"Where is the town square?"

Rainbow Dash turned her head to the Witcher as if she just noticed him. "Twilight, what the hay is that thing?"

Twilight tilted her head towards him, "This is Geralt,"

"Can we trust it?"

"Him. And yes we can. He saved us a while ago in the Everfree Forest,"

Geralt cleared his throat, "I'll ask again, where is the town square?"

Rainbow Dash stayed silent for a moment before pointing to where she came, "That way. I'm guessing you're not from here," When he nodded she continued, "I can show you once we reach the town,"

"Ah'll bring the girls to th' farm," said Applejack.

"What? No! We wanna stay with Geralt," protested Applebloom.

Geralt knelt down to them, "Girls, it's far to dangerous," he said calmly.

Applebloom fidgeted. "You'll come back though, right?"

He nodded, "I promise," he looked up and saw Applejack looking at him with gratitude. There was still that faint suspicious look on her face, though.

Applejack led the girls in a slightly different direction. Geralt looked at the remaining two, "Let's go,"

They set off at a fast pace, with Rainbow Dash in the lead Twilight looked at her, "How bad is it?"

Rainbow Dash's ear laid flat against her head, "Bad. Sapphire Haze was...killed right off. Wild Strikes...it looks bad for him. Fluttershy-"

"Fluttershy's hurt?!" exclaimed Twilight.

Rainbow Dash slowly nodded. "Fluttershy got hit with its tail. Got knocked unconscious trying to calm it with the Stare. Before Rarity sent me off, she dragged her in a nearby house,"

"The Stare didn't work?"

"Yep, didn't even hesitate either,"

Geralt stayed silent as the started to pass houses. His Witcher senses picked up faint roaring. He assessed the situation. Two were most likely dead, confirmed by Rainbow Dash, and another wounded. More were probably wounded or killed while Rainbow was away. He felt like he didn't have enough to apply an oil, as every minute could mean another pony's death. He still had plenty of Swallow left.

The roaring grew louder as they neared the town square. Three mangled corpses were lying in in the dirt, blood pooled around them. It looked like the manticore fed on them, as their internal organs were visible with bite marks in them. The manticore was currently trying to break down a door to a house. Its ears twitched at the new arrivals entering the town square. It turned and growled at them. Geralt then took the appearance in. It was vastly different than the manticore he fought in the past. If it weren't for the identifying body parts, he would say it wasn't a manticore at all. True, it did have the body of a lion, but it was much more bulkier. Its scorpion tail was much shorter and looked to be grafted on. It was orange-yellow in color, with a red fluffy mane. The insides of its wings were red. It was covered in scars. Its eyes were faintly glowing blue.*

Geralt drew his silver sword. He looked back. "Stay here,"

Rainbow Dash scoffed, "Fat chance. I got a bone to pick with it,"

"You'll get killed; you haven't got training. I do. Let the professional do it,"

"Rainbow Dash, please. Enough ponies have been hurt," pleaded Twilight.

Rainbow Dash groaned, "Fine, but if it goes south I'm helping. No matter what,"

Geralt turned back to the monster, which was pacing back and forth. Twilight and Rainbow Dash went to a safe distance. Geralt stepped forward and they both started to circle one another. The manticore moved first, charging at Geralt. He leaped out of the way and slashed at the beast. Much to his surprise, the attack did little more than give a shallow cut on its hide. He regretted not putting on beast oil, but the door the beast was attacking looked ready to give. A minute more, and the manticore would have broken down the door and slaughtered whoever was in there. Movement to the side caught his eye and on reflex ducked. This caused the scorpion tail to miss its target.

Geralt lunged at the tail, piercing it with the sword. The manticore howled and kicked with its back legs. He had already withdrew his sword so the attack missed. The tail, much to his surprise coiled back and jettisoned out like a spring. He grunted as it embedded in his shoulder. Geralt winced as he felt it inject venom into him. Need to finish this quick. His armor saved him, turning a grievous wound to a moderate one. The armor defended him enough for the barb to barely touch his collar bone. Without it the barb would've smashed his collar bone and came out the other side. He gritted his teeth as he leaped back, the barb coming out with a loud, sickening squelch. Blood began to seep through his chain mail.

The manticore turned around and charged at him again, this time leaping into the air with a paw up high. A fiery pain was spreading from his wound outward. Geralt leaped to the side as it bought its paw down with enough force to create a small crater. His eyes widened. His armor wouldn't have saved him from that blow. He stabbed at the beast again, but this time the manticore was ready for it. Instead of dodging it like one would expect, it already was swinging its paw around and the blade started to sink into the flesh.

At this point Geralt had a choice. Either he let go of the sword or the paw would probably take his forearm off. He chose the former and leaped back. He started to sweat, a fever starting to kick in. He quickly drew his steel sword and swung it overhand, hoping to sever the back bone and end this fight. The back area was apparently made of stronger stuff as the blade sunk in and was stopped inches from its target.

