yep!" "Unh huh!"

"Well when Big Mac got his cutie mark, he almost became king of the griffins!" Granny Smith threw her hooves to the side.

"How?"

"The thing is, griffins fight a lot. And to advance in their ranks you have to beat everyone in the previous rank. Big Mac almost made it all the way...

=====================================================================================

A grey messenger burst into the throne room "Sire! Someone is about to beat everyone from the Elite Rank!"

The king stood from his throne. "Really now? That hasn't happened for quite some time." The large brown griffon scratched his beak "Tell me about this newcomer. What's this griffon like?"

"That's the thing sire. It's not a griffon. It's a pony!"

"A pony? Don't they know no unicorns are allowed to participate!"

"It's not a unicorn sire."

"....let's have a look at this pony." The king walked towards the entrance.

They entered the arena midfight, and saw a swarm of griffons swooping through the air. The messenger pointed to the center "There."

In the center stood a red pony, with a brownish mane. A griffon dived at him from the side. As it's spear almost reached Big Mac, he thrusts his hoof in a circular motion knocking the spear from the griffon's grip. The spear glided through the air before Big Mac kicked it at the group. Most of them scattered but it struck one square in the chest plate knocking him out.

The king smiled "That's rather impressive for such a young pony."

Two griffons charge at the farm pony this time. One from each of his sides. Big Mac turns to face one, and as they approach bucks the one behind him and quickly ducks to dodge the attack of the second one. It passes over him and he bucks that one too.

The swarm started to get furious and they all decide to charge him at once.

There is a flurry of spears and feathers as hooves clank against armor and skulls. Dust gets kicked up and the sounds of metal being stuck ring throughout the arena. The dust settles and only the farm pony is left standing. He turns to face the last griffon who didn't charge when his comrades did.

The red pony looked straight at the king as he slowly approached the lone griffon. The solider shook in fear, but when Big Mac got close enough, he yelled a cry of battle and charged him head on.

Without breaking eye contact with the king, the red pony rolls on his back and bucks the griffon in the stomach. Big Mac continues the roll and stands up straight, then continued to walk straight towards the king as the griffon falls onto the ground behind him.

"My my, that was rather impressive young pony."

"Eyup."

"I take it you're going to challenge the last rank before me?"

"Eyup."

This pony is rather strong, but he can't fight anyone from the last rank. The king thought of the four griffons in his last rank and shuddered. They'll kill him."How about this pony. You don't have to fight the special class. You can have your final battle with me."

Big Mac looked suspiciously at the king "Alright."

"Clear the arena! Make some space for me and my opponent!"

Several griffons swoop in and pick up their fallen comrades. Then a few others comb the arena picking up every feather until the no one would be able to tell a fight took place not moments ago.
The king removed his heavy cape and passed his crown to the assistant. He kept his staff and glided to the far end of the stadium.

Big Mac strolled to the other end and turned to face his final opponent.

The assisstant walked onto the field "Last round, Big Mac Versus Midas. FIGHT!"

Both fighters stood still for a few moments, eyeing each other, getting a feel for their opponent.

Suddenly the king swipes his staff, and an orange field of magic sweeps Big Mac to the side.

Big Mac shook his head. No wonder he's the king of the griffons. He's one of the few that can use magic. The farm pony quickly calculated his chances of winning and decided a long fight will be his downfall. He quickly charged the king.

Midas summoned another field intercepting the space between the two. He then summoned another field behind the red pony and swept him off his hooves.

Big Mac immediately stood back up and tried to buck the force field. The field made a few clanging sounds but showed no signs of caving.

The king chuckled "Give up yet young pony?"

Big Mac jumped over the field and headed straight for the king. The king caught off guard took flight and intercepted him midair.

Big Mac tried to head butt the king but he stopped it with his staff. The king grabbed his hooves and swiveled around the pony so he was the one on top. The red pony struggled in the air and winced when he saw the ground fast approaching.

Flash!*

Big Mac opened his eyes to see a field of magic between him and the ground. The field overtook him and he floated gently to the ground. "I think you've realized by now that you have no chance to win." Midas ran a claw over his staff "Do you surrender?"

The red pony sighed and dropped his head. He admitted defeat.

The king smiled "Come with me pony, let's go for a walk." Midas waved his claw at his assistant "Cancel my plans for the next hour."

The two fighters walk out of the arena into a field. Big Mac wondered where they were going when the griffon turned to enter a cave.

Inside the cave were glowing blue crystals that reflected off pools of water. The two walk in silence for a while, before the king speaks up. "So what brings you all the way here pony?"

Big Mac shrugged.

"I'm curious. Why did you decide to take on this challenge. Surely you knew you couldn't win at such a young age?"

