Equestria's Kishin

It was getting dark, and Maka was getting worried. They had been wandering in the Everfree Forest for hours, and the dimming light was making it harder to find Black Star. In addition, Twilight insisted that the group remain quiet so not to disturb any of the dangerous creatures that dwelt there, so they couldn't call out his name.

"I sure hope he wasn't attacked by anything," whispered Twilight.

"Black Star is tougher than he looks, he'll be fine," Maka responded.

"I hope you're right, because manticores and chimeras are nothing to sneeze at," Twilight said nervously. They continued to quietly make their way through the brush and leaves.

Black Star was curled up on a tree branch. After running into the forest, he practiced his flying for a while, and once he achieved a decent method of flying, he decided to take a break. Needless to say he was still upset that Rainbow Zoom (or whatever her name was) insulted his flying. He was a good flyer, and besides, she had no right to make him feel small since he was still adjusting to his new form, and new wings. That dumb blue pony thinks she's better than me, he thought as he let out an irritated huff. Well, I'll show her who's the biggest guy around here. He then heard voices from below him.

"Look, there he is!" exclaimed Maka.

"Thank goodness, "Tsubaki said, relieved. "Black Star, we've been looking for you forever. Why did you stay here all afternoon? We were all getting worried." He turned his head when he heard Tsubaki's voice, and responded.

"Cuz I'm the biggest guy around here! I can do what I want." His voice still sounded as frustrated as he was earlier.

"Black Star, we get it, you're mad, but we have to go back to Ponyville now," stated Death the Kid. "You never know what kind of predators you can find here at this time of night."

"Actually, I do know," Twilight said as she turned to face Death the Kid. "There's the manticore, cockatrice, Ursa Minor, Ursa Major, parasprites,--"

"We get the idea," Rainbow interrupted. "But Twilight's point was," she directed her speech at Black Star, "we don't want to run into any trouble on the way home. Are you seriously still upset because I told you that you needed a little flying practice?"

"For your information, I can fly perfectly fine!" yelled Black Star, as he flew straight down from the tree to prove it. His nose was pressed against Rainbow's and he angrily glared into her eyes. "I don't need some dumb rainbow pegasus to tell me what I'm good at or not!"

"Black Star, keep your voice down!" Tsubaki whispered to him cautiously. "Please, we don't want to encounter anything dangerous!"

Rainbow glared straight back at Black Star. "Who are you calling dumb, loser?"

"Please, you two, you need to stop fighting!" Twilight said, panicking. Their foreheads were pressed together hard, each trying to push the other off of their hooves.

"You think you're so great?! You're nothing but a girl with an ego that's too big for her weak little talents!" Rainbow Dash was more furious than ever before. He face was almost bright red, and there was steam coming out of her nose with each breath.

"That's it!" she yelled as she swung her front hoof at his jaw. Before it could make impact with his face, Twilight had pulled them apart with her magic. No matter how desperately they struggled to throw a punch at the other, Twilight's levitation spell was too powerful.

"You two, cut it out! Your yelling could awaken dangerous animals! Did you two ever consider how your actions could be threatening the safety of everypony else around you?" Rainbow relaxed, and hung her head low.

"You're right Twilight. I wasn't thinking. I'm sorr--" her speech was interrupted by a loud, menacing screech. The trees around them shook, and Twilight accidentally dropped both Rainbow Dash and Black Star. The ground shuddered violently.

"What is that?!" exclaimed Maka.

"I...I don't know!" Twilight began to panick. "I thought I knew about all the creatures in the Everfree Forest! But I've never heard anything like that in here before! Oh, what do we do?" She had collapsed to the ground and held her hooves over her head.

"Whatever it is, it sounds like we don't want to run into it." Death the Kid seemingly took charge, since Twilight was panicking on the ground. Being more familiar with encountering threatening beings, Kid was a little more calm than Twilight. "Let's go! Hurry!" he exclaimed. Maka helped Twilight back on her hooves, and the group took off back towards Ponyville at full gallop, except for Rainbow Dash and Black Star, who were flying. They ran for a few minutes, but hadn't heard any more sounds, or seen anything at all.

