Codex Equestria: Exotic Wildlife

Chapters

Exotic Wildlife (1)
Exotic Wildlife (2)
Exotic Wildlife (3)

Exotic Wildlife (1)

The two nature admirers walked down the paths between the animal enclosures, away from the noise and crowds of the main party celebrating the opening of the animal sanctuary complex in White Tail Woods.

Fluttershy is always more at home with animals than she is with people, something that changed little even with her friends of the other Mane Six and Discord. She is an introvert, shy and uncustomed to being in the presence of large crowds of ponies, even if they are friendly and as enthusiastic with nature as she is. This was also partly the reason why she disliked being present in urban centres; the concrete jungles of metropolises always seemed to be so hard and lifeless compare to the natural ones they imitate, filled with smog and pollution, and she wanted no part in the busy and bustling lives that dwell there are used to, in the presence of so many ponies, and yet so few living things that she could truly related to.

It was always out here, alone, in midst of nature, where she can commune with the animals and plants that dwelled there, could she find peace.

To her surprise, she didn’t expect some-pony – some ONE – being out here for the same reasons as she does, to get away from the crowds and view the animals present. He was one of the guests invited to the opening, a philanthropist who had donated considerable amounts of money in donations that allowed for the sanctuary to be established.

He wore a green formal jacket on his person, with a red scarf around his neck, but the most notable feature about him was his species: he is a Deer, who used to be a member of a forest realm of Deer, although by his own words he parted from them on rather 'bitter terms'.

He seemed to love nature and resented the presence of industry as much as she does; something that allowed her to relate to him. However, he did so for different reasons; where she found beauty in the gentle woods and groves and the little critters that dwell there, he preferred the deep, dark forests of old, and admired more the great beasts that dominated these biomes. He seemed to possess a morbid fascination with the deadly predators, and his encyclopaedic knowledge there might potentially surpass even hers.

That is not to say Fluttershy doesn’t know or admire her own share of these creatures, like the vampire jackalope, but he seemed to like them far more than it seemed healthy for a nature lover or any normal individual.

Still, none of them let these differences bothered them, and they struck up quite a conversation on their mutual likes and dislikes as they proceed to the next enclosure.

“… Truth be told, I never thought of these little critters as ‘weak’ or ‘feeble’ in any way. I think all animals possess their own unique strengths, it’s just that it’s not always apparent. I mean, think of the Runner Mice.” Fluttershy said, pausing briefly to look at the little critters in their enclosure, wanting so much to nuzzle them through the glass panels, “They may not be as big and powerful as the lion or the leapord, but they still thrive in the bushes of Zebrica where they lived. Their strength lies in their powerful feet – fast enough to out-run or out-manoeuvre any predator that want to eat them. Survival doesn’t need living things to be able to kill or savage its prey and rivals all the time.”

“A fair point, I admit…” The Deer replied, briefly gazing upon an enclosure housing a pack of wolves, “But they would not be able to do any more than that. The Runner Mice could hope to endure and thrive, but they would forever beset by predation, remaining little more than prey for larger beasts above it. Compare them to the various alpha predators; in every biome, they stand firmly at the top of the food chain as the most powerful life form, dominant in every way over its inferiors and competitors. They need not fear for their own existence, and they need not to hide or run from any predator or threat, because they as predators possesses the strength, traits and instincts, optimized over countless generations of ruthless natural selection and adaptation, to overcome any enemy or adversity. There is a reason why more than half of all sapient beings on this world are predators, Lady Fluttershy, or at least capable of predation: like the Griffons, the Diamond Dogs, or even…” He said grudgingly, “The dragons as well. Only acts of nature so great that few could escape it except by luck, like extinction events, can possibly remove them from their thrones. Knowing this, the answer to which animal is more worthy of survival is rather obvious.”

“Well, I suppose you are right… to a point.” Fluttershy’s face soured slightly as she mused over what he said, “I think you’ll like the next animal we’ll be seeing. They lived high up in cliff faces of valleys and mountains.”

“Ah yes, Pecker’s Eagles. A newly discovered species of predatory birds. I have heard of them.” The Deer said, his voice betraying a hint of almost giddy excitement, “Yes, I do believe we’ll both find them admirable.”

They stopped before that enclosure, and found them roosting in their nests on the artificial cliff-face. Many were already sleeping, but a few were still awake and moving about. One of them stretched, flaring its wings of brown and golden feathers…

“Sweet Celestia!” Fluttershy gasped as she beheld the birds before them – so proud, strong and majestic, even at rest. “Can you believe any eagle can have such great and beautiful wings?”

The Deer too seemed enraptured by the spectacle, “I can hardly believe it myself… until I see it now, right here.” He muttered. Then, he recalled something, and decided to humour her question, “Of course, from what I heard, reaching such perfection in physical form is not an easy process for these great predators. Do you know how they get their wings to such state?”

“Oh? Please do tell…” Fluttershy asked, but something nagged at her, as if she feel this was something she might regret knowing.

“Well, according to those who discovered it.” The Deer explained, “The parent Pecker’s Eagle would often scrutinize the wings of their hatchlings as they grew, looking for any imperfections. If they see one, they would peck at their hatchlings’ featherless wings, injuring and tearing it, stopping only to allow it to recover and can be re-examined again. They repeat this process until they judge the wings’ conditions are to their liking.”

Fluttershy blanched at what she heard, “That’s… that’s horrible! Why would they do that?”

“Necessity. Their habitat is often afflicted by harsh and windy weather, not to mentioned filled with many competitors for food.” The Deer noted, “However painful it may be, once they heal, these wings would regrow stronger in strength and in better forms, capable of overcoming these conditions. And when these hatchlings are old enough, their parents would throw them over the nests’ side, down the cliffs, and see which one of their hatchlings could use their wings to slow their fall. Only those that do would be judged fit for them to teach them true flight, having shown to have the natural instincts to master the wings they were given.”

“And those that don’t…?” Fluttershy let that question hanged.

The Deer raised an eyebrow at that question, “They die. Simple as that.” He said rather contemptuously.

At Fluttershy’s horrified look, he added, “It's not too different from the way the Runner Mice raise their young, to be honest. The Runner Mice values only speed and agility. During nest migrations, the parents observe their young and see who possesses these traits the most. Those that did receive the lion's share of their attention and care; those that don't will not. And that's assuming the slow ones are not left behind at all."

Fluttershy looked at her companion, her heart almost about to break. "Can there be no better way?"

The Deer shrugged, "The law of the world is the law of the jungle, Lady Fluttershy." He said simply, "I used to think otherwise. But then I saw nature as it really is." He added cryptically. "Even as we speak, thousands of animals are being eaten or sickened, and thousands more would suffer and die in one random circumstance or another. There's no rhyme or reason to it all; nature simply doesn't care. In this pitiless and indifferent existence, only the strongest and fittest can hope to survive and prevail. They know this, on an almost instinctive level; that is why they do what they do. This is simply the truth, and an inevitability."

Fluttershy looked back at the Pecker's Eagles in the enclosure, ruminating deeply, her mind struggling to comprehend the monstrous unfairness and cruelty of it all.

Then, she took a deep breath.

"You are wrong." Fluttershy declared, her voice soft as ever, but firm in its tone, "Or at least, you aren't entirely right about nature."

The Deer's eyes widened at that retort. Then, he gave a chilling smile, "Well then, Lady Fluttershy, do feel free to enlighten me."

Fluttershy smiled back.

In addition to many mundane animals and plants, Equestria and the lands beyond boasts a wide diversity of exotic wildlife. Ponies can find them easily if they know where to look, although many of them are known to be dangerous and unpredictable to various degrees. For animal and plant lovers everywhere, here are a list of the various wildlife, animals and plants, that could be found in Equestria and around the world.

Amarok

Scientific Name: Canis dirus amarok

"In the frozen north, never go out at night alone."

The Amarok is a gigantic predatory wolf indigenous to the Frozen North. The creature resembles a grey wolf, but is far larger, the adults being roughly the size of an adult Yak and immensely strong.

Unlike normal wolves, they do not hunt in packs, rather alone, though adult females with their young are not uncommon sights.

Possessing an Amarok pelt is seen as a huge point of pride among the Yaks due to the frightening nature of the creatures, but even Yaks will not hunt an Amarok alone.

Biology:

Amaroks at their basic level are identical to their smaller cousins, only much stronger and more durable. Their bones are much thicker and an Amarok will often take an immense amount of punishment to bring down. Their physical strength is immense, enough for an adult Yak to struggle to overpower it in one on one combat.

These creatures possess a keen sense of smell and hearing. Combined with being extremely resistant to cold, their favorite hunting strategy is to hunt during a blizzard, giving them a sizable advantage.

They will hunt anything smaller than themselves, including young Yaks and ponies, but their primary food source are large creatures that share their habitat. However, they will be wary of large groups.

However, these creatures are not without weaknesses. Their senses can be overpowered by strong smells or loud noises, which can scare them off. They're also deathly terrified of fire, and one of the best ways of evading them is torches or other fire sources. Flame spells are another way to scare them off.

Amaroks are nocturnal, and only come out at night, so most of the time the day in the frozen north gives little to worry about from these creatures.

Habitat:

Amaroks are exclusive to the frozen north, as they have poor heat resistance for the same reason they're so resilient to cold. Due to their hunting style, they prefer areas with frequent blizzards.

Also, due to their solitary nature, when you see one Amarok, you are very unlikely to see another for a good distance as a single Amarok tends to claim a very large territory. The only exception is a mother with her cubs.

They often live in caves and forested areas.

Danger:

Amaroks are considered extremely dangerous due to their aggressive nature capacity for doing harm. It is advised to never travel the Frozen North alone at night.

Aniwye

Aniwye mephitis (striped) and Aniwye spilogale (spotted)

"Give it its distance. Preferably upwind."

The Aniwye is a large member of the family Mephitidae, better known as Skunks, indigenous to Everfree Forest and other deep woods. Whereas normal ones are about as big as a cat or dog, this one is larger than your average pony, and much more fierce in both appearance and temperament.

This creature is largely harmless if left alone, but is highly territorial and 'trigger happy' if disturbed. The reason for this is simple: the creatures it has to defend itself from are ALSO much more aggressive and give it much fewer opportunity to defend itself. Even if disturbed, it warns intruders by scratching the ground, hissing, and raising its tail before spraying, though will spray if they don't get the hint. Unless it's a mother guarding its children, which will forgo the warning to protect its child.

Biology:

Aniwyes are overall similar to other skunks, though bigger, stronger, and speedier. Unfortunately for them, physically they pales in those areas to any other predators in their habitat.

As a result, Aniwyes share the same defensive ability as their smaller cousins: the ability to spray a horrible smelling musk from glands at the base of their tails. As the predators they have to defend themselves from are bigger and more dangerous, the stench of their musk is also far worse and replenishes far quicker, in addition to being stronger smelling due to their size typically causing more to be sprayed at a time. The odor is so horrid that it can incapacitate a pony or even knock them unconscious if it scores a direct hit, or chase off a hydra. As with its smaller cousin, its capable of spraying with great accuracy at a fair distance. This musk sticks stubbornly for days and requires a herbal mixture to remove.

In addition to its spray, Aniwyes can generate a skunk-like smell as a warning single.

Aniwyes are omnivores, and typically feed off a mixture of small animals and berries.

Most Aniwyes are distinguishable by the pair of white stripes going the length of their body a large, fluffy tail. A spotted version lives in desert environments, but is in all other ways identical.

Mother Aniwyes are fiercely protective of their children.

They are known to live in symbiosis with various smell animals, who are not considered treats nor food and thus stay within their territory for protection.

Habitat:

Aniwyes are native to Everfree Forest, though others are known to exist in some other deep forests, though these are rare. A spotted version is variant is known to live in the desert areas, particularly the Bad Lands.

Typically they establish a territory and guard it, trying to keep any predators out for their own protection or that of their offspring. Males only leave their turf during mating season.

Danger:

Aniwyes are considered very low danger. They're largely harmless and watching them from a distance is perfectly safe. Even if they spray, they typically just leave their target alone after certain they've gotten their point across. Their primary concern is simply making threats leave their territory, not harming them.

While the smell is unbearable, the spray is ultimately harmless, and in fact scares off most predators that would come to take advantage of anything incapacitated by the stench.

They can be dangerous if rabid, but otherwise the worst one gets is stinking to high heavens.

Bogeymares

Scientific Name: Imp horrificus, with Dreadmares being Imp horrificus princeps, and Dread himself having a unique designation: Imp horrificus imperator

“They feast on your fears!”

Bogeymares are emotivores indigenous to various places throughout Equus. Emotivores are unique creatures that feed off of the mana or other forms of energy generated by beings experiencing that emotion. Changelings are one of the most well know emotivores, with the Sirens being another variety.

In the case of Bogeymares, they feed off the emotion of fear. They accomplish this by terrifying the inhabitants of places they make their home. Primarily children.

They accomplish this with an ability to sense the fears of their targets, which they use their abilities to create monstrous versions of.

Despite their terrifying abilities, Bogeymares are actually rather harmless, as their true forms are small and weak, and they're more of a nuisance than an actual threat, and are quick to flee when faced with someone who no longer fears them.

Biology:

Bogeymares have some degree of telepathic abilities, being able to sense the fears of those around them. They put this sense to use by creating monstrous versions of those fears to torment their prey.

The more fear they consume, the more powerful they become and the more they're able to make their victim to see. Such as throwing objects or throwing open doors.

They are vulnerable to bright lights, which seemingly cause them to vanish into thin air. Because of this, they typically try to take the lights out.

But all these things are, in fact, merely what they SEEM to be. Bogeymares possess illusionary abilities allowing them to project a monstrous body around themselves or the environment. They use these abilities to give the appearance they're bigger and more dangerous than they actually are, and an easy way to tell if you're facing one is double checking if objects they 'threw' are in fact still where they were before.

