What really happened that day...
"We've got to do something, before anypony finds out," Hitch explained. He paced across the motel room, thinking out loud. "Maybe a kidnapping?"
Pipp scrolled down the feed on her phone. "It's too late for that. Everypony is going to know it's our fault. Nopony will follow me ever again. I'm surprised Sunny and Iz—"
There was a loud crash as the door to the room flew inward. "Aha! I knew we'd find them here. It was a simple deduction my dear Sunny!"
Izzy walked into the room wearing a patchy hat and warm winter coat, followed by the orange earth pony. "Uh, thanks Izzy for your enthusiasm. I never doubted you for a minute, not even when you threatened to take Sprout 'for a swim in lead horseshoes’ if he didn't tell you where Hitch was hiding."
Hitch's mouth hung open, his eyes wide in shock. "We can explain! It's not what you think!"
Pipp nodded, still sitting at the small desk. "Yeah, I mean this could have been photoshopped, there's no proof it was us!" She turned her phone around to show Sunny.
"Ugh! Haven't you heard of safe search?" She reached over to push the phone away.
Izzy hummed to herself as the others argued, using her magic to levitate over another chair and a desk lamp. Before long. She'd corralled Hitch and Pipp against the wall; both ponies were now seated at the desk.
"Alright, I'm asking the questions now.” Izzy tilted the light up to shine in their eyes. “First up… do you know where I can get some coffee and donuts?" She stared at Hitch, awaiting an answer.
"Why would I know that?" Hitch protested. Finally, after he blinked and lost the staring contest, he acquiesced. "Ugh fine, down the street at Rob's place."
"Perfect! Sunny if you don't mind, 3 bear claws, extra glaze, and a triple Espresso. Meanwhile, why don't you start at the beginning?"
Sunny sighed, and smiled at her marefriend before setting off to fetch the goods.
"So it was last weekend when Pipp asked me for a favor," Hitch started...
Hitch stood in the Sheriff's office in front of a map of Equestria. He had laid it out over a circular table. There were a series of red x’s drawn in marker on it, along with a photo of a Manticore. Each spot indicated was a sighting of the dangerous beast, and it had slowly been making its way toward Maretime Bay.
A bell over the door rang as somepony entered the station. A few steps brought them over to the map. Hitch turned to find Pipp smiling ear to ear as she stared at the photograph on the table.
"So it is true! The return of magic has caused the return of all sorts of creatures… no, wait, a magical menagerie of monsters! I've so got to tweet this." Pipp whipped out her phone and began writing on the spot.
"I'd really rather you not cause a panic," Hitch said. He heard a buzzing noise from his desk, where his phone skittered across the hard surface for a second. "So much for keeping it under wraps."
"Can I send out a quick video of the map to my fans?"
"Pipp, I have to focus on capturing or scaring off this Manticore before anypony gets hurt. This isn't your chance to get famous."
"Come on." Pipp frowned and tried to give him puppy dog eyes. "You owe me one, and it was a big one too! Do you know how hard it was to track down all those photos of you at the—"
"Fine!" Hitch looked around in a panic, to make sure Sprout wasn't around to hear. "You really want to use your favor for scrubbing my compromising photos off Ponybook on this?"
"I do! I'm going to record the entire hunt for the Manticore for posterity. The first sighting of a creature long thought extinct, and I'll have the exclusive vids!"
“Waif a mimute,” Izzy mumbled through a mouth full of donut. She swallowed, and continued. “What compromising photos? Just what are you hiding, Sheriff?”
“I, uh…” Hitch began to blush, and looked over to Sunny for help.
She sighed, throwing him a lifeline. “It’s nothing, Izzy, honest. Why don’t we focus on one mystery at a time?”
Izzy shot her friend a glance. “Fine, Sunny, but I’ll get to the bottom of the mystery of the deleted photos after we figure out what you two did to that poor manticore.”
“Hey! I’m the victim here,” Pipp whined. “Just look at how many followers I’ve lost!”