He withdrew and blocked a tail attack. He grunted at the force of the blow, enough to push him back a little. He was starting to pant a little, finding it increasingly harder to breathe. Geralt huffed and activated the Sign Igni, catching the manticore's mane and fur on fire. He quickly downed a Golden Oriole and activated Aard, stunning the manticore.

This was his chance. He gripped his sword tighter and lunged with all his might. The sword tip pierced the manticore's eye,blood and fluid bursting from it like a popped grape. The beast howled in pain before it was silenced as Geralt shoved the sword against the manticore. The blade pushed through the back of the eye cavity and skewered the vital tissue, meeting little resistance once he entered the skull.

He withdrew the sword and the manticore dropped without a sound. He sheathed it and retrieved his silver sword from the manticore. In the coming silence he drank a potion of Swallow. His keen ears heard hoof falls and wing beats behind him. He turned to see Twilight and Rainbow Dash approach him with wide eyes.

"That...was awesome!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

"Just doing my job,"

Geralt noticed that some of the ponies started to come out of their homes, staring widely at him. Some were whispering to each other. His keen hearing picked up on it.

"What happened?

"What's that?"

"Whatever it is it just killed that manticore,"

"I've never seen a fight so...brutal,"

Geralt turned back to the carcass and drew his carving knife. He bent down to cut off the beasts head when he was interrupted by Twilight.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

Geralt paused, "Getting a trophy,"

"What?! What for?" exclaimed Twilight.

Geralt turned to look at them, "Someone must want to pay for one,"

Twilight turned green at the idea of somepony willingly paying for such a grisly thing. Rainbow Dash decided to put in her two bits, too. "Uh, dude, nopony is gonna pay for that thing,"

Twilight recovered and agreed, "Nopony wants a decapitated manticore head in their living room. I certainly wouldn't,"

Geralt didn't know what a 'dude' was and he certainly didn't care, "Then who'll pay me?"

"Is that what this is about?! Getting paid?? I already said you could live with me, and you can have my food, too. Isn't that enough?" said Twilight.

"I need compensation,"

"Compensation? For what?"

Geralt pointed to the bloody hole in his armor, who noticed Twilight turned a shade of green when she looked at it, "Damages to my armor that need repairing. And I need alcohol to replenish my potions,"

Twilight huffed, clearly unhappy, "Ugh, fine. We'll give you enough bits to fix your armor and we'll open a tab for you at the local pub. Happy? Just...don't cut off its head..."

Geralt noticed Twilight and Rainbow Dash actively avoiding looking at the corpse. He mentally rolled his eyes. Children back home could easily handle this amount of gore, "Fine,"

Twilight recovered again and stormed off. Rainbow Dash looked at her then glared at Geralt, "You know, ya could've been a bit nicer to her,"

"Sorry. I guess I was a little hard on her. In my world, though, people'll likely scam you if you don't push a little,"

She turned and walked in the direction that Twilight went. Geralt, with nothing to do for the moment, followed her. After a while she spoke, "I don't think I'd like your world,"

He nodded, "In my world people'll likely try to trap you and put you on show,"

Rainbow Dash winced, "How could you stand it?"

"I rarely do. Though there are some...comforts back home,"

The rest of the journey was silent as they raced to catch up to Twilight. The only indication that she knew they were there was that her ears moved in their direction.

Geralt spoke first, "I'm...sorry for pushing on your hospitality,"

Twilight sighed, "It's okay. You did save the town after all. I wasn't expecting you to get a 'trophy'," she paused before resuming speaking, "Is your world really that...brutal?"

"Mhm. People won't pay me if I don't bring proof," he, too, paused before speaking, "Coin is vital in my world for my profession."

"Let's let bygones be bygones. We should check up on Fluttershy," said Twilight. She turned to Rainbow Dash, "You know where Fluttershy is hidden? "

Rainbow Dash nodded and turned in a direction back into town. They walked in silence for a few moments when a thought occurred to Geralt, "You're awfully calm for meeting something not from this world,"

Rainbow Dash shrugged, "We've seen a looot of crazy stuff,"

Twilight nodded, "We've even seen a hydra once,"

Geralt raised his eyebrows, "You've fought a hydra and lived?"

Twilight shook her head, "More like we ran from it,"

Rainbow Dash slowed as they neared the house where Fluttershy and Rarity was located. They knocked on the door before stepping in side...

Author's Note

Constructive criticism is welcome, specifically the grammar. I feel it's lacking there.

*Bestiary updated: Equestrian Manticores.
"Don't go in th' forest around noon, that's when manticores hunt"
Emerald Axe, lumberjack.
Equestrian Manticores are native to the land of Equestria . They usually reside in forests, the largest population being in the Everfree Forest. They never go out of the forest they reside in willingly. In fact they avoid roads and building in the forest. They are fiercely territorial, however. If one spots you in its territory, then may Celestia have mercy on your soul. Its scorpion tail is powerful enough impale a pony in a single well placed strike. The tail's venom is potent enough to kill a pony in under a minute. Its claws and arms are sharp and strong enough to rend flesh like tissue paper. Its jaws can crush a steel helmeted head. As if that wasn't enough, it has excellent senses of smell and hearing.