On the other-hoof, they often use this factor to prevent their prey's parents from realizing they're present.

In reality, Bogeymares are tiny, weak little imps with very little actual power outside of their illusions. They can only take out lights by sneaking up and turn off a light in some way anyone could do.

While they are vulnerable to light, it does not make them vanish. Rather, it cancels out their illusionary powers, forcing the REAL Bogeymare to flee into hiding. Which is easy to do, as their true forms are only two inch tall, imp-like creatures.

Other than bright light, Bogeymares will lose their ability to produce their illusions if their prey stops fearing them, and they're very cowardly if actually confronted by one who doesn't fear them.

However, it should be warned, there are EXCEEDINGLY rare Bogeymares that have managed to consume so much fear that their illusions may begin to effect reality itself. These are very rare, due to the sheer amount of fear it would take, but if one does reach this level of power, they can become legitimately dangerous. However, they still possess the same weaknesses as their lesser relatives, and will lose their ability to effect reality if they lose enough of their power.

The best way to get rid of a Bogeymare is to stand up to them, or confront them directly, as they are very cowardly and will flee if they believe they're in danger.

They also primarily prey on children, as they're much easier to frighten and feed on than adults.

Habitat:

Bogeymares make their homes in houses, typically living under beds, in closets, and basement or attics. Some are known to live in the woods, but these are rare.

Their hunting style is typically dependent on their preferred dwelling place, and which allows them to scare the easiest. For example, ones that dwell under the bed typically climb up onto the child's bed and frighten them there, while ones in the closet keep their distance.

Due to their weaknesses, Bogeymares are exclusively nocturnal and dwell in the darkness.

Danger:

Bogeymares are low danger. While terrifying and capable of causing many sleepless nights (and likely many changed sheets depending on their target), they're ultimately harmless and more of a nuisance than a genuine threat.

Even ones that have gained enough fear to effect the real world are ultimately still kept in check by their various weaknesses and ultimately are more interested in causing fear on which to feed than actually doing genuine harm.

Still, it is advised that parents take their children's fears of monsters in their closet or under their bed seriously, as the poor foals will continue to be tormented until the creature is chased off.

Dangler Tree

Scientific Name: Family Carnoarecaceae, Multiple species.

"Don't touch the stalks."

From the distance, the Dangler Tree is a strange plant: superficially, it resembles a member from the Arecaceae family of plants – it sports a crown of leaves from a single trunk, their forms resembling palm trees; albeit, they are generally larger in size, with a much thicker trunk made of dark coloured bark, and its dark green leaves have larger surface areas and are more cluttered in comparison to those from the Acrecaceae plants.

Its most peculiar feature is that, instead of sporting coconuts or other kinds of fruiting bodies, suspended beneath the leaves are pods of what appears to be huge flowers, some large as ponies, with brightly coloured petals which contrasts the darker colouration of the rest of the tree. From these ‘flowers’, long, elongated stalk-like ‘carpel’, almost always red regardless of species, extend all the way to ground level of the plant, dangling by the sides of the trunks, which earns the tree its namesake ‘Dangler Trees’.

Pretty and strange such a tree it may be on the surface, it would be a mistake to consider this tree harmless. This mistake is often the last for many animals, sapients included, who wander into the vicinity of such plants, and came into contact with the dangling stalks.

Biology

Like its more infamous cousin in Zebrica, the Dangler Tree is a carnivorous plant which supplements its nutrient intake with protein acquired from digesting any unfortunate life-forms that it traps. Like the nightmarish Ya-Te-Veo family of carnivorous tree in Zebrica, its prey consists of small to medium sized ground animals like rabbits, rodents, boars, all the way to Lions and Manticores, and even unlucky ponies and zebras. It diverges from the Ya-Te-Veo family in terms of the way it captures its prey; the huge ‘flowers’ suspended under its leaves are in fact feeding pods, camouflaged to resemble normal flowers, and its elongated ‘carpel’ little more than a long tongue-like organ which it captures its prey.

The Dangler Tree lures its prey through emitting an attractive scent, from a substance produced in the ‘pseudo-nectaries’ of its feeding pods, which would lure prospective prey from within a radius that could extend up to kilometres. Studies on the composition of its pseudo-nectar suggests it has psychoactive properties, capable of stimulating the release of ghrelin (the ‘hunger hormone’) and dopamine within its prey and enticing them to approach the plant with prospect of food. At extremely close proximity the scent from certain species could be overwhelming enough that the prey loses all self-control, more than willing to enter the vicinity of the plants in search of food. It has been known that each plant could be identified by minute variations in the composition of the luring pseudo-nectar, resulting in each plant individually producing a unique scent signature. Variations in scent are often due to each plant physiologically altering its scents to lure the most common prey in its habitat over its life-time.

The moment any unfortunate prey comes into contact of the ‘carpel’ stalks, the feeding pod immediately begins retracting it into the pod, holstering the unfortunate prey with it. The struggling prey would often find itself unable to escape due to the feeding stalk excreting an extremely sticky substance that would glue it onto its body surface, and any struggling could often worsen the entanglement as the prey touches more parts of the stalk. The ‘stamens’, which resembles normal flower stamens minus distinctive pollens, serve as its contact-feelers, triggering the ‘petals’ to close the moment the prey touches them and seal the pod into a fluid-tight capsule.

Inside the closed pods, the digestion process would begin with the secretion of a form of organic acid and various digestive enzymes from the plant, which would reduce the prey animal to bleached bones over the course of days, upon which the pods would reopen to dispose the skeleton, which would incidentally become fertilizers for the trees as well. Most prey animals would fortunately die of suffocation or drowning within the pods before the digestion process really begins; that does not necessarily apply for all species, however. Some plants mix a potent toxin within the digestive cocktail to kill its prey, with at least one species known to produce an organophosphate-based neurotoxin.

Dangler Trees are in fact flowering plants, and its true flower could be found on top of its crown of leaves, either consisting one of large flower for feeding birds, or many smaller ones for insects.

Habitat:

The Dangler Tree family consists of dozens of member species, and while it is suspected to be indigenous to Zebrica as half its family could be found there, the other half of the family could be found almost everywhere around the world, mostly in jungles concentrated near the equator regions, with a few exceptions like those that grow in the Everfree Forest and in the jungles of the Changeling homelands. They could be found either as solitary plants or in small groves, with the latter often consist of many ‘children’ plants related to the oldest, largest tree at the centre of the grove.

Danger:

The Dangler Tree has been marked as a high danger wildlife by authorities in many countries, including Equestria, as these have been known to kill many an unsuspecting pony who happen upon them while exploring the woods – most tragically, often little adventurous children who are unaware of the trees’ danger. Areas in forests and jungles where a solitary or a grove are found are often marked on official maps to be avoided at all costs, and explorers’ guilds and organizations world-wide are often required by law to report their existence, like many other dangerous wildlife.

While wild animals may end up becoming food, intelligent sapients could avoid such ignoble fate with proper knowledge and precautions. If one notices an unusually good scent in the air, and feels an increase in hunger as you get close to the scent, the sapient can recognize a Dangler Tree is in the vicinity and will oneself to avoid being lured. If one is unfortunate enough to get caught by the feeding stalk, the trapped victim is advised to find a way to jam the closing ‘petals’ in the pods, either with a limb or with a bone or stick, which would trigger a reflex response where the Dangler Tree would reopen the ‘petals’ and let the prey drop back towards the ground, which would buy time to get oneself loose. Explorers and adventurers are advised to bring along specially prepared machetes or torches which could allow one to burn or cut free from the stalks.

Despite its danger, the Dangler Tree is not without its admirers, as many the unique traits that made the plant so dangerous also makes it incredibly useful if properly cultivated: the stalk’s sticky substance, for example, can be refined into powerful industrial-grade adhesives, said to be strong enough to glue furniture upside down on ceilings. Its pseudo-nectars could be distilled into varieties of drugs, both medical and recreational, its psychoactive/enthegenic properties often harvested and used by zebra witch-doctors for millennia. The few species that produces toxins, particularly the neurotoxic variety, are being considered for military use to produce biochemical weapons, and non-toxic species of this dangerous flora had been planted before by Changelings and Zebras alike for defence against intruders (with shoots bred to grow with non-functional scent-producing pseudo-nectaries).

Because of this, increasingly, there is a lucrative demand for had been attempts to find or cultivate the plant; an often very risky venture from which would earn much money, but may cost many their lives.

Erqigdlet

Scientific Name: Canis Adamas Aggressio

“True monsters kill and devour even their own.”

Of the many creatures in the Frozen North and beyond, few are as horrid, or as tragic, as the savage and monstrous Erqigdlets, canine creatures who are actually the degenerate barely sentient remnants of sapient Diamond Dogs. Their name comes from the Nanookian dictionary, the honourable Polar Bear hunter-warriors of the Arctic kingdoms being among the first to encounter these monsters migrating from the south, and for many generations had fought against their incursions northward alongside polar tribes of ponies, just as classical Equestria had fought against their incursions southwards, either by themselves or as part of the Frozen Hordes.

Millennia ago, in the era of the Three Tribes, several Underholds existed in the northern part of the continent as in many other places across the world, descending from an earlier waves of Diamond Dog colonization. At times, the civilized Diamond Dogs had interacted with the ponies of the Three Tribes, whether engaging in trade or in war, and produced their own unique underground cultures/civilizations of miners, builders and artisans, as other Diamond Dog Underholds do in other parts of the world. They also produced their own groups of outcasts, who along with all who descend from them are forever banished from the Underholds for any variety of crimes or transgressions, and would eventually settle down in underground mines, raider camps or over ground ‘hedge realms’ not too dissimilar to the ones found within Equestria in recent times.

Like the ponies of the Three Tribes, when the Windigo Scourge struck, the Diamond Dogs abandoned their underground fortress-cities and retreated southwards in order to escape the catastrophic freezing of the northern lands. However, like the ponies, some of the Diamond Dog population remained behind, whether because circumstances meant they were unable to escape in time, falling behind the rest of their people, or had chosen to stay out of foolish stubbornness, unwilling to part with their homes and possessions and convinced that they could wait out the disaster. This would prove to be either unfortunate or monumental errors in judgement; fuelled by the Windigoes’ collective powers, the winter never ended, and nearly all remaining Underholds and settlements succumbed, either by civil war as resources ran scarce and internal tensions rose to the fore, or overran by ravenous hordes of survivors and monsters, hatred and bloodlust stroked by the Windigoes’ daemonic influence in either cases.

The Erqigdlets are descended from Diamond Dogs who like the remaining ponies also fell under the Windigoes’ influence, but differently from those who became frozen in ice, the hostility and suffering emanating from their encased forms being fed on by Windigoes for eternity. Like the surviving ponies who eventually turned to savagery and formed bloodthirsty barbarian tribes, those Diamond Dogs that survived found their minds became affected by the ethereal spirits’ dark magic, and in turn, like the ponies, their bodies too became twisted over generations to reflect their new savage nature.

Biology

Erqigdlets resembles their Diamond Dog forefathers superficially in appearance: they are semi-bipedal/quadrupedal canines that moves on all four limbs with a hunched gait, while capable of grabbing and using objects with their front paws. However, this is where the similarities end. Erqigdlets differ from their Diamond Dog ancestors/cousins both physically and mentally: the average Erqigdlet is much larger than the average Diamond Dog, as well as much stronger, faster and tougher. They also possess a lot more fur – white for camouflage in the snow, but often dirty and covered in dried blood – and fat compare to their Diamond Dog. The reason for this physiological difference is due to the extremely harsh conditions of the Frozen North, as well as a notable aspect of their diet.

Mentally they are significantly inferior to their non-degenerated relatives. The modern Erqigdlet is semi-intelligent and barely sapient, with the smartest Erqigdlet being no better than the most uneducated, malnourished and feral Diamond Dog outcasts. This is, however, a fairly recent development; millennia ago, when the degeneration has not yet been so pronounced, they still retained some remnants of their ancestors’ keen minds and senses, and possessed a tribal culture which can use tools and weapons, build crude fortifications and settlements, use a guttural, simplified language for communication, and capable of some levels of organization.

This is in spite of being, temperamentally, incredibly aggressive, due to their sanity having been eroded away by the Windigoes’ pernicious corruption over generations and during their life-times until they are but shattered, animalistic shells, becoming utterly consumed by the same hostility and hatred for the world and everyone else not them that created the Windigoes. Because of this, as a race they are war-like, with packs often fighting among themselves amidst the ice and snow of their homeland, as well as attacking the peoples of other lands.

Regarding their diet, Erqigdlets are carnivores like their Diamond Dog relatives, with one notable aspect: Erqigdlets are notorious for devouring the flesh of their own race, as well as seeing any other sapient being as fair game for food. In the ancient past, when Erqigdlet raids are still common, many unfortunate pony, yak, deer or polar bear often found themselves being targets of these wild hunts, dragged back to the Frozen North along with any other loot they procured to be killed and devoured. For the purpose of hunting and feeding, they possess sharper and longer canine claws and teeth than their Diamond Dog cousins, which while retaining their ability to dig through stone and rock is more specialized for rending flesh and bone.

Erqigdlets are incapable of using magic, having lost even the natural gifts of their Diamond Dog ancestors as a result of their degeneration. However, their corruption by the Windigoes’ fell influence gave them a unique passive ability: their magical presence, twisted by now their monstrous natures, radiates an aura which have both physical and psychological effects: when an Erqigdlet an area, the radius around the creature begins freezing, a process which intensifies if the Erqigdlet becomes increasingly enraged. The Erqigdlet’s aura also stimulates the aggression centres of nearby creatures’ brain, stroking hostility and bloodlust with their mere presence. In essence, it is as if the Erqigdlet are like the Windigoes themselves, spreading hatred wherever they tread.

