//------------------------------// // Why Did It Have To Be Wolves? // Story: Lingering Chaos // by nightelf37 //------------------------------// A/N: Before we start, I'd like to do an inventory check for the characters. Ashen Rise: a black, hooded, robe, a burnt spell book, a medicine bag filled with yet unknown contents, a coin bag containing 200 bits, 1 candy. Tango: heavy iron armor, sickle (serves as weapon), 3 healing potions, 30 ft of rope, 70 bits, 1 cracked mirror, 1 candy piece, 6 "Business" and 6 "Acquaintances" letters, a magazine clipping, about half a pound of dried grasses and flowers. Mystic Shield: old light iron armor, ornamental iron spear, red ascot, two regen potions, alchemical sun-rod, 55 bits, 1 piece of candy. Crinoline Ruffle: victorian bonnet, victorian dress, (with two strong straps that can serve as makeshift 9ft ropes, victorian umbrella (holds a hidden dagger and 16 hidden throwing needles), crinolette, victorian leg laces, victorian folding fan, sewing set (contains various Threads and needles), 20+25 throwing nails, 1 hoof-held small range explosive, 34 bits, bag of candies (26 pcs). Crinoline also had two travel bags left behind at the spa, one filled with cosmetic utensils brushes, perfume, hoof polish etc., and the other holds paper for sketches and other sketch utensils, as well as a dozen envelopes. Now that that's over with, let's continue. POV: Tango Not noticing the gravity of the silence the two ponies around him have fallen into (one from a kiss), Tango took a brief moment to make the pre-journey inspection of his baggage as his siblings have taught him, complacently humming the checklist to himself. "Bags…straps on, tools…sickle right there, delivery…hm…three ponies. Hello, Miss Ashen Rise!" Tango said as he glanced around to confirm the headcount and noticed the mare arriving, "Are we ready to start the job now?" Crinoline jumped on Tango's back and exclaimed, "Everypony, you heard what Tango said. I think we all are prepared for the exploration of the Everfree Forest, but we will also agree that Tango here is the one who is really prepared for it. Tango knows all about the flora in the Everfree and thus should lead us. He will be consulted before we approach any kind of plant." She then sat down on onto her haunches and continued with a softer voice, "So Tango, your job will be to tell the pony closest to you if you see any dangerous plants and how to deal with it. Easy, right?" Mystic Shield decided to finally speak up, having presumably recovered from Crinoline's kiss. "Just to be clear in case you think I might disagree, I'm all right with Tango being leader." "Well, you probably know better than me what something is. I've been in forests, but not so far into the Everfree," Tango commented, doubtful that anypony should rely on his mental ability or leadership. "I can mostly figure out what to do if you step into something dangerous, though." The large unicorn reflectively toyed with a crimson forelock as he considered the pony clinging to his back with a fearless grin. "Little miss, this won't be a very safe ride. I'll need you to hop off sharp-like if anything bad happens." Crinoline looked at Mystic with a tempting smile. "I am pleasant to you, if you are to me," she conveyed with a smooth voice. "If you like the sweetness of my lips, then you surely will enjoy the candy I gave you." She purred, followed by a cute chuckle from her. Without a doubt, she seemed to be enjoying herself. Taking note of Tango's worries Crinoline opened her muzzle. "This is exactly what I want you to do, Tango," she told him in a gentle voice that began to shift into a more confident tone as she continued. "I promise to follow this order, Tango sir." Crinoline raised her hoof to a salute. "I will hop off your back if anything bad happens." POV: Ashen Rise "Though I agree with Miss Crinoline, I also have to agree with Tango." Ashen spoke up as she rejoined the group, her face hidden beneath her hood. "He might not know every local threat. I've lived here for my whole life, so I'm confident that with what I've learned at the hospital. I should be able to identify some of the Everfree's hazards or at least know how to treat them." Though Tango seemed like someone she could possibly trust, Ashen wasn't sure about his abilities. From what Crinoline said and the cutie mark on his flank, she could with some certainty deduce that his special talent is related to flowers, maybe gardening. But the Everfree Forest isn't some public park or flowerbed to be pruned and kept. "I think we should keep a two-by-two formation if possible, so Tango and I can identify dangers before we stumble into a field of poison joke or a hungry timberwolf." "I think quite positive of your proposal," Crinoline said with a tone of agreement in her voice. "I concur, Miss Ashen. The only times I've been to the