Granny's Perfect Present

"Anny had saved her friend and stopped a real villain in the act. Unfortunately the two were separated and Anny never got chance to see Candy again, some say the doll wanders the forest looking for her friend." Applejack concluded the tale. The tale was burned into fillies and colts minds thanks to Applejack's excellent narration.

Behind Applejack, Granny Smith sat frowning, a small tear dropping from her eye. One would think she made the tale up but the emotions she always displayed persuaded Applejack, Big Mac and Apple Bloom at least.

"That's it!" Apple Bloom jumped realising she had finally found it. "That's the perfect present!"

Scootaloo felt Apple Bloom's hoof shake her from her sleeping state. "What? Is the story finally over?"

Babs gave Scootaloo a light hoof punch, aiming for her arm. "Come on Scoots keep up." She then turned to Apple Bloom. "What's the present?"

Stepping forward, Apple Bloom started "I'm go-"

"Wait, we're not going to see Applejack." Scootaloo joined, trying to catch up with the conversation. She looks back and to between Apple Bloom and Babs.

"No, I'm gonna find Granny's old friend." Apple Bloom looked towards the Everfree forest while speaking.

Babs held a hoof in front of Apple Bloom, stopping her from walking to the forest. "Wait! Are you crazy?"

"What friend, what are they doing in the Everfree forest. Is it Zecora?" Scootaloo still trying to work everything out buzzed next to Babs.

"I'm gonna find Candy. Imagine Granny's face when her long lost friend returns for her birthday. I need to do this Babs." Apple Bloom pushed  her cousin's hoof down and continue.

"Who's Candy?" Scootaloo still had no idea of the situation, or why the two cousins were acting like this. "What do we have to do."

"Apple Bloom, everyone knows Granny Smith makes up these stories to scare the little fillies and colts." Her voice raised, Babs now positioned herself in front of Apple Bloom, blocking her path. "I can't let you go running through the Everfree forest, looking for something that's not real!"

"It is real, and I've been in the Everfree forest plenty of times. As a fellow cutie mark(ed) crusader let me passed." Apple Bloom continued to rebel against Babs.

The two froze in place, their eyes rivaling each other in glare. Time stopped for the cousins, Scootaloo buzzing and waiting for something to happen.

"I can't take it anymore!" Scootaloo finally broke the silence. "Somepony tell me what's going on?"

Apple Bloom's eyes fell to the ground then back up to Scootaloo. She let out a sigh and then responded calmly. "I'm going to find Candy in the forest. If you want to stay here Scoots I understand."

Scootaloo still had no clue to who Candy was. "Erm, I guess I couldn't leave a friend behind." Scootaloo tried to smile but it was filled with uncertainty.

"Not you aswell. It's dangerous in there!" Babs now seemed furious with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. As her mane blocked her face, anger took over. "You know what, fine! Get lost. Don't blame me if a timber wolf finds you. I'm staying here."

"You'll see when we come back with Candy." Apple Bloom continued passed Babs, confidently walking towards the Everfree forest. "We'll be back before midnight."

Scootaloo followed behind, both confused and excited. On another adventure just like Rainbow Dash. "We'll find you Candy!" she chanted behind Apple bloom . "Whoever you are."

By the time they reached the forest it was dark, strange sounds calling from inside. Luna's moon shone bright above, the only source of light.

It all dawned on Scootaloo, her fear suddenly rising at the sight of the dark trees. She managed to keep herself together and had to ask the question on her mind. "Apple Bloom."

Apple Bloom's confidence seemed stronger than Scootaloo's, marching to the very edge of the treeline. "Yeah Scoots?"

Scootaloo thought, knowing that to Apple Bloom it would be a stupid question. "Who actually is Candy?"

Apple Bloom's face shot back a glare at Scootaloo. Her eyes piercing Scootaloo's soul as the tension grew, then at the climax of her stare Apple Bloom surprised Scootaloo. Breaking out in laughter. "I guess you fell asleep during the tale, just like you do in class." She giggled between each word.

Scootaloo felt slight relief at this. "Phew, for a second there I thought you were mad at me."