Habitat:

The Erqigdlets are indigenous to the Frozen North, and live either as solitary individuals or in packs, though in the past they also lived in large tribes like the savage ponies of the Frozen Hordes, the latter whom they often join forces with for raids into civilized lands.

In Nanookian, Erqigdlets means ‘Others from Below’, for they still retained their Diamond Dog ancestors’ preference for living underground, venturing to the surface only to hunt and kill. Many made dens in ice and mountain caves, living underground like their Diamond Dog ancestors did. Some practically live within the frozen ruins of Diamond Dog Underholds, hunting, scavenging and ravaging among the cold, crumbling remains of a grander age.

Danger:

Today, the Erqigdlets are a shadow of their former selves, falling even further than their more intelligent if equally savage ancestors; whereas in the past they numbered in the thousands, often living in large primitive tribes, posing a threat to civilized lands along with or as part of the Frozen Horde, today it is believed that the Erqigdlets are on the verge of extinction, numbering in hundreds scattered wide and far across the Frozen North. No more raids or large scale incursions by Erqigdlets had occurred for nearly two thousand years, and almost any encountered occasionally in the Frozen North are mostly solitary individuals, with packs being a rarity. This is attributed to the incessant conflict amongst themselves, disasters during the Age of Chaos and campaigns of extermination against them over the ages by the civilized peoples, thinning their ranks.

Even so, because of their incredible hyper-violent behaviour, coupled with their great strength and durability, Erqigdlets are classified as a high danger creature and must be avoided at all cost. Aggressive and territorial, and they will attack anyone who is not them in their territory, including their own kind from a rival pack, or even members within their own pack in during contests of dominance. If sufficiently provoked, they will attack with almost suicidal ferocity, not caring for their own survival in their urge to kill their enemy. They can use objects for attacking their foes, although they no longer possess the pilfered Diamond Dog weaponry and armour of their past existence, and had lost the skills to use them properly; most at best would only use a rock or broken icicle.

Those unfortunate enough to encounter one are advised to run, or at least hold it off from a distance, for letting one get close without protection is almost guaranteed certain death with their strength, claws and teeth. Like canines, Erqigdlets are more dangerous in packs then as individuals, often lead by an alpha individual which is the strongest and most ferocious of the pack. Taking out the alpha if cornered by a Erqigdlet pack may get them to start fighting amongst themselves, though that is by no means certain to happen, and one may end up becoming caught in the violence that would follow.

Despite their danger, some ponies and civilized diamond dogs are advocating for action to somehow preserve them from dying out. When questioned, they note that while they are violent monsters, they and their ancestors only became so due to circumstances beyond their control, and that they are ultimately as much victims of monsters as they are monsters themselves. Many unscrupulous individuals and organizations had expressed interest in preserving the species, if only so they could breed these savage monsters for their own uses as minions and living weapons.

Giant Crab

Scientific Name: Family Colosseus, multiple genus and species.

“Snappy fellows, no matter the size!”

Giant Crabs are gigantic crustaceans indigenous to the various oceans around the world, though can also be found in certain rivers.

These creatures vary wildly in size from up to the knee to the average pony to Kaiju-sized proportions.

That said, only the larger ones are actually dangerous, as the smaller ones would prefer to feed on fish or smaller creatures rather than go after ponies.

However, the largest of these creatures can reach kaiju proportions, though these specimens are exceeding rare and typically very old. Occasionally, they have attacked cities, typically being repelled by good kaiju or local deities. One notable member of this species has attacked Neighpon repeatedly, only to retreat after whatever kaiju it was fighting ripped its claws off (they grew back eventually).

They are also considered good eating by various meat eating races throughout the world, as they taste quite good and a single large specimen can feed a village. Their exoskeletons have also frequently been used to make armor.

The most puzzling aspect of this species, however, involves one of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony/Rainbow Powers, Miss Rarity Belle, the Generous Tailor. For unknown reasons, the entire species harbours a fear of the mare. Miss Rarity refused to comment upon being questioned, even when confronted by tabloid photos of her engaged in epic battle with giant crabs.

Biology

Like other crustaceans, Giant Crabs grow until they die. This is the reason for various kaiju sized specimens: they are simply hundreds if not thousands of years old. Though it should also be noted that eventually they can grow too large at which point they die of exhaustion while molting.

They typically eat fish and smaller marine animals, with larger specimens moving onto larger prey.

Their armor grows in durability with age, with the Kaiju sized ones being rather durable to conventional weapons. For this reason, their shells make good armor material. They do have one weakness, however: they are vulnerable to heat, which can cook them in their shells. Particularly if boiled in some fashion.

They possess powerful pincers, which are sharp and can do significant damage, however smaller ones can only cause minor cuts on adult ponies. Kaiju sized ones can slice boats in half with their claws, though kaiju can typically resist them.

Their biggest weakness other than heat is their shells always have openings to permit movement and damaging these areas will cause them intense pain and likely drive them off.

They can also be dried out like many marine animals.

Habitat

Giant Crabs are typically ocean dwellers, but some can be found in rivers. The kaiju sized versions are exclusively salt water animals, as they are no longer capable of fitting in rivers due to their size.

Danger

Depending on their size, Giant Crabs range from low to somewhat high danger. A capable fighter should be easily capable of driving off or killing them if they know where to aim. The kaiju sized versions are the most dangerous, but most kaiju or gods should be able to deal with them with very little issue.

Heart Flyer

Scientific Name: Family Corpraevolo with multiple sub families and species.

"It knows what you did."

Heart Flyers are a very peculiar and rare species of butterfly.

These strange creatures are emotivores of an usual sort in that there are multiple varieties that feed on different emotions. Blue feed on sadness, Pink feeds on joy, White feeds on the feeling of satisfaction at having done something good, Yellow feeds on feelings of fear, Green feeds off of hope, and Black feeds off of guilt and remorse. Regardless of type, they typically glow with their respective color.

Heart Flyers gain their name from 'knowing what is in one's heart'. This is in part because they tend to be attracted to those with repressed emotions to feed on, as bottled up emotions tend to be stronger when they cut loose.

The other reason is that they have the ability to dredge to the surface memories relating to their specific emotion to those they come in contact with. I.e., if a Blue Heart Flyer touches someone, it can bring up their saddest memories, but if a Pink Heart Flyer touches one, it brings up their happiest memories. Black Heart Flyers are the most feared to a certain degree, because they dredge up the memories of events the person is most guilty of, and are the most persistent of the species. Naturally most are not happy to be faced with the knowledge they've done wrong.

Despite this, even 'negative' Heart Flyers are ultimately considered beneficial. Repressing emotions is rarely healthy, so sometimes bringing them to the surface are part of the healing process. They are frequently used by psychologists to bring emotions to the surface to talk about them. Giving a victim of depression a Pink Heart Flyer may help bring them out of a depressed episode, while giving a Green Heart Flyer to suicidal pony can potentially remind them life is worth living.

And of course Black Heart Flyers can be useful in making ponies realize they've done wrong.

Biology

Heart Flyers are similar to their more mundane counterparts, but their glow is not simply for appearances. It's an energy field that protects the Heart Flyer from harm. The curious part of this is the harder the victim tries to avoid accepting the emotion being brought to the surface by the Heart flyer, the more powerful this field becomes and thus the more difficult it is to get rid of the creature. They are also surprisingly intelligent and find their ways to pursue their targets over quite the distance and will continue to do so until they are satisfied.

In their Caterpillar stage, Heart Flyers feed off of leaves and green plants to be used as raw material for their metamorphosis, while also staying close to other beings and slowly feeding off their emotion of choice to build energy for the transformation. They still have their energy field in this form, but it is much weaker and they lack the ability to actively invoke their memories. After completing this stage of their life cycle, the Heart Flyer enters its chrysalis and eventually emerges as the fully grown Imago.

The method used by the Heart Flyer to dredge up memories is a mixture of magical scales on their wings and telepathy channeled through them.

Heart Flyers are about as large as your typical butterfly, and beautiful to see. As not only are the patterns appealing to the eye, their energy field gives them an otherworldly appearance.

Habitat

Heart Flyer's natural habitats vary heavily depending on which type, but they typically live near sapient beings, or nonsapients that can feel their emotions.

Danger

Heart Flyers are completely harmless for the most part, but can be dangerous if you are effected by one at a bad time, but this is not the fault of the Heart Flyers. They are often pretty beneficial creatures and have multiple different uses in many different roles.

Kitsune

Scientific Name: Vulpes spiritus kitsune

"A good omen...if you can put up with their pranks."

Kitsunes are fox Yokai indigenous to Neighpon and characterized by having anywhere from one to nine tails.

Kitsunes come in multiple colors, but generally white Kitsunes are benevolent and good omens while black furred ones are malevolent and bad omens, with other colors falling anywhere in between. The former are known as Zenko Kitsunes and the latter as Yako Kitsunes. There are also Inari kitsunes, who are servants of deities.

Kitsunes are shapeshifters and thus their size varies, but in their natural form they range from the size of a normal fox to about pony sized.

These creatures, regardless of morality, are known to be extremely mischievous and love playing pranks. To what degree depends on their morality, but generally if a Kitsune is in the area, it will pull pranks and play with people.

White Kitsunes are known to become household guardians and bring good fortune to houses they make their home in, while Black Kitsunes will need chased off by various rituals or wards, as they torment those living with them.

Kitsunes should NOT be mistaken for their MUCH more malevolent cousins the Kumiho despite similar qualities and abilities, and this can be a fatal mistake, as the latter are dangerous predatory monsters. The best way to tell them apart is to say the Neighponese phrase 'Moshi moshi', as Kitsunes are incapable of pronouncing those words while Kumihos are not. Kumihos also fear dogs intensely, whereas Kitsunes do not.

A notable Kitsune is protecting the Empress of Neighpon.

Biology:

Kitsunes are biologically similar to their mundane counterparts, but endowed with various magical powers. These range from shapeshifting to materialization spells. They can also turn invisible and intangible at will.

Kitsunes begin their lives with a single tail and grow up to nine as they do. The more tails a Kitsune possesses, the more powerful they become and nine tailed kitsunes are considered extremely powerful and wise, and generally live up to that. they can also generate blue flames from their tail tips and project them offensively.

Kitsunes are sapient creatures and capable of speaking via telepathy.

While very powerful and hard to hurt, Kitsunes are vulnerable to blessed weapons and spiritual weaponry. Shisa will also drive away any malevolent ones or possibly even devour them.

Habitat:

Kitsunes make their homes wherever they please, but typically live in homes and temples which they protect or torment depending on which type it is.

Danger:

Kitsunes are low to medium threat. The kind ones are just mischief makers while the malevolent ones are generally more of a nuisance than dangerous, though they CAN be if they choose to be so.

Kraken

Scientific Name:

“The island… it moved!”

Krakens (also known by many names around the world) are gigantic Cephalopods indigenous to oceans worldwide.

Krakens are in the class of creatures known as Kaiju, and are some of the more commonly seen. While normally deep sea dwellers, on occasion they will come to the surface, sometimes attacking ships or even coastal cities.

The Neighponese version (known as Akkorokamui or Oodako) are among some of the most frequent kaiju that attack the country and the resident benevolent kaijus either find them a nuisance... or extremely delicious.

Another notable occasion saw Princess Celestia, the Sunraiser defeating one that was attacking San Franciscolt and nearly destroyed the city's iconic bridge.

Biology:

Krakens are gigantic octopus-like creatures so massive they have been mistaken for small islands while sleeping. They are carnivores by nature.

Krakens possess eight powerful tentacles with suction cups to allow them grab and hang on tight to their prey. These tentacles are strong enough to rip ships and buildings apart. But these are mainly to pull their prey into their powerful beak, which can make mincemeat out of a ship's haul.

These creatures do have a few major weaknesses though. One of which is fire and heat, which can badly wound them. The best way to deal with one attacking your ship is to light the offending tentacles on fire, which will often drive it away. This is why many ships that will be in the ocean for extended period have a unicorn with fire magic available. There are also certain chemicals used by King Leo's sea ponies that can drive them away.

Habitat:

Krakens are deep sea monsters that make their home at the bottom of trenches and generally only venture out to hunt or if disturbed.

Danger:

Krakens are considered highly dangerous, though among kaiju are one of the better understood and fairly easy to dry off by kaiju standards.

Laughing Lily

"Tickle tickle."

Laughing Lily is a species of plant indigenous to Everfree Forest, but has been transplanted to other areas, often by party ponies.

Despite it's name, it's not actually a variety of Lily, as it's actually a type of tree. It's name comes from the flowers that grow resembling them. That, and it's a better pun.

The Laughing Lily strange in that it is a emotivorous plant. Laughing Lily feeds off the emotions of joy, or more broadly laughter. To accomplish this, the Laughing Lily possesses numerous vines that it can extend off of itself, which are powerful enough to restrain ponies or even some large animals. One restrained, the Laughing Lily will proceed to tickle their 'prey' with their vines while releasing relaxing scents from it's flowers. It will continue tickling until it senses the target has had enough at which point they'll be released.

Contrary to some beliefs, these encounters will never get more perverse than that.

Furthermore, the Laughing Lily will not continue restraining a target to whom the experience is becoming torturous, as it's emotivorous nature allows it to sense when the joy is ebbing away, and since that joy is the thing it feeds on, it has no reason to continue. This has foiled many attempts by unsavory types to turn one into a thing for torture purposes, though some very rare cases have succeeded. The one exception to this is if a Laughing Lily feels threatened, in which case it will continue past this threshold to defend itself and discourage future threats to itself.

For this reason, and for their fruit (covered below), these plants are very popular with Party Ponies and even therapists, for the simply fact they make great stress relievers due to the combination of the tickling and relaxing scent it releases. It is by this that the plant has been transplanted to various areas.

Biology

Laughing Lilies feed off a combination of nutrients in the ground, sunlight, water, and joy energy.

