A Short Tale

Chapter 16: Preparations For Fury

Travian awoke with the bottom of his eyes and a tiny bit of one of his cheeks cold. He checked really quickly to find they were actually wet at some point. That was utterly strange. Mayella awoke shortly after his discovery, breathing heavy and her eyes wide open. He was really wondering about what got her so worked up. "Woah. What's got you all like you've seen a ghost?" He was in slight concern. After all, he would have to travel with this person eventually. He couldn't have this happen every few nights.

She replied with looking at him, and then suddenly being relieved. Travian really didn't know what was her deal today. When Travian checked, it wasn't day. Actually, it was morning, which was incredibly strange for him. "It was nothing... Just..." Her eyes grew larger as she realized something. She then turned her head. "It was nothing." If he was sure of it, he'd say that blue glow in her cheeks was actually a blush of some kind, but maybe it was just him.

"Well alrighty then. I guess I can believe you... For now. I'm gonna go dry my face." He slowly got up, knocking one of Mayella's hooves off of his lap. She stopped him, though.

"Wait... Turn around." He turned around. She observed his face. "Are those... Are those te-"

"One more word. One more and I swear I will do horrid things to you in your sleep." That got her to move into a stead silence.

"... What kind of horrible things?" Mayella was confused on even the simplest things.

"The only way you're going to find out is if you try it, and I don't think you should try it. I can do some pretty horrible things." Mayella was silent, as if contemplating something. She then murmured some sort of agreement, which Travian could hear but wanted to hear her say louder. "What?"

"Um. I said, uh, 'How would I know?' because, you know, uh... How would I, right?" Travian smiled at her horrible attempt to cover it up.

"Right. Totally. Obviously." He made it as obvious as possible that he didn't believe her. "Anyways. Drying off face is number one priority." He turned around and wiped off the enigma that was located near his eyes and cheeks. With his face feeling thoroughly dried, he looked to the morning sky. There was a small bit of smoke coming from a mountain. "Huh."

"What is it, Longshot?" He looked back then pointed at the smoke. "Oh. That might actually be serious."

"And you presume I care about such a thing? Trust me, this smoke means nothing." It was smoke that came from a life form. Virtually, completely harmless. In the mind of a civilian, however, it was a terrible thing that could spell Armageddon. It might have actually been from that huge dragon he saw a some time ago. He turned around with almost complete ambivalence.

"But it's smoke! And where there's smoke, there's fire. Even I know that." That's what they taught each other? Travian thought that was a stupid message.

"Not necessarily. I mean, it could be a smoke monster."

"That's even worse!"

"Your face is worse!" His childish come back actually managed to shock Mayella. Now she was upset.

"Do you really think so? I mean- I can change it, if you want!" He stopped her.

"Whoa. Calm down, please. I didn't mean for you to get so offended. Look," He crouched down and felt the bottom of her head with his index finger and his thumb. "Your pretty little face is perfect just the way it is. It feels nice, it looks nice, and the mind behind it is beautiful."

Travian got his wanted smile from Mayella. Actually, it was more of a surprised face, but it was a happy surprised face. He counted it anyways. "Well... Thank you."

He let his hand fall back down and stood straight up. "You're welcome. Now whadda we do today?" There was some sort of longing expression on Mayella's little fanged face. As if something she always had had gone away with the wind, and she so desperately wanted it back. What a poor little thing.

"I guess... The same as we always do?"

"Try to take over the world?" She stared at him. He stared at her. Then they both started giggling at the absurdity of what he just said. The funniest thing for Travian is that, if he tried, he could actually do it. "I know, I'm ridiculous."

One of the greatest things to see is how Fluttershy feeds the animals every morning. He had not seen it before, and was impressed. She was on her little bridge over the little river, and she brought some fish out. She went under and dropped them for something, he wasn't quite sure. She left them under the bridge, but he never saw anything under the bridge. She then went back to her basket and picked out some worms. She flew the worms over to a tree and fed them to birds. She then flew down to Angel's little rabbit house.

"Not too fast now, Angel Bunny. You don't wanna get a tummy ache." It stopped eating the carrot, only eating the tip of it, and then dropped it. Its attitude was out of control. "You really should eat more than that, don't you think?" He then began running away. Or hopping, or bouncing, or whatever it was rabbits did. She then picked up the carrot and began chasing after it, saying "It's not playtime yet!"