The two stop at the end of a path and gaze into the water. "I wanted to see how far I could go."

"That's admirable. I've never seen a pony get so far in our ranks. You have much potential."

Big Mac shrugged.

"And you know what? You've got guts to take on a griffon army by yourself." the king nodded to Big Mac's reflection. "You've got the biggest apples of any pony I've ever met."

The farm pony smiled at the compliment. "Thanks."

"I remember when I was young, doing what you're doing. It's a dangerous life. But if you know what you're doing it can be very rewarding. You've got potential. Come back when you're older and maybe we can arrange something." Midas patted his back. "Now go home Macintosh, I'm sure your family is worried."

"Eyup." Big Mac turned and started walking towards the cave entrance.

"And one more thing." Big Mac looked back at the king, who almost seemed to glow in the light of the crystals. "I like your cutie mark."

=====================================================================================

Scootaloo burst out laughing "He got his cutie mark for having big apples?"

Granny Smith chuckled "Don't let other ponies know I told ya, you hear?"

"Don't worry Granny, we'll keep it to ourselves." Applebloom motioned towards her friends. "So do you know where we can find Applejack?"

"Hmm Applejack eh? That one is just as stubborn as her brother. She gets an idea in her head she won't stop til it happens. Do you fillies know how she got her cutie mark?"

"Yeah, she told us the story."

"Oh alright then. I'm not sure where she is. Try checking by the barn."

"Ok, thanks Granny!"

"No problem youngins!" she waved her hoof as she slowly walked away.

Scootaloo pointed "So the barn's that way?"

"I think ma Granny is right. I'm not sure we'll be able to convince Applejack."

The white filly spoke up "Why not?"

"Ma sister's really stubborn. And I'm sure she and my brother have the same opinion of Edward."

"Then who should we talk to?" said Scootaloo

"I think I know. Remember what you said Rainbow Dash told you?"

"Rainbow Dash tells me a lot of things."

Applebloom stuck out her tongue "Now here's what we'll do."

=====================================================================================

"TWILIGHT! I'M HOME!" Pinkie shouted as she burst through the doors of the library.

Spike put a comic book down "Hey, Pinkie. Sorry but Twilight's not here right now."

"What? Where is she?"

"Off interrogating that monster again."

Pinkie's eyes dropped "Oh."

"Is something wrong Pinkie?"

"I don't know. It just seems Twilight is taking this a little seriously."

"Off course she's taking it seriously. Did you see what that thing did?"

"I know, but she doesn't have to be a crabby pony about it. I mean, she's starving him!"

"Twilight knows what she's doing."

"By not giving it food? I'd be cranky If I didn't get food for so long."

"Twilight knows it can go at least one day without food. So she gave it food and is waiting at least one day."

"That's still a crabby thing to do."

Spike made a circle on the table with his claw "I guess. Twilight hasn't seemed to be in the best of moods lately."

"What do you mean?"

"She's getting into study mode. She's obsessed with finding answers but isn't getting any. I guess it's making her act funny."

Pinkie cocked her head "Are you afraid of it Spike?"

Spike rubbed the back of his neck "I hate to admit it, but yeah. That thing makes me want to run away."

Pinkie nodded "I don't know anymore. I just think Twilight should stay away from it for a while. I don't want her to be too serious all the time."

"Don't worry Pinkie, Twilight will be fine."

The pink pony chuckled "It is scary isn't it?"

"Yeah. I've never seen anything like it."

"Maybe that's part of the reason it's so scary."

"I don't think so. I've never seen a crystal pony before, but I wasn't scarred of them."

"Yeah, but crystal ponies are still ponies. Whatever Edward is, isn't a pony."

"Maybe."

"There is an interesting thing I think I know about it."

"What?"

"I think it likes cookies."

"How could you possibly come to that conclusion?"

"I don't know, I just have a feeling." Pinkie scratched her nose while crossing her eyes "Usually my feelings for things aren't wrong."

"Is it your Pinkie Sense?"

"No."

The small dragon looked confused "Ok."

"It's more of just a feeling. I think we need to find out these things before we decide to treat it the way Twilight is."

"How is knowing if it likes cookies an important thing to know?"

"I don't. It's just a feeling."

=====================================================================================

Twilight stood in front of the cage. "So here we are again."

A raspy voice responded "Yeah."

"Are you willing to cooperate today?"

"Depends."

Twilight shifted as she pulled out a bag of chips from her saddle bag. "You hungry?"

"Not necessarily."

Liar. "Alright then, so let's just get to the questions then." She levitated a small notepad. "Do you know where there are more of your kind?"

"Nope."

"Where were you before you came to this town?"

"Nowhere close to here."

"What would you do if you were in my situation?"

"I don't know."

