It was very peaceful in Equestria as the earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi were enjoying their time in Ponyville, doing their usual stuff on such a fine day. The winds were cool and clouds lazily floated in the calm, blue sky. Truly, a day like this can’t be ruined. That is, until….
“Monster!” a random voice shouted in the distance, catching half of the resident’s attention, making them magnetize their eyes at the entrance at a path with a bridge over a creek that lead to the Everfree forest. Few ponies took a few steps until a unicorn with bright blue fur and a silver mane and tail barreled out of the forest, having cuts and bruises all over his body.
“Monster, monster” He shouted in a terrified tone, blood dripping behind him.
Everyone looked at each other confused at what the stallion was saying as more ponies joined the crowd because of the commotion, but they all looked back at their fellow ponyvilian as he approached the confused crowd and stopped a few feet in front of them, panting with his head hung down.
The stallion had the look of fear on his face; his irises penny-sized. His breathing sounded heavy, as if he was running away from something; running for his life. He craned his head up saying, “Don’t go in the forest” before collapsing and fainting from shock and exhaustion. Few ponies ran over to the fainted unicorn, while others gasped in shock.
“Quick, somepony get Dr. Silver Feather” Cheerilee said as she and another earth pony carefully held the blue unicorn’s arms around their shoulders.
One of the ponies (a Pegasus) rushed over to try and get Dr. Silver Feather.
“What just happened?” asked a by-standing yellow earth pony.
“I have now idea.” a neon purple unicorn next to her replied with a confused tone.
“What did he mean by monster?” a red-orange stallion asked with an eye brow raised.
Everypony kept on mumbling and asking unanswered questions about what the unicorn, Pokey Pierce, was talking about. Paramedics arrived minutes later and carefully lifted the unconscious Pokey and placed him on a soft roller and rushed him to the hospital.
Few of the residents were still confused as to what just happened. Other ponies wondered if their friend will be alright. They soon ignored it and went on with their day, letting that event slip their shoulders.
~Two weeks since that event~
The Cutiemark Crusaders Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were on their way to the cottontail forest to play catch, but Sweetie Belle thought that something wasn’t quite right when they arrived.
“Hey Applebloom, Scootaloo?” Sweetie belle called out, walking behind the two other fillies.
“Yeah, Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo looked back at her friend, along with Applebloom.
“Doesn’t it seem a little quiet to you?” Sweetie belle asked, getting an uneasy feeling as they walked further down the dirt path.
“What do you mean Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo cocked an eyebrow. “All forests are quiet.”
“Actually, now that ya’ mention it, it does seem quiet around here. Too quiet, in fact” Applebloom thought, looking straight ahead while trying to hear any noise.
“Hey!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Didn’t some unicorn come through here a few weeks ago and shout out monster?” she asked, remembering the stories she her from other ponies.
“I think so. I remember overhearing someone mention somethin’ about that, but it was the Everfree forest, not here” Applebloom recalled.
“I hope that monster still isn’t around here. I’d hate to run into it” Sweetie belle gulped.
“Well I do. I want to see what this monster is, if it’s still around” Scootaloo smiled in determination, looking at Applebloom.
“I agree with Sweetie belle. I also remember hearing about how he had cuts and bruises all over his body”.
“Pfft, I’m not scared.” Scootaloo bragged. “I mean no creature can attack anything unless provoked, right?”
“Ya’ might be right” Applebloom nodded, agreeing to what Scootaloo was saying
“What do you think Sweetie belle? …Sweetie Belle?”
“Sweetie Belle?” Applebloom called out.
Both Scootaloo and Applebloom looked back and saw her standing still looking down at the ground with a frightened look on her face.
“What are you looking at Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked confused.
Sweetie belle didn’t say a word. She continued to stare at whatever was on the ground. Applebloom and Scootaloo looked at each other before walking over to Sweetie belle to see what she was looking at. But when they got close to Sweetie Belle, they looked down and had the same expressions on their faces.
“What is that?” Applebloom asked in a surprised tone.
“It looks like a footprint?” Scootaloo tilted her head with an eyebrow raise, confused as to what made that oddly shaped footprint.
“An animal with two toes?” Applebloom described. “I’ve never seen anythin’ like this before” Applebloom said, surprised.
“Me either.” Scootaloo said. “Think we should get Fluttershy to look at this?” she asked, looking at Applebloom, only for her to shrug.
“I think we should go, girls” Sweetie Belle said in a frightened tone. “M-maybe this could be the monster’s footprint”
“Don’t be a silly filly, Sweetie belle” Scootaloo smirked. “Monsters are supposed to be big and vicious, like dragons and Hydras. This footprint is too small; there’s no way something that small could be a monster”
“You’re probably right Scootaloo” Applebloom said, agreeing with Scootaloo.