"Why don't you skip ahead to where it all started to go wrong?" Izzy asked. She took a sip from her espresso before pulling out a small pipe and putting it in her mouth.
Hitch raised an eyebrow as he watched her puff on it. A small bubble floated out. "Well, Pipp began her live stream and continued until we had tracked the creature out into the forest. We had to recruit some help, and I really needed somepony with experience handling Pipp…"
“Ugh, I can’t get a good signal, maybe I should record it and upload later? Oh, here we go.” Pipp cleared her throat. “Hi there Pippsqueaks! I’m coming to you from deep in the forest, where we’re waiting for the fabled manticore to step into our—”
Zipp jerked Pipp back suddenly, almost causing her to drop her phone. “Trap?” she finished for her sister, pointing down at the ground.
“Oh, thanks.” Pipp paused her recording, looking down at the small metal trap on the ground. If she’d stepped on it, it would have slammed shut. Luckily, it had no teeth. Hitch had to dig it out of an old storage room at the station where all the older Canterlogic anti-pony designs had been stored. “That would have been uncomfortable.”
“You think? How about you try again, and a little quieter so you don’t scare it off.” Zipp sighed, glancing over at Hitch.
“Yeah, Sprout, we need bait. That means fish, unless you want to run down and kill a couple rabbits, or volunteer to be the bait?” Hitch asked.
“Still, it’s kinda gross.” Sprout looked a bit squeamish as he stared at the ice box. “What kind of pony eats meat? That’s just wrong.”
“I need you to focus, Sprout. This thing has the head and teeth of a lion, a scorpion’s tail, and sharp claws too. You need to take this seriously, and keep your taser ready.” Hitch adjusted his bandolier, putting a hoof on his own weapon.
“I’ve never used this except in training, will it even work on a manticore?”
“I hope so, if not you make sure Zipp and Pipp take off to get help, then we run back to our fallback position.”
“The one with a net?” Sprout asked.
“Yeah—”
There was a loud crashing sound. Hitch turned to look, finding two pegasi entangled in a net and dangling from the trees.
“And that, Pippsqueaks, is how a net trap works!” Pipp exclaimed.
Hitch sighed and shook his head. “She’s lucky I like her.”
Hitch finished retelling the last part of his story to Izzy, realizing his mistake too late.
“Oh?” Sunny smirked. “So do you like Pipp, or like like her?”
“I, uh…” Hitch gulped.
Pipp pulled out her phone, taking a selfie of herself and the blushing stallion next to her. “Looks like I need to update my relationship status. Hashtag blessed!”
Hitch looked away from the two mares who were gently chuckling at him, hoping the unicorn would help. “Izzy?”
“Hmm.” She absentmindedly pushed half a bearclaw around. “Well that was no mystery, I’ve seen how you sparkle around her, Hitch.” She levitated her own phone out, and with a few taps had pulled up some photos. “That still doesn’t explain this.”
“It all happened so fast, I don’t think she ever saw it coming. At least nopony got hurt,” Hitch offered.
“That stinger’s in there pretty deep,” Izzy countered.
“She doesn’t look hurt.”
Pipp glanced over. “Gross! I don’t want to see that!”
“So, tell me what it does look like,” Izzy asked.
Hitch and Pipp crouched in a small set of bushes. Nearby, Zipp and Sprout were crouching in their own hiding spot. In the middle of the forest clearing a pile of fish sat in the noon sun, their scent being carried off by the wind and hopefully attracting the manticore.
“Thanks for sending Zipp to hide with Sprout, she kept messing up my shots,” Pipp said.
“No problem, just don’t make too much noise.”
He thought he heard some twigs snapping, then realized it was the haptic feedback on Pipp’s phone. A short series of taps continued sounding as she updated her followers.
Waiting for the manticore to show up with my best friend Hitch. He has been Proudly serving Maretime bay for ten years, he’s going to single hoofedly take down the beast!
