After Twilight had been made a princess, the Elements of Harmony had been gathering to the castle every other week to discuss matters that involved the town of Ponyville. Disputes would be one example, though the amount of them was very few, they were still something that happened.

"So," Twilight said as she closed the door to the map room. Turning around to see all of her friends sitting in their respectful thrones. "What's new with you girls?" She asked with a smile, walking over to her own seat among the table. Falling back in her seat but using her wings to stabilize herself, straightening out with a sheepish smile on her face.

"Not much with me," Rainbow Dash spoke, shrugging her shoulders. "The weather factory is planning for a big winter storm this year. But I'm sure you all know that already," she dismissed with a wave of her hoof. They all hummed in agreement.

"That means Ah'll just have to work harder these last few weeks," Applejack said chuckling to herself. "Can't believe it either, why do they need winter to come early anyway?"

"Something about a storm from the Everfree coming, I don't really know the details, but they said that instead of one just hitting us out of nowhere, we prepare everypony early and just ride it out," Rainbow shrugged. "Those are just rumors though."

"Either way darling, a storm is coming, and I have yet to prepare for the line of fashion to follow," Rarity said. Tapping her chin with the tip of her hoof.

"Anything else?" Twilight looked to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, both of which had not spoken yet. Just as Fluttershy had tried to speak, Pinkie shouted. Raising her hoof as she did so.

"Ooh! The new foal is having his first birthday party next week!"

Twilight nodded. "I'll have to go, just to congratulate them then. I haven't been to a party in ages, let alone with other ponies."

Everyone laughed at this.

"Oh uhm, Twilight?" Fluttershy spoke, her voice just barely being heard.

"Yes, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.

"Uhm. My animals have been telling me about something happening in the Everfree." This drew everypony's attention. Something happening in the Everfree was something to worry about.

Fluttershy shrunk slightly as all eyes were on her. Worried looks on their faces. "Uuh. They said that there have been less and less animals coming from the Everfree. Less Timberwolves, Manticors, that sort of thing."

"Why ya worried about that, sugar cube? Isn't that a good thing?" Applejack asked.

"It's just that, they kind of... disappeared. Some of them also said something about a new predator, they didn't see it all that well but... they're worried that they'll be next."

"Hmm," Twilight hummed, chewing on her cheek. A new species in the Everfree? That place is filled with weird things, strange magic, dangerous creatures. What could be more dangerous than any of them?

Fluttershy spoke up once more. "They even said a pair of Hydras had gone missing from the edge of Froggy Bottom."

This made the breath hitch in their throats. Hydras? What could scare a Hydra so easily that they'd move? Whatever it was, after it got rid of the animals, would Ponyville be next?

Rainbow Dash flew up from her throne. Jabbing her hooves at an invisible opponent. "Whatever it is, we'll take care of it! Show that it can't mess with us, right?"

"Twilight!" Rainbow hissed, flying to left side. "How far in the Everfree are we gonna go?" She asked, her eyes darting from side to side as if every little noise seemed to frighten the once brave pegasus. The fact that they had even passed the Temple of Two Sisters at least twenty minutes ago. The vines growing thicker and thicker the deeper they went.

After Fluttershy had told them about the creature, they knew something had to be done. What they did know is that the creature came out primarily at night, the reason that most of Fluttershy's animal friends didn't know what the creature looked like as they were to busy fearing the enigma of an animal. So here they were, after the day ended, they all gathered at Fluttershy's, feeling the need to put a stop to whatever was going on before it reached Ponyville.

Looking up to Fluttershy, Twilight whispered. "Fluttershy, how much further?"

"Oh, uhm," Before she could continue a bird flew from the brush. Chirping madly at her. A blur of light-brown, black, and grey feathers. Quieting down, the bird looked to the rest of them, looking at them as if they were suspicious of something. "He uh, says that there's a cave with a light in it. Just up ahead." Saying this, the bird nestled itself into her mane. Content to stay safe with its caretaker.

Rarity sighed. "Thank goodness. The air is so thick here, I thought if we went any deeper I would have to worry about drying my mane." She fanned herself, only to stop and stare at her hoof. Putting it down with a slight grimace.

"Let's just get this over with," AppleJack said warily. "I don't like this place as it is," she said, ducking her head underneath a low haning vine.

