Chapter 3: *Deep Breathing*

Daze and Bubbles are enjoying their time at the park when they see a rainbow streak make a sharp turn towards them.

'I got a bad feeling about this.' Daze says biting into his sandwich as the rainbow streak gets closer and closer to them. Before stopping suddenly in front of them revealing a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail.

"Hey Derpy, you're late for your shift." the rainbow pegasus tells Derpy causing her to pause and think. She then spits out her drink in realization.

"What I totally forgot! I'll head over there right now. I'm so sorry Daze I comple-" She turns to see Daze covered in her drink. She immediately reaches for some napkins to try to dry him off but in doing so she causes the bottle with their drink to fall and spill onto his lap. She apologizes profusely to see Daze light up his horn and dry himself off.

"Hey hey hey it's alright Bubbles." He emphasizes himself with his hands. "No harm, no foul. Either way I believe you have a job to do." He points to the pegasus.

"R-right well I see you later then." Bubbles says getting ready to leave.

"Yeah I'll see you later" Daze says waving as they start flying towards the center of ponyville. "Right then let's clean up" he starts to grab the dishes and glasses. He hears the bushes behind him start to rustle and another pony comes out.

"Hello brother." The unknown pony says with a cocky smile.

"You're no brother of mine, traitor scum."

"Sticks and stones my brother. I have come to tell you that the master wishes to proceed with the plan."

"When." Daze says facing the other way worried but maintaining a calm face.

"Well if all goes well it should start within the next few weeks. Master has already sent messages to his followers in Canterlot to start preparations for the Master's plan."

"Well thank you for telling me in advance. I will tell my partner it's almost time."

"There's no need for that."

Daze freezes grabbing a knife. "Oh please tell me why."

"The Master has deemed you a liability. Hence why he had me and a few of our brothers come to 'dispose' of you." The unknown pony says as 5 more ponies come out from the bush.

"Well how nice of you but I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

The unknown pony chuckles at his response.

"Well I'm afraid this isn't optional" he turns to the ponies. "Dispose of him but don't make a mess. I don't wish to spend more time here than we have to."

"I'm not so easy to kill you know" Daze says getting a fighting stance.

"I was hoping you wouldn't fight but one can only hope. So that's why we brought this." He turns back and holds out a violet melon shaped fruit with various swirls and curly stem on top.

Daze looks at them in shock and fear. "You wouldn't dare. We all know what that has the capability to do."

"Oh yes we do, which is why we thought we would try it here. Master didn't tell us what it could do but I'm excited to find that out aren't you brothe-." The pony sees one of his men jump in front of him. Angered he pushes him out of the way only to see a knife lodged into his throat.

"No!" Daze exclaimed while clenching his hands and shutting his eyes before opening his eyes with some hesitancy and getting back into his stance.

"Well now if you're going to play like that let's even the playing field." He takes a bite and swallows it. "Egh that was horrible but a small price for the power I now hold." He says extending his arms toward Daze as he prepares for something to happen.

Nothing seems to happen but then bubbles shoot from his hands towards Daze who dodges them. "Bubbles?… seriously that's your power." Daze looks at them struggling to not burst into laughter.

"Quiet!" He shouts at Daze as he looks at the fruit. He throws it to the ground then stomps on it. "Useless useless useless useless useless!!!" He shouts out in a rage then looks toward Daze with fear and dread in his eyes. Daze starts to walk towards them.

"Well now I think it's time we got started wouldn't you agree 'brother'. " he says in a taunting voice

"G-get away from me!" He looks to the others. "Don't just stand there you morons get him" the other ponies start to backpedal as they see Daze get nearer.

"I-I think this is above my pay grade." One of the ponies says starting to flap his wings and start flying only for a knife to embed itself in his back hitting his wing tendon as he screams in agony and falls to the ground. The others can only stare in fear as they know there's no escape.

"I'd rather die fighting than running away as a coward." One of them says getting into a fighting stance.

"Honorable but foolish." Daze says picking up the knife from the first dead body. The other ponies reluctantly get into position as they hold their weapons albeit shaking.

"G-go kill him now!" He says, shaking. The other ponies circle around Daze.

"..." Daze starts walking towards one of them.

"S-stay where you are!" The one Daze nears say as the other slowly backs away.

'Cowards that's all you guys are.' Daze thinks as he stands over one of them. "I'm surprised your master sent you guys to kill me. You guys never could do anything without one of my brothers or sisters holding your hand."