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" Twilight levitated the bag of chips closer to the cage. Suddenly Edward grabbed the bag, and crushed it in a fist before throwing it away.

The purple unicorn stomped her hoof "Why are you being so difficult!"

"I'm being as difficult as you are being! I don't want to be here so let me go!"

"I can't let you go until I know you're not a threat!"

The human turned slightly "Fine."

"Why won't you take off your hood?"

Edward sighed, I can't.

"Why not Edward?"

"Fine, I'll show you." he slowly removed the hood.

Twilight gasped at what she saw. Edward's head and neck was completely covered in white bandages, save his eyes. Light brown eyes that glinted when the sun hit it.

She wasn't sure if it was the removal of the hood, or if she just noticed it again. But it was cold. "Why are you wearing bandages Edward? Are you hurt?"

"Do you think I like wearing these things? No! It's for everyone's own good."

"Why? What happens if you take them off?"

Edward sighed.

"Edward!"

The bandages shifted with a facial expression that couldn't be made out by Twilight "If you were to see me without these, you would die."

Twilight stammered

"Now either unlock this cage or leave."

Twilight sighed and placed another bag of chips by the cage before walking away.

=====================================================================================

Fluttershy smiled to herself as she walked down the hospital hallway. Rainbow Dash seemed happy to see me today.

She waved at a nurse as she passed the lobby. Oh my, it's past noon already? She thought back to her cottage, and to all the chores she still had to do. Better get home soon.

It's a good thing I'm seeing her every day. Somepony has to keep her company.

As she exited the hospital's main entrance she was ambushed by a trio of small fillies. "Eeep!" She flew up a few feet.

"Fluttershy! We were looking for you all day!"

"OH! Hi girls. How can I help you."

"We were wondering if you can help us with something?"

Introduction: Heads

As I walk into a small meadow, a slight breeze wisped through the grass. Each blade of grass moved individually, in a way which mimicked a small swell of water flowing in the ocean.

Passing a small bridge, I could hear the current of a lazy stream as it hits various rocks and obstacles. The pleasant tones set a peaceful air to the surrounding meadow.

I continue to walk at a steady pace. I want to conserve my energy.

The canvas of alternating beauty we call the sky, had just enough clouds lazily drifting by to catch some of the sun's rays and refract the light in an ever-changing spectacle of various colors and shades. As I near town, everything seemed peaceful and calm.

That was the problem.

I listened for the sounds of normalcy. But there were no birds chirping their midday symphonies. No ponies wandering aimlessly, having conversations that hold no real meaning to anypony other than themselves. No friendly faces that speak greetings to the happy souls strolling through the streets. No sounds that normally attribute to the bustling utopia that is Ponyville.

That's why I'm here.

Things must be pretty bad if the Elements of Harmony themselves need assistance. A panicked plea for help came to my attention not 10 minutes ago. Rainbow Dash is normally good at keeping her cool in desperate situations. She was shaking and fidgeting. Her eyes were watery and her wings kept twitching. She was absolutely terrified.

Ponies have been hospitalized. Property has been damaged. And most importantly. A monster is actively threatening my family.

Something has to be done.

I walk by some houses to see that ponies have already boarded many of the windows. The normal smell of fresh fruit from the market, is masked by the stench of sweat and fear. The potholes in the ground were not there yesterday. And the various dents in the walls of the city's buildings are troublesome to my composure.

If one didn't know where to look, the buildings would seem empty and lifeless. A passing glance into a window shows various ponies cowering in fear. From behind a counter or under a table. Only quick flashes of themselves were shown and only for a split second. Even then it was only a tuft of fur, or the end of a tail was all that could be seen. These ponies are frightened.

What could have caused this?

I hope everyone is alright. The ponies of this fair town need me. I must use my special talent for the greater good. I will stop the beast.

If I fail, hope will be all for naught. Many things cross my mind. Disappointed faces. Hurt loved ones. Homes that have been literally broken. Time to stop over-thinking . Thinking ahead for various futures is pointless. Over-thinking uses energy.

I am worried about this situation. The town is not in the best of shapes right now. Various damages and scorch marks decorate the streets in a burnt-photo kind of way.

No worrying. Worrying uses too much energy.

I need to get there fast. But too fast and my presence will be wasted. Take long, deep breaths. Don't pay too much attention to anything but getting to the destination. Need to keep my mind sharp.

For a second the sky darkened. I could see some flashing lights fly into the distance. The zigzag of magic flickered through the sky and pushed its way through a cloud. The cloud broke into pieces in opposite directions of the beam due to the residual force of the blast forcing it apart. The sky returns to its baby blue color. As if nothing ever happened.
Another blast shoots through the sky. This time I hear it whiz through the air. It sounds like a buzzing buzzard mixed with the bass of an explosion. I am near enough to see that the blast was purple. I must be getting close.