“I guess so.” Sweetie belle said, still unsure about that.
“Come on, the field isn’t that far!” Scootaloo said, smiling with excitement.
“Ok!” both Sweetie belle and Applebloom said, excited as well.
The Cutiemark Crusaders continued their walk down towards a field they played catch for a while in. When they arrived, a loud cackling roar echoed across the field, making the three fillies stop dead in their tracks.
“What was that?!” Sweetie belle exclaimed, crouched down in fear.
“I don’t know, but whatever it was it didn’t sound friendly” Applebloom said, eyes widened and shaking in fear.
“Well whatever that was it’s not around here, so I think were safe.” Scootaloo looking back at her friends, oblivious to the roar and stubbornly ignored it. “Come on, let’s go play” Scootaloo smiled.
Suddenly, a figure, four times bigger than the fillies, appeared out of nowhere and landed behind Scootaloo, crouching down yet shadowing her whole body. It slowly rose to its full height, looking down at the frightened fillies.
Sweetie belle and Applebloom startled and widen their eyes in sheer fright while Scootaloo slowly turned her head and widened her eyes, shocked and scared to see what was in front of her; her irises shrinking to pebble size from sheer horror.
The creature had four sharp nails on each hand, having its arms slightly folded. Sweetie Belle slowly looked down at the creature’s feet, seeing them matching the footprint they saw earlier; two toes and a long curved hook-like claw. Applebloom could take her horrified eyes away from its snake-like eyes. The creature slowly opened its mouth letting out a soft hiss and showing the fillies its two rows of dagger-like teeth. Scootaloo turned around and got a clear view of the nightmare in front of her: bipedal and lizard-esque in appearance.
The Cutiemark Crusaders slowly backed away as the creature looked them and drooled, thinking of them as an all you can eat buffet.
“Mon...Mon….” Sweetie belle choked on her voice as she looked at the unknown creature in its cold, blood thirsty eyes.
It was quiet for about a few minutes, almost like time has stopped completely, until the creature unleashed a bloodcurdling cackle-like roar.
“Monster!” shouted the Crusaders.
The creature gave out another cackle-like roar, but Scootaloo and the others quickly U-turned and ran for their lives. The lizard-like creature, however, gave chase, running after The Cutiemark Crusaders.
The CMC ran as fast as possible, but the monster ganged up on them fast. As they ran, luck was on their side in the form of a small tree root up ahead sticking out of the ground in a slightly curved shape. Applebloom quickly got an idea as run towards the root. However, the creature was already upon them, snapping its jaws at Scootaloo’s tail. They ran up to the branch and jumped over it. To their luck, the lizard-like creature fell for the trap and caught its foot under the branch, tripping and falling to the ground with a thud. Applebloom quickly looked back to see the trap was a success. She sighed in relief as she and her friends continued to run away from the reptilian creature.
The ran a good mile away from the monster, but it didn’t take long for it to spring back on its clawed feet and give chase again, roaring in anger.
As they approached a clearing, Scootaloo shouted “Applebloom there’s Sweet Apple Acre!”
Applebloom turns her head and sees Sweet Apple Acre, then sighs in relief, again. She looked at the farm and inhaled before shouting “Applejack!” her very loudest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In Sweet Apple Acre, Applejack and Big Macintosh were gathering apples for an apple eating contest in two days. Applejack smiled as she placed a bucket full of apples down near the apple cart. She craned her head up, looking at the bucket before hearing something call her name.
Applejack’s ear twitched, “What in tarnation?”
“What is it, sis?” Big Macintosh asked.
“I don’t know? I thought I heard somthin’ call my name” Applejack raised a brow before shrugging it off as if it was all in her head, until she heard “Applejack!”, again; she wasn’t imagining it this time.
Applejack and Big Macintosh turned around and eyed the entrance of Sweet Apple Acre, until the call grew louder into a familiar voice. “Applejack”
“Applebloom?” Applejack guessed right as Applebloom and the others ran towards the entrance as fast as possible, passing the gate.
“Applebloom, what’s wrong? What are ya running like a….” Applejack was quickly cut off when an unknown animal jumped in the air and landed near the gate, running after Applebloom and her friends.
“What in all of Equestria is that thing?!” Applejack shouted in shock, eyes widened in surprised, with Big Mac also giving the same look as well, standing next to his sister.
Applebloom and the others ran up to Applejack and Big Macintosh then ran behind them while the creature stops and glares at them, letting out a creepy, chittering cackle.
“Applebloom, what the hay is this thing?” Applejack asked, whispering to her while she was behind her right back leg.
“I don’t know. It appeared out of nowhere and tried to eat us.” Applebloom said, shaking a little.