Hitch smiled, looking back out at the clearing. He saw some tree branches rustling, before a large golden creature stepped out into the open. It had an orange mane and ears like a bat, and a set of fangs so large they protruded from its mouth. Instead of a tail, it had a large insectoid scorpion stinger. While most of its body looked like a lion, it had a powerful set of wings on its back.
“This may have been a bad idea,” Hitch observed.
“We’re live again from the forest, with the first legit footage of a manticore!” Pipp said. She continued to speak into her phone as she reversed the camera, showing an image of the large beast picking at the fish. “It’s been hundreds of moons since anypony thought of them as more than a fairy tale. Now all you Pippsqueaks will be the first to have seen one!”
There was a loud snapping sound as the manticore ate. A net sprung up around it, lifting it about a foot into the air. It was too heavy to get pulled up much higher, and began to struggle in the ropes.
Hitch stepped out of hiding, waiting for the beast to look over at him. “Hey, there, it’s going to be okay.”
The animal’s eyes went wide as it looked at Hitch, and its expression relaxed as it smiled and held eye contact. “Hitch has a way with animals,” Pipp narrated. She glanced over at the sheriff, losing herself in thought for a moment. He looked very heroic and masculine as he stared down a beast ten times his size. “Uh, and… oh he’s going to try and explain to the manticore that it can’t head any further towards the village. Let’s see how it goes.”
Hitch had walked up until he was only a few feet away. “So, I’m going to need you to—”
The manticore roared, blowing his mane back, as it thrashed in the net. Hitch stumbled backward, noticing Sprout standing in the clearing holding a taser in his hooves. He followed the small silver wires to where they’d attached to the animal, jolting it in pain. “Sprout! Stop!”
Sprout dropped the taser, “It was going to attack you!”
Hitch heard the ropes snap and saw the manticore burst free, throwing Hitch back with one powerful claw. Pipp fell silent, her video still streaming as she was at a loss for words. The animal approached Sprout, glaring down at him as it bared its teeth.
At the last moment, Zipp pushed Sprout out of the way. “My, what big teeth you have.”
The manticore tilted its head.
“And that isn’t the only thing that’s big, I bet,” Zipp added.
“Why, thank you for noticing. I work out,” The manticore replied.
“Wait,” Sunny interrupted. “Manticore can talk?”
Hitch and Pipp nodded. “Of course they can. Did you even watch my video?” Pipp asked. “His name is Manny, and he likes showtunes.”
“I was a little busy, planning the wedding,” Sunny retorted. “This is still a bit too much for me to take in.”
“Focus.” Izzy hit her hoof on the table, adjusting the desk lamp. “We still haven’t solved the mystery! What did Zipp say to the manticore? What’s got you two sneaking around in a panic? What’s the secret to the delicate and fluffy golden-brown perfection that is a bear claw donut?”
Zipp held up her phone. “And here’s a current map, showing Maretime bay, Bridlewood, and Zephyr Height’s.”
“A lot has changed since magic vanished,” Manny stated. “I’m just glad to be back, and you’ve got these wonderful phones now. I used to have to fly for weeks to get a good pedicure, now I can just schedule online?”
“Well, yeah.” Zipp tapped the screen a few times.
Nearby, Hitch and Pipp stood watching in disbelief. Sprout had already run off to get reinforcements. “Can you believe this? I’m not even sure if I should stream it,” Pipp stated.
“I most certainly do not believe it,” Hitch replied. “They really seem to be hitting it off.”
“Zipp’s always had a thing for bad colts. I never thought she’d steal my thunder and make friends with a manticore though.”
“Might as well keep live streaming it, we’re totally even after this little adventure.”
Zipp and Manny sat in the clearing, both looking down at her phone. “Yeah see right here we’ll get you set up on Ponybook so you can start making friends. We’ll get you an insta, neighddit, whatever else you want.”
“How about this one: pony fans?” He pointed to an app on the screen. “I am a fan of ponies.”