I stop paying attention to the signs of wreckage. Acknowledging what was damaged is wasted energy.
I hear a shout. A cry of fear that cuts the very air and sends shivers down my spine. I can't help but struggle to retain my control.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Walk slow and deliberate. Conserve my strength for the challenge ahead.

I hear a bang. The sounds of broken bones chill the air. The situation has escalated. But I must keep my composure. Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

I turn a corner and face the town square. Suddenly the air chills and feels as if it got heavier. The atmosphere turns from one of turmoil to one of constant pressure on my neck and knees.

The air is heavy. Air is not supposed to feel heavy. As I face the statue of a unicorn from our history, I see a frightening scene.

The square has many scorch marks littered in sporadic patterns across the ground, walls, and roofs. Scrape marks and dents accompany the scorch marks as if they couldn't be seen without the other. Knocked out ponies lay sprawled across the ground. All of them in beaten positions near or on the walls. I see one slumped over the peak of a roof. It was not a pegasus.

A creature squats low on its hind legs. It is bending over a poor unfortunate pony right under the unicorn statue. A dark grey hood hides the creature's face. But from the shadows I see a glint of the eyes. Such cold eyes. Eyes of a beast. Eyes of my nightmares. The creature notices me and the atmosphere thickens.

The monstrosity rises, and its shadow casts a shape that reaches farther than anypony's. This creature was tall to say the least. It towered above the little ponies of our small town. It was intimidating.

The creature then turns to face me. I hear nothing but the beating of my own heart. The weight of the air is almost unbearable. I am a scared.

The monstrosity then kicks the little pony so it slides out of the street. The pony stops as it bumps lightly against a wall. It needs it's space. Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

Then the beast rotates its neck to the side, making horrible cracking sounds. The sounds mimic that of fracturing wood. These sounds don't seem healthy for any animal to be making. It brushes some dirt off of its' jacket. The jacket must have gone through some wear for it doesn't seem much cleaner. There are tears and rips in various parts of it. Somepony hit this creature with a decent amount of force. Stay strong. Your family needs you.

The creature opens and closes its claws. This reveals the sharp pointed parts at the end. The nails are as sharp as a newly shaped razor. It is clenching it's claws in anticipation. The creature bends its knees slightly and makes a threatening posture. This creature gives off an air of formidability. Don't blink. Time to put these reflexes to use.

I step forward. Tense and un-tense my muscles to quickly loosen up and check my condition. I stamp my hoof on the ground in a gesture of warning. Back off monster.

The monster slumps it's back forward. Shifting its weight in a way that doesn't seem possible from a creature with that body structure. This must be a demon.

The creature's eyes are shown sporadically, as the hood dances in sync to the monster's motions. I see bloodlust. There is no sign of fatigue. The creature breathes steadily, and occasionally turns its head to the side. It is wary of multiple opponents. The townsfolk must have tried to beat it with sheer force of numbers.

I take a few steps forward and exhale sharply. Tightening my focus. Watching every muscle twitch and alien-like movement from the beast. There is no one here but us, and it notices. The creature clenches its claws and stomps a foot into the ground. It then bends a little lower, moving its center of gravity closer to the ground. This creature is smart.

I take another deep breath and mentally collect my bearings. Time to do what I was called here to do. Ponies need me. My family needs me. It doesn't matter if this is an enlarged dragon stampeding through the town. I am here to perform at top efficiency. My best will be enough.

Watch the reactions. Analyze the movements.

There.

A break in its defensive stance. Now or never. Another quick breath and I charge.

A Few Hours Prior to the Destruction of Ponyville

"Hey Spike, are you still working?"

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. Deep breathing is notorious for calming nerves and keeping oneself collected. But for some reason, it wasn't doing me any good. "For the 8th time, yes"

"Why?"

"Because I have to."

"Why?"

"Because Twilight asked me to."

"Why?"

This girl has been here far too long. Doesn't she see that I have things to do? "Scootaloo. You have been asking me questions for over an hour. What do you want? I'm trying to shelve these books "

The small pegasus flared her nostrils a bit to show her dissatisfaction and turned her head sideways. "If you didn't ignore me for the first twenty minutes I was here, then you wouldn't be asking me why I'm here."

I couldn't help but sneer. What an obviously dumb remark. "I didn't ask you why you were here. I merely asked you what you wanted."

"That's totally the same thing."

"Nope, it is a different concept. You could be here for any reason if I asked why you were here. Even if those reasons were something that you didn't *ehem* want. I asked you what you wanted. Not to mention-"

"Well I'm here. So I must be here for a reason. And that reason is something I want to get done. Even if I don't like the reason. SO, why I'm here is the same thing." Scootaloo stated with annoyance in her voice.

