Monster-Bumps 2: Dead and Dazzling

Twilight hadn’t stopped running since she and Spike narrowly escaped the malevolent pumpkin’s grasp nor had she looked back to see if it was still giving chase after her. All that ran through her mind at the moment, all she could bring herself to do was run, faster and faster. Her breathing was elevated and her heart thudded in her chest, fearful that the monster may have followed her.

Spike looked up at the running, panting Twilight, “You can stop running now, Twilight,” He looked back one last time to make sure the Jack O' lanterns weren't after them. No one was chasing them, making him internally sigh in relief, “He’s not after us.”

Twilight finally stopped, breathing heavily. She placed her hands on her knees, bending over a little as she attempted to catch her breath. Spike’s fearful expression had grown into a small smile.

“We did it, Twilight! We escaped those monsters!” He cheered happily. Then, his happy expression turned to one of realization as he noticed the magic tracker gone, not hung securely around Twilight’s neck. “Your magic tracking thing!” He pointed to her neck with a paw. “It’s gone!”

Twilight’s eyes widened in fear. She felt her neck for it, then looked down at herself. There was no device around her neck or around them on the sidewalk they had stopped on. “I must’ve dropped it when those things tackled me to the ground!” She exclaimed, frantically searching the surrounding area for it.

“We need to hurry and tell the others, they’ll be able to help us,” Spike said, pointing down the street towards Pinkie’s  house.

Twilight nodded her head, pulling herself together. “You’re right Spike. We need our friends help with this.”

The duo continued down the street until they came up to Pinkie’s house. Immediately, both Twilight and Spike knew something was wrong. The front door was wide open as if her friends were inviting strangers off the street to come on in. Twilight and Spike exchanged worried glances before rushing into the house.

The science lover burst into the house, her heart skipping a beat. Upon entering, Twi saw wood chunks scattered all over the kitchen floor. “Girls!” She called, knowing full well no one would answer her back, "Sunset? Rarity? Pinkie? Rainbow?" She called out, no reply.

Spike came in after Twilight, “What happened here?!” He asked in alarm, looking at Twi with a mixture of worry and fear evident in his eyes.

Twilight shook her head, “I don’t know Spike, but it can’t be good with those monsters on the loose.”

Both their heads turned to the stairs leading to Pinkie’s room. They quickly darted up them as fast as they could move. Twilight bursted into Pinkie’s room. It was empty, silent, and had further evidence something had in fact happened to her beloved friends. Glass littered the floor by Pinkie’s bed. A rock lay a few feet from it.

"They're gone." Twilight said softly, her eyes widened in horror.

“Then we have to warn Ralph and Aiden!” Spike said, tugging at Twilight’s extra long socks with his paw.

Twilight just stared across the street in wide eyed horror. Something had happened to her friends and she didn’t know what nor where they were if they were even still alive.

“Twilight!” Spike called up to her.

She brought herself to nod, “Y-yeah. We need to warn the Shiverribas!” She said as her gazed went down to her beloved doggie.

Aiden waited patiently in the dining room, sitting anxiously infront of the table. Her meal was already cold, but she didn't seem to care as she stared contonuously at the empty chair where Ralph usually sat. Silence hung over the room as it permeated throughout the whole house. Another moment of silence flew as Aiden continued to stare at the chair somberly. She already made Ralph's favorite, spaghetti and meatballs. But no Ralph.

"Where is he?" She muttered under her breath anxiously awaiting her brothers arrival.

It shouldn't take him that long. Ralph knew the path back home, he should've been here hours ago. At first she assumed he was with the Rainbooms, hanging out. But why didn't he call and tell her about it. There would only two sole reasons. He either forgot, or something here is not right. Either way Aiden had tried to call both the Rainbooms and her brother. No reply.

Aiden was quickly beginning to grow more nervous as to what's going on. She narrowed her eyes and stood up from the table determined to see where her brother went. She grabbed the car keys from the key hook and departed towards one of the Rainbooms house.

She just hoped nothing dire was occurring.

Twilight pounded frantically on the door of the Shiverriba’s home. Spike pawed at the door attempting to help his friend and owner get one of the Shiverribas attention. Their efforts proved utterly fruitless.

Glancing to the driveway, the science lover noticed Aiden’s car was gone. She continued to pound on the door for a few moments. They both stopped at the same time, hanging their heads in defeat.

“I guess they’re not home.” Spike said, glancing up at Twilight.

She nodded, sighing, “Yeah, I guess not.” Then, she raised her fist in determination. “Our friends are in trouble, monsters are loose in our town. Come on Spike,” She said walking down the steps towards the sidewalk. Spike followed. “We have to find Aiden or Ralph, there's no time to lose!” With that, they both started on their journey to find the Shiverribas and warn them of the impending doom ready to plague their town once more.

Aiden grumbled she had visited the last three of the Rainbooms house: AppleJack, Fluttershy, and Rairty. Their parents all told her the same thing: they were gone. She doubted she would have any luck in any of the other homes. She tried calling each of the Rainbooms seperately. All going to voicemail. Aiden wasn't deterred from seeking her brother.

Where was he?

She then saw a sign for the upcoming food store. She had already been nearly all over across town calling his name. That was her next stop. Maybe they have seen him.

Ralph and Elipstle recounted their personal stories and had listened for the past hour. The rain has subsided before eventually water stopped, now there was nothing but puddles outside, but the gloomy atmosphere from before still hung over their heads as each of them spun a tale of sorrow. Elipstle was vague in his story, but he told Ralph how he was mistreated and misunderstood by others as he only seeked to write stories. But no matter where he traveled everyone refused to read his literature. Through his story he explained he was Satyr, a mythical beast that is half man and half goat. Though he refrained from revealing his true form and visage. Ralph respected his decision and decided not to inquire further.

