Friendship is a Crocby TheSuperiorVisionChaptersPrologueEquestriaThe HuntPrologue“Move it!” The order echoed through the corridors of the dark chambers. Men clad in orange jumpsuits, behind steel bars, brought their gazes to the elevator shaft at the end of the room. They could hear the grumbling of men and the growling of something bestial. The elevator activated. The inmates stared with confusion. As far as they knew that elevator lead to nowhere important. Just a collection of rooms for storage and another elevator leading to the sew- The elevator dinged. “Keep moving you piece of-” “Hit me with your gun again and your arm comes off!” growled out a deep throaty voice. The inmates were completely sure as to who was in that elevator. There was only one inmate who lived in the sewers and had a voice like they were gargling stones. “Want to run that by me again?” “Did I stutter bitc-” an ear piercing roar penetrated the halls. A bright light emitted from the elevator as well as a sharp buzzing sound. “Yeah that's what I thought.” THWAK! A figure collapsed out of the elevator and landed on it's hands and knees. It stood up occasionally scratching at the metal collar wrapped tightly around its neck. The creature was massive to say the least. As it stood it reached a height of 7ft. The inmates took a step back observing the hulking monstrosity. Its humanoid shape was the only thing that tells the inmates that this thing was a man. At least they think it's a man. The creature possessed thick green scales and a softer tan underbelly. Its eyes were narrow yellow slits. If you could get any closer you could swear they were glowing. Its only articles of clothing were a crudely stitched together pair of orange pants, a belt buckle that looks more like a padlock, and gauze wrapped around his shackled hands reaching all the way down his forearm. “Would you hurry it up!” The hulking man was shoved forward by a man wearing a dark navy blue uniform. Several similarly clad men exited the elevator, all heavily armed. Each man had the word “Arkham” stitched into the back of their uniforms. They kept moving forward occasionally shoving their charge whenever he showed signs of slowing down. They passed multiple inmates who merely watched in silence. They stopped in front of a large automated steel door. The guard at the front stood in front of the door as it scanned his access card. Once it opened they kept moving, passing other guards, doctors, and corridors until they finally reached their destination. “Ah, Mr. Jones, I've been expecting you.” The guards stopped in front a man in a white lab coat. He was bald and had a beard that hugged his lower jaw. He possessed a pair of circular glasses, there was a glare making it hard to see his eyes. Narrowing his eyes, the large man growled, “That's Killer Croc to you, Strange!” Dr. Hugo Strange showed no signs that he heard Croc. He possessed a smile on his face that creeped the physically imposing Killer Croc out. “Please follow me gentlemen,” Strange turned and led them down a narrow corridor. “I know you have a lot of questions and hopefully I have the answers to them.” Croc walked silently, staring ahead trying to assess the situation. He never found himself outside of his cell much, the only times being a session with a psychiatrist or going to the rec room. So unlike most of the inmates in Arkham Asylum, he was unsure as to most of the layout of the building. The path they were taking was new to him. The farther they walked the less doctors they met until they finally reached a door. Croc ducked underneath the doorway and entered a dark room. “Please take a seat Mr. Jones,” Strange sat at a table and gestured to a chair across from him. Croc growled at hearing the sound of his name and sat glaring at the doctor, “Call me that again and I'll tear out your throat!” “There need not be any hostility between us, Mr. Croc, I merely wish to speak with you about some important matters,” Strange's smile spread, “and on that note I don't think we will be requiring your services Mr. Branden.” Croc turned around and saw the guards that escorted him here, Branden heading the group. “But sir-” “No buts, I wish to speak with Mr. Croc on private matters.” Branden looked like he was ready to protest again but one look from Dr. Strange silenced anymore retaliation. “Ye-yes sir. Move out men!” Branden turned and his team followed suit. Croc turned back around, his brow raised in confusion, “ You got a death wish?” “Tell me Mr. Jones, how long have you been in and out of the Asylum,” Strange asked ignoring his question. Croc glared at the doctor but decided against telling Strange to stop using his surname. Instead, deciding to reevaluate his question. What Strange was really asking was, “How long have you been escaping and getting thrown back into the Asylum by the Batman.” “4 or 5 years, give or take.” “Yes and in those 4 or 5 years you have killed dozens of doctors, nurses and patients alike. Not adding the countless victims outside these hospital walls.” Croc's eyes narrowed, “What's your point!” Strange sighed, “My point is that in the years you have been here, you have made no progress. The remorse you've shown for the crimes you've committed when you first arrived has almost completely diminished.” Killer Croc led out an unsettling, uproarious laugh, “Who says I showed remorse?” Strange sighed again and leaned back in his chair, “That only helps further my point. I've tried to help you over the years as your psychiatrist but I'm afraid I no longer can.” Croc was not liking where this was going. “I've signed all of the necessary paperwork. You are hereby unfit to ever be released back into human society, having been branded incurable. You cannot escape the death sentence this time Mr. Jones.” Croc sat silently, his mouth slightly ajar. He sat in stunned silence as the world he once knew shattered in front of him. In the blink of an eye, Croc reached over the table and grabbed Strange by the collar. Lifting him several feet into the air, Croc spun and threw the doctor across the table. Strange slammed against the wall and collapsed to the floor. With a flick of his wrists, Croc broke his shackles and tore off his leg chains. Throwing the table out of his way, he stomped towards the doctor. “Unfit for society? I'll show you who's unfit when I tear you limb from limb!” Croc began a fast charge, his stomping feet echoed throughout the room. Strange quickly presented a small remote and pressed it. A wall sprout out from the floor, there was a solitary window for viewing pleasure. Nearly slamming into the wall, Croc slammed his fists against the window causing cracks to spread across it. “When I'm done with you there will be barely any pieces that haven’t been digested!” Croc roared causing more cracks in the window. Strange revealed a second remote. When he pressed it hundreds of thousands of volts of electricity coursed through Croc's body from his collar. Croc roared in pain as he grasped the collar, trying in vain to get it off. Strange's thumb was glued to the button as he watched as Croc collapsed to the floor. Croc couldn't take it anymore. The pain was unbearable. He felt the sting of the shock collar but never this long, never this unrelenting. Seeing that he had enough, Strange released his thumb from the remote, “I suspected something like this would happen. Which is why I made sure to prep this room for when the time came. Waylon Jones AKA Killer Croc, today is your Judgment Day and this room will be you tomb!” In the small room he made for himself, Strange stepped back and stood next to a switch. He flipped it down. Croc