Applejack zipped her head and glared at the lizard-like creature with a stern, anger look. While the beast returned the favor.
“Big Mac, take the fillies and get in the barn. Granny Smith should be in there, too” Applejack commanded, determined to get back at this thing.
“What about you, Applejack?” Big Macintosh asked.
“I’m going to teach this thing a lesson on what happens when you mess with one of the Apple family.” Applejack continued to give a stern look at the creature. “No one attacks our little sister and her friends and gets away with” Applejack boldly took two steps, showing no fear.
“Alright then, Aj. Be careful.” Big Mac said before escorting the fillies into the barn.
“Good luck Applejack” Applebloom said, looking back at her older sister.
Applejack nodded and gave a ‘don’t worry’ smile to her.
Once that barn door closed, AJ glared daggers at the creature; the fight was on.
“Alright, ya freak of nature you attacked sister and her friends. You’re going to pay” Applejack shift her hat up a bit, letting the beast know she meant business.
The creature flexed its claws and roared out an echoing cackle across Sweet Apple Acres.
“You’re itchin’ for a fight already?” Applejack smiled, accepting the monster’s challenge. “Then bring it, ya pile of reptile vomit!” Applejack insulted it.
The wind was blowing through the area as the lizard-like creature and Applejack glared at each other for a moment, until the beast roared and charged at Applejack, while Applejack galloped at the creature.
Applejack tried to attack first, but the creature was a fraction of a second faster and swung its sharp claws at her, but thankfully she saw the claw coming and dodged it, ducking down. The creature tried to attack again by lashing out with its jaws, but Applejack sprang up and uppercuts the reptilian beast in the lower jaw, shutting its mouth, hard.
The creature took two steps back and shook its head to lighten the pain, then comes back and snapped its jaw at Applejack, again, but she swiftly dodges, jumping out the way and avoiding the creature’s dagger teeth. As she landed, she stood on her front hooves and kicks the creature in the side of the face, both back hooves hitting its mark with perfect accuracy and timing.
The monster staggered away from its opponent, stunned from its surprisingly strong legs and from the whiplash it received from it.
Applejack stood on all fours and looked back at the creature before getting a risky idea. She looked around to try and fine her lasso, but she couldn’t find it anywhere.
The creature shook its head, regaining its equilibrium and spotted Applejack, distracted. The beast took the opportunity and made a dash for Applejack. Applejack noticed the creature coming and dashed after it, thinking maybe she could use that tactic again to buy her more time. What she didn’t expect was to see the lizard beast jump over and land behind her. Applejack quickly turned around but is suddenly whipped in the face by an oncoming tail from the creature, catching her off-guard and knocking her to the ground.
The creature turned around and walked towards Applejack with drool coming out of its mouth, ready for the kill. It walks closer and closer to the downed mare.
The creature stopped inches away from Applejack and leaned its head forward, opening its mouth to bite down on her jugular vein, but Applejack possomed the beast and quickly sprang up, landing a jab in the creature’s eye, rewarding her with a roar of pain. Her trap was a success. The creature backed away from Applejack and grabbed its eye.
Meanwhile in the barn, Big Macintosh and the fillies watched outside of the barn window, wanting to know what was going on and who was wining.
“Is she winning?” Sweetie belle asked.
“I don’t know.” Scootaloo relied, looking at the creature. “But it looks like that thing is hurt pretty badly.”
“Come on Applejack, take that thing down!” Applebloom cheered.
Big Macintosh noticed something was right; AJ didn’t have her lasso. He looked around the barn to see if her lasso was in here, but luck has it when he noticed it was right next to a sleeping Granny Smith rocking in her rocking chair. Big Mac sighed in relief as he approached the lasso and gripped it in his mouth.
Applejack took panted, slightly exhausted, and looked at the creature still howling in pain and grabbing its eye.
“Ok, I’ll admit, you put up quite a good fight” Applejack complemented the beast, only giving it that. But she’s still hell-bent on taking this thing down “Where is that lasso” She thought, taking what time she had left before the creature decided to fight its pain and growled furiously at Applejack, then charging after the orange mare and jumps in the air for an aerial attack.
“Oh geez!” Applejack shouted before quickly jumping out of the way and avoiding the monsters attack. The creature wasn’t done, though. It lands on the ground and swiftly turns around to strike with its claw, but Applejack saw the claw extend near her and leaned her head back, narrowly avoiding contact with the sharp tip of the talon-like claw.
Applejack jumped a few feet away from the creature, getting some distance from it. Enough is enough; Applejack lowered her head and scraped the ground with her hoof. She snorted before charging at the creature at top speed, then, with timing, used her back legs to launch herself at the beast like a pony-sized missile. The creature stood on its side to attack again, but it was too late for it to do anything as an orange mass slammed its head into its side so hard it knocked the reptile off its feet and onto the ground. Applejack landed on her hooves the moment the creature was sent hurtling in the air.