Rainbow Dash crossed her hooves in with a frown, nodding her head in agreement. Following them from the air.

Pinkie bounced up next to them. "Maybe the animal's nice? I mean, why would it scare away all those bad creatures and leave the other ones alone?" Pinkie reasoned.

"Well whatever it is, we need to know if it's a threat to Ponyville," Twilight said. "Like Fluttershy said, the thing got rid of a Hydra, a Hydra!"

Nopony said a thing as they made their way through the shrubbery before them. A light becoming visible through the tall grass.

"There it is!" Twilight whispered excitedly. Her pace quickening as she began to gallop. The others not far behind. Finally making it out of the growth of the forest, she stepped into a clearing. Her gaze locking with the plants on the ground. Decayed. Shriveled and colorless, circling the mouth of the cave entrance before her. With the others joining her, they all stared worryingly at the plants as well.

"What could have done this?" Rarity asked. Kicking up a hoof of the foliage. Shaking her hoof as it clung to her. "Magic?"

"This isn't any magic I've seen," Twilight answered.

Applejack stepped forward. "I've seen this before. Some ponies don't want any plants growing so they put salt in the dirt, kills anything that tries to grow there."

They wall went silent as pattering began to echo from the cave. Swallowing their fear, one by one, they began to slowly move into the cave. Trying to be as silent as possible. Rounding a corner they spotted the fire, crackling as wood burned and fell further in. Sending sparks fluttering into the air, only to disappear not a moment later. A strange bipedal figure standing next to it. Facing away from them.

They all flinched back. Not wanting to be spotted. Peaking around the corner as more pattering was heard. Whatever the creature was, it seemed to be...

"Dancing?" Twilight whispered, confused. The creature's upper body seemed to sway from side to side. Stamping its foot twice before it rocked to the other side. Thrusting its upper limbs into the air above to the beat that only it heard. They couldn't rightly tell, but it had something like a rag wrapped around its waist. Some sort of skirt.

Rainbow Dash snickered quietly. "At least it dances better than Twilight." This earned a look of ire from her friend. The others joining in with their own small laughs. Quieting down as the dancing stopped.

"Where's the pony that lit the fire?" Applejack asked.

"Maybe it lit the fire?" Rarity suggested.

"I don't know of any animals that know how to do that," Fluttershy said.

They all stared at the creature. Waiting for it to do something other than dance. They didn't have to wait to long before the creature began to walk deeper into the cave, rounding a corner into another section of its home. They all slowly followed. Only looking to the fire as they noticed a pile of stuff next to it. A pile of what looked like clothing, a helmet on top, all of them a faded green. And finally a necklace with a pair of shiny plates attached. Ignoring it they continued their way to the corner.

Peeking around the corner, their faces drained of blood as dread replaced it. A whole room, filled to the very edges with the missing animals. Just not in the way that they were intended to be found. A blanket of red as the creatures were torn apart and scattered in a seemingly haphazard manner. Manticores. Cokcatrices. Chimeras. All torn to shreds and placed like decorations. But the drapes did not even come close to matching the centerpiece. A dragon, roughly the same size as the first one they had to deal with. Its eyes hollowed out. Propped up as Hydra heads seemed to intertwine around its neck. Holding it back from falling.

Fluttershy whimpered. Unable to handle what she was seeing, she averted her eyes. Rarity seemed to be on the edge of life itself. Wanting to either vomit, or faint. The rest sat there, their mouths agape at the carnage before them. Looking to the creature that was responsible for this, they saw it walking to the center of the room. Bending over, and picking something up. A stick.

Twilight squinted and noticed that the stick was not normal. At the end of it was a colorful blade, strapped together by, twine, vines, and some sort of sap. The blade itself was shaped into that of a crescent moon. Purple, and stained with blood.

Standing amidst the the corpses. Tool in hand. He began to dance. This scared and confused the ponies even more than they already were.

Not a minute of dancing, something began to change. The air getting heavier and heavier as its dancing became more and more forceful. A miasma began to poor from the room. Forcing the ponies to recoil and cover their noses with their hooves. But they stayed. All of them but Fluttershy staring at the scene before them.