One of them growls in anger and charges. "Die!" He goes for an overhead swing but Daze dodges and grabs his head then headbutt his nose and knees him in his balls. The attacker falls over groaning in pain. Daze picks up his weapon and stabs it into the attackers legs then arms making him scream in pain. Daze turns to the others."Anyone else?"

They looked at him with fear in their eyes before he jumped to the side and behind him came a beam of bubbles which hit the last two of them sending them into trees knocking them out.

Daze looks behind him and sees the last one and starts to walk towards him. "N-no stay away!" He shouts, shooting more beams of Bubbles but each one Daze dodges and continues forward. Soon Daze stands over the last one as he just accepts his fate and gets into the bipedal position. Daze goes into the bushes and pulls out the one hurt in the wing as he screams and shouts begging to be set free. Daze knocks him out with a hit to the head and throws him to him.

"Collect your brothers and leave." Daze starts to walk away. "Oh also tell your Master I'm coming for him."

He could only stare at Daze in hatred and disgust. He grabs his brothers with his magic, mourning the one they had lost and pulls them back into the bushes.

??? POV

"C174 was successful in his fight with your sons. C174 showed mercy towards them after unintentionally killing one and rendering all but one unconscious. A personal note: The DF user and his brothers were incompetentand highly overestimated themselves." The unknown said into a scroll showing no emotion.

"Very good, continue to monitor him and report anything unusual."

"Very well. What of the rest?"

"Dispose of them we have no need for them."

"Of course." The unknown figure says as they head into the forest.

3RD POV

Bubbles and Rainbow are helping to move clouds and poof them. "Hey Derpy, were you on a date?" Rainbow says with a sly grin causing Bubbles to mess up with a cloud and crash into it.

"W-w-what do you mean Rainbow?! W-we're just friends." Bubbles almost yelled with a notable blush.

"Uh huh yeah that's totally the case. You and him definitely weren't on a picnic date in the park." She nudges her with her elbow. "C'mon tell me, what's he like?"

Bubbles lays there inside the cloud with Rainbow looking down at her. "Well he's nice to start. He's different." She looks down. "I dunno I just like to be around him."

Rainbow smiles." Seems like you him ay Bubbles." Rainbow teased.

"Please don't call me that." Bubbles responded looking at Rainbow.

"Oh and why shouldn't I." Rainbow teased with a knowing grin.

"W-well it's just he called me that so…" Bubbles blushed

"Bwahahaha see I told you you have a crush on him." Rainbow cheered as Bubble's blush became brighter. "So I'm guessing you haven't told him have you."

"No. No I haven't." Bubbles sighed dejectedly only for Rainbow to grab her arm and pull her up from the cloud.

"Well then when do you plan on telling him?"

"W-Well it's not so easy to just come out with your feelings!"

"Cmon, just tell him. It can't be that hard."

"If you had the same kind of feelings toward somepony you wouldn't be saying that so casually." Bubbles huffed and crossed her arms.

"Alright, you want to make a bet." Rainbow proposed

"What kind of bet?"

"The first pony I fall for I have to grab them and say how I feel about them but you have to tell him how you feel." Rainbow extends her hand out.

Bubbles stares at her hand and thinks hard before sighing and shaking it. "Deal."

Rainbow starts to softly chuckle before she bursts out laughing. "You forget Derpy, I'm not interested in anyone here!"

"So you plan on being an old cat mare."

"..." Rainbow just stands there mid laugh Dio pose before comically falling onto her back and going into the fetal position. Bubbles laughs at her antics and helps her up.

"Cmon Rainbow we have to finish this"

"Already want to see him again?"

Bubbles huffs and floats above the cloud before poofing it causing Rainbow to fall for a bit before she catches herself and starts to laugh.

Everfree Forest POV

Above the Everfree teleports Michael who promptly falls to the ground face first and make a comically perfect hole of himself in the ground. He stands up after the fall and starts to walk.

'Where am I?' Michael thinks to himself before moving deeper into the Everfree. After walking for what seemed like hours Michael hears what seems like howling around him before seeing wooden wolves pop out of the bushes around before biting into him. Micheal screams out in pain and falls to the ground before stopping and looking around. 'Why doesn't this hurt?' He looks to one of the wolves who was currently biting into his leg before being grabbed by Michael and having the back of its neck crushed with ease causing the wooden wolves to explode. 'Woah!' He looks to his hand covered in sap and splinters. Then to the rest of the wooden wolves who look at him in surprise and fear.