"Is it gone?" Tsubaki asked.

"It would appear so," Death the Kid replied. "A bit strange that we were able to lose such a large creature so easily, though." He paused for a few moments, as if taking in his surroundings to check for any more danger. "Come on," he finally said after a minute of silence. "Let's head home." He began to walk casually forward.

Screeeeeeech! A large, worm-like monster sprung up from the dirt path just inches in front of where Death the Kid was walking, causing him to jump backwards.

"The tatzlwurm?!" Twilight shrieked. She recognized the beast from the end of Equestria, where Discord had once led her and Cadance to retrieve a magical flower. "But, what is it doing in the Everfree Forest?!"

"Ugh, where's Soul when I need him?" Maka yelled. Tsubaki was frantically looking around for Black Star, who had flown ahead with Rainbow Dash. Neither of the two pegasi were anywhere to be seen. Maka, Kid, and Tsubaki were partnerless. The snake-like beast that squirmed before them screeched again and bore its tentacles from its mouth, which seemed to open in three sections, and it dove towards the group of ponies. Twilight, seeing her friends in danger, leaped in front of the monster and emitted a beam of pink energy from her horn straight into its open mouth. The tatzlwurm writhed in agony from the shock of Twilight's magic. Twilight turned her head back towards her friends.

"Go!" she yelled at them. "Get out of here! I think I can take it!" She flew up high, and shot another two beams down on the monster's neck and head. She had battled the tatzlwurm before, but she had Cadance to help her last time. Twilight was alone with her magic, especially since Maka and Death the Kid hadn't developed their magic enough to cause any significant damage. She could feel herself growing tired with every beam she shot at the beast, and the exhaustion grew as she dodged its attacks every moment. Her bones were weak, her muscles were sore. She pushed herself harder, flying stronger and gathering every bit of energy left that she possessed for magic. I have to save my friends, she thought. Twilight's beams were becoming mere spurts of pink sparks, and her wings were giving out. No no no no! This can't be happening! Her body collapsed with exhaustion, and she began to fall from the air. Her panicking only made it worse, and her wings snapped to her sides. As she braced herself for impact with the hard ground, she felt herself suddenly change direction.

She wasn't falling down, but moving forward again! Twilight looked below her to see Rainbow Dash, flying her to safety.

"Gotcha!" Rainbow exclaimed. She set her down on the grass beside the path, a safe distance away from the monster. Before Twilight could say anything in protest, Rainbow Dash was flying at full speed towards the tatzlwurm

"Take...that!" she yelled as she threw her hoof at the monster's head, resulting in an agonized screech from the beast. Another pegasus flew to the other side of the tatzlwurm and kicked it hard with his back hoof. Rainbow Dash and Black Star were punching and kicking at the beast with all of their might, releasing from their lungs passionate battle cries. The two pegasi, whom, minutes ago, were quarreling with each other in despise for one another, were now fighting together to take down a ferocious tatzlwurm. Twilight was so amazed to see them fighting together that she almost didn't see the beast retreat into the hole it had sprung from, covered in bruises and hoofprints from all the hits it had taken. Rainbow Dash flew straight up above the hole, almost until she touched the clouds. She paused to change direction, the dove downwards, one hoof out in front of her, her velocity increasing dramatically. Twilight covered her ears, preparing for impact.

Boom! The ground shook, and as she turned around to see the damage done, there was a rainbow mushroom cloud above where the impact had happened. As the dust from the dirt was carried away by a faint breeze, Rainbow Dash emerged, looking prouder than ever. She approached Twilight.

"Now, that is how you defeat a giant raging worm monster!" Rainbow laughed with pride. "Come on, Twilight, let's go back to Ponyville."

Black Star flew over to join them, wearing the same boastful look that Rainbow wore.