They watched as it began to move around the room, the dance's pace quickening as the room itself seemed to darken. A fire burst to life before it, but it didn't falter. With the newly added light Twilight could make something out that was drawn onto the dragons stomach. An hourglass of blood. Not a moment after looking at it, the hourglass seemed to shimmer, coming to life, pulsing with the beat of the creatures feet. Everypony gasped as the hourglass seemed to float out of the dragon, a blue hue as it shimmered in the light of the fire.

Quickening its pace once more, the beast danced faster, its breathing becoming labored to the point that it was clear to the ponies. It was exhausted. The hourglass shimmered and spun. Faster and faster, following the pace. Until it became nothing but a ball of light. Only then did the dancing stop. The air around the ponies began to lift off of them as they gasped for the thing that seemed to choke them.

"Reality. Listen to me." It seemed to chant to the orb, a voice not unlike a stallion's. The ears of the ponies darting forward to listen to it speak. "Take this, and listen well. Listen to me as I chant this spell. You know not of this human who came, but, time and space is what he will tame. Take him home, to the place he knows. A place unlike here, that still grows." He wave the tool into the air, sweeping it before bringing it back down to his side.

"Nature bent to our will, but never enough, enough for our fill. Now you know what I plead, take heed, my ire is not what you desire." His voice quieted down, but they still heard him as if he were right next to them. "Take this human home, away from the pain, for there is nothing to gain. I payed my dues, I payed for my sins. Now let me see once more, the grins of those I call kin, those I call friends, and to my will nature bends!"

Thrusting his hands into the air once more, the ball of light before him grew in intensity, blinding everyone there. Not a moment later, the light disappeared. Not a trace left of it but the corpses that it originated from. The ponies watched the creature stand there, unmoving. It began to shake, its arms still in the air, tool in hand.

"DAMN IT ALL!" He shouted, causing them all to flinch back in slight pain. Tossing the blade at the dragon in anger. The blade sinking into its scales as if they were nothing. Dropping to the stone floor and pounding it with its fists. Growling in rage.

Poking its head out, the bird looked around, flying into the air with a flap of its wings. Looking to the creature and its surroundings it flew to it. Chirping at the creature.

"What is this?" It asked, calmed down. "A visitor? Well hello little one," It said as it rose from the ground, looking at the bird. Fluttershy on the verge of crying as it wanted to save her small friend. The bird chirped.

"What?" It looked around. "This? Yes this was me." It nodded.

More chirping.

"Well, no thanks would be necessary, my intention was not to keep any of you from harm, but if that is a byproduct of my actions, then so be it." It smiled a tooth filled smile.

A single chirp came from the bird. And the creature extended a hand out to the small bird.

Fluttershy couldn't stand to see one of her animals getting hurt. Running to the creature she shouted, her eyes wide with tears blurring her vision. "Please!" The ponies froze, scared as their friend shouted at the beast.

As if it didn't hear her, the creature raised another hand to the bird, petting it with one of its claws. "Its been so long since I've had a decent conversation."

The bird chirped back. Jumping away from its claw that rubbed it.

"What?" A brow on its face was raised. "What do you mean?"

The bird replied.

"How rude! My mother was nothing of the sort." The creature gave a thin lipped frown. "You are not welcome here anymore," It said before shooing the little cretin away. Fanning a hand at it. Turning to watch the bird fly back to Fluttershy. Raising his hands into the air

"Ah, another visitor, oh so lucky I am, to have company. You would not believe my last visitor." It walked to Fluttershy raising a hand to her.

"Stay away from my friend!" Rainbow Dash shouted, flapping her wings and taking to the air. Diving towards the monster that was about to harm her friend. With her hooves, she struck it square in the chest. Sending it backwards, landing on its back and sliding a bit on the stone floor. It gave groans of pain as it rolled.

"That'll teach you!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Oooh, ow ow ow ow, that hurts, it oh so hurts. I can't handle the— You know what? Sorry no can do," It said, rising from the ground, completely fine. "I wish I could, but I can't lie to you, after all, you are my guests!" He shouted, smiling at them. "But if you want me to do anything other than fake being hurt, you know who to call." It balled up its claws, pointing the thickest one to the roof of the cave.

"Mi casa es su casa," he said before walking past them, turning his head and giving a wave to the others around the corner before walking to the campfire.

Author's Note

So. Let me know what you think in the comments, please, tell me you like it, tell me you hate it. Whichever is fine

It's pretty goddamned bad, isn't it?