“Shh!” Zipp glanced back nervously at her sister and Hitch. “That’s not one I talk about in front of other ponies. But, sure, we can get you one of those. I’ve even got a few ideas already.”
There was a low rumbling sound as Manny looked down at a small pile of fish heads. “I’m still pretty hungry, is there anywhere we can go for a bite to eat?”
“Yeah, I know a seafood restaurant in Maretime bay. I’ll probably just have salad though. I’ll race you there?” Zipp asked.
“Sure, sounds like fun!”
Izzy leaned back in her chair, thoughtfully puffing on the bubble pipe. “That does explain almost everything. It even explains the series of rather candid and revealing photos that have surfaced online. However, it doesn’t explain how Zipp and Manny got engaged so quickly.”
“It also doesn’t explain how Manny has more followers than me!” Pipp complained. “It’s only been a few weeks, I’m dying here! He’s got more engagement, more paid subs, and every time he posts a message it gets featured! My career is over, I’m ruined!” She started to hyperventilate as her panic built, until Hitch put a hoof on her shoulder.
“It’ll be okay, it’s just a fad. He’s new, exotic, and everypony is caught up in it,” Hitch explained.
“He’s also sleeping with my sister!” Pipp whined. “How did she get a engaged before me?”
Izzy offered her phone again, with an image for everypony to see. “It looks like she was just a little more adventurous than you.”
Pipp winced and looked away. “Of course Zipp would secretly have a Pony Fans account. She’s always done everything better than me.”
“You’ve still got the most viewed video in Ponybook history.” Hitch put his foreleg around her and offered a hug. “Sure it’ll be a little weird being her best mare at the wedding, and you may not be the most popular pony around for a while. However, you still got plenty of fame from our little adventure.”
“I guess.” Pipp’s voice still sounded a little pouty, but she started to smile as she leaned into Hitch’s hug. “Plus, I did get a coltfriend before Zipp did so she didn’t beat me to be first at everything!”
“Aha!” Sunny exclaimed. “I knew it! I knew you two were seeing each other!”
Izzy smiled. “Oh, dear Sunny, the signs were there from the time we crashed her big performance. Still, we haven’t figured out how they fell so madly in love, or the secret donut recipe…”
“I think we’ve interrogated them enough,” Sunny replied. “Maybe we should just be happy that Zipp found true love, even if it is with a pony-eating death machine out of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale collection.”
Hitch nodded, looking over to Pipp. “If you can stop checking your feed for a bit, maybe we can take a stroll down to the harbor to take your mind off follower counts.”
She smiled, “I think I’d like that.”
“How about you two?” Hitch asked.
“Double date?” Sunny replied.
“Yes! I still need to figure out how the saltwater taffy is made. We have taffy in Bridlewood, but it’s made of maple and it’s pretty awful,” Izzy replied. “Plus, I’ve rented this outfit for the day and I was really expecting some shocking twist ending that would take a lot longer to drag out of them.”
Sunny laughed as everypony got up to leave. “Say, what do you think Zipp and Manny are up to?”
In Zephyr Heights, Cloudpuff sat on the floor of the throne room, a low growl escaping her throat. Her wings twitch as she glared daggers at the large cat in the room.
Ten feet away, Manny sat perfectly still, crouched low, and eyes dilated. His hair was puffed up to appear more threatening, as he glared down at the tiny flying canine. A low hiss escaped his teeth as he prepared to devour the noisy little dog.
Cloudpuff barked, lunging forward at Manny. There was a loud crashing noise, as Manny fled out of the throne room, knocking over a priceless antique vase. The chase continued down the hallway, several guards shouting in panic as they were nearly run over.
“So, mom… uh, that was my new coltfriend.” Zipp let out a nervous chuckle, “I’m still learning a few things about him.”
“Honestly, Zipp, you have the strangest taste in stallions,” Queen Haven stated. “I’m just happy you found somepony.” She pulled her daughter in for a hug.
Author's Note
Bingo writing prompt (for those curious)