When she caught up to it, it was out of hearing distance. She hadn't actually noticed Travian, but that was probably because he was supposed to be asleep. This meant Mayella could speak now. "That rabbit has got one of the hugest attitudes ever. And when I was a bunny, he started getting this huge ego and saying that he had already been around you dozens of times, avoiding his claws and teeth every time." What a liar! He never attacked the little thing. It wouldn't have been worth his time. "It was so funny watching his jaw drop when I came and sat on your shoulders while you were sleeping. He tried that, but then you woke up. He ran so fast, and I was just laughing."

"You done good. You definitely done good. Hey, you think he's trying to compensate for something?" She giggled. "Or maybe... Maybe he likes you." She continued giggling. He looked back towards Fluttershy, who was trying her hardest to persuade the little thing to eat the carrot. Then he saw the bunny kick the carrot. "Mayella, rabbit now. I'm off to destroy a bunny, and you are gonna watch."

"Wait what?"

"Just do it." She just did it and went on to his shoulders. He walked his way over to the bunny, who was coughing slightly. He could hear Fluttershy again.

"Are you coughing because of the carrot stuck in your throat?" It coughed again. "Because you need some water?" It then coughed like a human for some reason. It then pointed her head upwards, but her view was cut by Travian standing. "Oh! Hi Longshot. Why're you up so early?"

"Because somebunny isn't eating his carrot." He always wanted to say that. Angel face palmed so hard. He then pointed behind Travian.

"Oh wait... Is he talking about that?" He pointed at the black smoke, which rapidly expanded for some reason. Weird.

She gasped. "So you were coughing about that giant cloud of scary black smoke!" Angel threw the carrot at the back of Fluttershy's head. Travian, of course, blocked it. Nobody would lay a finger on his Flutterfinger. "Oh. I'll take that as a yes. Oh no, I have to warn Ponyville!" Travian wasn't gonna help, as he would only attract desperately needed attention.

"You go do that." Fluttershy stayed and looked Travian.

"You could help, you know... I mean, um, if you want to, that is."

"Oh Flutterwry, you are so adorable when you attempt to convince me to do something." Mayella kicked his head. "Stop it, silly! Anyways, I don't wanna. Kay, thanks, bye." He turned his back to Flutter and walked away. If she was a hater, she would most certainly hate. Of course, Mayella was the biggest hater of all time apparently. Well, actually she was second only to Cranelow Sash.

"So she's adorable when she tries to persuade you, but I'm not?" He thought he went over this.

"You're adorable all the time, though. I thought you knew this. Am I considered forgiven now?" She had a thoughtful expression and a hoof to her chin before she said anything.

"I suppose. But don't let me catch you complimenting females again!" Travian thought for a minute.

"So does that include you? And can't you turn into those females to appease me if you really want to that much?" It seemed like she did. He wondered why, though.

"No, that doesn't include me, and... I guess I could. But that's more difficult, and according to you it wouldn't be nearly as attractive." She did a little pose that he just thought was cute. He almost let loose a d'aw.

"Well yeah, that's true. Well... I can think of one exception..."

"And just who would that be?"

"Me. I am the best and most attractive female." He really hoped that she wouldn't take that literally.

"You're a girl?!" She did, causing Travian to sigh.

"No. Look, it was a thing from where I come from. It involves saying 'I am best something' in a joking manner. It's fun, when you get into it." She looked at him for a few seconds.

"So I am best changeling?"

"Stop listing facts! And you are a strangeling, get it right!" A bonk on the back of his head made his day.

Fluttershy returned to the cottage relatively early. "So, how'd it go? Meet any new friends that don't want to destroy me?" She was in a hurry.

"It's a dragon... And I thought you and Rainbow Dash liked each other, or that's what Twilight told me privately to watch out for." She realized her blunder. It was a classic blunder, the most famous of which is 'don't start a land war with space', but the close second is never say what was supposed to be private! Travian started laughing maniacally.

"You fool!" He continued laughing and then stopped. "So a dragon, eh? Maybe I can help."

"Oh no... Well actually, maybe. I dunno, Twilight said something about you probably not wanting to have any part of this. Something about you having to be... Paid?" He was shocked.

"What? Why would she say that? I'd do something like this out of the kindness of my... heart! Yes that one." He forgot he had a heart. He had repressed it for so long, and it almost never helped him. In fact, it mostly ended up hurting him most of the time. "Anyways, I advise we get prepared. Don't want to go without everything I need."

"Good idea..." She turned and began fluttering. She spun her head around at Travian. "Oh... And thanks, Longshot..." He smiled and waved as she went into the cottage. He went over to his pile of things and put on his quiver. He then equipped his bow. He was officially ready. He then remembered one crucial part of his stature. He flipped his hood on, and was officially and totally ready.