could barely stand. He panted heavily, his vision was foggy. He could barely register his surroundings. He could hear a faint buzzing sound and the whirring of machinery. Akin to having his shock collar power up. But the collar was off. As he started to regain his senses he took in his surroundings. The room had wires jutting out in random places, objects that look like Tesla coils were protruding from the ceiling and a see through floor with shock pads underneath. “I only hope that wherever you go from here, you find peace.” Strange held his head low to the ground, showing a sign of mourning. But it was really to hide the wide grin plastered on his face. Croc's eyes darted across the room. It glowed blue and released a low hum as power began to build up. Croc roared as all that power was released into him. It rumbled through the halls of the Asylum. The crazies of Arkham looked on in fear and awe at what this could mean. It felt like an earthquake as the very foundations shook. Then all was silent. The room that once possessed a monstrous figure of pure hatred and anger was now empty. EquestriaEquestria A beautiful world full of myths and legends that most people would never believe existed. Creatures that have only been dreamt of populate this magnificent landscape. Even those from nightmares. Consisting of grassy green hills, surely this land possesses no imperfections. Everything which touched the sun glowed. If anyone ever dreamed of a pure utopia this had to be it. Hugging the side of a mountain stood the shining capitol of this great land: Canterlot. A bustling city containing the success and elite prosperity. A mass of creatures known as ponies. These beings came in many shapes, sizes, and colors. The Earth ponies were attuned to nature and were the strongest physically. The Pegasus ponies were more agile and could control the weather. Finally, the Unicorn ponies had a deep connection to the magic surrounding us all. Overlooking this city stood a castle, finely crafted by these ponies generations ago. In this castle lived the princesses of this fine land. One stood admiring her handy work for yet another perfect morning. Princess Celestia, monarch of the sun, was larger than an average pony. Standing a couple heads taller than the norm, she possessed a flowing, pastel colored mane. Her coat was a light shade of pink that looked white in the glowing sun. She wore regal attire consisting of golden slippers, necklace, and crown. On her flank sat a picture of the sun symbolizing her connection to the star lighting Equestria. The strangest thing about her was that she was neither a Pegasus, a Unicorn or an Earth pony. For she was an Alicorn, she possessed a pair of wings like a Pegasus and she had a long horn like a unicorn. She smiled as she bathed in the glow of the morning sun. “Today is to be another great day. I can feel it.” Then it hit her. Slowly but surely she felt a great anomaly make its presence known off in the distance. There was a ripple down pass a small quaint town in a dark unsettling forest. Celestia didn't know what it was. She learned to never question the strange occurrences that happen in the Everfree Forest. When the strange feeling began to dwindle it suddenly hit Celestia She collapsed to the floor as a powerful force tried to break through her mind. It was malevolent. It was pure hatred. Her ears were ringing as she heard a horrible screaming reverberate through her head. When she couldn't take anymore, it suddenly stopped. Celestia shakily stood up. She looked back out her balcony and stared at the forest in the distance. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, contemplating her next course of action when- “Tia!” Bursting forth through Celestia's bedroom door stood another Alicorn. This one was a head shorter than Celestia herself and had a darker color scheme. Her coat was a dark blue and her mane, black with a star pattern, was made to look like the night sky. Her flank had what appeared to be a black ink plot with a crescent moon on top. Princess Luna, monarch of the moon, co-ruler of Equestria, and younger sister to Celestia stood disheveled in Celestia's doorway. They needn't even speak for they knew. “You felt it too,” Celestia simply stated as she turned back around to watch the Everfree. “What do we do?” Luna asked now standing next to her sister. Celestia narrowed her eyes in contemplation. Suddenly a feather and piece of parchment poofed into existence. She quickly wrote something down, rolled up the parchment, sealed it, and used her magic to send it on its way. “Are we sending the royal guard to investigate?” Luna asked. “No.” “No? But you felt that malicious energy in the forest!” “Which is why I am sending the Elements of Harmony.” In the outskirts of a small town beneath Canterlot, stood a small cottage bordering the Everfree forest. But don't let its small size fool you. Inside was like a zoo, the first floor of the building was filled to burst with animals. Birds slept in unlocked cages hanging from the ceiling, squirrels, deer, chipmunks, and all sorts of woodland creatures took up the floor. On the second floor, sleeping soundly in her bed, was a Pegasus named Fluttershy. As the morning light shown through her window she began to stir. She let out a quiet yawn as she began to stretch her stiff muscles. She had long silky, smooth pink hair and a butterscotch coat. Her flank possessed three pink butterflies. Fluttershy got out of bed and opened the blinds to let more sunlight in. Smiling, she trotted down stairs and her smile brightened as she observed her animal friends. “Wakey, wakey, my little friends. It's time for breakfast.” Fluttershy cooed as she began to gently awaken her animals. She took time to tend to each and every one of them, making sure to give them all equal amount of attention. She gathered together food for her animals, mostly grains and vegetables. She placed a bowl of salad for her pet rabbit, Angel, who remained asleep. She placed bird feed in all of the open cages and walked outside. Outside, she strewn bird seed across the ground in her chicken coop and watched as the the now awake chickens pecked the ground. Fluttershy smiled warmly to herself. Everyday she received great joy in caring for her animal friends and she knew today would be another joyous one. As she began walking back into her cottage she felt a sharp pain in her head. Her vision blurred and she wobbled to the side trying to keep herself upright. One of her legs collapsed underneath her and she hit the ground hard. Gasping for air as the pain became worse, she felt something. Something evil. Something cruel. Suddenly the pain stopped. Fluttershy opened her eyes. Shivering, she stood up and brought a wary gaze towards the Everfree forest. As she stepped forward she froze as a nearby bush shook. A family of squirrels ran out, climbing onto Fluttershy. They huddled together in her mane shaking. At least she thought they were shaking, her shaking was blending in seamlessly with theirs. Soon more rustling erupted at the edge of the forest as more panicked animals rushed out, ranging from little chipmunks to huge bears. One by one they all hid behind the visibly shaking pony. “D-d-don't w-worry little ones,” Fluttershy stammered, “I'm s-sure there is absolutely n-nothing to worry about.” A menacing roar erupted from the middle of the forest, startling a flock of birds from their nests. “But maybe we should head back inside just in case!” Fluttershy pushed the horde of animals huddled behind her into her cottage. Locking the doors and turning off the lights, she peered through her closed blinds