"Oh, I am." Apple Bloom's face suddenly turning serious. "Anyway, Candy is an animated doll friend of Granny Smith that was made by an unknown Alicorn thousands of years ago and who fights an evil kraken called Gromin who wants the power to bring items to life."

Scootaloo's face went completely blank. She suddenly realised it might not have been a good idea to follow Apple Bloom. With all this brain activity there was no room for Scootaloo to form sentences, she could only utter one word. "OK?"

"Come on Scoots!" Apple Bloom galloped into the forest at full speed. She ducked a loose branch as she passed the first tree.

"OK?" Scootaloo followed behind, running into the loose branch in her confusion. She managed to recover and easily caught up with Apple Bloom

Trees seemed to grow out of everything in the forest, even rocky ground. As dark as it was, Apple Bloom had a confident stride as she marched. Scootaloo on the other hand was formulating worries in her head. The two continued to a river stretching far left and right. There seemed to be no clear way across.

"Ok, so what do we do now?" Scootaloo's odd pessimism taking control of her. "I doubt we could ever cross this river."

"It's ok, you can fly, i'll just climb up on your back and we'll fly across." Apple Bloom's ambition quickly unsettled Scootaloo.

"I- I-" Scootaloo hated the thought of saying it. Surely Apple Bloom should've known better but her crazy search seemed to blind her. Scootaloo mustered up enough courage to lose some dignity. "I can't fly, I can only hover for a few seconds."

"I know, but then we need to get across so..." Apple Bloom's optimistic smile seemed a mark of foolish courage to Scootaloo.

" So? We'll fall, and then be swept up by the river. Isn't there another way to this Candy." A sudden realisation hit Scootaloo. "Wait, do you even now where this Candy is?"

"Nope." Apple Bloom shook her head with a smile. Her 'Pinkie Pie'-like confidence really scared Scootaloo.

Scootaloo then noticed her own pessimism, questioning herself. "Something's wrong Apple Bloom."

"How could anything be wrong. This is the best day of my life, I'm gonna get Candy and take her to Granny Smith for her birthday." Apple Bloom's voice slowed and came out in a monotone. Her eyes were perfectly fixed on Scootaloo, her smile glued to her face, and her body stiff.

Scootaloo then felt a strange sensation and suddenly the other side of the river disappeared into the distance. Scootaloo's concept of reality seemed to burst in that second. "What's going on?"

"Oh look, we can just cross now." Apple Bloom went to step off the edge before Scootaloo bit her tail and dragged her back.

Her mind worked hard, trying to figure out what was going on. Then once again Scootaloo felt a tingle, and the river before her turned to lava. Scootaloo tugged harder on Apple Bloom stumbling back into a bush with her.

"What was that for, a puddle can't hurt me Scoot." Apple Bloom struggled against her friends strong pull.

"Apple Bloom I need you to listen." Scootaloo was hanging onto her sanity, she felt the urge to run away but she knew it was something playing with her. "Look at that lava river."

"You mean puddle of water." Apple Bloom interjected with her head high.

"Exactly, I can see a river of lava, I don't even see another side. You can see a tiny puddle. There's something wrong here and we need to snap out of it." Scootaloo spoke slowly, trying to keep Apple Bloom's attention. "Come on, you must have saw it get smaller?"

"Now that you mention it. It was a river a minute ago." For a second Apple Bloom fell out of her trance, but it quickly subsided. "But I just guess somepony's on our side."

"No Apple Bloom, it's not a puddle!" Scootaloo's voice started to rise in volume. "It's something else."

"You're right Scoots." Apple Blooms answered, almost sparking some confidence in Scootaloo. "There's nothing there let's go."

"Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo's mind finally returned, she saw the real river before her. A rickety brigde lay just next to where Apple Bloom was about to fall off. Scootaloo dashed up to her, pushing to walk across the bridge. "Let's just stick to this part of the path then."

"Why?" Apple Bloom strafed back towards the cliff edge before Scootaloo pushed her again.

"Just trust me." Scootaloo's eyes pleading desperately.