Interrupting me. How polite Scootaloo."How do you know I didn't just ask you what you wanted sincerely."

"If you were being sincere then you wouldn't have ignored me."

Who does she think she is? I'm very busy and cannot spend all my time listening to an annoying filly. Guess i'm going to have to deal with her now. "Fine, just tell me why you're here then."

"Well don't you know who I am?"

No duh. "Of course I know who you are. I only called you by name several times today alone."

"So you know what club I helped found?"

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders?"

"No, the chocolate eating club." She said with sarcasm dripping in her voice.

Grr, she's so aggravating it's painful."Fine, so you're looking for a cutie mark right?"

The annoyed look on Scootaloo mimicked that of Rainbow Dash, when woken early from her midday nap. It's obvious that she must have seen that look many times. "We wanted to know if we could send a letter to Princess Celestia so we can ask her how she got her cutie mark."

I guess that makes some sense. Why did it take so long to explain? "Why didn't you just say so?"

"I was telling you, but I realized that you zoned out and were only concentrating on shelving those stupid books."

"If it didn't take you twenty minutes to describe that then I wouldn't have zoned out. I'm a very busy dragon you know."

"It wasn't twenty minutes it was only like six and a half. And I thought the story of how we thought to ask the Princess would be interesting enough for normal ponies to, I don't know, not zone out? I mean it involved a runaway golden label cheese wheel, several gallons of parchment ink, and setting the local floral shop on fire."

I think I missed something. "Where did you get a golden label cheese wheel?"

Scootaloo let out a snort. "You. Zoned. Out."

"Well what happened then?"

"I'm not going to tell you again. It was probably the best story you've ever zoned out of."

Oh, you think you got me? I showed a toothy smiled. "I wouldn't know. Because I did zone out."

If Scootaloo's flared wings didn't indicate her frustration then her angry eyes certainly did the job "I'm not telling you, alright? Can we just send that letter?"

I turned around and continued my work of shelving various books. "Sorry, Scootaloo. Not just anyone is allowed to send personal messages via dragon to the princess."

"Twilight gets to send her letters via dragon. Applejack gets to send her letters via dragon. Rainbow dash gets to send her letters via dragon. Even Sweetie Belle got-"

I interrupted while pointing one talon in the air, without turning around. "Buuuuuuut, those letters were friendship reports. Friendship reports and emergencies. Nothing else."

Scootaloo put a hoof to her face in thought. "Hmmm. What if I wrote a friendship report and just added the question at the end? Maybe the Princess would answer our question then."

"You can't just fake a friendship report. That's kind of going against the whole friendship thing." I state while making air quotes around "Friendship thing".

"We wouldn't fake it. We will just have to wait until we get through a friendship problem."

"You and the other crusaders are inseparable. I doubt you would find any problems."

Scootaloo stated condescendingly "Twilight and her friends are Elements of Harmony, right? The ideal set of friends. And how many friendship reports did they write about each other?"

I had to turn around and couldn't help feeling a little shocked from being outsmarted by the small filly. With a dissatisfied grunt I responded. "You're right. I guess if you actually had something that would be beneficial for the Princess to know then there shouldn't be any problems."

"Awesome. I'm pretty sure we don't have anything now, but me and the other Crusaders should have something in a few days."

"You have friendship problems every few days?" I asked incredulously.

"No, of course not. I'm just thinking it will take us a few days to think of something worthwhile to write to the princess."

"Couldn't you guys write about the story you told me just now? Setting a floral shop on fire seems interesting enough." How did they manage to set the floral shop on fire anyways? That place is filled with so much water you could flood the town square with it.

"If you were listening you would know why we can't tell her that. We'd prefer to wait for something a little less embarrassing."

Kinda wished I listen to at least part of that. Wonder what role the others had in it."Speaking of the other Crusaders. Where are they now?"

The little filly grinned sheepishly. "They may be at the clubhouse. And they may be cleaning it up. Because they might be expecting Princess Celestia to visit us."

Of course they are. "And they sent you to contact her right?"

"How was I supposed to know you'd be so lame about everything?"

Who's being lame? I'm just trying to finish cleaning this mess! I placed my claw on my chest."What? I'm not being lame about everything. I am merely doing my job."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes "Yeah, if being an egghead is a job."

I stepped back, trying to show how clearly offended I felt. "I am not an egghead."

Scootaloo waved a hoof off handedly. "Yeah, eggheads totally don't lecture ponies for boring amounts of time about sentence structure."

"You mean grammar."

"Exactly. Only an egghead would care."

Grammar is pretty important but even so I just said that to clarify."I don't really care. I was just trying to make a point."

"Aaaand you totally know more on quote unquote grammar than the average pony. I mean, it's almost on the same level as Twilight."