Everfree Forest is to go to Zecora's hut for the occasional potion." Mystic Shield then proceeded to equip his armor from his saddlebags, finishing by brandishing his spear. "Zecora?" Ashen was at first a bit puzzled at whoever Mystic was referring to. She then realized a second later. "Ah, you mean the zebra. Yes, I believe I might've heard of her before from a patient. She might know more about this supposed chaos, if it's real." She added quickly, believing that something is going on, but still not buying the chaos story. "Since she lives there, she would at least know the way without getting lost." POV: Mystic Shield Mystic Shield gave a sigh. It would take a lot more to convince this mare of the threat. And he hoped his students were telling the truth, or else he was going to be extremely disappointed. Oh wait, he was the one who sent them off in the first place and he knows it's real. He grumbled at himself for forgetting that. "If nopony else has any objections, I suggest we get moving." He turned to Tango (since he was probably the leader) and gave a nod, then turned to Ashen and said in a mildly annoyed tone, "Okay, Miss Ashen. Assuming what my students said isn't true, what do you think happened to them that would make them say what they said short of some kind of combination of mass hallucination and series of accidents?" "Poison Joke would be my best guess," she answered. "Nopony has ever fully studied it I think, so for all we know they breathed in spores of the plant which would have had easy access to their brains… And if they did manage to avoid those plants then a combination of wounds, infections, illness, and concussions can often make patients delusional and in some cases other patients in the same room could start echoing the illusions of the others. "But I do agree on that we shouldn't be wasting any more time if something is going on in there." She turned to the Everfree Forest and walked a short distance in its direction before stopping and turning around to wait for the others to follow her lead. Tango obediently took the lead at Mystic's urging. Crinoline stared absently into the void of the dark forest. Seeing Tango move, she hurried to catch up to him, jumping atop his bacl. Mystic Shield analyzed what Ashen had said and figured she perhaps had a valid point. "Right. Poison joke. My friend once got afflicted by them and he says he had turned into a girl. Doesn't help he looks somewhat feminine to begin with." He then decided to shut up. Who knows if there are timber wolves around. POV: All [A/N: I would like to apologize in advance if the perspective gets confusing. I am basing this section on a battle scenario, after all.] The party of four walked into the thick forest. Quickly, the only light shining through was behind them. The rarely walked, weedy path was barely recognizable as a path, but rather an area where thick roots didn't cover and tree trunks didn't block the path. The mood was constantly tense; this forest has a tendency to do that to ponies. Try as she might Ashen can't help but start feeling vulnerable. She hates feeling vulnerable and both the feeling and knowledge of being watched aren't helping as she keeps trying to look around without betraying her unease. They're waiting to strike. Still, it's better we know they are. Plucking various floral matter from the sides of the path with his magic as he walked and placing them into an empty pouch, Tango maintained a uniquely upbeat attitude as the darkness of the forest surrounded them, cheerful to have some company in a forest venture as a change. Some with more wilder imaginations can see faces in the trees, and figures in the shadows. However, all of them can agree that something was watching them from the shadows, not just a feeling. They could see eyes peering at them in the distance glaring with glowing eyes from all around them, probably waiting for a chance to claim their prey. "Ah, then, you best slide off and keep behind me, little miss," Tango commented when one of the group acknowledged the figures. The path became more rocky and rooty, gradually leading to a sheer drop, a dead end, with a river rushing below. As if things couldn't get any worse, the eyes started approaching, and a pack of Canis Minors, six of them, growled toward the party, drooling with anticipation of their next meal. "Blast! Get ready!" Ashen cried out. number - Enemies (Canis Minors) letters - Player Characters (You can guess who's who.) As the wolves appeared behind them, Tango regarded the creatures like a gardener inspecting an unfamiliar pest. "A tree that's a wolf? I hope nopony orders one of those. Looks a bit big to carry home." He also judged that the others will probably be unable to outrun them. (A/N: Remember, Tango's an idiot.) Upon hearing the Canis Minor, Mystic Shield immediately tensed up, both in battle-preparedness