into the dark edges of the forest. “Okay, Fluttershy, calm down. You're just overreacting. Besides what are odds of that thing coming here to-” Fluttershy 'eeped' as knocking came from her front door. She began shaking. She slowly walked to her door as the knocking became louder. “Fluttershy are you there?” Fluttershy sighed in relief. She easily identified the voice to belong to one of her closest friends Twilight Sparkle. She unlocked her door, opening the door she came face to face with the recently appointed Alicorn princess. Accompanying her were four other ponies, all close friends of Fluttershy's. “Oh, good morning girls. W-what are you all doing here?” Fluttershy asked nervously, fearing the answer. “I'm sorry we couldn't meet on a happier note today, Fluttershy. But Princess Celestia sent a message describing a mission of the utmost importance,” the purple Alicorn known as Twilight Sparkle stated. “What did the message say?” “Only that some unknown creature appeared in the Everfree forest,” a blue, rainbow maned Pegasus with a lightning bolt for a cutiemark cut in. “Whatever this thing is, the princesses could sense malicious intent and she wants us to capture it.” Twilight said. Fluttershy's eyes widened, “W-well I hope you have fun. I have to go and take care of my animals. Bye!” She stepped back, but before she could enter the sanctity of her home a pink blur stopped between her and the door. “But you have to come with us!” a pink Earth pony with a poofy mane and cutie mark of three balloons pleaded. “We have to welcome it to Ponyville! Then we could throw him a party and there would be balloons, candy, and games. I wonder what kind of cake it likes!” “I seriously doubt it would want a party, sugarcube,” an orange Earth pony with a blonde mane coincidentally enough in a ponytail said in a southern drawl. Her cutie mark depicted three apples. “I concur, judging by Princess Celestia's message it would most likely commit a heinous crime than attend a party,” a white Unicorn with a curly purple mane said in a very posh accent. Her cutie mark was three purple diamonds. Ignoring the banter of her friends, Twilight said, “Fluttershy, please. We need you. Something out there is dangerous, but may respond to you and you alone. Your skills with animals will be a big help.” Fluttershy frowned. She was frightened by that malevolent entity she felt. But her friends needed her. Steeling her nerves, she said, “I'll do it.” “Thanks Fluttershy, we couldn't do this without you,” Twilight smiled. “Hold on just one second, if that's okay with you,” Fluttershy ran back into her house. Double checking that her animals were okay. A couple were still shaken, but she assured them that she was going to get to the bottom of this. “Angel, you're in charge until I get back.” The bunny in question saluted lazily before going back to sleep. Stepping back out, Fluttershy rejoined the group and they began their trek to the forest. As they got closer, though, Fluttershy's resolve began to crumble. “On second thought maybe I should stay. Angel looked a little under the weather.” “Oh no, you don't!” Rainbow Dash bit Fluttershy's tail, “There's no turning back now.” Rainbow proceeded to drag Fluttershy, her hooves digging into the ground in an attempt to get away. Fluttershy gulped as she looked back, peering into the darkness that is the Everfree. The HuntThe Everfree forest. A dark forest filled with mysteries sensible ponies are too afraid to discover. Inside, you would find some of the most dangerous animals in Equestria. Ponies tilt their heads in confusion when they hear of a place where plants, animals, and even the weather takes care of itself. They would say it's crazy, but when they get a first hand look of the forest, they would beg you to never take them back. If they survive. A massive, clawed paw slammed down on the ground. Crushing the foliage beneath, it lifted the dead plant up to a massive snout. It sniffed it, snorting in disgust as it threw the dead plant away as it began to march through the woods. This creature looked like any average lion except for two differences. It possessed a massive pair of leathery wings and a long black scorpion tail. The beast itself was massive, possessing scars across its body, showing its experience in battle. This monstrosity, known as a manticore, stomped through the forest, looking for its next meal. As it sniffed the air, it looked around in confusion. There was nothing. The forest was completely empty. Its usual prey was nowhere to be seen. The manticore smirked, its pride swelling up as it realized that all of the animals in its presence fled. Truly, it was on the very top of the food chain. It was the king of the Everfree. It was feared throughout the forest as the most vicious and blood thirsty predator. Now even the wretched ponies that kept invading his territory would think twice. The manticore stiffened. A smell. A faint smell. It was a smell the manticore was unfamiliar with. This surprised it cause he knew the smell of almost everything in the Everfree. He was especially familiar with the smell of ponies, and that was no pony. As it followed the scent, it took to the shadows so it could sneak up on its prey. The closer it stalked the stronger a new particular smell became. This scent was coming from its prey too. It was pungent. This time it was familiar. It was death. It was the smell of death and decay. Like rotting flesh. Maybe its prey was already dead? Peering through fauna, the manticore's eyes widened as his gaze fell upon a foreign creature collapsed on a stream. Stepping out into the open, the manticore inspected its potential lunch. The strange creature was covered in scales, but most of its lower half was obscured by poorly stitched together cloth. The best the manticore could surmise was that this creature was a wingless, bipedal dragon. It sniffed the air, the smell of decay was definitely coming from this dragon. More specifically, its mouth. The new adversary was still alive, the slow rise and fall of its chest was evident of that. Smirking, the manticore raised its tail into the air. Ready to inject venom into its prey, the manticore failed to notice the foreign creature beginning to stir. As it slammed its tail's fine point, the manticore congratulated itself for its easy kill. When it attempted to remove its tail it was surprised to find that it wouldn't budge. The manticore looked back down at its tail. A pair of scaly hands wrapped around the end of its tail. The hands moved the tail, revealing a pair of cold yellow eyes. Roaring, Croc lifted the beast high into the air by its tail. He threw the creature with all of his might, slamming it into a tree. Standing back up, it flapped its wings to gain a quick burst of speed. Croc barely dodged the beast's claws. He stepped back as the winged lion/scorpion hybrid continued to swipe its razor sharp claws. It finally landed a hit across Croc's chest, but to the manticore's surprise it could barely pierce the thick scales. Smirking, Croc released a right jab across its jaw. The manticore growled in rage, that wingless dragon was mocking it. The manticore roared as it pounced onto Croc. It dug its claws into his scales, latching on. Its tail's poison tip was aimed at Croc's neck, but he managed to grab it before it pierced his flesh. Grunting with effort, Croc lifted up the manticore high above his head and slammed it onto the ground. As it tried to crawl away, the manticore was pinned to the ground by Croc's foot. Croc's fingers wrapped around its tail, and with all his might he tore off the manticore's tail. Roaring in pain, the manticore