Apple Bloom felt Scootaloo's sincerity. She gave in to her friend with a sigh. "Fine then, but I'm telling you there's nothing wrong."

Scootaloo tried hard to keep the bridge steady, hoping that Apple Bloom would stay balanced. She led the way for Apple Bloom to check none of the planks below broke. At about halfway the bridge swung from left to right, making Scootaloo feel queasy, yet Apple Bloom seemed unaffected. It took a while to safely cross but the two reached the other side unhurt.

"See I told you." Apple Bloom turned around. She turned pale at the sight of the river. "Oh sweet bucking Celestia."

Scootaloo had already flopped onto the ground, grateful to be off the bridge. "Yeah, I kinda told you. Nice language by the way"

"Sorry, I mean for being so stupid earlier, and for the language." Apple Bloom felt foolish, working out how she missed the entire river.

"No Problem, I almost ran away and ditched you." Scootaloo said it with a little bit too much enthusiasm. "No, I wouldn't, I meant something was wrong with both of us."

Apple Bloom looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know, and I don't think I want to find it out." Scootaloo then remembered something she learnt on the other side of the bridge. "You don't know where we are going!"

"Oh, no I don't know where Candy is." Apple Bloom's words did not comfort Scootaloo one bit. Apple Bloom still had a plan and was ready to tell it. "But I think I know how we can find her."

Scootaloo's curiosity emerged "How?"

Apple Bloom's next three words weren't going to calm Scootaloo, not one bit.

"Gromin's timber wolves."

Scootaloo rebelled the whole idea. She thought Apple Bloom might have still been under trance but she seemed 'normal'. Apple Bloom knew it was the only way to find Candy. Apple Bloom eventually coaxed Scootaloo by comparing her to a particular flightless bird.

As reluctant as she could be Scootaloo followed Apple Bloom deeper into the forest. Apple Bloom had a vague idea where these particular timber wolves would be, mainly because of tales from Granny Smith.  She spoke about seeing the wolves deep in the woods near three huge trees, each reaching away from the others.

"I'm not frightened or anything but are you really sure that we can sneak up on timber wolves." Scootaloo still wanted to run home, not through a trance but because chasing timber wolves at night was not really a good idea.

"Of course you can!" Apple Bloom ducked under a branch. She knew this would be dangerous but she had faced danger in the past. Timber wolves would be nothing compared to a chimera. "Granny said she tailed one once, following it to find Candy but she lost track."

"And what makes you think we'll do any better?" Scootaloo hovered as she spoke. She wanted to dissuade her friend from this madness.

"Firstly there's two of us, and Granny mentioned she had a broken hoof when she did it." Nothing could put her off. Apple Bloom's determination grew with every obstacle and problem. The more she went through, the more the present would mean.

"Well, I guess I've got no choice now." Scootaloo contemplated her chances again. "I won't be able to get out the forest without your knowledge."

Apple Bloom paused in front of Scootaloo, raising a hoof to signal a halt. "Shh."

Scootaloo ducked down and peaked around Apple Bloom. At first she couldn't see it, then she made the outline at the foot of a tree. A sleeping timber wolf.

Both of them slid into the bushes, trying to avoid any attention. Bramble leaves made for some light cover and the scent of the odd flowers above them would mask their own.

Scootaloo waited anxiously for Apple Bloom to speak, hoping so desperately that the wolf stayed asleep. She then decided to break the silence herself. "What do we do?" She whispered as quietly as possible.

"We could go around or wait." Apple Bloom spoke slightly louder than Scootaloo. "But it might be one of Gromin's."

"How would we know?" Scootaloo brushed a leaf from her face as she spoke.

"I think Granny said they have bark collars that are barely noticeable from a distance." Apple Bloom stroked her chin as she considered the options. She came to a conclusion. "I'm gonna check it out."

Scootaloo felt a wave of discomfort at the idea. "What? You're gonna go near that thing?"

"It's the only option now." Apple Bloom looked towards the slumbering beast. If anything it was probably one of her better plans of the night. "Wait here."

Scootaloo knew not to question Apple Bloom anymore, it would only waste time. She watched from the foliage, fearing what might happen next.