and concealed fright. Why oh why did I even think of them? he thought as he backed up only to find Tango in the way. He then decided to move to the right, sensing all too well that a Canis was there, went into a defensive stance, and cast a spell. He applied a green-hued barrier around Crinoline, not certain of her combat skills. Knowing the wolves will be on them within moments, two of them already approaching (Wolf 1 and 5), Ashen used her magic to break a sizable branch off of a nearby tree, their thick presence making fire an unwise weapon of choice. She struck the ground with the blue "flaming" stick once to show she won't go down easily and prepared to take a swing at any of the creatures that dare get close. "Come and get some! I've lived through far worse than the likes of you beasts!" As she said that, another wolf (Wolf 2) ran up around the tree at Ashen. Tango stepped quickly into the position vacated by Ashen, hoping to draw attention away from his clustered companions and cutting a dashing figure with his sickle gripped between his teeth and raised high. The other Canis Minors closed in, one of them (Wolf 6) ramming into Mystic's shield, cracking it but not breaking through. Crinoline grinned wide as she laughed at her attacker. "Thank you liebster Mystic, but how do I fight now? I can't use my throwing needles while surrounded by your shield." She prepared an attack, ready to attack the wolf. The last of them (Wolf 4) sprinted toward the group and dug its teeth into Mystic's leg, hanging on and growling up at him. Mystic Shield screamed in pain from the attack, but tolerated it. He wouldn't be a fighter otherwise. Bearing the pain, he attempted to 'jam' his spear into the Canis Minor's body, but due to the wolf's teeth still embedded in his leg he almost missed, only getting a glancing blow. He was still scared of them, but the adrenaline rush that came with a life-threatening attack helped him cast it aside or the moment, but not by much. Noticing Crinoline not moving, he mentally smacked himself in the head (Right, they don't know my specialty in barriers.), then said, "If you have a means of attack, it can pass through my shield. Try it." And then another wolf (Wolf 1) also lunged at him, growling at him and giving him a good hard bite on his shoulder before dropping down again. Another of the wolves (Wolf 5) went for Tango and bit him on the leg. Ashen lashed out without holding back at the wolf (Wolf 5) as much as she can, intent on smashing the branch on the creature's skull. Her attack knocked it down. "Mystic, get back, they'll surround you!" she yelled, seeing that two of the beasts are already after him. "They'll go for the easiest target and right now that's you!" And then another wolf (Wolf 2) bit her. Concerned for his friends, Tango joined the fray. His long mane whipped handsomely about as he lashed out with his sickle blade with simple, direct cuts and attempts to push in closer to the fight. He slashed four times at the wolf in front of Ashen (Wolf 2), the third blow missing, and the final time left the wolf bleeding all over but still growling. The last wolf not occupied with anybody (Wolf 3) joined its two pack mates attacking Mystic, gnawing on him while the one who bashed at the shield (Wolf 6) tried again. Crinoline 'drove' a sewing needle into the face of that wolf, sending it reeling back, and sprints around a tree (and out of the shield, since Mystic forgot to have it 'lock-on' to her) to get behind the wolves attacking Mystic, then 'hurled' two more at two of them (Wolf 3 and 4). One of the wolves (Wolf 4) yelped, getting a sharp pin in its rear and turns around to run at Crinoline, jumped at her, and attacked with its jaw. "Dammit, I hate canines!" Mystic Shield cried out as he slowly lost his cool, trying to get away from the three Canis Minors attacking him. Making his way behind Tango and Ashen, slipping out of the reach of the wolves and backed up to the sheer cliff, he then conjured a barrier around himself. This time, unlike Crinoline's which was centered on the spot she was on, this one was centered on him and would follow wherever he goes. It was also just small enough to surround his body while leaving his spear 'open' for him to use. Unfortunately, due to whatever's in the forest, He didn't summon a second shield and instead relocated the damaged barrier Crinoline left behind around himself. One of the wolves tries to pursue Mystic, but slipped on the edge and fell being carried away by the river. He saw it makes it to the shore alright, if only a little beat up. It wasn't re-entering the fight anytime soon. The wolf that bit Tango (Wolf 5) turns to face its attacker, then went for Ashen and bit her as well. "AAH!! Why you!" Angry, but still in control, Ashen beat the wolf off of her with the branch before setting it (and hopefully some of it's pack) ablaze