wrestled against Croc's strong grip. Without even trying, Croc ripped off one of its wings. He released it and laughed as he watched it crawl away. The manticore couldn't believe what was happening, how quickly the tables turned on it. How fast the once fierce predator became the prey. Croc stomped towards the beast, writhing in agony. Croc chuckled darkly, “Time for breakfast.” A group of six colorful ponies marched through the woods, four kept to the ground, one was flying, and the other was monotonously bouncing humming a happy tune to herself. “Oh why is that every time Princess Celestia requests our aid it is always in the Everfree,” Rarity complained, grimacing as she stepped into a mud puddle. “Rather be at the spa relaxing than doing any heavy lifting right?” Applejack smirking playfully. “No! Just a change of scenery would be nice,” Rarity half lied. “Maybe it likes chocolate!” Pinkie appearing between Rarity and Applejack, despite being in front of them a second ago. “Why the hay would you think that?” Applejack inquired. “Cause everypony likes chocolate silly!” Pinkie simply answered. “I think we should refrain from party planning until after we find out this creatures intentions,” Twilight said. “Whatever its intentions are it better not plan on causing any problems for Equestria or else it'll have to deal with me!” Rainbow Dash boasted, puffing out her chest. “If he tries anything I'll give 'em the ol' one-two!” Fluttershy remained silent which was nothing particularly odd. She was always a quiet pony and the looming threat of the Everfree wasn't helping. But this time, Fluttershy was cluttered with thoughts of the oncoming threat. She observed the banter of her closest friends. Judging by Twilight's explanation, none of them knew about the monster's presence prior to Celestia's message. “Why could I sense it while my friends could not?” has plagued her mind since she entered the forest. “Oh my goodness!” Fluttershy was brought out of her thoughts, her attention shifted to her surroundings. She gasped as her eyes came across the butchered corpse of a manticore. At least she thought it was a manticore. She ran to its body, inspecting the damage. The beast had a huge chunk taken out of its side, massive teeth marks were imbedded into its side. It was missing a wing and its tail, the latter laying on the other side of the clearing. Fluttershy wimpered, trying not to cry as her friends surrounded her. They knew her love of animals is strong and hated to see them in pain. But this was a massacre. “Are ya gonna be alright, sugarcube?” Applejack asked concerned. “If we want to stop anymore unnecessary deaths than we need to hurry and find that thing.” Twilight stated, catching everyponies attention. Fluttershy sniffed, wiping away any remaining tears from her eyes and nodded. “I-I'm a-alright righ-” Clang Clang Clang The group perked their ears. “The heck was that?” Rainbow asked. “Morse code?” Pinkie guessed as she hit a tree, making a 'clop' sound that matched the rhythm of the clanging. “Whatever it is we should check it out,” Twilight said, running deeper into the forest before her friends respond. “Hold on, shouldn't we make a plan first?” Applejack said trying to catch up to the alicorn. “Buck that!” Rainbow laughed as she flew next to Applejack. Pinkie giggled as she kept bouncing, easily keeping up with the others. Fluttershy and Rarity were father back, having trouble keeping up. “Darling, could you please slow doooowwwnnn!” Rarity collapsed to the ground, tripping over something. “Oh Rarity, are you alright?” Fluttershy asked, checking Rarity for any injuries. Rarity got back onto her hooves and regained her composure. “Thank you Fluttershy, I must have just tripped over somethi-aaaauuugh!” Right behind her, laying on the ground was the skeletal remains of a wing. “Ew ew ew ew ew ew EW! I can't believe I touched that!” Rarity screamed in horror. “What's wrong?” Twilight asked, luckily the rest of the group weren't ahead too far. “I th-think i-it's the r-rest of the m-manticore's wing,” Fluttershy shook as she stepped away from the appendage. “Whoa, the bone looks completely picked clean!” “Come on, we have to hurry!” Twilight yelled as she and the rest picked up their pace. “Son of a BITCH!” A scaly behemoth slammed into a tree, his hands wrapped around its metal color. He convulsed as he attempted to rip the offending contraption from his neck. Slamming into another tree, it collapsed to the ground due to his might. His eyes were darting side to side frantically. His mind was racing, thinking of ways to get the collar off. He spotted a massive boulder, an idea quickly formed in his head. Kneeling, he got into a sprinting position. With a surprising burst of speed, he hit the boulder neck first. It hurt like a bitch and left a huge crack in massive rock. He repeatedly rammed his neck into the bolder, a loud clang kept reverberated off the rock. One final powerful clang later and the collar fell apart as well as the bolder. Killer Croc was finally free. Laughing to himself, Croc walked in a random direction to search for civilization. Suddenly an ear piercing and whiny scream flooded his ear drums. Croc clutched his abused ears and growled to himself. Sniffing the air he was bombarded by a group of scents. One scent reminded him of dusty old books, while another of apples. His nostrils contorted in agony as he smelled something akin hot pepper and sweat, a combination he did not care for. Next he nearly gagged when he smelled layer after layer of expensive perfume and make up. The next just left him disgusted, it was sweet, too sweet if it was possible. He felt like he was getting diabetes just by smelling this thing. The last one, he had mixed feelings to. It was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. It had a simple scent, vanilla and pine. Odd combination, reminded him of nature. Whatever these creatures were, they were coming closer. He used the shadows of the forest due to there not being much to hide someone of his size. His plan went as such: demand them to tell him where he can find civilization. If they are uncooperative, force the information out of them then kill them. If they comply, kill them anyway. No witnesses. And maybe take one of them as a snack for the road. The sick chuckle died in his throat when his prey finally revealed themselves. Now Killer Croc has seen some weird things in his life, especially living in Gotham City. But this had to take the cake. The creatures looked like a bunch of genetic experiments gone wrong. A group of six technicolor ponies with misshaped heads, large eyes, horns, wings, and one with both walked over to the previously intact boulder. But what surprised him even more was that one of them started to talk. “This is where I heard the noise, but nothing is here,” said the pony with both wings and a horn, inspecting the area. “What's this thing,” Applejack said, picking up a metal object off the ground. “Ooh is it a necklace?” Pinkie asked grabbing the object and wrapping it around her neck. It didn't stay on for long as it slid off her neck. “Aww it's broken.” “Just leave it Pinkie. It looks absolutely atrocious,” Rarity said as she eyed the object. “It looks more like a collar than a necklace. That must have been what we heard, an animal was probably trying to get it off.” Twilight said inspecting the broken collar. “Fluttershy do you think you could track the creature?” All eyes fell on the shy mare, but she was facing away from them and into the forest. She was violently trembling as she looked wide eyed into the darkness before her. “Hey Shy, what's the matter?” Rainbow asked. “I-it's still h-here.”