He stands up with several wolves latched onto various limbs who are just as confused as him. 'You guys wanna let go?' The wolves look all around them before they let go of his arms and legs. 'Much better. Now then I need to find my way out of here. Wherever here is.' He continues to walk into the forest while the wolves follow behind him, one even bites into his leg. Michael stumbles but then grabs onto the wolves and lifts the wolf to his face where he glares at it causing it to start sweating and looking around. 'Don't ever do that again.' He signs while angrily staring at him.

The wolf nods in agreement and Michael puts him down. As Michael continues walking the wolves keep following him, Michael chooses to ignore them for the time being and enjoys his walk through the forest. He stops suddenly causing the wolves behind him to crash into each other. Michael looks back to them and yells in shock in his head. 'You guys are made of wood!' The wolves behind him fall comically in disbelief.

"Now you notice!" The wolf in front of the pack yells out.

'Well I mean…. Wait, how do you know what I'm thinking?'

"Uh I mean woof bark woof bark bark…" Michael depans at this. The wolf stands there still as a statue as if Michael wouldn't see him if he stood still. The wolf behind him smacks him upside the head causing him to topple over with a bump on his head.

"Ugh great you blew our cover Oak." Oak lifts his paw.

"Actually you just did. I had him completely fooled with my perfect impression."

" 'No you didn't.' " both Micheal and the other wolf say/think in unison.

'Alright but back to my question, how do you know what I'm thinking?'

"Well the cats out of the bag" the wolf says before being surrounded by twigs, leaves, and branches before appearing as a 5'7 anthro wooden wolf. "Also we're called Timberwolves."

'Alright… hi I'm Michael.' Michael says, sticking his hand.

"Hi I'm Pine Tar." She says shaking his hand and the other wolves turn into their anthro versions. "We can kinda read minds. Helps us tell what our prey will do next."

'That's pretty cool. Hey, you mind telling me where I am.'

"Sure you're in the Everfree Forest. Now what are you."

'Oh I'm a human.' He responded nonchalantly causing the wolves tense and started to slowly step backwards. ' What did I say something wrong?'

"A-a human!" One of the pack members yelled out in surprise.

'Yeah and.'

"And! What do you mean and!"

"Shut it Rain!" As the two enter a yelling match Michaell goes to sit down near a pile of rocks. When he looks around he sees a small Timberwolf coming to see what's happening.

'Hello small one. What are you doing out here?' Michaell says, carefully lifting her into his lap and petting her. Oak turns to see what Michael is doing only to be horrified at the sight.

"H-hey human." Oak says slowly walking towards him.

'Yeah wassup."

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing to worry about. Now why don't you give me her." He points towards the small Timberwolf.

Micheal sees his expression and gains a devious look. 'Oh and what if I don't want to.'

"That is absolutely fine but let's pretend you did want to."

'Hhhhmmmm nah'

"Human please."

'.... fine.' Michael hands the baby Timberwolf to Oak who sighs in relief as he grabs her. Michael stands up and pats Oak's back causing him to stumble a bit before catching himself and angrily glare at him.

'Why so serious.' Michael laughs as the leaves behind start to rustle and out jumps a Timberwolf with his jaws wide open aimed at Michael's throat. Michael snatches him from the air and pins him to the ground. The Timberwolf struggles to break free from Michael's grasp and the other wolves see this and rush to help.

"Human let him go!" The commotion causes the baby to start crying

Michael doesn't respond as the wolf's face starts to turn a slight shade of blue. Oak rips Michael's mask from him causing Michael to jump up releasing the Timberwolf beneath him and cover his face with his hands. Michael turns suddenly to Oak who throws back his mask to him. Micheal catches his mask and puts it back on.

'Never Ever do that again!'

"It was either that or let you choke my friend!"

'Your friend tried to kill me!'

Oak struggles to find his words and Pine intervenes

"Alright both of you, that's enough! Michael is right for defending himself also what took you so long to get here Clover."

Clover takes deep breaths as he's surrounded with branches and leaves and then stands up.

"You guys were gone by the time I came too and some manticores came to see what was going on and I kept getting destroyed. I was able to distract one long enough for me to escape and I came here as fast as I could. I saw a giant shadow hitting Oak's back and I thought one of them got here before me."