The Cutiemark Crusaders cheered loudly, thinking that their attacker was down and out, but knew all too well that that attack did little damage to the creature’s surprisingly thick scales.
The creature slowly gets back on its feet and looks at Applejack with an animalistic glare, angrier than it was before.
“Phew, ya sure can take a hit, whatever ya’ are” Applejack said, exhaustion growing stronger, yet she was still will to fight back.
The creature flexed its claws and curled its lips, revealing its dagger-like teeth to the southern mare.
“So ya want another round, huh? Fine by me” Applejack snorted, ready for round two.
The creature let out another cackling roar before charging at Applejack, while as Applejack did the same thing, again.
Both combatants continued to charge at one another until the creature lashed out with its jaws, but Applejack ducked out of the way and uppercutted the creature’s lower jaw again, momentarily stunning it. This gave Applejack enough time to get some distances away from the reptile as Big Macintosh kicked open the door.
“Applejack, catch!” Big Macintosh shouted, throwing her lasso at her.
Applejack grabbed her lasso and puts it around her neck. She nodded to Big Mac, thanking him as she glanced back at the monster.
The creature shakes its head and spotted Applejack while growling in rage. It let out a bloodcurdling cackle before charging at Applejack, again. Applejack saw it coming and quickly brought out her lasso, then twirls it around in the air with her tail while waiting for the creature.
While still twirling the lasso, Applejack ran at the creature and, at the right time and using all her strength, jumped over it and used the lasso to wrap around its mouth and clamping it shut.
Applejack landed to the ground and tugged on her lasso, forcing the creature, while still running, to move its head up and lift its body up in the air, dropping on its back.
Taking the opportunity, Applejack quickly ran around the creature and wrapped her lasso around its arms and legs, trapping it to the point it can’t move and attack.
Applejack released her lasso and sighed, “Phew, what a relief”. She looked at the barn and smiled victoriously as the fillies rushed out of the barn and cheered.
“Ya did it, big sis” Applebloom smiled with joy while hugging AJ’s leg.
“I sure did. This thing put up one heck of a fight” Applejack chuckled. “But it should’ve realized that once ya mess with a member of the Apple Family, ya mess with all of us.” She said boldly as she hugged her little sister close
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo carefully approached the unconscious lizard, amazed at its terrifying appearance. Sweetie Belle glanced over at its head, noticing an oddly shaped crown on its head. She tilted her head in confusion, but didn’t really take any time to figure out what it meant. She was just happy this monster is defeated.
“Not so tough now are you!” Scootaloo taunted the unconscious reptile, laughing a little.
“I wouldn’t do that Scootaloo” Sweetie Belle said, trying to stop her.
“No way.” Scootaloo denied. “This thing deserves it after what it tried to do to us” She reminded Sweetie Belle while sticking her tongue out and making faces at it, until the creature’s eye snapped open with a reflection of her on it. Scootaloo yelped as the creature started to struggle and try to free itself from its rope prison.
“It’s awake!” Scootaloo and Sweetie belle shouted.
“Don’t worry sugercube.” Applejack said calmly. “I tied that rope on good and tight. This thing isn’t going anywhere”.
“That’s good” Sweetie belle sighed in relief.
Applejack smiled then glanced back at the reptile creature. Big Macintosh walked beside Applejack and looked at the thing as well.
“What do ya’ think we should do with this thing, AJ?” Big Macintosh asked while looking at the creature.
“I don’t know. If we let it go it might attack us again” Applejack theorized about its actions.
“Do you think anyone in Ponyville might know this critter?”
“Hmm, I think Twilight or Princess Celestia might know what this critter is” Applejack suggested, receiving an agreeing nod from Big Mac. “Let’s go see Twilight, first”
Big Mac nodded again as they walked up to the trapped animal and tried carrying it to a wooden carrier, but it wasn’t being cooperative and continued to struggle.
Big Macintosh lost his patience and bucked the creature in the face with his back hooves, knocking the lizard creature out cold.
“Much obliged, Big Macintosh” Applejack said with gratitude.
“Eeyup” Big Macintosh replied.
Applejack and Big Macintosh carried the unconscious creature and placed it in the wooden carrier. Big Mac then walked in front carrier, letting Applejack hook the leather strap on him. Once that was done, they walk into Ponyville with the beast on the wooden carrier. The Cutiemark Crusader followed shortly after. It didn’t take them long to arrive at the entrance of Ponyville. Hopefully, Twilight or Princess Celestia would be around to help them figure out what this creature is, and what they’re dealing with.