Prologue“Move it!” The order echoed through the corridors of the dark chambers. Men clad in orange jumpsuits, behind steel bars, brought their gazes to the elevator shaft at the end of the room. They could hear the grumbling of men and the growling of something bestial. The elevator activated. The inmates stared with confusion. As far as they knew that elevator lead to nowhere important. Just a collection of rooms for storage and another elevator leading to the sew- The elevator dinged. “Keep moving you piece of-” “Hit me with your gun again and your arm comes off!” growled out a deep throaty voice. The inmates were completely sure as to who was in that elevator. There was only one inmate who lived in the sewers and had a voice like they were gargling stones. “Want to run that by me again?” “Did I stutter bitc-” an ear piercing roar penetrated the halls. A bright light emitted from the elevator as well as a sharp buzzing sound. “Yeah that's what I thought.” THWAK! A figure collapsed out of the elevator and landed on it's hands and knees. It stood up occasionally scratching at the metal collar wrapped tightly around its neck. The creature was massive to say the least. As it stood it reached a height of 7ft. The inmates took a step back observing the hulking monstrosity. Its humanoid shape was the only thing that tells the inmates that this thing was a man. At least they think it's a man. The creature possessed thick green scales and a softer tan underbelly. Its eyes were narrow yellow slits. If you could get any closer you could swear they were glowing. Its only articles of clothing were a crudely stitched together pair of orange pants, a belt buckle that looks more like a padlock, and gauze wrapped around his shackled hands reaching all the way down his forearm. “Would you hurry it up!” The hulking man was shoved forward by a man wearing a dark navy blue uniform. Several similarly clad men exited the elevator, all heavily armed. Each man had the word “Arkham” stitched into the back of their uniforms. They kept moving forward occasionally shoving their charge whenever he showed signs of slowing down. They passed multiple inmates who merely watched in silence. They stopped in front of a large automated steel door. The guard at the front stood in front of the door as it scanned his access card. Once it opened they kept moving, passing other guards, doctors, and corridors until they finally reached their destination. “Ah, Mr. Jones, I've been expecting you.” The guards stopped in front a man in a white lab coat. He was bald and had a beard that hugged his lower jaw. He possessed a pair of circular glasses, there was a glare making it hard to see his eyes. Narrowing his eyes, the large man growled, “That's Killer Croc to you, Strange!” Dr. Hugo Strange showed no signs that he heard Croc. He possessed a smile on his face that creeped the physically imposing Killer Croc out. “Please follow me gentlemen,” Strange turned and led them down a narrow corridor. “I know you have a lot of questions and hopefully I have the answers to them.” Croc walked silently, staring ahead trying to assess the situation. He never found himself outside of his cell much, the only times being a session with a psychiatrist or going to the rec room. So unlike most of the inmates in Arkham Asylum, he was unsure as to most of the layout of the building. The path they were taking was new to him. The farther they walked the less doctors they met until they finally reached a door. Croc ducked underneath the doorway and entered a dark room. “Please take a seat Mr. Jones,” Strange sat at a table and gestured to a chair across from him. Croc growled at hearing the sound of his name and sat glaring at the doctor, “Call me that again and I'll tear out your throat!” “There need not be any hostility between us, Mr. Croc, I merely wish to speak with you about some important matters,” Strange's smile spread, “and on that note I don't think we will be requiring your services Mr. Branden.” Croc turned around and saw the guards that escorted him here, Branden heading the group. “But sir-” “No buts, I wish to speak with Mr. Croc on private matters.” Branden looked like he was ready to protest again but one look from Dr. Strange silenced anymore retaliation. “Ye-yes sir. Move out men!” Branden turned and his team followed suit. Croc turned back around, his brow raised in confusion, “ You got a death wish?” “Tell me Mr. Jones, how long have you been in and out of the Asylum,” Strange asked ignoring his question. Croc glared at the doctor but decided against telling Strange to stop using his surname. Instead, deciding to reevaluate his question. What Strange was really asking was, “How long have you been escaping and getting thrown back into the Asylum by the Batman.” “4 or 5 years, give or take.” “Yes and in those 4 or 5 years you have killed dozens of doctors, nurses and patients alike. Not adding the countless victims outside these hospital walls.” Croc's eyes narrowed, “What's your point!” Strange sighed, “My point is that in the years you have been here, you have made no progress. The remorse you've shown for the crimes you've committed when you first arrived has almost completely diminished.” Killer Croc led out an unsettling, uproarious laugh, “Who says I showed remorse?” Strange sighed again and leaned back in his chair, “That only helps further my point. I've tried to help you over the years as your psychiatrist but I'm afraid I no longer can.” Croc was not liking where this was going. “I've signed all of the necessary paperwork. You are hereby unfit to ever be released back into human society, having been branded incurable. You cannot escape the death sentence this time Mr. Jones.” Croc sat silently, his mouth slightly ajar. He sat in stunned silence as the world he once knew shattered in front of him. In the blink of an eye, Croc reached over the table and grabbed Strange by the collar. Lifting him several feet into the air, Croc spun and threw the doctor across the table. Strange slammed against the wall and collapsed to the floor. With a flick of his wrists, Croc broke his shackles and tore off his leg chains. Throwing the table out of his way, he stomped towards the doctor. “Unfit for society? I'll show you who's unfit when I tear you limb from limb!” Croc began a fast charge, his stomping feet echoed throughout the room. Strange quickly presented a small remote and pressed it. A wall sprout out from the floor, there was a solitary window for viewing pleasure. Nearly slamming into the wall, Croc slammed his fists against the window causing cracks to spread across it. “When I'm done with you there will be barely any pieces that haven’t been digested!” Croc roared causing more cracks in the window. Strange revealed a second remote. When he pressed it hundreds of thousands of volts of electricity coursed through Croc's body from his collar. Croc roared in pain as he grasped the collar, trying in vain to get it off. Strange's thumb was glued to the button as he watched as Croc collapsed to the floor. Croc couldn't take it anymore. The pain was unbearable. He felt the sting of the shock collar but never this long, never this unrelenting. Seeing that he had enough, Strange released his thumb from the remote, “I suspected something like this would happen. Which is why I made sure to prep this room for when the time came. Waylon Jones AKA Killer Croc, today is your Judgment Day and this room will be you tomb!” In the small room he made for himself, Strange stepped back and stood next to a switch. He flipped it down. Croc could barely stand. He panted heavily, his vision was foggy. He could barely register his surroundings. He could hear a faint buzzing sound and the whirring of machinery. Akin to having his shock collar power up. But the collar was off. As he started to regain his senses he took in his surroundings. The room had wires jutting out in random places, objects that look like Tesla coils were protruding from the ceiling and a see through floor with shock pads underneath. “I only hope that wherever you go from here, you find peace.” Strange held his head low to the ground, showing a sign of mourning. But it was really to hide the wide grin plastered on his face. Croc's eyes darted across the room. It glowed blue and released a low hum as power began to build up. Croc roared as all that power was released into him. It rumbled through the halls of the Asylum. The crazies of Arkham looked on in fear and awe at what this could mean. It felt like an earthquake as the very foundations shook. Then all was silent. The room that once possessed a monstrous figure of pure hatred and anger was now empty.