Apple Bloom approached fast and silently. Her bow almost catching on the foliage as she stepped out,  she moved to the back side of the timber wolf. At least if it woke up it would have to turn to see her.

Horrid smells of the wolf's breath hit Apple Bloom's nostrils as she stretched to check its neck. A darker shade of brown ran around its neck, a thin blue glow emanating from an attached gem. First thing to go right all day, this was what Apple Bloom was looking for.

A few seconds later and Apple Bloom slid next to Scootaloo. She nodded to her friend and pointed to her neck.

Scootaloo nodded in response, glad that they might be out of here sooner. Scootaloo looked back out of the shrubbery, on vigilant to any of the wolf's movements.

Apple Bloom had to think of a plan. They had a timber wolf but now they had to get it moving to its hideout without being caught. She took a deep breath to help her think.

Apple Bloom considered throwing stones, making wolf sounds and even trying to mount the wolf, but all those ideas seemed too risky. Her thoughts broke as Scootaloo tapped her on the shoulder.

"Look." Scootaloo pointed passed the wolf into the shadows.

Apple Bloom tired to make out her friend's discovery, a figure loomed in the shade. It was a particularly large figure that seemed to stare at the timber wolf.

"What do you think that is?" Apple Bloom feared it might be another timber wolf, but it was way too large to be a normal one.

Stepping forward from the shade, the now lightened figure was enough of an answer. He charged towards the wolf crying at the beast. "Aha, you've met your match wolf!"

"McBurden!" Scootaloo called at the sight of her newest friend.

McBurden lost his focus in the distraction and the timber wolf awoke before he could pounce on it. The startled creature ran off into the distance.

"Dang!" McBurden shouted. He turned to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. "You two shouldn't be here, it's dangerous go home."

Scootaloo marched out of the foliage and stood in front of her large stallion friend. "Well then what are you doing here scaring our wolf."

"I guess I should have said back at the party." McBurden swiftly pulled a badge from under his mane, displaying it in front of the fillies. On the badge two horseshoes floated beside a star, all in gold. "McBurden, monster hunter extraordinaire at your service."

"Wow, you're a monster hunter." Scootaloo's excitement took over. She spotted his cutie mark for the first time, it matched his badge. "That's so cool!"

"Ahem Scoots, our wolf's getting away." Apple Bloom stumbled out of the bush, and shook a coat of leaves off herself.

"Your wolf missy!" McBurden looked down at Apple Bloom, a stern expression on his face. "I've been tracking that beast for miles. I'm lucky it decided to take a rest."

"You can track timber wolves?" Apple Bloom's gears grinding at a new plane. "You could help us!"

McBurden shook his head in disagreement. "Help you? you fillies need to head home before something happens to you."

Scootaloo walked away with her head high. "Fine, I guess we'll just have to walk all the way home through the dangerous forest without finding Candy." She then swung her face around, mimicking Sweetie Belle's renowned frown.

"Please don't look at me like that." McBurden tried to avoid eye contact but Scootaloo was surprisingly good at the 'Sweetie frown'.

Apple Bloom copied Scootaloo's face and let out a single tear. "I guess Candy will be lost to the wolves forever."

"Fine, I guess if your friend is missing i better help you. " McBurden swallowed some of his pride, being outplayed by two young fillies. "And I guess if it involves wolves then I could find a live specimen."

It was instinct to McBurden. He followed the timber wolf’s tracks and markings as well as any other monster hunter. Sniffed every tree, tasted every paw print, heard every howl, McBurden was fast on the trail of the beast.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom trailed behind McBurden. They tried to stay in the shadows and away from the light, lest another timber wolf ambush the three.

McBurden found his way to a lake, he sniffed a nearby rock for clues and then paused. His expression seemed surprised as he turned to the fillies. “ I can smell something else. I don’t know what it is but it isn’t anything I’ve ever come across.”

Apple Bloom quickly spurred up. “It must be Candy!”

“No, this thing doesn’t smell good.” He looked around for any other evidence but no new signs of a creature could be seen on the ground or trees. “We need to be careful. The timber wolf’s trail ends here.”