"... They didn't follow you did they?"

"No, I made sure they couldn't." Clover turns to Michael and starts to walk towards him. Clover then sticks his wooden paw out. "Sorry I had you pegged as a Manti."

Michael smiles behind the masks and shakes Clover's hand. 'Sorry I almost killed you.'

Clover walks over to Oak "Let me hold her."

"Sure."

Clover starts to hum and sway her, starting to calm her down. "Alright now that she's calmed down. Let me ask something."

'What's on your mind?'

"Last time I saw you. You were pinned to the ground by me and my pack."

'Well to answer that right after I crushed the back of your neck. Sorry about that but after that I just stood up.'

"You just stood up, that's a good one. No but seriously, how did you get out of that?"

'I'm telling you I just stood up.'

Clover looks to Oak and Pine who sigh in defeat and nod their heads, causing Clover to start laughing and the baby follows his lead.

"I can't believe you just stood up HAHAHAA!" He puts the baby down and starts to hold his stomach. "Oh oh my stomach, that's too good." Michael gains an amused look and joins in on the laughter.

"Yeah yeah laugh it up." Oak crosses his arms and looks away.

"Aw~ don't be like that Oak"

"I'm going to go look for food!" Oak angrily stomps away as Michael and Clover laughs and Pine giggles.

After a little bit more Michael and Clover calm down and catch their breaths. "I haven't laughed like that in a while. Anyways my name is Clover. What's yours?"

'Names Michael. Pleasure to meet you.'

"Nice name also, what's that thing you're doing with your hands?"

'Hmm?... Oh I'm using sign language.'

"Sign language?"

'Yeah I use my hands to make certain shapes that represent letters and that's how I communicate.'

"Oh so it's kinda like hoof language."

'Hoof language?'

"Yeah I've seen some ponies do it. It's like your sign language but they include their hoofs to make certain beats that represent letters."

'Nice also is the-' Michael was cut off by a rumbling feeling and a series of faint barks. The other wolf's ears perk up and their eyes widen.

"Do we have enough time to get all the pups out?!"

"No, they're too close, we have to drive them off!"

'Hey what's going on?!' Michael yells out confused at their actions.

"We've got a pack of manti's heading toward us!"

'What's a Manti?'

"Well it's a-'' They hear a roar nearby. "Well you're about to find out. Get ready guys!"

The rumbling and roars get stronger as the barking stops with a loud whine while everyone looks determined as they get ready to face off with the Manti's. Suddenly Oak bursts through the tree line with him missing his right arm, broken left leg, destroyed right ear and missing lower jaw. He lands with a tumble as he recovers he looks at everyone with an apologetic look in his eyes before a pack of Manticores jump out of the tree line on top of him poofing him instantly.

Pine looks away in pain as Clover clenches his hands. The manticores look away from the shattered remains of Oak towards the rest of the Timberwolves. They lick their lips in anticipation as two of them start to circle the pack. Both parties look at each before Clover and one the Manticores howl/roar and all hell broke loose. Some of the wolves jump onto a manticore biting into it and ripping part of its hide off as it roars in pain while another Manticore with a scar over its left eye poof two of the wolves one with its paw and another with its tail.

One of the Manticores sees Michael and charges but before he could make it Clover jumped on his head and redirected him into a tree. Clover turns to Michael.

"Run!!" Michael starts to run away but he stops and looks back.

'What should I do?...... Fuck it. We've never run from a fight before, why start now huh guys!' Micheal bursts out laughing before charging back into the fight and jump kicking one the Manticores through a tree and causing it to dig into the ground a bit. 'Woah I knew I was strong but no-' Michael is interrupted mid thought by a different manticore knocking him down in surprise. 'Right there's more of you!' He thinks as he struggle against it.

Clover turns away from the dead manticore to see Michael pinned by a manticore. He rushes to save him but is astonished by Michael's feat of strength when he not only starts to push the manticore off him but starts to lift it up.

The manticore flails his paws in an attempt to get out Michael's grasp but is unsuccessful when Michael throws him into two other manticores causing them to fall down and struggle to get up. Michael looks on with a determined and happy expression behind the mask. Clover grins and releases a loud howl which encourages the rest of the wolves as he regroups with Michael.

Clover and Michael exchange a look before the scare eyed manticore roars and stands in front of Michael.

"He wants to challenge you Michael."