EquestriaEquestria A beautiful world full of myths and legends that most people would never believe existed. Creatures that have only been dreamt of populate this magnificent landscape. Even those from nightmares. Consisting of grassy green hills, surely this land possesses no imperfections. Everything which touched the sun glowed. If anyone ever dreamed of a pure utopia this had to be it. Hugging the side of a mountain stood the shining capitol of this great land: Canterlot. A bustling city containing the success and elite prosperity. A mass of creatures known as ponies. These beings came in many shapes, sizes, and colors. The Earth ponies were attuned to nature and were the strongest physically. The Pegasus ponies were more agile and could control the weather. Finally, the Unicorn ponies had a deep connection to the magic surrounding us all. Overlooking this city stood a castle, finely crafted by these ponies generations ago. In this castle lived the princesses of this fine land. One stood admiring her handy work for yet another perfect morning. Princess Celestia, monarch of the sun, was larger than an average pony. Standing a couple heads taller than the norm, she possessed a flowing, pastel colored mane. Her coat was a light shade of pink that looked white in the glowing sun. She wore regal attire consisting of golden slippers, necklace, and crown. On her flank sat a picture of the sun symbolizing her connection to the star lighting Equestria. The strangest thing about her was that she was neither a Pegasus, a Unicorn or an Earth pony. For she was an Alicorn, she possessed a pair of wings like a Pegasus and she had a long horn like a unicorn. She smiled as she bathed in the glow of the morning sun. “Today is to be another great day. I can feel it.” Then it hit her. Slowly but surely she felt a great anomaly make its presence known off in the distance. There was a ripple down pass a small quaint town in a dark unsettling forest. Celestia didn't know what it was. She learned to never question the strange occurrences that happen in the Everfree Forest. When the strange feeling began to dwindle it suddenly hit Celestia She collapsed to the floor as a powerful force tried to break through her mind. It was malevolent. It was pure hatred. Her ears were ringing as she heard a horrible screaming reverberate through her head. When she couldn't take anymore, it suddenly stopped. Celestia shakily stood up. She looked back out her balcony and stared at the forest in the distance. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, contemplating her next course of action when- “Tia!” Bursting forth through Celestia's bedroom door stood another Alicorn. This one was a head shorter than Celestia herself and had a darker color scheme. Her coat was a dark blue and her mane, black with a star pattern, was made to look like the night sky. Her flank had what appeared to be a black ink plot with a crescent moon on top. Princess Luna, monarch of the moon, co-ruler of Equestria, and younger sister to Celestia stood disheveled in Celestia's doorway. They needn't even speak for they knew. “You felt it too,” Celestia simply stated as she turned back around to watch the Everfree. “What do we do?” Luna asked now standing next to her sister. Celestia narrowed her eyes in contemplation. Suddenly a feather and piece of parchment poofed into existence. She quickly wrote something down, rolled up the parchment, sealed it, and used her magic to send it on its way. “Are we sending the royal guard to investigate?” Luna asked. “No.” “No? But you felt that malicious energy in the forest!” “Which is why I am sending the Elements of Harmony.” In the outskirts of a small town beneath Canterlot, stood a small cottage bordering the Everfree forest. But don't let its small size fool you. Inside was like a zoo, the first floor of the building was filled to burst with animals. Birds slept in unlocked cages hanging from the ceiling, squirrels, deer, chipmunks, and all sorts of woodland creatures took up the floor. On the second floor, sleeping soundly in her bed, was a Pegasus named Fluttershy. As the morning light shown through her window she began to stir. She let out a quiet yawn as she began to stretch her stiff muscles. She had long silky, smooth pink hair and a butterscotch coat. Her flank possessed three pink butterflies. Fluttershy got out of bed and opened the blinds to let more sunlight in. Smiling, she trotted down stairs and her smile brightened as she observed her animal friends. “Wakey, wakey, my little friends. It's time for breakfast.” Fluttershy cooed as she began to gently awaken her animals. She took time to tend to each and every one of them, making sure to give them all equal amount of attention. She gathered together food for her animals, mostly grains and vegetables. She placed a bowl of salad for her pet rabbit, Angel, who remained asleep. She placed bird feed in all of the open cages and walked outside. Outside, she strewn bird seed across the ground in her chicken coop and watched as the the now awake chickens pecked the ground. Fluttershy smiled warmly to herself. Everyday she received great joy in caring for her animal friends and she knew today would be another joyous one. As she began walking back into her cottage she felt a sharp pain in her head. Her vision blurred and she wobbled to the side trying to keep herself upright. One of her legs collapsed underneath her and she hit the ground hard. Gasping for air as the pain became worse, she felt something. Something evil. Something cruel. Suddenly the pain stopped. Fluttershy opened her eyes. Shivering, she stood up and brought a wary gaze towards the Everfree forest. As she stepped forward she froze as a nearby bush shook. A family of squirrels ran out, climbing onto Fluttershy. They huddled together in her mane shaking. At least she thought they were shaking, her shaking was blending in seamlessly with theirs. Soon more rustling erupted at the edge of the forest as more panicked animals rushed out, ranging from little chipmunks to huge bears. One by one they all hid behind the visibly shaking pony. “D-d-don't w-worry little ones,” Fluttershy stammered, “I'm s-sure there is absolutely n-nothing to worry about.” A menacing roar erupted from the middle of the forest, startling a flock of birds from their nests. “But maybe we should head back inside just in case!” Fluttershy pushed the horde of animals huddled behind her into her cottage. Locking the doors and turning off the lights, she peered through her closed blinds into the dark edges of the