They are large flowering trees that can be identified by the lily like flowers in their branches, as well as long vines. Their base color is similar to most trees, but when their fruit grows ripe and ready for picking, the leaves will turn pink.

Laughing Lilies can detect various emotions, including stress and naturally the joy they feed off of. Due to this, they are more likely to target someone stressed, as relaxing them and giving them a laugh typically gives them a better haul of love than other times. It for this reason that the prospect of more perverted encounters are complete fiction: Laughing Lilies can only feed off of joy, not lust.

They also can sense when their prey is not enjoying the experience and will let them go. After all, no use trying to pump water out of an empty well.

The flowers of the plant have a very pleasant and relaxing aroma, which makes them rather popular. When fruit eventually grows on the Laughing Lily, it contains all the run off joy the plant has collected. This makes Laughing Lily fruit very sweet and pleasant to the taste, as well as having the secondary effect of making it's consumer feel the urge to laugh and relieve stress.

The better fed the Laughing Lily, the better fruit it will produce, as the more joy will go into making them. This food is also believed to have medicinal properties, as it not only lowers stress, but boosts the immune system.

There is a subspecies of Laughing Lily known as 'Hearth's Warming Lilies' which only blossom during the Hearth's Warming season and feed off the large amounts of Hearth's Warming Joy available. The fruit of this subspecies has a distinct minty flavor to it. This subspecies is identifiable by it's red and white colored flowers.

Laughing Lilies, while not sapient, do have a basic intelligence to them. Enough that a patient farmer can teach them to do simple actions. Party ponies take advantage of this by teaching them to help at parties or hand out candy, as such things are both a benefit to their owner, as well as to the Tree, which gain joy from the action.

Laughing Lilies' main form of defense is their tickling, which they will continue far past the point of enjoyment and into torture if they're in danger. While not necessary for them, many Laughing Lilies have found keeping their 'prey' save in their own best interests, and will often protect those they're feeding on from outside harm.

Habitat

Laughing Lilies are native to the Everfree Forest, but more often found on the outskirts where ponies are more likely to be found, as they're easier to feed off of than other animals. Transplanted Laughing Lilies simply require sufficient sun, soil, water, and joy to thrive. They are often found at theme parks or in possession of party ponies and therapists.

Danger:

Laughing Lilies are completely harmless, and considered a beneficial plant. Their feeding is symbiotic in nature, as the 'prey' receives stress relief and a good laugh (and good food in the long run) while the Laughing Lily receives food and sustenance.

Even if threatened, the worst the tree will do is do 'tickle torture' until it feels the victim has gotten the point.

The only danger may be from other predators who might try to take advantage of the restrained creature, but most likely the Laughing Lily will view these as a threat to itself and work to protect them.

Ropen

"Just because it's blind, doesn't mean it's dangerous."

The Ropen is a predatory animal indigenous to several parts of Equestria. The beast is a species of bat with a wingspan measuring 15 to 25 feet. The creature's most notable feature is the constant bioluminescent glow, used to lure prey in the dark like an angler fish or like a bug zapper drawing in instincts.

The creature is normally solitary, though females do care for their young until they're old enough to depart.

Biology:

The Ropen's bioluminescent body comes from various chemicals and magic in it's body that mix together to produce the glow. The creature has some degree of control over the intensity of the glow, and uses it both to lure prey as well as a warning. An enraged Ropen exhibits a full body glow.

The other peculiarity about the Ropen is it is completely blind, with vestigial eyes implying this was an eventual evolution in the species. Instead of using sight, the creature navigates and hunts completely via advanced echolocation. This makes it particularly dangerous given typical options of losing it will not work if one comes after a pony.

This echolocation, however, is ALSO it's main weakness: loud noises will blind it rather than simply hurt it's ears (which it will quite a bit). This is the best means of defense against this creature, so if traveling through an area where Ropen are likely to bed, various means of creating loud noises to scare them off or blind it long enough to escape.

They are also completely nocturnal and generally sleep inside of caves during the day. While their lack of eyesight allows them to attack during the day without the light blinding them, a Ropen is more likely to give up an attack during the day due to more likely being protecting its turf than actually hunting.

Habitat:

Ropens are known to live in dark, reclusive areas where their light based hunting style is at the most optimal such as dark forests or large caves. These include the heavily canopied Everfree Forest and the 'Scariest Cave in Equestria'.

During the day, Ropens typically make their roosts in caves during the day, normally deep ones where they won't be seen. Remains of their prey is a common sign you have happened upon a Ropen's lair, as well as droppings.

Danger:

Ropens are considered moderately dangerous, as they typically only attack ponies who happen upon their roost and disturb them or are mother Ropens protecting their offspring. However, if they're hungry enough they may attempt to devour ponies and foals are in particular danger due to being around the size of its preferred prey. An adult Ropen is capable of killing an adult pony if given the chance.

Rapid Ropens are considered highly dangerous, as they're no longer limited to nocturnal and may attack outside of the normal situations.

Shisa

"The strength of a lion and the loyalty of a dog."

Shisa are mammalian creatures indigenous to Neighpon. Actually, narrowing down what they are is a bit difficult, as they are effectively a hybrid of a lion and a dog made partially or completely from stone.

The average adult Shisa ranges from the size of a lion to three times that size. While quite uncommon, Shisa large enough to do battle with dragons are not unheard of, and Neigha Port in Okineighwa is home to one of such size which has killed a horrible sea dragon in the past.

Shisa pups, however, are extremely small, capable of fitting in your hoof. However, these small ones are still capable of frightening off or devouring evil spirits.

Okineighwa is also home to a Kaiju-sized version of these creatures that is the guardian of the entire island, who is on good terms with Queen Supia, but this is the only member of their kind known to grow this large.

Shisa are extremely loyal creatures who protect their owner's home from all that would threaten them, and typically act as guardian creatures.

Biology:

Shisa contain both feline and canine traits. They have an incredible sense of smell, hearing, and sight. Quite impressive ones, in fact. Shisa are some of the few creatures capable of sensing spirits. Shisa can sense the evil in the hearts of others, no matter what they are.

Shisa are also made of a mixture of stone and flesh, and are considered magical creatures as a result. This composition makes them incredibly resistant to damage and take a very large amount of damage if one hopes to kill one. Their physical strength is also tremendous, with claws capable of ripping through steel. This makes them perfect guardians, which they have a natural affinity for.

For reasons scientists currently have yet to find, Shisa project a natural protective ward that fend off evil spirits with their mere presence. Their roars are also known to be extremely painful to evil spirits.

The kaiju-sized variant in Okineighwa has crystal eyes that can deflect beam or energy attacks back to sender, but is the only known member of the species to do so.

Shisa are very wise and intelligent creatures, and can understand and obey complex commands.

All this, however, does not make Shisa INVINCIBLE. Their stone bodies make them incredibly dense and near incapable of swimming in water. They are also vulnerable to ice and temperature shock. Certain glamours can also conceal people's hearts from their sight. They also are vulnerable to loud sounds and strong odors due to their enhanced senses.

Shisa are similar to dragons in that they feed off of jewels and other such minerals. Though they are also capable of consuming the physical forms of evil spirits or eating meat if they need to.

Habitat:

Shisa's natural habitats are mountain caves. This translates well to living in temples and other such places where domesticated Shisa live.

They prefer high places and places with plenty of stone and rock where their natural camouflage works to their advantage.

Danger:

Shisa are low danger. While they are powerful, strong, and fierce, they are also entirely benevolent and will not attack unprovoked. Even wild ones have an instinctive avoidance of those without evil in their heart and will only attack those they sense evil from.

Exotic Wildlife (2)

Prism Racer

"Wanna race? It lives for the thrill!"

Prism Racers are flying reptiles that make their homes in the sky. These are a breathtaking sight, and quite fortunately for them, as they are a variety of emotivore that feed off the emotions of exhilaration and amazement.

Prism Racers are among the fastest animals on Equus, being able to rival professional sports flyers in terms of speed, which has lead to an unusual relationship between them and sports Pegasi, Griffins, and other flyers. Prism Racers frequently flock near sporting events and other games to feed off of the ambient emotions they need to feed, and sometimes show off for the crowd themselves to amp it up.

It is not an usual sight to see a Prism Racer 'join' a flying race by flying alongside the racers. Racers, in return, often take this as a challenge and race the Prism Racer as if it is another competitor. There are legends that the original Sonic Rainboom told in legend may have been performed by a pegasi during a race with one of these creatures.

Prism Racers are generally of a friendly, if somewhat proud temperament, and their relationship with sapient beings is generally considered a symbiotic one. However, some poachers have killed them for their beautiful scales, but this practice is both frowned upon and extremely difficult, as Prism Racers are able to outrun most airships and far from defenseless. They also typically live in family groups of two-four, and are often observed racing one another.

Prism Racers are gentle giants and will allow ponies to ride on their backs. It is not unheard of for Earth Ponies or Unicorns to be permitted to ride them, as the emotions the ride typically brings feeds the Prism Racer.

Biology

Prism Racers are reptiles and fly using two membranous wings. Their bodies are streamlined and built for high speed flight, with a pointed head. As they also live in the cloud layer, they lack legs of any kind, similar to snakes. They are normally a metallic silver color with glistening scales, but other colors are known.

Infant Prism Racers have a wing spread of about two to five feet, but adults can range from younger ones with a wing spread of about 15-20 feet, and fully grown adults average of 50 feet. The largest Prism Racer on record had a wingspread of 120 feet.

Their name comes from the prismatic appearance of their wing membranes, which catch the light and create a rainbow effect. This can lead to breath taking displays during the tricks they perform to gain their food. If threatened, the Prism Racer can take advantage of these beautiful wings to emit a blinding flash of rainbow colored light. This, along with their scales, make them quite the majestic sight.

Prism Racers typically get all their nourishment from exhilaration and excitement energy, but can eat an omnivorous diet if needed.

These creatures have a magical field similar to a Pegasus's, and as such can roost on clouds where they're most often found. They can also use this to do minor weather manipulation, normally to make their 'performances' more exciting or to defend themselves.

Prism Racers are decently intelligent, enough to learn and perform complex tricks and recognize ponies they've raced or seen before, and may engage in a race with a particularly fun racer.

Habitat

Prism Racers live Equus' skies, typically in clouds. As a result, they are not an uncommon sight near pegasi and griffon cities where permanent clouds are common. They rarely land on the ground, but may come down if they're drawn by a particularly exciting event. They are common in the area where the Equestrian Games and other such events are held.

Danger:

Prism Racers are considered non-dangerous and even friendly. While there is some danger if one is reckless racing one, this has nothing to do with the Prism Racer and more to do with the racer.

Prism Racers will defend themselves if threatened, but would prefer flight to fight and their actual damaging defensive abilities are a last resort.

Overall, this species is a majestic and beautiful creature that has a popular following among sports enthusiasts and thrill seekers.

Great Song Bird

"Hope you enjoy singing, you'll probably be doing it for awhile."

The Great Song Bird is a large, beautiful white bird resembling a mixture of a song bird and a swan.

They are known for both their physical beauty as well as their breathtaking singing voice. However, that singing voice is also one of their most interesting ability due to a magical property it has. Namely, anyone hearing the Song Bird's voice will be compelled to spontaneously burst into song if trying to speak. How this works is unknown, but due to how spontaneous musical numbers generally work no one has difficulty keeping the beat or number, as the bird's music is the beat.

This is naturally a divisive trait, as some enjoy it and the change of pace, some simply consider it frustrating and annoying. But what is known is that the Song Bird itself seems to enjoy this and get a kick out of it, being mischievous and playful by nature.

There is one sure fire way to get rid of a Great Song Bird: challenge it to a singing contest and beat it in it. The species are extremely proud and will accept any challenge, but beating one is extremely difficult due to their abilities. If defeated, the Song Bird will politely leave.

Another way to temporarily short circuit its spell is to end a line on a word with no rhyming words, such as orange. This 'reboots' the spell, but may also enrage the bird if done too often, and make it start the song with an off key and annoying beat purely to vent it's frustration.

Despite this, there are communities who keep Great Song Birds as town animals due to enjoying their musical abilities or using them as tourist attractions. Some have even been able to train them to begin a song at certain times of day.

Biology:

Great Song Birds are about three feet tall and possess a large and majestic wing spread.

Mating pairs may be seen, but normally they don't for flocks. A mother Great Song Bird can lay anywhere between two to five eggs and reproduction happens in the spring.

Great Song Birds have incredibly advanced vocal cords, enabling them to mimic instruments and other sounds. Some specimens have even bee trained to mimic voices. They are also very intelligent, capable of coming up with new beats and songs on their own. Their magical song is not entirely understood, but seems to interfere with the part of the brain dealing with speech to make the target sing instead of speak. It's believed this ability developed as a means to distract predators, since even animals are effected (though in their case this causes wolves to howl when they try to growl and other such effects). They may also mimic certain animal's distinctive noises to trick predators into believing that animal is around, such as a dragon or Hydra roaring or an Aniwye's hissing. They may also do this to troll others for fun.

The Great Song Birds are also capable of using these advanced vocal cords to produce unpleasant sounds in self defense. For example if faced with a wolf or other predator with heightened hearing, they're capable of producing a sound not unlike a dog whistle that's extremely painful to their hearing to the point of being debilitating. They can also force their targets to sing off tune if they're feeling particularly vindictive. Naturally, they can also hit extreme high notes, which can shatter glass. They only perform these abilities in the event they're actually being harmed, however, and generally stick to their more normal abilities.

Great Song Birds are omnivores and feed off bugs, berries, and other things, like any bird.

Habitat:

Great Song Birds prefer high places or places with good acoustics to better suit their singing ability. They may also frequent places where music is frequently played, due to liking picking up new methods of singing to add to their arsenal.