with a "fire spray" spell, now that Mystic was out of the firing line. As the the flames washed over her foes, Ashen's mouth twisted into a wicked smile as she prepared to beat down any survivors that would try to strike her again. "To ashes with you all." Along with the leaves above them, one of the wolves (Wolf 2) was set on fire and died as a result. It was nothing more than a flaming body now. Tango was concerned by how much harm has already come to his new allies and made a note to make a better target in the future as he cut his way through the pack to plant his formidable frame in front of one of the remaining wolves and stare it in the eyes with indignation. "I won't stand for all this nipping and biting at my friends, Mr. Wolf!" Tango declared magnificently. "You just try chewing on me if you think you're getting away with that!" He slashed twice at the laying down wolf (Wolf 5) with his sickle, the second blow decapitating it. Rather than bleeding, it looked like its spectral soul flowed out through its seams and holes as a steam floating into the air. The other dead wolf (Wolf 2) hadn't done the same due to the fact that its wounds were sealed shut by the burning. He shifted next to Ashen after that. The other wolf hit by Crinoline (Wolf 3) lunged at her, and landed a hard bite at her, pushing her back. With the absence of Crinoline, the wolf that attacked the no-longer-there shield (Wolf 6) shifted ahead and bit at Ashen. Like a marble, the wolf's attack caused Crinoline to roll backwards. She ended up sitting on her haunches, shaking her head to regain composure. "This just got personal!" She hurled three needles at the wolf's face from point blank range, forcing it to stagger. Meanwhile, the remaining wolf (Wolf 4) headbutted Mystic's shield. Not good, he thought as the Canis Minor hit his force field, which neared it breaking point. He had also seen how the one decapitated by Tango died. It wasn't a pretty sight, but then again death never is. He delivered a thrust of his spear at the wolf before pulling back and putting as much distance from the cliff as possible. Despite how deep he stuck it in, there was no trace of blood or anything on his weapon. He hadn't taken down the beast. I hope could deal with it. He worried about Crinoline, who seemed to be a bit worse off than he was but Ashen's words still echoed in his head; he had been the weakest link of this team. Ashen can't help but feel a bit of sadistic glee as she saw the celestial wolf burn. Come on Ashen, you're a healer, not a killer, she thought to herself as she tried to calm down by taking deep breathes. *sniff sniff* "Oh no." With her eyes closed, her other senses sharpened and she recognizes an all too familiar smell; Burning leaves. Opening her eyes again, she immediately noticed that the distinctive dancing lights of a flame were coming from above as well as the wolf's remains. "No! No! No! No! No!" Ashen almost yelled when she noticed the leaves she set on fire with her spell, backing away until she felt the ground give away underneath one of her rear hooves, almost falling off of the cliff. Whipping her head around with panic rising in her eyes, she looked down into the abyss and the river flowing far below. Then an idea hit her. Emboldened by her plan, she turned back and lit her horn up as she began casting her telekinesis. I've got to stop this before it burns down the whole forest! Before..somepony else..suffers..the same fate. She began tearing down the burning branches and leaves and threw them over the cliff, knowing they wouldn't cause as much damage down there as up here. Meanwhile, Tango methodically continued to cut at the weaker beasts, since he saw no way to keep the creatures at bay besides dispatching them quickly. He rammed his sickle into the back of the wolf (Wolf 3), knocking it to the ground, the color and the stars flowing out of it like the last one he killed. He then turned his attention to another wolf (Wolf 6) and sliced at his muzzle twice. Crinoline stepped into the thick grass off the (barely) beaten path and threw her nails at the wolf from there (Wolf 4) and one more for good measure, driving the nail into its supposed skull. It yelps and collapsed, needles sticking out of it everywhere. The same blue gaseous material flowed out of each puncture in its body. Suddenly, a loud howl and cracking of tree trunks was heard. Crinoline turned around from her fallen foe to see a giant Canis Major, standing at least ten feet tall. It let out a low growl and swiped at Crinoline, sending her flying. "Crinoline!", Mystic Shield cried out, then turned to face the Canis Major, fear showing upon seeing it. He managed to take a few steps back before tripping over a root and stumbling onto his back, 'dropping' his spear. He then got up and froze in place, fright evident in his eyes to those who would see them.