forest. “Okay, Fluttershy, calm down. You're just overreacting. Besides what are odds of that thing coming here to-” Fluttershy 'eeped' as knocking came from her front door. She began shaking. She slowly walked to her door as the knocking became louder. “Fluttershy are you there?” Fluttershy sighed in relief. She easily identified the voice to belong to one of her closest friends Twilight Sparkle. She unlocked her door, opening the door she came face to face with the recently appointed Alicorn princess. Accompanying her were four other ponies, all close friends of Fluttershy's. “Oh, good morning girls. W-what are you all doing here?” Fluttershy asked nervously, fearing the answer. “I'm sorry we couldn't meet on a happier note today, Fluttershy. But Princess Celestia sent a message describing a mission of the utmost importance,” the purple Alicorn known as Twilight Sparkle stated. “What did the message say?” “Only that some unknown creature appeared in the Everfree forest,” a blue, rainbow maned Pegasus with a lightning bolt for a cutiemark cut in. “Whatever this thing is, the princesses could sense malicious intent and she wants us to capture it.” Twilight said. Fluttershy's eyes widened, “W-well I hope you have fun. I have to go and take care of my animals. Bye!” She stepped back, but before she could enter the sanctity of her home a pink blur stopped between her and the door. “But you have to come with us!” a pink Earth pony with a poofy mane and cutie mark of three balloons pleaded. “We have to welcome it to Ponyville! Then we could throw him a party and there would be balloons, candy, and games. I wonder what kind of cake it likes!” “I seriously doubt it would want a party, sugarcube,” an orange Earth pony with a blonde mane coincidentally enough in a ponytail said in a southern drawl. Her cutie mark depicted three apples. “I concur, judging by Princess Celestia's message it would most likely commit a heinous crime than attend a party,” a white Unicorn with a curly purple mane said in a very posh accent. Her cutie mark was three purple diamonds. Ignoring the banter of her friends, Twilight said, “Fluttershy, please. We need you. Something out there is dangerous, but may respond to you and you alone. Your skills with animals will be a big help.” Fluttershy frowned. She was frightened by that malevolent entity she felt. But her friends needed her. Steeling her nerves, she said, “I'll do it.” “Thanks Fluttershy, we couldn't do this without you,” Twilight smiled. “Hold on just one second, if that's okay with you,” Fluttershy ran back into her house. Double checking that her animals were okay. A couple were still shaken, but she assured them that she was going to get to the bottom of this. “Angel, you're in charge until I get back.” The bunny in question saluted lazily before going back to sleep. Stepping back out, Fluttershy rejoined the group and they began their trek to the forest. As they got closer, though, Fluttershy's resolve began to crumble. “On second thought maybe I should stay. Angel looked a little under the weather.” “Oh no, you don't!” Rainbow Dash bit Fluttershy's tail, “There's no turning back now.” Rainbow proceeded to drag Fluttershy, her hooves digging into the ground in an attempt to get away. Fluttershy gulped as she looked back, peering into the darkness that is the Everfree.
The HuntThe Everfree forest. A dark forest filled with mysteries sensible ponies are too afraid to discover. Inside, you would find some of the most dangerous animals in Equestria. Ponies tilt their heads in confusion when they hear of a place where plants, animals, and even the weather takes care of itself. They would say it's crazy, but when they get a first hand look of the forest, they would beg you to never take them back. If they survive. A massive, clawed paw slammed down on the ground. Crushing the foliage beneath, it lifted the dead plant up to a massive snout. It sniffed it, snorting in disgust as it threw the dead plant away as it began to march through the woods. This creature looked like any average lion except for two differences. It possessed a massive pair of leathery wings and a long black scorpion tail. The beast itself was massive, possessing scars across its body, showing its experience in battle. This monstrosity, known as a manticore, stomped through the forest, looking for its next meal. As it sniffed the air, it looked around in confusion. There was nothing. The forest was completely empty. Its usual prey was nowhere to be seen. The manticore smirked, its pride swelling up as it realized that all of the animals in its presence fled. Truly, it was on the very top of the food chain. It was the king of the Everfree. It was feared throughout the forest as the most vicious and blood thirsty predator. Now even the wretched ponies that kept invading his territory would think twice. The manticore stiffened. A smell. A faint smell. It was a smell the manticore was unfamiliar with. This surprised it cause he knew the smell of almost everything in the Everfree. He was especially familiar with the smell of ponies, and that was no pony. As it followed the scent, it took to the shadows so it could sneak up on its prey. The closer it stalked the stronger a new particular smell became. This scent was coming from its prey too. It was pungent. This time it was familiar. It was death. It was the smell of death and decay. Like rotting flesh. Maybe its prey was already dead? Peering through fauna, the manticore's eyes widened as his gaze fell upon a foreign creature collapsed on a stream. Stepping out into the open, the manticore inspected its potential lunch. The strange creature was covered in scales, but most of its lower half was obscured by poorly stitched together cloth. The best the manticore could surmise was that this creature was a wingless, bipedal dragon. It sniffed the air, the smell of decay was definitely coming from this dragon. More specifically, its mouth. The new adversary was still alive, the slow rise and fall of its chest was evident of that. Smirking, the manticore raised its tail into the air. Ready to inject venom into its prey, the manticore failed to notice the foreign creature beginning to stir. As it slammed its tail's fine point, the manticore congratulated itself for its easy kill. When it attempted to remove its tail it was surprised to find that it wouldn't budge. The manticore looked back down at its tail. A pair of scaly hands wrapped around the end of its tail. The hands moved the tail, revealing a pair of cold yellow eyes. Roaring, Croc lifted the beast high into the air by its tail. He threw the creature with all of his might, slamming it into a tree. Standing back up, it flapped its wings to gain a quick burst of speed. Croc barely dodged the beast's claws. He stepped back as the winged lion/scorpion hybrid continued to swipe its razor sharp claws. It finally landed a hit across Croc's chest, but to the manticore's surprise it could barely pierce the thick scales. Smirking, Croc released a right jab across its jaw. The manticore growled in rage, that wingless dragon was mocking it. The manticore roared as it pounced onto Croc. It dug its claws into his scales, latching on. Its tail's poison tip was aimed at Croc's neck, but he managed to grab it before it pierced his flesh. Grunting with effort, Croc lifted up the manticore high above his head and slammed it onto the ground. As it tried to crawl away, the manticore was pinned to the ground by Croc's foot. Croc's fingers wrapped around its tail, and with all his might he tore off the manticore's tail. Roaring in pain, the manticore wrestled against Croc's strong grip. Without