"Where did you say you were from again?" Ralph asked, slumped against the interior of the lorry.

Elipstle seemed hesitant for a few moments, but after being continually stared by Ralph. He spoke softly at the smaller boy, being sure to be discrete as possible.

"Farther than you have ever traveled."

That still didn't narrow it down for Ralph, but he decided it was another personal matter that Elipstle didn't want to discuss further. An hour had past them and Ralph told him the tale from what happened six months ago. And about his monsters, this seemed to intrigue Elipstle. Especially the part of the pen which was the instrument used to create such horrific creatures.

"Tell me Ralph," he said slowly, "How long were you in possession of this pen?"

Ralph contemplated it over for about ten seconds glancing upwards, remembering, "Ever since I was eight, I just thought it was an ordinary pen at the time. Four years ago is when I started writing, I used it to deal with being alone."

"And your sister?" Elipstle inquired.

"Well she was alway there for me, she didn't know about it until three years ago. And she didn't tell mom and dad about it when she found out." Ralph paused for a moment thinking about all the time his sister supported him or comforted him when he was alone. When he was loner, even now. He didn't realize how lucky he was to have a sister that was special as her.

Another moment of silence passed between the human and saytr as they sat there in the lorry, mulling over their life. After a long pause of silence Elipstle finally spoke up.

"I spent my life so long seeking others approval, now I realize my endeavors were futile."

"Don't be upset," Ralph said calmly, "People just get afraid and angry of what they don't understand."

"You are the first human I have shared my pain. I feel you and me are made from the same mold, do your new friends really accept this.....gift?" He emphasized, his glowing eyes staring at Ralph.

Ralph hesitated for a moment, looking between his sneakers, hugging his knees closer to his chest, "I like to think of it as both a gift and a curse. But from what I heard, Sunset Shimmer did way worse a long time ago."

"You mentioned she turned into a demon?" Elipstle recounted.

Ralph shrugged indifferently, glancing at the metal floor of the lorry, "Well, yeah. She did. But my life has been filled with more dissapointment than her. All I ever wanted was someone to rely on, I finally get it and that's taken away," Ralph drifted off, chuckling, "If that's not dissapointment at its finest I don't know what is. Imagine all the trouble I could have avoided if I just met someone who wanted to be my friend. I guess that was too much to ask for, huh?"

"Humans can be so cruel."

"Yeah," Ralph nodded softly, "Some of them. For a long time I thought the only people they were looking out for was themselves. People are so mean for no reason, I just thought it was pointless, but I look at my friends now..." Ralph drifted off, almost hesitating, "A-and I see now maybe, there are still some people with love in their hearts, maybe the humans aren't as bleak as I perceived them. They are still capable of so much beautiful things, maybe one day...there will come a day unlike any other, when we all realize the futility of fighting one another, and just...stop."

"They're doomed you know," Elipstle replied, quietly, "If it's not a giant monster killing them, it's themselves. Pointless as there fighting is. Its all they know how to do." He finished turning his head forward, just staring absentmindedly into thin air.

Ralph droned, looking forward in the same direction as Elipstle, "Maybe, but that's why we gotta make the most of the moment. Humans are odd, they think order and chaos are somehow opposites and... try to control what they can't. But there is grace in their failure. I think you miss that."

"They'll only last as far as their failure can take them. After that it's nothing but hollow and an unescapeble void of emptiness."

"We'll only know with each step they take. Maybe they'll find peace, maybe they'll destroy. But still...it's a privilege to be among them." Ralph sighed.

Ralph smiled softly, remembering the Rainbooms how they opened up to him when he first met them. They wanted to be his friend, and he just pushed them away. Then he remembered how he opened up to each of them. It was a beautiful thing that he met those girls. He was secretly glad all his monsters were released from their books, in a way, they were a blessing in disguise. He never would have changed if it weren't for that adventure. His demeanor reinstated back to when he believed friendship was still a concept anyone could achieve. And Aiden, she alway supported him through his loner phase. Always trying to cheer up a despondent Ralph even when he refused it. All those girls saved his life. Aiden showed him love and the Rainbooms guided him towards friendship.

He cringed at what his life would be without them. Suddenly Elipstle spoke, cutting Ralph's musing short.

"Would you write again if you could?" Elipstle asked.

Ralph waited a few seconds, considering it. He did think about it constantly, it was something he wanted to do. It was after all the only thing he knew how to do, it just came to him as natural. Writing was his strongest suit and special asset.

"Yeah, I think I would." Ralph replied, in a serene tone.

Elipstle darted his head around when he heard approaching footsteps followed by someone calling Ralph's name.

"Ralph!"

"Ralph!"

Ralph eyes widened, "That's Aiden." He quickly stood up and looked at Elipstle  sadly, "I'm sorry I gotta go, I'll visit you next time I promise.

Ralph quickly exited the lorry and jumped out, running towards the direction of the voice of his sister. Elipstle remained silent, his eyes fixed on Ralph before he departed.

Ralph ran to the end of the corner of the store before he spotted Aiden wearing a green trench coat, darting her head around for any sign of her little brother. She softly sighed in relief when she spotted him running towards her.

Aiden did the same, running up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into a warm embrace, "Oh god, when you didn't come back home I thought something bad happened to you. I went around town calling your name."

Ralph pulled back looking skittish, "I'm sorry, i just forgot to call you and I had my phone on silent, I'm sorry."

Aiden sighed, gently pulling Ralph towards the car, "I'm just glad your okay, so what happened?"

Ralph glanced over his shoulder one last time and looked over to the small alleyway leading to the lorry where Elipstle was, his face was contorted with empathy as he hesitantly said, "Just wanted to clear my head a little bit."