“Baskerville, time to wake up.” Applejack’s crest glowed and vines exploded out of it. They meshed with roots flowing out of the ground and then coalesced. A wooden quadrupedal body took form decorated with thorny paws and tail of vines. Its body continued to swell until it stood even taller than Applejack. With its eyes aglow, it made quite an impressive appearance. Then, it stuck out a frond like a tongue from its muzzle and snuggled up to Applejack for a pet on the head.

Looking closer, Twilight noticed the creature’s shape was remarkably similar to a border collie’s, just multiplied in size and made entirely of plant life, mainly wood.

While obliging Baskerville, Applejack said, “Yes, girl, I know fifth form is great, but I’m gonna need you ready for a tussle.”

At this, Baskerville straightened. With her ears perked up, she growled in the direction the roar from earlier had come from.

While Applejack had been summoning Baskerville, the others had remained on guard. Nothing had approached, but the sound of branches snapping and metal clanging could be heard nearby. Pinkie had morphed her hand into a cannon, Dash had her wings unfurled and her talons poised to strike, and strings swirled around Rarity. Twilight had drawn her dagger but her grip shook. Fluttershy was also trembling.

“Well, we can’t just stand here!” Dash took off. The others raced after her. They slowed when they saw Dash come to a halt as they made a turn. “Oh crap.”

Everything in front of them was marred with claw marks. A few trees and patches of the ground smoked and bubbled. In the midst of this was a monster even bigger than Baskerville. Its claws and scorpion-like tail glisten in the moonlight. A few drops of venom dripped from the tail and onto the ground, making the earth hiss and discolor. Wings rested at its side. Black thorny spikes protruded from its body. A massive mane framed its muzzle. Said muzzle currently had a man’s head pressed between its jaws.

“A manticore,” Fluttershy gulped.

The man flailed at the manticore but only his left fist could reach it. There was only a melted stump at his right elbow. Deep gashes covered his body. His left fist did make contact but the manticore responded by bringing its jaws closer together. There was a crunch and then the man’s body disappeared into motes of light.

“L-last of the party.” Pinkie shuddered.

Taking in the scene, Twilight took a small solace that Master’s bodies disappeared when killed. That solace quickly faded when the manticore turned its sights on her group.

“Baskerville! Sic ‘em!”

Baskerville charged the manticore. The manticore’s tail lashed out and bore into Baskerville’s shoulder. The wood smoked and melted from the venom but then sprung off. Fresh roots and wood repelled the stinger. Baskerville thrust her head out and sunk her fangs into one of manticore's forelegs.

At the same time, Dash zoomed overhead while Rarity and Applejack split right and left. Twilight and Fluttershy remained in place.

A claw came crashing down on Baskerville but something held it back. Strings wrapping around its legs glistened. Rarity moved a few fingers around as sweat formed on her brow. “May need to step up to the next form.”

As if hearing those words, the manticore slashed at the strings and the air around it with its tail. Free, it clawed Baskerville. The right side of Baskerville’s upper body and its left foreleg were reduced to timber. What remained pulsed with vegetation but before it could reform, another swipe sent Baskerville flying into Rarity. Strings went up, slowing Baskerville, but she still smashed into her. Both tumbled into the forest.

“Hey, bozo!” Dash dove down, talons at the ready and cracking with electricity. “Let’s see how you like a taste o—

The wings that had rested at the manticore’s sides flared open. The gales they summoned knocked Twilight off her feet. Fluttershy stood frozen in place. Dash managed to stay airborne but her path was jerked around. In the midst of the turbulence, she saw a glint and swerved at the last second. The manticore’s tail tore through her right wing. She sucked in her breath and rolled away before crashing to the ground. Her wings vanished but she managed to get into a crouch.

“You’re gonna pay for that!”

“And for Baskerville too!”

Dash and Applejack rushed the manticore. At some point Applejack had brought out a lasso and now moved to get the rope around its neck. Rarity appeared from out of the woods and joined in, using both her string, now a shade a crimson, and her tail to restrain and bash the manticore.

Getting back to her feet, Twilight saw the others giving it the all and began running through spells. Just as she readied to cast one, a hand pressed on her shoulder.

“Wait,” said Fluttershy.

Ahead, the manticore tore the rope from Applejack’s hands, batted Dash away, and raised a claw at Rarity. Just as Rarity braced to take the blow, Fluttershy burst off the ground. The claw stopped inches away from Rarity. The manticore snarled but Fluttershy did not release her grip.

One of her eyes was now open, displaying a brilliant aquamarine. It honed in one thorn. It looked like all the other thorns sticking out of the manticore, only this one jabbed into the manticore’s paw. Given its location, it would be difficult to spot in the heat of battle when eyes would have been on the claws right above it. “So that’s the source. How awful.”

With a roar, the manticore whipped its tail at Fluttershy. Her other eye opened, this one a deep red. The manticore seized up. The stinger was right by Fluttershy’s face but she did not even flitch. “Hold on. I’ll make this better.”

Taking a deep breath, she plunged her hand into the manticore’s paw. It let out a howl that shook the earth but Fluttershy did not heed it and dug at the thorn. When she had a firm grasp, it suddenly writhed, piercing vines shot out and latched onto Fluttershy but when they touched her robe, they burst into flames.

With a great pull, she removed the thorn and crushed it. The manticore howled even louder. Fluttershy opened her jaw wide, displaying rows of fangs and thrust her mouth onto the wound. Overwhelmed with pain, the manticore stumbled and fell to its side. Yet, all other energy seemed to have fled it. Perhaps that was why the thorns covering its body ruptured and turned to smoke.

Everyone else just watched as Fluttershy chomped down on the manticore’s paw. After a moment she pulled back, revealing a scar where there should have been a deep wound. A bit of blood dripped from her mouth, but she wiped it off with her sleeve. Said sleeve remained an immaculate white as if the blood had vanished. Shutting her eyes, Fluttershy brought a hand to her head. She looked more pale than usual.

The manticore gazed at her. Regaining its energy, it opened its maw.

“Shoot!” Twilight began charging a spell and the others raced to block the attack, but Fluttershy was too close for them to make it.

The manticore gave Fluttershy a few licks of its tongue.

She gave a faint chuckle. “There you go. Feeling better?”

“Geez. Been a while since I’ve seen you deal with a big one.” Dash slid over and held out a hand to Fluttershy. She took it and wobbled to her feet. Reaching into her inventory, she pulled out a plastic container. Its crimson contents sloshed a little from the tremors running through Fluttershy. It had a spout on one end that should have been connected to an IV but Fluttershy sucked on it like a juice box. “Feeling okay?”

“Had to give up quite a bit. The poor thing had a horrible curse on it. Even with the source removed, I had to flush out his whole system.”

Twilight could only blink. None of what had just happened had a rational basis in her mind. Then, something landed next to her. She looked up and saw Pinkie with a grin on her face.

“Where did you go?”

Pinkie wiped some sweat off her brow. “Oh, just getting a Plan B in place, but since everything worked out…”

She pressed the button in her hand. Nearby, an explosion tore away a chunk of the forest.

One of Twilight’s eyes twitched. “W-what?”

“I mean, I know Fluttershy can handle any creature but that really was one nasty curse that was controlling that manticore.”

“I… I just…” Twilight signed and shook her head. “I’ll ask later..”

“Oki-doki! I’ll be sure we have a big party!”

Author's Note

We need more vampires fighting evil plants