even trying, Croc ripped off one of its wings. He released it and laughed as he watched it crawl away. The manticore couldn't believe what was happening, how quickly the tables turned on it. How fast the once fierce predator became the prey. Croc stomped towards the beast, writhing in agony. Croc chuckled darkly, “Time for breakfast.” A group of six colorful ponies marched through the woods, four kept to the ground, one was flying, and the other was monotonously bouncing humming a happy tune to herself. “Oh why is that every time Princess Celestia requests our aid it is always in the Everfree,” Rarity complained, grimacing as she stepped into a mud puddle. “Rather be at the spa relaxing than doing any heavy lifting right?” Applejack smirking playfully. “No! Just a change of scenery would be nice,” Rarity half lied. “Maybe it likes chocolate!” Pinkie appearing between Rarity and Applejack, despite being in front of them a second ago. “Why the hay would you think that?” Applejack inquired. “Cause everypony likes chocolate silly!” Pinkie simply answered. “I think we should refrain from party planning until after we find out this creatures intentions,” Twilight said. “Whatever its intentions are it better not plan on causing any problems for Equestria or else it'll have to deal with me!” Rainbow Dash boasted, puffing out her chest. “If he tries anything I'll give 'em the ol' one-two!” Fluttershy remained silent which was nothing particularly odd. She was always a quiet pony and the looming threat of the Everfree wasn't helping. But this time, Fluttershy was cluttered with thoughts of the oncoming threat. She observed the banter of her closest friends. Judging by Twilight's explanation, none of them knew about the monster's presence prior to Celestia's message. “Why could I sense it while my friends could not?” has plagued her mind since she entered the forest. “Oh my goodness!” Fluttershy was brought out of her thoughts, her attention shifted to her surroundings. She gasped as her eyes came across the butchered corpse of a manticore. At least she thought it was a manticore. She ran to its body, inspecting the damage. The beast had a huge chunk taken out of its side, massive teeth marks were imbedded into its side. It was missing a wing and its tail, the latter laying on the other side of the clearing. Fluttershy wimpered, trying not to cry as her friends surrounded her. They knew her love of animals is strong and hated to see them in pain. But this was a massacre. “Are ya gonna be alright, sugarcube?” Applejack asked concerned. “If we want to stop anymore unnecessary deaths than we need to hurry and find that thing.” Twilight stated, catching everyponies attention. Fluttershy sniffed, wiping away any remaining tears from her eyes and nodded. “I-I'm a-alright righ-” Clang Clang Clang The group perked their ears. “The heck was that?” Rainbow asked. “Morse code?” Pinkie guessed as she hit a tree, making a 'clop' sound that matched the rhythm of the clanging. “Whatever it is we should check it out,” Twilight said, running deeper into the forest before her friends respond. “Hold on, shouldn't we make a plan first?” Applejack said trying to catch up to the alicorn. “Buck that!” Rainbow laughed as she flew next to Applejack. Pinkie giggled as she kept bouncing, easily keeping up with the others. Fluttershy and Rarity were father back, having trouble keeping up. “Darling, could you please slow doooowwwnnn!” Rarity collapsed to the ground, tripping over something. “Oh Rarity, are you alright?” Fluttershy asked, checking Rarity for any injuries. Rarity got back onto her hooves and regained her composure. “Thank you Fluttershy, I must have just tripped over somethi-aaaauuugh!” Right behind her, laying on the ground was the skeletal remains of a wing. “Ew ew ew ew ew ew EW! I can't believe I touched that!” Rarity screamed in horror. “What's wrong?” Twilight asked, luckily the rest of the group weren't ahead too far. “I th-think i-it's the r-rest of the m-manticore's wing,” Fluttershy shook as she stepped away from the appendage. “Whoa, the bone looks completely picked clean!” “Come on, we have to hurry!” Twilight yelled as she and the rest picked up their pace. “Son of a BITCH!” A scaly behemoth slammed into a tree, his hands wrapped around its metal color. He convulsed as he attempted to rip the offending contraption from his neck. Slamming into another tree, it collapsed to the ground due to his might. His eyes were darting side to side frantically. His mind was racing, thinking of ways to get the collar off. He spotted a massive boulder, an idea quickly formed in his head. Kneeling, he got into a sprinting position. With a surprising burst of speed, he hit the boulder neck first. It hurt like a bitch and left a huge crack in massive rock. He repeatedly rammed his neck into the bolder, a loud clang kept reverberated off the rock. One final powerful clang later and the collar fell apart as well as the bolder. Killer Croc was finally free. Laughing to himself, Croc walked in a random direction to search for civilization. Suddenly an ear piercing and whiny scream flooded his ear drums. Croc clutched his abused ears and growled to himself. Sniffing the air he was bombarded by a group of scents. One scent reminded him of dusty old books, while another of apples. His nostrils contorted in agony as he smelled something akin hot pepper and sweat, a combination he did not care for. Next he nearly gagged when he smelled layer after layer of expensive perfume and make up. The next just left him disgusted, it was sweet, too sweet if it was possible. He felt like he was getting diabetes just by smelling this thing. The last one, he had mixed feelings to. It was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. It had a simple scent, vanilla and pine. Odd combination, reminded him of nature. Whatever these creatures were, they were coming closer. He used the shadows of the forest due to there not being much to hide someone of his size. His plan went as such: demand them to tell him where he can find civilization. If they are uncooperative, force the information out of them then kill them. If they comply, kill them anyway. No witnesses. And maybe take one of them as a snack for the road. The sick chuckle died in his throat when his prey finally revealed themselves. Now Killer Croc has seen some weird things in his life, especially living in Gotham City. But this had to take the cake. The creatures looked like a bunch of genetic experiments gone wrong. A group of six technicolor ponies with misshaped heads, large eyes, horns, wings, and one with both walked over to the previously intact boulder. But what surprised him even more was that one of them started to talk. “This is where I heard the noise, but nothing is here,” said the pony with both wings and a horn, inspecting the area. “What's this thing,” Applejack said, picking up a metal object off the ground. “Ooh is it a necklace?” Pinkie asked grabbing the object and wrapping it around her neck. It didn't stay on for long as it slid off her neck. “Aww it's broken.” “Just leave it Pinkie. It looks absolutely atrocious,” Rarity said as she eyed the object. “It looks more like a collar than a necklace. That must have been what we heard, an animal was probably trying to get it off.” Twilight said inspecting the broken collar. “Fluttershy do you think you could track the creature?” All eyes fell on the shy mare, but she was facing away from them and into the forest. She was violently trembling as she looked wide eyed into the darkness before her. “Hey Shy, what's the matter?” Rainbow asked. “I-it's still h-here.”