After the longest time, Fluttershy came out in some sort of ridiculous armor get up. "Great. Now then," the door closed behind her, causing her to sound out a most adorable terrified sound. "While that was adorable," he saw a bunny give him a bad look. Mayella was getting rather possessive about his compliments. "I believe we are ready to go, so let's go!"

"Um... Let's not..." She then let out a terrified sound.

"Nonsense!" He then smacked Fluttershy's behind to get her up. It worked with regular horses, so he thought that it would work with ponies. Unfortunately, all it caused was some sort of moan. That was strange. "... Okay, let's just go and avoid this conversation."

"Yeah..." He could see the massive blush behind her helmet. "I agree, even if it means having to see a big scary dragon..."

"By the way, you should probably take off all that stuff." She looked at him with an open mouth. "I mean, it's heavy stuff. You wanna fly to avoid the dragon if he's dangerous, right?" She stopped looking so offended and started nodding in agreement. "Good. So take it off." He had to make it sound horrible. Otherwise, it wasn't fun.

He was in the line of ponies, waiting for instruction from the purple one. She was looking over something, and didn't notice him. She then turned around with her eyes closed then begun. "Alright girls," She then opened her eyes, seeing Travian. "And... Apparently Longshot, listen up! I'm mapping out the fastest route, but we've all got to keep up a good pace if we expect to make it up the mountain by nightfall." Fluttershy was horrified at the mention of mountain.

"M-m-mounta-" Travian, however, was having none of that.

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" He saluted.

"The dragon is in that cave at the very top." He didn't mind the distance. He got orders, and that was enough for him to be satisfied. Well... Whether he liked to admit it or not, Mayella made everything better.

"Looks pretty cold up there..." Insubordination was what he spied.

Then the hated spoke out. "You bet it is! The higher-" Travian was having none of that too.

"Insubordination and lowering troop morale! What do you have to say for yourself, you sorry excuse for a winged pony?!" He was now being a drill instructor. How wonderful.

"Um... Wait what?"

"You heard me! Now fall back in line! Twilight, continue please." He fell back in line. She magicked out her map and started examining it. Suddenly, Fluttershy spoke out again.

"Twilight, I know you're busy-" He had to yell at Fluttershy.

"Little miss yellow, I never asked for your opinion. Fall back in line!" Now not once had he ever even attempted to yell at Fluttershy, so this is new. She shook in fear at the power of his voice. She didn't move. "What did I say, private?! What, do you have something you wanna say?!"

She made a sound that sounded like eep, and Travian received dirty looks from most of the ponies. "I just wanted to know if I can stay in Ponyville!" She was talking really fast.

"Why don't you take that up with Twilight, then?" His voice returned to normal. He received a few strange looks from the ponies. "What?" Fluttershy, however, took his advice.

"So Twilight, I kind of, sorta, want to.. Um... Stay in Ponyville..." Twilight was very absorbed in her map.

"Uh huh."

"Oh thank you Twilight! I'll just stay here and-" Twilight realized what she just said and turned her head to Fluttershy.

"Wait! You have to come!" She turned her head back to the map. "Your way with wild animals will surely come in handy." She did have that skill.

"I don't think I-" Twilight felt like interrupting today.

"Oh, and don't worry about your friends in the meadow. Spike's got it covered while you're gone." There was the dragon, surrounded by woodland creatures. Two bunnies were on top of his head.

"You can count on me!" Suddenly, Angel thumped his head multitudes of times, causing Spike to drop all the animals. He noted that one of the rabbits came bursting towards Travian immediately. "Hey! Hey! Wait!" Mayella secured her position on Travian's shoulder.

Fluttershy responded again. "I don't think he's up to the task. Maybe- But... But!" She made that adorable little noise she makes when she's scared. Pinkie Pie got out a balloon for some inexplicable reason. The unnameable one began speaking to Twilight in secret. This allowed ample time for Travian to talk with Mayella.

"So... You aren't coming with me." Her mouth turned into a frown. "Sucks, I know, but you're gonna have to deal with it. But hey! Look on the bright side! You can manage the place with Spike!" She frowned even more. "Just deal with it, alright? I'll be back before you can say... Well actually, you can probably say anything before I'm back. Oh well, I tried." She got off his shoulder and started bouncing away. Oh how he loved to see the fine fine ladies bounce.

He noticed Fluttershy being scared of her own shadow and jumping into a bush. That got a chuckle out of him. "Alright girls!" Pinkie's balloon deflated. "Move out!" They all headed together towards the mountain for glory and dragons! Unfortunately, a Flutterblock was blocking the road, so they picked her up and dragged her off with them.