“So where is it?” Scootaloo asked promptly.

“I don’t know.” McBurden’s eyes dropped to the ground. His mind drew a blank. “This is new.”

Apple Bloom once again kicked into action. Her gears turned in the right places and an epiphany hit her. “The lake?”

McBurden looked back at Apple Bloom’s remark. “What?”

“There’s no clear evidence on the land, it must be in the water.” Apple Bloom’s theory seemed obvious to her. Her mind continued to spin and another thought crossed her mind. “That means-”

“Gromin!” Scootaloo interrupted. “The kraken.”

“A kraken, sweet celestia!” Joy beyond any comparison swept across McBurden’s face. “Well yee haw, a kraken. They haven’t been seen in almost a thousand years. I’ll be the talk of the entire hunter society.”

As happy as he could be McBurden still had some interrogating to do. “Wait, how come I’ve never heard of a kraken around these parts and yet you tow little fillies have?”

“Granny Smith told tales of Gromin and how she chased him off all those years ago.” Apple Bloom noticed Mcburden waiting for the story. “It’s a really long story.”

McBurden galloped to the edge of the lake, his head staring at the moon. “Well then, I have to catch this kra-”

A crash of water interrupted him, and a snapping beak raised from the middle of the lake. McBurden stumbled back at the majestic sight of the beast, meanwhile Scootaloo and Apple Bloom dived back in case of a sudden tentacle attack.

There he was, Gromin. His three tentacles swinging above his head, each with strange burns. His beak seem distorted with a huge scare. His voice gave out a painful screech. “Who are you trespassers?”

McBurden froze in awe for a moment, then prepared for his glory moment. “I am McBurden, monster hunter extraordinaire! Today I shall become a legend as I claim you as my prize,”

“Ha, a puny pony like you defeat me, that would never happen.” Gromin’s tentacle quickly swept in knocking McBurden into a tree and unconscious.

“McBurden!” Scootaloo dashed to McBurden’s side, completely ignorant of the danger. “Wake up!”

One of Gromin’s tentacles hung above Scootaloo, inspecting her with its eye. “Look at this, a filly. Might be a good day for me after all.” His other tentacles reached to restrain Scootaloo, wrapping around her and covering her in slime goo.

Seeing Scootaloo in trouble, Apple Bloom jumped out of the bush and joined the action. “Put her down, or I’ll use my bottles of mist behind the leaves.”

Gromin moved a tentacle to inspect Apple Bloom. “Well, you’re a curious little one, tell me where this mist comes from.”

“Candy’s throne room!” Apple Bloom stomped her hoof as she spoke. She tried using her courage and confidence to intimidate the kraken.

A rusty cackle escaped Gromin’s beak. “Curious, you’re a smart little pony. I think we should talk.”

“Put my friend down!” Apple Bloom took her chance to bargain with him.

“Oh of course.” Gromin’s slimy tentacle loosened its grip letting scootaloo glide to the ground with a slight thud. “Now tell me, how do you know of my daughter?”

Apple Bloom was getting sick of saying this over and over. “My Granny, you may remember her as Anny!”

Gromin seemed to stagger back at the name. “I remember that name, one of those brats called the other one it.”

Scootaloo wiped as much of the slime off her as she stoof up and joined the conversation. “That ‘brat’ beat you!”

“What you think I lost that battle, ha” Gromin splashed as he laughed at the thought. “No they left before it was over.”

Apple Bloom didn’t want to believe anything this beast said. She stepped forward stomping the ground once again. “Granny beat you, get over it.”

“She never got it did she, that mist was not meant to destroy me. Heartspark made it to hold me at bay.” He spat at the name. “But I have magic of my own little one and I’ve had my eye on you since you reached the river.”

As he uttered those words his tentacles glowed three separate colours, red, green and blue, and in an instant three wolves jumped out of the surrounding forest. Each of them collared with gems glowing separate colours, red, green and blue again.

“My little pets are useful tools when I need them.” Gromin swung his tentacles in a chaotic dance and as he did each wolf took up a position to surround the girls. “So fillies, I think you should come see my kingdom.”