This is really starting to bug me. I'm not an egghead Scootaloo. "I live in a library. Of course I learn some things."

"Well so does Twilight, and she's the biggest egghead I've ever met. You guys are so similar I can't believe I didn't notice it before"

"She's a pony and I'm a dragon. Dragon." I emphasized. Seriously, me and Twilight are so different its comical.

"Dragons can be eggheads, but that's not the point. You both live in a library, you both know too much on grammar, and are both purple." Scootaloo stated while clapping her hoof along the other during each point.

"What does purple have to do with being an egghead?"

"It shows how similar you are to Twilight. Who is the biggest egghead I know. Come to think of it, you're just like a mini Twilight." Scootaloo gleamed at her conclusion.

I glared hard at Scootaloo's, 'trying to hold in her laughter', face. "I am not a mini Twilight."

To my dismay, Scootaloo burst out laughing. She closed her eyes to stop the happy tears from falling. She then wiped her hoof along her eye to catch the pesky tear. "Anyways, I've got to get going. See you later *chuckle* Mini Twilight."

Scootaloo starting walking away as I shouted "I AM NOT A MINI TWILIGHT!" She then closed the library's front door behind her. " Confound you Scootaloo and your devious arguments."

Right then Twilight walked down the flight of stairs that lead from her room. She smiled at my angry form and asked. "Hey Spike. Finish sorting those books yet?"

"I would have had them done if Scootaloo wasn't talking my ear off for an hour."

Twilight showed a small frown. "Maybe you should try to hang out after you're done with the chores?"

I slumped my shoulders a bit, trying to shift the weight of my stress to a different set of muscle groups. "We weren't hanging out. She was just here trying to make my work more miserable."

Twilight chuckled. "I don't know Spike. I have heard you mention her a few times this month."

I groaned in frustration. "No Twilight. I'm just a little peeved that she and the other Crusaders keep tricking me into saying embarrassing things."

Twilight chuckled again. "Well it is three against one."

I looked down. "Plus every time they do it, they just find another thing to tease me about."

Twilight walked over and patted my back. She's always trying to comfort me. "Spike, you do know they're just kidding with you. That's how kids interact with each other."

"Yeah, I guess." I lifted my head and looked Twilight in the eye. "Just wish the teasing wouldn't happen so often."
"What are they teasing you about this time?"

I shuddered and moved my foot nervously. I'm not sure Twilight would be so understanding if I was being insulted just by being compared to her. "I'd rather not say."

"That's ok." She ruffled my head as if I had hair. "So how is the shelving coming along? I need this place organized for my research project."

"If you didn't keep pulling so many random books and then placing them all over the place it would be a little easier." I said while motioning my arm towards the mess.

Twilight blushed just enough for me to notice. "I'm sorry Spike. But I'm doing an extensive research project, and you know the long process that comes with it."

"What's your project on this time? The effects of seemingly random but consistent disasters on a normal working class citizen?"

"Hmm, no but that is a good suggestion." Twilight pulled a notepad and quickly jotted down some thoughts. "Maybe the cabbage guy on main street..."

"Well what's your research on then?"

"Oh, just the life cycle of pre-evolved subspecies to form a hypothesis for when said species reaches distinguished maturity."

Spike rolled his eyes "That sounds fun."

"Yeah! Hopefully I can discover something that will further our knowledge in this field."

Spiked deadpanned "I was being sarcastic."

"I know." Twilight smiled and started walking towards the door. "I'm going to get some lunch with the girls. Would you like anything?"

"Can you pick up some potato wedges from the Rolf food cart? Those are delicious." Spike licked his lips in an undignified manner.

"Consider it done."

"What time are you guys going to be back."

Twilight raised a hoof to her face. "Hmmm, about the time you finish shelving those books."

Spike slumped his shoulders down. Twilight winked at him as she closed the door.
Dumb Scootaloo distracting me *grumble* Twilight pointing it out *grumble* leaving me alone to do it *grumble grumble*

Twilight suddenly popped her head back in. "What was that Spike?"

Whoops! I stood at attention and raised my claw to my forehead in a salute. "It'll be done in a jiffy!"

"Thanks Spike. See ya later." She then closed the door.

Unidentified Disparity

Big Macintosh bolted straight for the monstrosity. The creature wouldn't have enough time to turn around and run. So it responded by darting straight at him. Every step closer to the beast made the air feel thicker. Big Mac lowered his head and braced for impact.

The creature suddenly dives towards Big Mac at a slight angle, barely grazing his coat as it passed by. A shiver ran through his spine. He slams his front hooves into the ground and spins around to see the creature facing him again.