Danger:

Great Song Birds are considered non-dangerous. At worst they may cause temporary hearing loss with their defensive sounds. They can be annoying, but are ultimately harmless.

Accuser

"It literally lives on your indignation and self-righteousness."

The Accuser is an emotivorous life-form with a most unusual feeding habit and general behaviour, which along with a unique biology had led to some scientist to speculate that it may had been an artificial species, created in the distant past for the purpose of sowing discord within civilizations hostile to the creators'. Few things are known for certain, however, as its rarity meant little information concerning this life form is available until fairly recently

Biology

The Accuser is normally invisible, but in its visible state it appears a bloated, brain with tendrils, others report it resemble a ring of flesh and bone like a bat-wing with a fanged mouth at its center with black tendrils. They are believed to range in size from a Equestrian football to a fully water melon. It has a limited levitation ability, and can only float itself off a solid flat surface as high as he average mare or stallion.

It has been observed to be an asexual organism, multiplying via budding or division, a process often only induced when large amounts of rage are available in its environment to facilitate reproduction.

When it connects to a host, it'll make that pony become obsessed with past slights that have long since been resolved or forgotten, the host will see themselves totally blameless in these situations, accusing friends and family of any number of things, most of them amounting of making their lives miserable just because or some other reason. The host will see themselves as the victim of "so called" friends and continue to emotionally escalate things ad infinitum until they think and are fully convinced they are the absolute holders of the moral high ground, before moving onto the next slight. All the while, the Accuser feeds upon the excess negative emotion generated by the host for their own metabolic needs.

Despite this, physically cutting the tentacles causes no ill effect to the host (who might still take a brief amount of time to accept their rage was not their own). And the Accuser will shrink away and flee at the first sign of being discovered, and if cornered will plea and beg for its life in the most debasing and mewling manner possible, possibly to invoke pity or disgust from the creatures threatening it to remove incentives for further actions as a defense mechanism. Their shriek of terror upon being found out is said to be like be a high pitched little filly crossed with nails on a chalkboard.

Habitat

It is not yet fully known where the preferred habitats of the Accusers are, although the Accusers had usually been observed to gravitate towards communities of sapients with high levels of tension and strife, not unlike other emotivorous creatures or entities that feed upon anger, hatred, conflict and other negative emotions, like Sirens and Windigoes.

Danger

Due to their general rarity, the Accuser is a low danger life-form, and often little more than a nuisance in the occasional infestation. A most recent case was an Accuser attaching itself to Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash, the Loyal Wonderbolt, who in Friendship Castle, spent half an hour rambling about the various "wrongs" her friends had done to her, until her friends, having moved past tears of shame to simply bored to tears, realized that something was wrong and severed the tentacle stimulated Rainbow Dash's irrational behavior.

Said Accuser, upon Princess Twilight Sparkle's magic dispelling its invisibility, screeched in fear, and tried to flee through a wall, only to knock itself unconscious. It has been placed in a sound proof bubble since it's high-pitched screams of pleading and fear were said to be "making my ears bleed", according to Spike.

Frazzits

"I think we're all mixed up..."

Frazzits are protoplasmic lifeforms with a very unusual effect on the world around them. Both this effect and the havoc they can cause if removed from their natural habitat has resulted in very little information being directly obtained on them, at least until very recently. Thanks to reformation of Discord, however, more information has obtained on them.

These creatures are known to be chaotic and mischievous by their very nature, to the point that if removed from their natural habitat they seem to gravitate towards orderly systems to mess with, similar to certain types of Gremlin. If found outside of their habitat, it is suggested they be contained in a specially warded container and returned.

Biology

Frazzits are colorful, raindrop shaped creatures, each only a few inches tall. Despite lacking limbs of any kind, they can bounce around with extreme agility and are quite difficult to catch without a plan as a result. They are covered completely with fur to the point skin can not be seen. True to their designation as protoplasmic creatures, their make up is rather similar to a highly evolved microorganism, though far more complex.

Their most interesting trait, however, is they seem to naturally generate a powerful field of chaos magic around them at all times, a field that grows stronger with the amount of Frazzits present in a given area. This field is overall harmless in and of itself, but has a profound and interesting effect on any being that comes in contact with them.

Any group of beings that find themselves in contact with a swarm of Frazzits will have their personalities scrambled. If it's an even number, they will be exchanged in pairs of two, but if it's an odd number, the personalities will be scrambled more randomly. This does not effect body, memory, or even cutie mark, only personality traits. This can be more troublesome than it sounds, as often ponies know how to deal with their own faults but do not know how to deal with the faults of others, as a result the new personalities may be considerably more exaggerated than they were in the original pony.

This effect needs a proper counter spell to be performed or, preferably, the Frazzits to be contained in a specially warded prison that must then be turned upright, which will not only contain the Frazzit's and their power, but break the spell.

Making them even more troublesome is the fact Frazzits multiply similar to Parasprites if effected directly by magic, making directly grabbing them in unicorn telekinesis impossible, and killing them is extremely difficult due to their chaos field. Certain charms and spells can also protect against their abilities.

Frazzits also possess an instinctive ability to detect order in their surroundings and will be instinctively drawn towards orderly systems to scramble up with their chaos field. It is believed they feed off the resulting chaos to nourish themselves, which may explain why they only do this if outside of their natural habitat.

Despite this, they are not solely pests. Some counselors have found ways of using them to give ponies 'a mile in each other's shoes' to great effect, but such things need to be done under very closely monitored circumstances and with the utmost care.

Habitat

Frazzits' natural habitat is in the Everfree Forest, where it is believed they feed off of ambient chaos magic and the natural chaos of it. Outside of it, they only dwell in captivity.

Danger

Frazzits are low to moderate danger, depending on the situation. If found in their natural habitat, they can be avoided and generally are much more passive. Outside, however, they tend to become quite the nuisance. While their chaos field's effect is not dangerous in and of itself, it could potentially put victims in a dangerous situation depending on the personalities involved in the scramble.

All in all, Frazzits should be handled with the utmost care, and preferably kept under close watch if removed from their natural habitat.

Glory Hound

"Pride comes before the fall."

Glory Hounds are average sized canines that are found in many places. While looking unassuming, these creatures are to be weary of, or at least avoided, at least in their wild state.

Glory Hounds are Emotivores that specifically feed off the emotion of pride, and are quite capable of sensing good targets to feed on. They're wanderers that travel far and wide seeking prey and once they've found it they will feed until they're driven away or gotten their fill.

The creatures have a cunning and sneaky temperament, being exceptionally intelligent creatures. Capable of deceit and cunning, they can sense what their chosen target is feeling and 'whisper' things in their head to convince them to give into their pride and get a swelled head. They do not care about their target's well being, only feeding, and may drive them to perform acts they will certainly regret later on if they listen to the creature's encouragement, so they can feed off of their pride and vanity. Some may attempt to become pets to feed off the host like a parasite.

As such, several have been known to be drawn to Canterlot due to its unfortunately high number of prideful nobles who are easy prey for them.

However, there are exceptions to this. There's been success in demonstrating the Glory Hounds such that they give words of encouragement and support to ponies rather than drive them into a prideful frenzy, and these have seen use as medical dogs and have been helpful with ponies with depression. It is mainly a matter of training the creature learn this makes it easier to get a constant stream of food than quick bursts and need to flee.

Glory Hounds will flee if their host realizes their pride and humble themselves, as their food source will quickly cut out and leave them with no reason to remain. They may become aggressive if one tries to forcibly separate them from their host.

Biology

Glory Hounds resemble everyday hound dogs externally, and can be difficult to tell apart at first glance. They also possess telepathic abilities, which is both how they sense what to prey on in their hosts and 'whisper' in their ears. They also possess rather advanced minds for animals.

A Glory Hound will grow more and more beautiful the more it feeds off the pride of its host until they're absolutely radiant and very attractive.

However, this is ultimately a facade. Beneath their glamour, the true form of a Glory Hound is a large black dog with lion-like eyes and large, sharp teeth, as well as eagle wings and a peacock tail. This form is revealed in the event the creature's food supply is cut off or if it is exceptionally angered to the point of attacking. This form is commonly described as terrifying. This is even true of the true form of domesticated Glory Hounds, though their more friendly temperament can make them appear far less frightening.

Glory Hounds are very physically strong, strength which increases or decreases depending on how well fed they are. A full power Glory Hound can overpower a full grown stallion, while a weakened one can easily be overpowered. Their wings allow for flight, though nowhere near as agilely as a Pegasus or Griffin.

Like all canines, Glory Hounds have an acute sense of smell and hearing. this can be used against them as they're no less vulnerable to intense smells and sounds or dog whistles than an a normal canine.

Another interesting weakness is a Glory Hound will shrink if humiliated, to the point of reverting to being a pup.

An easy way to tell a normal dog from a Glory Hound is to in some way make a portion of its fur dirty. A glory hound will near compulsively clean itself and while doing so be too distracted to maintain its disguise and let it falter slightly. Most often, the illusion will fail around the eyes to reveal their true lion-like appearance.

Habitat

Glory Hounds are nomadic creatures that travel frequently unless they find a more permanent host. As they feed off of sapient beings, cities are not an uncommon place to find them, particularly ones with high numbers of nobles.

Danger:

Glory Hounds are a moderate danger. They can become dangerous if provoked, but their prime danger is what they can convince their host to do. Injuries due to recklessness brought on by the pride these creatures induce are a frequent outcome, as are the host straining relationships due to becoming more and more full of themselves.

Domesticated ones, however, are considered low danger or friendly. If properly trained, they can even be a life savior to someone with depressed or suicidal thoughts.

Kite Eating Tree

"AAUGH! Stupid Kite Eating Tree!"
--- Starlight Glimmer, after losing a kite to one.

Kite Eating Trees are flora native to Equestria that are a bane to kite flyers everywhere. They appear to be simply common trees found anywhere in the world, but can be told apart by a mouth that forms in the leaves.

They rarely act under normal circumstances, merely rooted firmly in place standing motionless. However, when a kite flies by, they instantly lash out, grabbing it and dragging it in where they chew it up and devour it. Sometimes they will even grab them right from a person's hand with their branches.

Exactly how they obtain sustenance from kites is unknown, but it is known they are considered a nuisance by kite flyers, though do have a good use when it comes to disposing of broken or old kites in a way that is safe for the environment. It is believed they may also eat things like plastic bags and wayward papers caught in the breeze.

It is believed they may have evolved in response to ponies developing certain technologies.

Starlight Glimmer, Princess Twilight Sparkle's graduated student, has recently gotten into a bit of a 'feud' with one in Ponyville, being a kite lover herself.

Biology:

Kite Eating Trees don't drastically differ from other animated trees, being capable of moving their branches at will. The main difference is their branches can act like a mouth to chew up their prey.

Somehow they're able to metabolize plastic, paper, and wood that typically compose kites and convert it into energy. It is believed this extends to other wayward materials made of these substances, but seem to only externally show themselves eating when eating kites.

They do appear to have intelligence, and sometimes decide to target a specific person to mess with or actively reject pieces of kites they don't like.

They reproduce by spreading seeds, just like any tree.

Habitat:

As they feed off of pony made materials, Kite Eating Trees primarily live in parks and in places ponies are likely to dwell.

Danger:

At the end of the day, Kite Eating Trees are more of a nuisance than a threat. They don't harm biological creatures and even let animals nest inside of them. To kite flyers they are extremely annoying and robbed them of many, many kites, but there's no documented cases of them actually harming a pony or other creatures.

The closest to such an incidence had been recently, when in an attempt to impress Starlight Glimmer, the show-mare, gifted unicorn, and hero of Equestria, Trixie Lulamoon, the 'Great and Powerful' mounted herself on a custom made neighponese Shinobi kite... which the local kite eating tree prompt proceeded to devour. After several seconds of screaming of terror and cries for help (mixed with crunching and slurping sounds by the tree), Trixie was spat out by the Kite eating tree that apparently found her unpalatable. Trixie was relatively unharmed with several bruises and pulled mane and tail, but miraculously no broken bones or puncture wounds. Trixie, hopefully merely temporarily traumatized by the incident, was insulted when it was explained to her that the kite eating tree found her 'bad-tasting'.

However, the Kite Eating Trees do have uses in disposing of materials in a green way that otherwise would simply go to a landfill. Making them annoying, but somewhat useful.

Despite all the set-backs and interference in the design and construction process, Fluttershy is thrilled to see her Ponyville Animal Sanctuary established. Together with her friends, she had taken the time to tour the place and bask in her achievement.

But even as they enjoy the company of the many animals that now made the sanctuary their home, one question remained unanswered.

“Fluttershy, I’m surprised that you actually have enough money left to rebuild the whole sanctuary from scratch.” Twilight noted with a hint of confusion, “You only taken one loan from the Royal Bank, and we only gave so much besides helping you to build it. How did you find the bits to pull it off?”

“Well… I may had forgotten to mention that you weren’t the only ones who provided the funding.” Fluttershy admitted with a blush, “I wrote to a lot of people I know, and many of them were more than happy to provide generous donations to making this possible.”

They arrived at a board at one corner of the sanctuary, listing out all the people who had donated money to the Ponyville Animal Sanctuary project. Amidst the section reserved for donating the most bits, one name stood out, “This one… he was that deer philanthropist you met at the opening of the White Tails Woods Sanctuary, right?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Yes. We met a few times after that, and we talked about so many things. Despite our differences in things concerning animals, we actually got along very well. He alone provided over half a million bits! I have got to remember to write a letter and thank him for his kindness…

= = =

“You’re very welcomed, lady Fluttershy.”

Chuckling softly, the now undisguised royal changeling resealed the letter from Fluttershy and placed it among other files in the secured storage where he hid all his terrible secrets.