'Huh why?'

"He says that you look like a worthy challenge."

'What me?'

"You did knock out a manticore then throw another into 2 more."

'I guess *sigh* fine but tell him on one condition. He and his pack must leave and never come back." Clover translates. Scar eye responds with a nod.

"Well there you have it Michael." Clover says as he jumps back into his pack as the manticores and wolves stop their fighting to spectate.

Scare eye roars at Michael. "What are you? I don't think I've seen one of your kind in these forests." Clover translates.

'I'm a human you see.' Scar eye stares at him in shock and surprise.

"A human huh I've heard the legends of your kind but I've never seen one till now. It'll be an honor to take your life."

'I don't think that's gonna happen.'

"We shall see but may I ask what is it you fight for."

'Currently, I don't know but everyone finds out sooner or later in life.'

"Well said human but enough talk. We fight now!" Scar starts off with a roar before pouncing on Michael only for him to roll out of the way and barely react to the outstretched tail of the beast and jump back to make distance. Scar eye grins before starting run towards Michael who slides below Scar and grabs his tail and starts to pull. Scar looks at him before lifting Michael off the ground. Michael continues to struggle with the tail before noticing that he's no longer on the ground.

'Fuck.' He thinks calmly before being smashed into the ground over and over and then is tossed into several trees. 'Ugh how am I not dead?' He looks himself over before dodging the incoming manticore and backflipping away but fails to land it and falls on his stomach. Scar takes advantage of this and lands on top of Michael pinning him and stabbing his stinger into him. Scar gets off of Michael as the wolf's look on in sadness and manticores get ready to fight again. Scar is about to roar triumphantly before he feels something grab his leg he looks down and sees Michael holding onto his back leg.

"Don't struggle human you've lost."

Michael grabs onto Scar with his other arm and slowly lifts himself up. He shakily stands in front of Scar before pulling back his arm and punching Scar in his nose, sending the Manticore skidding across the ground through multiple tree and into a boulder cracking it upon impact.

'The fights barely begun.' Michael then charges the Manticore and jumps towards him and try to punch him but Scar dodges out of the way. The boulder where he was shatters into pieces and Michael stands there and turns to the manticore who roars defiantly. The two of them face off before locking hands/paws each trying to push the other back before Michael head buts him and Scar stabs Michael in the stomach causing both parties to back off and enter a staring contest each trying to intimidate the other.

Michael breaks it by slowly closer to Scar. Scar raises his tail and strikes quickly towards Michael who catches it with the stinger going into the gaps between his fingers. Michael quickly gets a good grip before tugging and pulling the tail. Scar puts his claws into the dirt trying to secure himself but Michael starts to drag him and gains momentum suddenly Michael has Scar spinning around in the air by his tail.

'So long gay Bowser!' Michael yells before throwing Scar deep into the forest and a small dust cloud could be seen in the distance. Michael turns around to see everybody gaping jaws.

"Suuggeee!" All the Timberwolves yelled out with their eyes turning to stars. The manticores start running towards the spot where Scar landed. The Timberwolves start to surround Michael and shower him with complements and questions.

'Alright one at a time please'

Ponyville POV

Daze walks all over Ponyville before stopping in front of a store. He walks inside ringing the bell above the door alerting the cashier of a customer.

"Hello there sir, anything I can help you with?"

"Yeah actually. Do you guys have any rubber stuff?"

"Yes actually its on the fifth row."

"Thanks." Daze proceeds to the fifth where he finds thick rubber gloves, boots, hats and ponchos. "Hey, do you guys have glass or gold for sale."

"We sadly don't sadly although the store next to us does and about gold I doubt there's a store which sells it."

"Alright then we'll take all this." He puts 3 of everything onto the desk.

"Alright then that will come to a total of 40 bits." Daze puts 40 bits on the desk and takes his items. "Thank you and come again."

"Alright now for the glass and I have a different idea for the gold." Daze proceeds to buy three glass panes and goes home.

Daze digs a thin small hole in his backyard and puts a large number of bits into a pot and lights a large fire under it. "This is going to take a while."

Time skip

"God that took forever but now that I have it done all I have to do now hide this in the Everfree." Daze lifts the items with his magic and takes them into the Everfree. He walks for a while before spotting a clearing and hiding his stuff in pre dug holes surrounding and in the clearing. "Soon." Daze teleports himself back to his house and goes to sleep.