He snorted in dissatisfaction, and slowly walked toward the beast with his body closer to the ground. The beast stands straight up and lifts it's front claws in a defensive stance. The creature lifts a hind leg and swings it towards the large pony's head. He ducks, quickly turns around and bucks it with one hoof.

The creature slides back and staggers. It only lowered its stance slightly. Clutching it's stomach it wobbled back into a fighting position.

Big Mac was shocked. He was notorious for ending fights in one shot. He floored a rampaging Hippo with one hoof. That creature should not still be standing.

The creature approached again, its eyes showing rage. It pierce his soul. The creature reared up and swung its hind leg at Big Mac.

Again?

Big Mac ducked but this time the creature's leg stopped over his head. There was a brief pause as Big Mac registered what was about to happen. Quickly, it brought its leg down. Big Mac's legs crumpled under him, and his head hit the floor.

The creature brushed itself off and started to walk away.

There was a slight movement in the pile of ponies near the wall. Twilight Sparkle crawled towards Big Mac. "Big Mac! GET UP!"

The creature turned to see the large pony struggling to his feet. He still had some fight in him.

Big Mac rose and snorted. Twilight stood next to him, her horn glowing with a slight purple hue.

The creature made more cracking sounds as it lowered its shoulders, in a circular motion of anticipation.

Twilight picked up a barrel with her magic, and chucked it at the beast.

The beast raised both claws and redirected it behind it. When it looked back at the ponies, Big Mac was in its face. He quickly lowers his head and sweeps the beast of its feet. The monster falls on its back as Big Mac pins each leg and claw with an individual hoof.

He then slams his head into the creature's skull making a loud cracking sound. Twilight winces and turns away. The creature starts screaming. Big Mac tightens his jaw and slams his head into it again. The cracking sound echoed throughout the streets.

The creature frantically struggles under the pony. Big Mac was unprepared for the amount of force it could exert and was thrown off. The creature tried to crawl away but Big Mac jumped on it again, this time pining the creature belly down.

Twilight rushed over. "Alright, hold it still!" Her horn glowed a bright purple and a white light flickered throughout. Big Mac struggled to remain on top of the beast. Despite its size, it was giving him as much trouble as a rampaging manticore. He grunted and slammed his hoof into the creatures back. It flinched and slowed down for a moment, before violently trying to throw him off. Various objects started floating around them. A barrel, a park bench, a store stall, many small papers, and lots of clumps of dirt. "JUMP!"

Big Mac quickly bounded off the beast and the creature turned to see many objects fly straight for it. The creature ducked and put itself into a ball position, preparing for impact. Suddenly there was a flash and the creature was surrounded by a spinning purple aura. The creature stood up and started pounding on the aura, trying desperately to break it. The sound resonated throughout the town and the ground immediately around the aura shook. A bead of sweat fell from Twilight's face as she charged her horn again. Large trees torn by the roots, boulders covered in moss, and a stream of water was shot at the barrier. The barrier flashed and the objects were gone.

Twilight then collapsed and passed out.

Big Mac stared at the creature and watched it fight against the barrier. Various body parts were slammed into the barrier each creating a flash of light. It then tried to dig at the ground right under it, but was met with the same flash of light as no dirt gave way. A scream of desperation and the creature started hitting the barrier in many spots at once and with blinding speed.

Ponies started peeking out of the windows. A few brave souls gingerly walked up to Big Mac. Ponies started coming out, picking up the hurt and thanking Big Mac. He just watched the beast.

A few ponies joined him and but most couldn't stand to hear the horrid sounds that were sure to fill their nightmares for weeks to come. They watched, and waited.

Twilight woke up to see Applejack smiling at her.

"Ya did it."

Twilight sat up and looked around to see all of her friends sitting around her. "How long was I out?"

Applejack responds "Only a few hours sugar cube. Big Mac is standing watch."

Twilight sighed and sat leaned back. She then took some time to examine her friends. Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were fine. Applejack had bandages around her hind hooves, Rarity had ice placed on her eye and adorned a burnt tail, and Rainbow Dash had bandages on her wings, her stomach, and her muzzle was bandaged shut.

Pinkie suddenly started jumping on the bed. "Yay Twilight did it! She really did it!"

Rainbow Dash tried to say something but was muffled by her bandaged muzzle.

Rarity giggled and pointed at Rainbow's muzzle. "I think that's a very good look on you Darling."

Rainbow Dash gave her the death stare and Rarity chuckled nervously. Applejack spoke up "Well that was a close one. What the hay was that thing Twilight?"

Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head. "Honestly, I have no idea."

A collective groan filled the room.

Applejack put her hat back onto her head. "Well I'm sorry girls, but ah need to go stand watch with Big Mac."

Twilight smiled. "You don't have to do that. That spell will last at least another day."

"Ah'm not really worried about the barrier."