Brachion, a son of Emperor Blackthorn, a Changeling King of the Summer Court, the unquestioned ruler of Hive Erlking, and once but nevermore a prince of the Alveslog Forest Deer, couldn’t help but find this mare remarkable, despite her flaws and imperfections. Any other time, he would had held her in contempt for her apparent weaknesses, but the shy and introvert mortal had, in the few meetings he has with her, impressed him with her steadfast views on nature and life.

He had embraced the darkness of nature as the law of the world, and adapted to it; but this pegasi, even though she accepts the state of nature, had not only refused to break like most would had in the face of such horror, she had all but implicitly implied that she was readily determined rise above and ‘change’ it for the better, in any way she can, no matter what it takes. Building her own animal sanctuary near Ponyville is but a beginning of her dream.

Well, let her try; he sincerely wishes her luck in bringing about that impossible ideal, despite personally finding it disagreeable himself. She shined with an inner fire that he was surprised to find in her heart when it comes to what she cared about – and she cared so much, without reservation for all living things. That, he supposed, is why that ‘Tree of Harmony’ had chosen her to be a wielder of its power.

Was she right, perhaps, in declaring that true strength to face this cruel and unforgiving world doesn’t always come from being the most ruthless, vicious and cunning creature, standing on top of the food chain as the alpha predator? No matter. He, like the rest of his family, are immortal – he will have all the time in the world to figure it out.

Now, though, there are more important business at hoof. He went to his personal lab, deep inside the inner sanctums of his hive fortress, and found his latest test subject strapped to the operating table.

“You had been a very naughty changeling, haven’t you?” He began, his voice dripping with cruel mockery, “Trying to frame your ruler for a terrible crime to undermine his authority? He delivered you and the rest of your hive from the Curse that afflicts all changelings, and this is how you repay him? Truly, you ungrateful little parasite are unworthy of the strength and purity He granted you.”

If the purified Changeling had anything to say, he couldn’t say it – one of the first things Brachion’s subjects did during preparations had been sewing his maw shut. Not that he had much to say about his attempted atrocity; he had secretly remained loyal to the usurped Chrysalis, even after Thorax’s ascension had purified him and his fellows. The secret Chrysalis-loyalist had smugly and deviously hope he could strike a blow for his Queen and earn her favour by framing the ‘usurper’ Thorax, with a diabolical plan that involve murdering unpurified changeling nymphs while in the guise of Thorax.

And he almost pulled it off too, in spite of the changelings from those other Spring Court hives helping Thorax running security; what he did not expect was getting caught and secreted away by hidden agents that the Summer Court had placed among the purified populace, specifically to hunt down hidden loyalists like him. Now, his arrogant self had been reduced to a terrified wreck, trembling in his restraints, both at the prospect of his coming punishment and being in the presence of a being – one of many, too – that he and his fellows in the hive had thought to be little more than myth.

“Regardless, you failed, and between that and your blind devotion to that failure of a Queen, you had only shown yourself a weakling and a traitor, worthy of the Winter Court – and in the interest of the Courts to ensure the Sanctified One and his hive prospers, weaknesses like you will be excised, as they should be.”

Brachion lifted a surgical knife, used for vivisections, that gleamed in the light of the surgical lamps hanging above, “But at least, in death, you shall be of some worth: my father and I are interested in how the Curse can be purified, and we thank you for volunteering yourself to facilitate that interest.” He turned to his subject, and a chilling, merciless smile forming on his face in almost giddy anticipation, “Now, let’s see what you are made of…”

Exotic Wildlife (3)

Giant Monsters and Kaiju Special Pt 1

In the following sections, one could find information of particular interest concerning the most notable creatures of monstrous sizes - whether they be simply species of large beasts, all the way to individual or races of the legendary Kaijus. While these creatures had been mentioned in other sections, they are the focus in these entries, which would hopefully be of particular interest to the curious reader, and perhaps even compel them to ponder about their place in nature when comparing themselves to these creatures of literally mythical proportions.

Dracozilla

"I'm so glad he's on our side..."

Dragons are among Equus' most dangerous beasts in their natural state. Dracozilla is anything but natural.

Dracozilla was a dragon who was mutated by a Clovenist super weapon experiment gone horribly wrong, exposing him to massive amounts of wild magic that transformed him into a kaiju of immense power. As such, he is often used as an example of what reckless usage of high powered spells could produce, and one of the reasons such things are heavily regulated if not outright banned.

It should be known that the current Dracozilla is technically 'Dracozilla Jr.'. His parent, the one originally mutated by this event awakened decades ago and attack the Cloven Empire and later Neighpon in revenge for his mutation. After causing massive amounts of damage, the original Dracozilla was killed due to the intervention of several benevolent kaiju and a brilliant Neighponese scientist.

The second Dracozilla would emerge a few years later, believed to be the son of the first (though he isn't sure himself). While initially aggressive, Jr. was never as outright hostile as his father, possibly due to being born as he currently is rather than being subjected to a painful mutation process, which also makes him considerably stronger than the original. While he's caused his fair share of property damage battling other Kaiju, Dracozilla has mellowed out over time and is now a guardian of Neighpon rather than a potential destroyer. The largest contributor to this was likely fierce, drawn out battle with several of Orochi's demon spawn that merged into an imperfect, three head Orochi that exceeded his own power and required the aid of multiple other kaiju and the Neighponese military to bring down.

Dracozilla has also gotten the moniker 'King of the Monsters', but not all kaiju see him as such (particularly the gigantic Changeling Queen Supia Avalon, who is a royal herself). For his part, Dracozilla doesn't really care and doesn't call himself that. With that said, even those that don't refer to him as their king, Dracozilla is respected and to some degree feared. He's friends with most of Equus' benevolent kaiju, due to sharing goals and generally being seen as worthy of respect.

While he never grew wings (it's unknown if this is due to the mutation or simply having originally been a species of them that lack wings), he's extremely powerful, with strength and durability far exceeding a normal dragon. While not a Ryujin, he is arguably close to in strength to one, and many fear what might happen if he ever ascended into one, though for now he still respects Dragon Queen Tiamat and Dragon King Bahamut as his parent gods. However, the wild magic that mutated him to begin with is his strongest attribute. Namely, his fire breath is now a powerful blue heat ray of feral magical power capable of causing a great deal of destruction. The original Dracozilla didn't have a beam, rather he breathed powerful blue, wild magic infused fire, which he set a number of cities ablaze with. The second one is also capable of discharging this energy either through his claws and fangs or as a powerful, full body pulse good for knocking enemies off of him and damaging them. He also has a very powerful healing factor allowing him to heal from what would be mortal wounds to other dragons in a much shorter period of time. He's become quite the skilled fighter over the years.

There's also one notable time he managed to fly using his breath weapon, though he doesn't like talking about it.

He's also capable of absorbing wild magic to increase his own power and feed, and in fact normally sustains himself off of ambient wild magic.

Despite all these abilities, Dracozilla is not invincible. His regeneration can be overtaxed by a sufficient, though immense amount of damage. Furthermore, methods that disperse wild magic can severely weaken him, if not outright kill him in large enough quantities. Intense cold can send him into hibernation like any reptile (which in fact was how Junior was defeated when he originally appeared). Most humiliating, however, is he's still no less vulnerable to Dragon Sneeze Trees than any other dragon.

While at times Neighpon's greatest and most dreaded enemy, Dracozilla is now seen as one of it's greatest guardians, and well beloved by many younger ponies. Though not to the extent of some other kaiju...

EMCS (Elite Monster Containment Squad)

"We're the folks dealing with things that go bump in the night."

Given Equus is home to all sorts of monstrous creatures, it stands to reason there would be groups there to fight them.

The EMCS is an elite guard task force assembled by Princess Celestia, the Sunraiser to deal with the various monster threats throughout the Principalities of Equestria if they become a threat to innocent civilians. Members include monster experts, valiant warriors, brilliant technicians, and other elites in their particular field.

The mission statement of the EMCS is simple: to protect and contain. While willing to kill if the situation requires it, the EMCS largely prefers to non-lethally contain the creatures and if possible relocate them to somewhere they can do no harm. However, above all else their duty is to keep innocent civilians out of harm's way and save lives.

The average EMCS squad consists of a lead operative, a monster expert, a demolition expert, a tracking and trapping expert, a medic, and a tech who's job is to handle both strategy and to create new technologies to counter threats. Teams are trained as a together, and encouraged to become friends. For obvious reason, this is necessary, as if they don't work together as a well oiled machine, they or innocent civilians could die. They are also equipped with the best armor and weapons available.

Each squad is also equipped with a line directly to the princesses to engage Guard Protocol 1954. This Protocol essentially says that in the event of facing an entity of significant strength, the Princesses or the Bearers should be called in.

The largest member of the EMCS is a Dragon named Seiryū, who spends most of his time in Dragon Town but can be called in the event of a kaiju attack if extra fire power is needed. Seiryū is a member of the Dragon Town settlement, and one of it's eldest ones, and as such views Equestria as part of his 'horde' and will go to great lengths to defend it.

According to some government officials, the EMCS is a replacement for a now defunct secret organization known as S.M.I.L.E.. While little is known of this organization, rumours suggest it was shut down and dismantled in response to their handling of a situation involving a Bugbear, one that recently attacked Ponyville. While exact specifics are not known, reasons given range from usage of illegal mind spells on civilians, to endangering the public by withholding need to know information in such a way that it ultimately got civilians hurt or killed, to general incompetence in dealing with such a dangerous creature. Other less dark speculations have circulated suggesting it was actually due to other factors not attributed to malice or incompetence among its ranks and activities that led to its closure.

The breaking of the Changeling Courts' Masquerade has been a great boon to the EMCS, as contact with Overseer Crazy Ant and Queen Zoraptera Avalon providing new advanced technology and better access to healing capabilities to keep both themselves and civilians alive. When operating in the surrounding areas of either Neighpon or Machina, they also now possess a hotline directly to Supia and her children or Colossus in case of Kaiju attack.

Gamarea

"What do you do when you know your time is over but someday another's time will come? You leave a light behind for those to come to ignite."
--- A.K. Yearing

Few kaiju are as beloved as Gamarea, especially by children.

Gamarea was first discovered by renowned author A.K. Yearling during one of her studies, an event fictionalized in the book 'Daring Do and the Ancient Beasts'. According to Yearling, she landed on what she believed to be an island in the middle of the ocean with a mysterious monolith atop it. When she removed a talisman from the monolith, the 'island' revealed itself to be Gamarea, who broke himself free and departed.

Studies of ancient temples uncovered that Gamarea was in fact the creation of a long dead civilization, who knowing their time was short made something that could one day awaken to protect the ones to come after them. As Yearling soon discovered, Gamarea's awakening was not simply a coincidence, as several monstrous bat-like creatures, malfunctioning creations of the same time period he was created to destroy, had also been awakened, which Gamarea quickly hunted down and destroyed, but only after one reached its adult size and attacked Neighpon. After a long battle, Gamarea killed the monster by blowing it to bits.

The cause of these monsters' awakening is unknown, though Yearling's novel had it be the work of Daring Do's nemesis Ahuizotl.

Gamarea resembles a gigantic turtle capable of walking on his hind legs, but that's not nearly all there is to him. He is a very powerful kaiju, and is also capable of healing like Dracozilla, though not as quickly when it comes to passive healing. His extremely durable shell compensates for this. He also processes sharp spikes he can extend from his elbows for slashing attacks and razor sharp teeth and tusks. His most notable ability is that he can breathe powerful plasma fireballs. If charged up enough, the largest of these fireballs can blow some kaiju to bits. This ability also leads into another: he can feed on fire, both to increase in power, but also to enhance his healing ability by a sizable margin.

His oddest ability, however, is that he's capable of flight. Like any turtle, he can retract into his shell, but most turtles can't launch fire out of the openings in their shell for their arms and legs with enough power to achieve lift off. After this, he's capable of flying, spinning through the air and giving the impression of a flying saucer. The edges of his shell makes this quite useful, as it allows him to basically become a buzzsaw. If he needs use of his front arms and teeth for fighting, he can only ignite his leg boosters and keep his head and arms exposed.

It should be noted that Gamarea is less durable than Dracozilla, but makes up for this by being far faster than him.

Gamarea is a firm ally of Ponykind, having been created to combat threats to civilization. In particular, he is extremely friendly and protective towards children to the point of risking his life to protect them on several occasions. He's also known to be fond of AK Yearling, as she was the first modern Pony he has met.

Mothryu

"Mothryu will protect us."
--- Mothryu's Priestesses

Few Kaiju can claim to be a goddess. This is one of them.

Mothryu is a gigantic Lepidopteran insect first discovered on Foal Island that was within the fallout zone of the Clovenists' Mana Bomb, where she is worshiped as a goddess. This is not an exaggeration, as rather than being a mutation like Dracozilla, she is an ancient, Nature Elemental deity that has lived on the island in some for for all recorded history, and possibly beyond it. When her island was damaged by the mana bomb, she provided her worshipers a special type of berry that, when made into juice, shielded them from the Wild Magic, which she herself seemed immune to.

Mothryu was first discovered by a group of sailors who had been lost at sea during a storm, and rescued unharmed, thanks to this very juice. However, due to the greed of a Roelisican business Pony resulted in Mothryu causing damage to the still rebuilding Neighpon's capital in pursuit of her kidnapped priestesses, two tiny ponies capable of strange magical abilities and summoning the goddess with a song. Thankfully, compared to the damage of Dracozilla Sr.'s assault, it was minor, as Mothryu intentionally avoided unneeded harm. However, this also resulted in Mothryu attacking Roelisica in continued pursuit of her priestesses, causing such damage that the country was ultimately forced to be assimilated into the People's Empire of the Cloven.

This is where the most unusual fact about Mothyru comes to light. Namely when first discovered Mothryu was only an egg, but this was simply part of her reincarnation cycle, similar to a Phoenix. Mothryu has the uncanny ability to detect when she is going to pass away soon, and lays an egg. The egg then hatches into a larval Mothryu with all the memories, personality, and divinity of their parent. This foresight even applies to unnatural causes of death, as the current Mothryu is the second in modern history, the first having died in battle with Dracozilla Jr., who's newly hatched larva cocooned and defeated the weakened kaiju in that confrontation, then befriended him in a following confrontation with a three headed, incomplete Yamata no Orochi.

The amount of time between Mothryu's hatching from her egg and metamorphosis into a fully grown kaiju seems dependent on the situation. If the situation requires it direly enough, she can metamorphosis within a few days of her hatching, but it can be nearly a year should she not need to rush.

Mothryu is one of the most benevolent kaiju known to Equus, as even after the Clovenists' mana bomb's damage to her island, she still held no true ill will towards the outside world and only attacked Neighpon and Roelisica to protect her kidnapped priestesses, and inflicted no more damage than was needed to accomplish that goal. On many occasions, Mothryu has come to Neighpon and other countries defense in times of peril and is on good terms with Princess Celestia, the Sunraiser, to the point the Dayarch sometimes comes over for tea with her and her worshipers (even providing gigantic tea cups for the giant moth).

Mothryu is also close friends with Changeling Queen Supia Avalon on account of both being benevolent, insect themed kaiju, but also both being royals. Mothryu is, for all intents and purposes, the sovereign of Foal Island.

While relatively small by Kaiju standards, Mothryu is extremely powerful, and one of the few capable of fighting Dracozilla evenly. Her larval form is surprisingly durable to the point of withstanding Dracozilla's wild magic ray, with powerful jaws that Mothryu II used to bite and hang onto Dracozilla Jr.'s tail, stubbornly remaining attached no matter how hard he tried to remove them. The larva also possess the ability to spray an extremely strong silk sufficient enough that when fully encased in the webbing Dracozilla Jr. took months to free himself from it. This silk is also imbued with powerful magic that, if desired, can injure the target. They are also capable of active camouflage. Mothryu's power only increases exponentially after metamorphosis, as her imago form gains flight and wings capable of generating powerful windstorms capable of staggering even powerful kaiju. She is capable of firing powerful beams of magic from her antenna and lightning from her wings. She can spread scales from her wings with many effects, but her preferred is a type that reflects energy or magic based attacks around inside them like a mirror, both returning enemy attacks to sender and allowing her to increase her own. However, these scales are naturally useless against physical attacks.

Her deadliest ability, however, is her ability to create a giant spell seal that can have several effects, ranging from purification and healing to calling down a gigantic beam of magic and mana from the sky on the enemy. This, however, normally requires the target to be stunned or distracted long enough for her to perform the seal, otherwise it wouldn't work.

However, it should be noted that despite her powerful abilities, her physical combat capabilities are limited by her nature. She's strong enough to pull Dracozilla by his tail, but she lacks the ability to fight a sustained close combat battle with him, preferring to keep range and attack enemies with her ranged attacks. She is also, unlike many deities, ages and will eventually die of old age before reincarnating through her offspring. While in this state, she is considerably weaker than she otherwise would be.

Mothryu is one of Equus's beloved guardians and will even sacrifice her life to protect others if she must, though due to her abilities will not remain dead for long.

Roedan

"You know, maybe that Diamond Dog's god was right about being careful how deep you dig..."
--- Neighponese Miner, after the release of the kaiju.

Roedan's species was believed to be long extinct. The reality couldn't be further from the truth.

Roedan is a gigantic, red skinned Pteranodon species that was first discovered in the form of a gigantic fossil found in Roedinia, thus the name. The gigantic kaiju turned out to be quite the find, captivating many in the scientific community. But living specimens would soon make themselves known when a crew of miners in Neighpon accidentally unearth the dormant eggs of a pair of Roedans, which quickly emerged and began nesting.

As with Dracozilla, these are not the original ones. Those two perished in a controlled volcanic eruption caused by the Neighponese military, the first unable to escape the caldera and the second returning to die with its mate. Years later, a third specimen would emerge, fighting Dracozilla across Neighpon until joining forces with him and Mothryu to combat Imperfect Orochi and becoming one of Neighpon's protectors.

The original Roedan were essentially intelligent, but giant animals, and any damage they caused was more out of finding materials for their nest or feeding than outright malice like Dracozilla Sr. The second Roedan's egg was on an island used by the Hooviets to dispose of wild magic saturated waste from the creation of the Mana Bombs, making him considerably more aggressive at first, until being convinced by Mothryu to join forces against Orochi. He is also considerably more intelligent, though it is considered possible the first two were just as intelligent but never got the chance to learn, as all three were ancient life forms let loose in the modern world with little aid.

All three Roedans are gigantic, but the third one much more so, the same size as Dracozilla. All three are capable of Sonic Rainboom speeds (and in fact Rainbow Dash, the Loyal Wonderbolt and sole Pegasus to perform the feat in modern day, has raced the third Roedan on several occasions, not definitive winner has resulted so far) and generating hurricane force winds by flapping them. They also have strong beaks and talons that are very useful in combat, as well as sharp plates along their stomachs for use in flyby attacks. The third Roedan, however, is far stronger than the first two, as the mutation granted him enhanced durability and heat resistance (unlike the originals who couldn't survive lava) and was capable of facing him in a prolonged battle without a definitive winner. While not as powerful as Dracozilla's, the third Roedan is capable of firing a red wild magic heat ray from his beak, and he is capable of feeding off wild magic to power himself up.

Once another threat to Neighpon and the world, Roedan is currently one of its strongest allies along with Dracozilla and Mothryu.

Bararyu*

"The Guardian of the Earth, Bararyu."

Neighpon is well known for its kaiju, but their presence in the country has existed since before recorded history.

Bararyu is one of Neighpon's Guardian Monsters, three kaiju created in ancient times by a similar civilization as Gamarea's creators for similar reasons. Bararyu is known the 'Guardian Monster of Earth'.

Slumbering underground, Bararyu first awakened to battle the Fourth Demon King when the ancient demon possessed and resurrected the remains of the First Dracozilla. Intercepting the beast, Bararyu battled valiantly to protect civilians from the possessed and mutated dragon until they could escape, but was ultimately overwhelmed by the much larger kaiju and nearly killed. Bararyu barely managed to escape and burrow to the resting place of the eldest and strongest of the trio, Angileo, and awakened him before falling into a coma to recover. Upon fully healing, Bararyu joined Neighpon's protectors.

Bararyu is believed to have originally been an Earth Dragon or at least had them as his primary basis, though is rather small by Kaiju standards. He is a red colored, reptilian quadruped (though he is capable of standing upright), with large, floppy ears and a yellow horn in the center of his forehead. He's noted as being somewhat cute in appearance. As the Earth Guardian, he is capable of burrowing through the earth at a very high rate of speed and generating localized earthquakes for attack purposes. He is an adapt jumper and agile kaiju, and due to his small size he relies on speed to combat larger kaiju. He also possesses razorsharp teeth and jaw strength sufficient to make dislodging him rather difficult. He is also capable of breathing a volcanic heat ray, though far weaker than Dracozilla's.

He's also noticeably less durable than some kaiju, as the Fourth Demon King left him beaten to near death and it took him quite some time to regenerate.

All that said, Bararyu is a loyal and protective creature, seeing Neighpon as his to protect. He's also extremely determined to the point of facing the Fourth Demon King and continuing to fight despite grievous injuries and then managing to burrow his way to his slumbering fellow Guardian Monster to awaken him before succumbing to a healing coma.

*(Baragon's name is a play on the words for Rose and Dragon)

Varein

"The Guardian of Water, Varein."

Neighpon is well known for its kaiju, but their presence in the country has existed since before recorded history.

Varein is one of Neighpon's Guardian Monsters, three kaiju created by a bygone civilization to defend the country similar to Gamarea. Specifically, Varein is the 'Guardian of the Water' and the peoples of the surrounding area worship him as deity, praying to him in times of danger.

Slumbering beneath the lake, Varein remained dormant for eons, only supposed to be awoken when a great disaster would befall Neighpon. That disaster came when the Fourth Demon King resurrected and possessed the corpse of Dracozilla Sr. and went on the warpath once again. After the Guardian Monster of Earth, Bararyu tried and fail to stop the undead kaiju, Varein was awoken and made his way to Neighpon's capital to battle the beast until Angileo, the Fire Guardian, awoke to aid and the true Dracozilla arrived to help destroy the Fourth Demon King. After this, he joined his fellow Guardians in their continued protection of Neighpon.

Varein is a giant monitor lizard-like monster with spikes running the length of his back. His most notable attribute, however, is the skin webbing running between his arms and legs, similar to a flying squirrel that allows him to fly. His claws, teeth, and spikes are all sharp and he's quite adapt at using them as offensive weapons. In addition, as the Water Guardian, Varein is most at home in the water, where he's very agile and swift, capable of swimming circles around other kaiju. This all makes him very versatile, as he's capable of fighting on land, in water, and in the air. He's also capable of turning his natural sonar into a beam of sonic energy to assault opponents with.

Varein is a noble and protective creature, loyal to his homeland and going to great lengths to protect it. He's also a very cunning fighter, making good use of his various abilities in combat to their fullest. As he's physically weaker than Dracozilla or Angileo, this is a good thing, as it allows him to keep pace with them.

Angileo

"The Guardian of Fire, Angileo."

Neighpon is well known for its kaiju, but their presence in the country has existed since before recorded history.

Angileo is the eldest and strongest of the three Guardian Monsters created by a bygone civilization to be a future protector of Neighpon, similar to Gamarea, and is known as the Guardian Monster of Fire.

Slumbering in central Neighpon in crystal, Angileo was awakened by AK Yearling and his fellow Guardian Monster Bararyu to defeat the Fourth Demon King (also known as Ghost Dracozilla) after the younger guardian failed to defeat the undead abomination. Arriving just in time to assist Varein, the two tag teamed the demonic beast but were fighting a losing battle until Dracozilla Junior arrived and together the three kaiju managed to slay the juggernaut. After which, Angileo developed a close friendship with Dracozilla Junior and lives on the same island with Roedan.

Angileo is a gigantic Anklyosaur (not an anklyosaurus) with a spiked shell on his back, though he has a notable difference in that his teeth are razorsharp for offensive abilities. His primary offense is his razorsharp claws and teeth, the spiked shell, and most devastating the spiked club (more accurately called a 'thagomizer') at the end of his tail that he can swing with devastating effectiveness. His hide is also far thicker than his fellow Guardians or many other kaiju, to the point of being one of the most durable known kaiju. As Guardian Monster of Fire, he's also immune to all but the strongest fire attacks, and actually grows stronger from heat sources. While lacking an active healing factor, he can enter a healing coma near a heat source and recover to full heath. He's also able to generate heat through his spiked shell, claws, and teeth.

His most unique power is the ability to roll into a spiked ball, similar to an armadillo. Not only does this provide added defense, he's capable of rolling at high speeds in this form. Given his shell is covered in razorsharp spikes, the end result of an impact from a rolling Angileo can be devastating, and it allows him to move at fairly high speeds if he needs to.

However, Angileo lacks any form of ranged attack and thus is at a disadvantage against a flying kaiju.

Battryu

"Nature has her mercy, but she also has her wrath."
--- Battryu's Priestesses

For reasons unknown, a number of deities come in contrasting pairs, such as Celestia and Luna. Mothryu and Battryu are one such pair.

Battryu is a gigantic Lepidopteran insect first sighted in the frozen north, but known to the people of Foal Island. Like his counterpart Mothryu, he is considered a deity, though one of a much more violent temperament. He is an ancient, natural elemental deity that enact's nature's revenge on those that would desecrate it. According to Foal Island legend, in ancient times Battryu and Mothryu worked together to protect the planet, but when an ancient civilization caused harm to it, Battryu turned on them in a violent rage and destroyed all in his path until Mothryu defeated and sealed her counterpart away in the northern ice.

Battryu reappeared in modern day when the Diamond Dogs of Dimondia's reckless strip-mining caused enough ecological damage to awaken the ancient and wrathful deity, who instantly headed towards the continent and began a rampage in his larva form. When Mothryu arrived to combat her counterpart, Battryu metamorphosed into his Imago form and the two engaged in a huge dog-fight over the country. This duel, however, was cut short by the emergence of the Fifth Demon King, who was then battling Changeling Queen Supia Avalon. After a long conversation, Mothryu managed to convince Battryu to set aside their differences and combat the Demon King. Battryu would join Mothryu on Foal Island, but is keeping a watchful eye on mortals.

Like his female counterpart, Battryu is capable of reincarnating like a phoenix, but due to being male does so differently. When Battryu is killed, his corpse will spawn a new Battryu larvae from it, though being sealed will slow down the process. Mothryu did actually slay Battryu in ancient times, but over the eons, Battryu did reincarnate, only at a slower rate due to his imprisonment.

Battryu's metamorphosis into an adult is very similar to his female counterpart, being able to take as short as a few days after reincarnating to nearly a year if he does not rush. Unlike Mothryu, however, he does not form a cocoon, merely transitioning into his imago form in an explosion of energy. This, however, does require time to charge up.

The biggest difference between the two, however, is Battryu's much more wrathful and violent temperament. Battryu's primary goal is the protection of Equus' biosphere, and he is otherwise apathetic to the sapient life living on it. If someone causes to much ecological damage, Battryu will desire their destruction without a second thought. Because of is this love and protection of the biosphere, Battryu is worshiped by some Alvslog Deer tribes and realms, particularly the realm under King Aspen, though according to his priestess, Battryu finds the king too fanatical about it even for his tastes. This does not mean Battryu is unfeeling, however, as he is known to, after Mothryu convinced him to give mortals another chance, be rather fond of ponies such as the Fluttershy, the Kind Caretaker for their desire to protect nature. Battryu is also on better terms with Princess Luna, the Nightbringer than Princess Celestia, the Sunraiser, due to both having a more harsh and pragmatic response to things.