Twilight nodded her head and Applejack walked out.

"Well that was a rather eventful evening." Rarity started brushing her hair. "I do believe that was the most excitement we've had in quite a while."

Pinkie's eye twitched as she gave Rarity a questioning look.

"I mean, excluding that wonderful soiree you threw for us last weekend. I mean, that was simply delightful!"

"OH! Should've known!"

Fluttershy straightened up "I don't know what it was about that creature, but it was really terrifying."

Twilight and Rainbow Dash rolled their eyes. "I know it was scary, it was something that none of us has seen before. Not to mention the town destroying rampage it had."

Fluttershy shook her head. "Not the normal scary. I mean the scary that makes the air cold, and the animals all hide several hours before it even entered Ponyville."

"What?"

"Well before the commotion, many of the woodland critters came and took shelter in my cottage. They were scared of something, but didn't know what it was."

"Now that I think about it, it did seem to have a chilling effect on us."

Rainbow Dash shook her head.

"Except Rainbow of course." Rainbow Dash nodded her head in triumph.

"Oh no darling. There are all sorts of different magic and enchantments out there. This creature probably has a magic that induces fear into the surrounding area." Rarity chimed.

"Sorry Rarity, but Fluttershy is right. At first I thought there was some strange magic at work. But while facing the creature I didn't experience any magical substance at all. It may release a toxin in the air that affects our brains' fear reactions."

Rarity scratched her chin. "That is peculiar. How come you were able to trap it this time, when you couldn't do it before? I saw you cast several barrier spells."

"I had to rely on a last resort. I used a spell that doesn't stop the force with magic, but stops it with raw materials that turn into magic once force is applied."

"I've never heard of a spell like that, why would that work?"

Twilight looked down and a solemn expression graced her face. "That's because this spell is supposed to be used on creatures resistant to magic."

The other ponies in the room looked shocked. Rarity shifted her weight a bit. "But what creatures are that resistant to magic?"

Twilight looked Rarity in the eye. "Princess Luna."

A look of realization crossed her face and she paced nervously. "When did Princess Celestia teach you something like that?"

Twilight fidgeted "Well, she didn't exactly teach me the spell. Let's just move on to something else please?"The ponies give her a reassuring nod. "So does anyone have any idea why this thing was attacking random ponies in the middle of the day?"

Fluttershy gingerly raised a hoof, but before a recognizable statement could be made the pink party pony interrupted. "Maybe it's an intergalactic, not enough fur wearing, tall sized demon that came to steal all our supplies of secret Bamboo Stalks!" Twilight shook her head.

"I don't think, wait-We don't have a secret supply of Bamboo Stalks."

Pinkie looked away "You don't have a secret supply of Bamboo Stalks...."

"Yeeeeeah, well at first I thought it was a minotaur by the way it walked. Do you think it may be a new subspecies?"

Rarity nodded her head. "That is certainly a possibility. But it's movements were much more fluid than any minotaur I've seen. I also believe it lacks the horns."

"How could you tell? It was wearing a hood the whole time."

"I have been around hoods for quite a while. I think I'd be able to notice monstrous horns such as those on a minotaur."

"True enough. It was very hard to get the creature's anatomy due to all the clothing it wore." Twilight looked out the window. "Also the creature being resistant to magic is troubling. If Big Mac wasn't there, I wouldn't have been able to subdue it."

Fluttershy shuddered. "Don't say that Twilight. You would have found a way."

"Aww, thank you Fluttershy."

Rainbow Dash stomped her hooves on the tile, and waved her hair in a half circle motion.

Pinkie beamed. "I don't know why it attacked the town! Maybe it was hungry?"

"It didn't try to eat anypony. It seemed to just run around attacking anything that moved."

Twilight shook her head "Maybe this creature acts on pure instinct?"

The ponies shrugged.

Rainbow Dash motioned toward the door and flicked her tail.

Pinkie grinned "That's a fantastic! We should ask Big Mac if he learned anything from it!"

"Thanks Rainbow Dash. So Big Mac is still there now?" asked Twilight.

Rarity made a solemn expression "The poor dear has been watching it since you left. He's probably worried that the creature would break out and attack the town again."

"How considerate."

"Did he at least get any medical attention?" asked Twilight.

"Yes Darling, the hospital sent a nurse to patch him up. He refused to leave that monstrosity out of his sight."

"I should add more mass to the shield. I put a lot into it, but i'm not sure how long it would actually hold it. It would hold a normal pony for at least a week. For all I know, the shield can break tomorrow."

Rainbow Dash snorted and blinked her eyes.

Pinkie violently shook her head. "Rainbow is right, we need more info and there's not much we can get done here."

Twilight nodded in confirmation. "It's decided. Let's go to town square!"