Battryu is on good terms with Queen Supia, but not to the extent of his counterpart. Battryu does not hold a royal title like Mothryu, and has no desire to have on.

Battryu shares many of the same abilities as Mothryu, but trades off in some areas. His larval form lacks the ability to spray magically charged silk or camouflage, but is larger, more physically powerful, and can fire unrefined beams of lightning like energy from his eyes and the large horn on his head. These beams, though decently powerful, are also not exceptionally controllable and often fire wildly in the general direction of his opponent. He also crawls considerably slower than Mothryu in this form. Battryu's Imago Form takes his larva form's beams and focuses them into two optic rays with greater power and pinpoint control, though their range is slightly less than Mothryu's antenna beams. He is capable of generating powerful windstorms and flight thanks to his wings, and capable of the wing lightning as well. He also has scales he can spread from his wings for many effects, but his preferred one is an acidic and potent poison to weaken an opponent physically as opposed to his female counterpart's more energy focused one.

Battryu lacks Mothryu's spell seal, but makes up for it with greater durability, the ability to discharge deadly pulses of energy through his body, and generally being a much more able physical combatant. In other words, while Mothryu is far better at range and magic, Battryu is far better at sustained close combat. His strength is sufficient to lift Dracozilla off the ground, though he needs add to carry him long distances. Like Mothryu, he's also capable of dying of old age before reincarnating.

Battryu is, however, capable of utilizing magical seals if he's working in conjunction with Mothryu, and the resulting spell is far greater than the two's individual capability.

Battryu is one of Equus's guardians, but far more feared than Mothryu, as he is very willing to wipe out those he sees as a threat to the biosphere.

Lizza, Protector of Manehatten

Species Name: Amblyrhynchus cristatus superior

"If Dracozilla is the King of the Monsters in this Age, then Lizza would be the Prince among them!"

Lizza is a kaiju species born from the wild mana unleashed by Clovenist Mana Bomb tests, discovery credited to one Dr. Annelida, an Autumn Court Changeling biologist from Machina.

As Mana Bomb tests are continued by the Clovenists and other world powers, the fallout not only created Dracozilla, but would also effect many other species - including marine Iguanas. Many perished from the fallout (Contrary to most popular depictions), but nigh-miraculously, one would survive and become heavily mutated into a theropod dinosaur-like kaiju. After attacking fishing boats at sea, it would eventually find its way to Manehatten, where it would make landfall and try to nest. During this time, the beast would be mistakenly believed to be Dracozilla by the news media due to wild magic radiation, reptilian build, and vaguely resembling the mutant dragon, especially in the dark and rain.

This creature would cause a huge amount of property damage and battle with the EMCS on several occasions until Dr. Annelida and his team would discover Manedison Square Garden where it made its nest, revealing it was female and had laid hundreds of eggs that were already beginning to hatch by Parthenogenesis (and had slaughtered a reportedly foreign military team that'd gone in with them). This reproductive capability meant that if not killed, the monster and her brood could overrun the entire world similar to the Dyvaos. An airstrike destroyed the nest, seemingly killing all the infants - but enraging the mother when she discovered the deed. This lead to a huge chase through Manehatten by the now furious adult, ending with her being tangled in a bridge's cables at which point the EMCS and Royal Guard assaulted the creature. Physically frailer than most kaiju, the creature was slain and fell dead. Examination of the corpse would confirm that it was certainly not the same creature as Dracozilla, resulting in the beast being renamed Lizza (dropping the dragon and instead adding a lizard bent to it, but still somewhat acknowledging the similarities between the two).

However, Annelida wisely pointed out that the creature's nest need examined in case any eggs survived. As it turned out, one did, but Annelida ended up covered in the mother's pheromones, and thus the infant would imprint on him as its parent. Exploiting this connection, Annelida would raise the newly named Lizza Jr. to be benign and benevolent towards Sapientkind, and discovered that he was a male incapable of reproducing without a mate. While the military naturally was opposed to Lizza Jr. and at first tried to kill him, after he successfully defeated a mutated squid in the Dazzling Isles and other mutations (created both by the Mana Bomb tests and by the wild magic detonations caused during Xestobium's Dragon Extinction Operation) worldwide, he was accepted as a beneficial ally. This is especially true, as Lizza Jr. turned out to be far, far more powerful than his parent in every way.

During the Storm King Crisis, Lizza Jr. would defend Manehatten from the Storm Empire's forces, ultimately earning the city's love and admiration as the 'Protector of Manehatten' and become a much beloved sight by city denizens.

In addition to random mutations and the Storm King, Lizza Jr. and his 'father' would battle other enemies, such as corrupt corporate executive and Diamond Dog Neomerchantilist Crooked River and renegade secret society of Alvslog Forest Deer and bio-terrorists called the Grove of the Sacred Scales. Their biggest challenge would by a group of resurgent Oceanaiads and their mysterious backers, calling themselves the Leviathan Legion, who would make a go at world domination via a brainwashed army of monsters in world wide crisis event, which would see him pitted against his biological mother rebuilt as a magi-tech cyborg.

Biology

Lizza is a mutated marine iguana, and resembles a theropod dinosaur. While not as large as Dracozilla, they are still enormous and having similar looking dorsal scutes and skin coloration. They have extremely well developed arms capable of manipulating objects easily.

Both are capable of extremely high land speed while running, exceeding 480 km per hour, and swimming at high speeds. Due to their mutation, they can breath underwater. They can burrow underground at high speeds as well. They possess a healing factor that can regenerate from serious damage if not killed outright. Claws and teeth are both strong and sharp, and Lizza Jr. has proven capable of tracking his parental figure all the way across the world.

The original Lizza was comparably weaker and killed via conventional weapons, and lacked a true beam, instead being able to project a flammable, high pressure air blast from her lungs. However, her son's mutation was far more stable and complete, making him superior to her in every way. He is physically far stronger and much more durable than his parent, to the point similar attack to that which killed his mother failed to seriously injure him as a 'teenager'. In addition, he possesses a wild magic ray similar to Dracozilla's, though green and more flamethrower like. While lacking concussive force, it can be charged and fired more quickly, and is similarly preceded by a green glow trailing up his scutes to his head, with his eyes glowing before firing.

The species has an interesting bit of sexual dimorphism: females can reproduce asexually in the absence of a mate, while males can only reproduce with a mate. This makes Lizza Jr. safer to have around than his mother.

Interestingly, while Marine Iguanas are herbivores, Lizzas are predatory and feed primarily on fish. That being said, like many Kaiju beings and gigantic races, Lizzas are actually Manavores primarily sustained by Wild Magic, with their periodic carnivorous diet merely serving as a secondary catalyst to kick-start or boost the primary metabolic process, owing to their enormous biology being unsustainable by a conventional diet.

Habitat

As mutations, they have no natural habitat, but are primarily sea dwelling. Lizza Jr.'s nest was made in the water off Manehatten in the sea bed. They feed primarily on fish there.

Danger

They are extremely powerful and dangerous, but as Lizza Jr. is the world's currently only surviving specimen there's little danger. He is incapable of reproducing on his own, and due to his raising is a 'gentle giant' to most sapient races. He will react fiercely and deal a lot of damage if provoked, but when left alone he is friendly and low danger.

Lyre, the Guardian of Mousikós

Character: Heroic
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Type: Kaiju, Guardian Monster, Wild Magic Mutant
Faction: Mousikós/The Muse Trio

"What's big as a skyscraper and SINGS?"

There are many kaiju scattered across Equus, especially born from Wild Magic (or exposures to other forms of exotic, transformative mutagens). However, not all Wild Magic Mutations were caused in modern day. One heroic kaiju born from it long after Hooviet Transatomic Weaponry was developed and long before the Clovenist Mana Bomb was ever invented is Lyre.

Lyre began her life as a normal Great Song Bird given to Queen Aoide Mousikós by her sisters when she was a little chick to help alleviate her stress and give her something to talk to. The two became very close, with Lyre often using the species' ability to make people sing to force her master to sing about her feelings and emotionally vent, or just play with the castle staff.

This would continue until the Castle of Music's meltdown, which Aoide chose to sacrifice herself to try and contain to protect her subjects. However, despite Aoide's attempts to get Lyre to leave, the Great Song Bird ignored her demands in order to help her maintain the barrier, despite knowing it was likely certain death. Tearfully accepting her help, Aoide and her pet struggled to contain the blast, with Lyre sustaining burns and wild magic poisoning in the process.

However, Aoide's sisters Nete and Mese would lead the kingdom in singing a song to support the two, allowing them to successfully contain the blast and Aoide to absorb the music based Wild Magic and ascend fully to godhood. However, Lyre had seemingly been fatally burned and wild magic poisoned and seemingly flew off to die without letting her owner see her demise.

The truth would make itself known several months later when Aoide was surprised to find Lyre had not only survived, but was now a kaiju, then 30 meters large.

"Lyre...you got big..."
--- Aoide upon discovering her pet was now a kaiju. Lyre would cheerfully squark, signalling as if this was no big deal for her.

Rather than dying from the exposure, Lyre had mutated similar to Dracozilla and other kaiju in the present day and become a kaiju. Unlike Dracozilla, she would endure the pain of her injuries and mutation and remain loyal to her. Lyre would continue to grow over the coming years until she reached 100 meters tall, becoming Mousikós' guardian monster to protect them against the Oceanaiad school lurking off their shores.

Having become ageless, or at least very long lived, due to her mutation, Lyre would continue to protect the country until modern day when Dr. Annelida and his crew would arrive in Mousikós seeking aid against the Leviathan Legion. Sensing Lizza Jr., Lyre would see him as a threat and fly down to investigate, resulting in the mutated iguana seeing her as a threat to his adopted parent and the two getting into a brief fight. Before either could meaningfully harm the other, Annelida and the Muse Trio would break up the fight (comically, as due to Lyre's power have to spend the entire time singing). Explaining the situation with the Leviathan Legion, the group would request aid in stopping the Oceanaiad alliance's assault. Before any decision could be made, however, the native Oceanaiad school would reveal themselves part of the Legion and attack the island with several brainwashed kaiju. Alone, it is likely Lyre would've been overwhelmed and killed, but with Lizza Jr.'s help the brainwashed kaiju were beaten, and the Oceanaiad's leader, Queen [REDACTED], the Resurgent, was forced to the surface and beaten by the two kaiju and their allies. Lyra would then help Lizza Jr. counterattack and defeat the Leviathan Legion, protecting the city of San Pranciscolt from them (It's Fourth Age counterpart, not the Second Age version).

With Mousikós now free to interact with the outside world for the first time in millennia, Lyre would largely continue to be its guardian, but would enjoy more company and hearing different songs. She would also bond with Dracozilla Jr. and other heroic kaiju, getting along well with them. Gods and Goddess of Music would also befriend her. This included Blue Suede Heartstrings, who Aoide would happily introduce to her.

Personality-wise, Lyre is undying loyal to her owner and Mousikós. This is to the point of being willing to sacrifice herself to help her protect the isles. She has fought tirelessly for the country for her entire time as a kaiju, including risking her life if need be. She would also force her owner to sing and let out her bottled up emotions, which was part of the reason her sisters had gotten Lyre for her in the first place. However, despite this, Lyre is well known as a bit of a mischievousness prankster, though rarely a malicious one. Even before mutating into a kaiju, she made a habit of forcing the castle staff to break out in musical numbers at the most amusing moments and play other pranks on them. Or on the occasion Oceanaiads or other threats made it into the castle, play more malicious pranks to defend her master and castle. For the most part, her antics were seen as amusing fun. Once she mutated into a kaiju, she'd often play these pranks on various parts on the country, but by this point it's seen as tradition and it would be more weird if she wasn't playing them. This mischievous personality would see her and Celestia, the Sunraiser's pet Phoenix Philomena, who has a similar personality.

Lyre is fiercely protective of her islands, which can sometimes become a negative, as shown when she attacked Lizza Jr. to protect them. She is also a bit haughty at times, which can make it difficult for anyone but her master to control her. She also makes her displeasure with people she doesn't like well known.

"Is that giant bird mooning us?"
--- A group of Tribalists upon realizing Lyre was mooning them from her perch on the mountain in the middle of a speech. When they attempted a terrorist attack later on, Lyre did considerably more than that.

Appearance wise, Lyre is a massive white Giant Song Bird, though having monstrous traits due to her mutation. She now possesses a head crest resembling horns and a much more fierce beak and talons with a longer, almost reptilian tail. She is around one hundred meters tall, and wears jewelry that Mese made for her specifically.

Power wise, as a Great Song Bird, she has always possessed the ability to force others to burst into musical numbers with her song. As a kaiju, her song can now cover an island wide area if she so chooses. She is also extremely strong and durable, with an impressive healing factor. An extension of her natural musical power, she is now capable emitting a powerful beam of wild magic infused sonic energy roughly on par with Roedan's heat ray in terms of power. Like many Wild Magic mutants, she is capable of absorbing Wild Magic in order to grow stronger and to feed, and generally can be found in the still radioactive ruins of the Castle of Music, feeding off its wild magic. She can generate hurricane force winds with her wings for offensive purposes, and her talons and beak are dangerous weapons. All of this puts her roughly on par with Roedan, Lizza Jr., and other such kaiju. Her mutation may also have made her ageless, though may simply have made her extremely long lived.

She does have weaknesses. As a giant flyer, she's not well designed to fight underwater. This was one reason the war Oceanaiads lasted as long as it did, as the Queen would have the advantage if she tried to follow them under the waves. She is also vulnerable to things that neutralize wild magic.

The oldest known Wild Magic mutant, is a close friend and ally to Lizza Jr. and the protector of Mousikós, and one of its greatest champions.