//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Unfortunate Situations // Story: The Froggy Bottom Bogg Incident // by Flashburn37 //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Unfortunate Situations Mayor Mare did not remember falling asleep, nor did she remember walking into Twilight's guest room. Her head ached as she got up. She slowly limped towards the door unable to put pressure on her left hind leg. She went to open the door but it wouldn't budge. She pressed all of her might against it and was rewarded with it opening only a crack, but that was enough for her to stop trying. On the other side of the door, mud waited. It had risen to the point it had broken through windows! She looked around the room for anything she could use to get help and discovered another door. It led to a bathroom and nothing else. "Pony feathers..." She took stock of the room. Books lined the walls on shelves and a bed. That was all. The bathroom had toiletries but nothing she found useful. She uncovered her bag resting next to the bed and went through it. She had medical supplies, a whistle, a megaphone, emergency rations, a survival knife, some scrolls, ink, and quills. It was moments like this that made her wish she was a unicorn. If she had been she could teleport out, or at least contact somepony. She knew what she had to do, but she didn't want to do it. So she delayed. She moved all the books into the rest room and locked the door, no need for them to get damaged. She limped into the shower and cleaned herself off. It was at this point she discovered why she had been limping. Also why she had passed out. "That... that doesn't look good." She had a long gash running down her leg... she must've gotten it when she jumped into the mud looking for Scootaloo. She felt woozy looking at the wound, obviously infected, and got her medicinal supplies. After taking a liberal amount of pain pills she poured some cleaning agent over it, to attempt to purify the wound. The pain was intense, but she went on and applied antibacterial ointment before wrapping it under multiple layers of bandages. Shakily she got up and steeled herself for what she had to do. "What's that Time Turner is always saying? Allons Y!" She shouted as she threw on her bag and pried a few bolts out of the door before running back when she heard a creaking noise. The remaining bolts snapped and the door flew inwards, flooding the room with mud. The Mayor took a deep breath as the room filled and as soon as she could swam into the main library. She swam up to the balcony which was still, thankfully, above the mud and saw a very worried Scootaloo. "Oh thank goodness your okay! After Twilight left you fell asleep so I carried you to the bed, then the mud come in through the windows and I tried to get you up here but you were to heavy! I put you back then I saw Thunderlane and I screamed for him to help, but then he flew into a bubble that came out of nowhere and the mud just kept coming!" The filly spouted in a matter of seconds. "What happened to Thunderlane?" The Mayor asked worriedly. "He crashed into that building over there." She pointed to a house across the street. "Second floor window." She pointed to a broken window pane. "How long ago was this?" "About an hour, I would have gone over to him, but..." Scootaloo looked embarrassed. "No need to explain further, we just need to get over there and make sure he's alright!" The Mayor looked around for something, anything that could help her get over there. "This had better work... It looks like it's time for a party!" She called out. Nothing happened. "Drat, well I tried. Where's Spike?" "He's making something over there. He said that Princess Celestia is coming as fast as she can, but we shouldn't wait." Scootaloo explained after pointing to the back room. "I'll go see him, stand watch will you?" The Mayor gave Scootaloo her whistle, "If anypony comes by, get their attention with this. I cleaned it out yesterday so it won't be gross I promise. Can you handle that?" She asked playfully. Scootaloo, never one to back down from any challenge responded with a resounding, "Of course!" Mayor Mare limped over to the back room and saw Spike doing... something odd. "Spike? What are you doing?" Spike turned away from his pile and saw the Mayor standing there. "Oh thank Celestia you're okay!" His voice was slightly deeper than usual. "Yes I'm fine, but... what are you doing?" She asked totally confused by the Hodge Podge of items stacked before her. "Thunderlane is in danger, but I'm too small to get to him. I'm..." He stared at her bags for a second before shaking his head, as if to clear it. "I'm trying to accelerate my growth again, through greed." All of the chaos and destruction he had caused that day flashed in front of the Mayor's eyes. She shook out her doubts and looked at the idea with as little bias as possible. If he was able to control himself this time, he could save Thunderlane then change back! But if he lost control... he'd be lost to them. Best case scenario he could become a huge asset, worse case... more giant angry predators would only worsen an already bad situation. He'd destroy what little shelter ponies still had, and impede evacuations by stealing boats... Then the Mayor had a thought and smiled. "Spike, do you believe you can control this?" The Mayor asked, before clarifying, "And I mean truly believe, not think, but in your heart believe?" The dragon stared at his now larger claws and felt the tug of his darker side. "I... I don't know... But that doesn't matter does it? Thunderlane's life is in danger! I'm sure Twilight or Rarity will find a way to break me out of it, if necessary. I know, I believe I can control it long enough to get us all out of this library and back to wherever the construction crews are!" He nodded resolutely. "Then please, do as you see fit. But if you feel yourself slipping, run towards the bog. You'll do less damage there." The Mayor also knew that was where the bearers of the Elements of Harmony were going to round up the Hydras. Spike nodded and his eyes narrowed before he snatched her signature collar! She sighed and walked out to find Scootaloo watching the mud intently. "Scootaloo..." The Mayor sat beside her. "We have a way to get to Thunderlane." "Really? How?" Scootaloo asked, flabbergasted a solution had been found so quickly. "Spike is willing to sacrifice his very mind in order to grow large enough to carry us all out of here." "What?" "I had Twilight explain a good deal to me after Spike grew to the monster that attacked us. Remember that?" The filly nodded, "Well... Dragons can accelerate their growth by practicing greed, it is magical and thus can be reversed thank Celestia, but they lose most of their mind in the process. It becomes harder for them to remember who they are, where they are, and even who they care about. He is intentionally practicing greed to attempt to grow large enough to carry us to safety." "But... what if he doesn't recognize us?" "I gave him a contingency should he feel his control slipping. He is to run into the Froggy Bottom Bogg. I told him he'd do less damage there. What I didn't tell him was that his friends will be there. They'll be able to turn him back, and if not... I bet a mighty dragon could best four measly little Hydras." "I... I guess I shouldn't tell him, or he'd want to lose control to save us." Scootaloo reasoned. "Now Scootaloo, that's very wise. Now take a moment and think about every time adults like me or your parents kept a secret from you. Now that you know why you are keeping this secret from Spike, do you understand why Twilight wanted you out of the room?" "I guess that makes sense. She didn't want to scare me, or worse make me want to go out and get rid of the Hydras myself." They heard a crashing sound behind them and saw a much larger Spike walking out of the room, his tail wrapped around a multitude of random items. "I... I'm... Spike ready!" He growled as he picked up the Mayor and Scootaloo. He jumped into the mud, now several feet deep, and waded across. "I hope this works!" Scootaloo squeaked. The Mayor smiled and added cryptically, "Whether or not it does, we are in for one wild night." *** Twilight sat at the helm of her and Applejack's boat looking through her binoculars. "They should be somewhere near here..." She shifted her hat and swatted at the bugs that swarmed her. "I can understand the binoculars, but why'd you and Rainbow Dash get the same hat?" Applejack asked. "I got it to keep the sun out of my eyes and prevent heat stroke or something similar, such as heat exhaustion, Rainbow is wearing her Daring Do hat because she likes Daring Do." "Are you sure that's not why yer wearin' it?" The Apple Equine smirked. "Shh!" Twilight shushed her. "You don't have to get defensive, I was just sayin'!" "SHH!" Twilight stopped her and pointed towards the bog. Applejack could see the mud shifting as if something large lurked, just under its surface. "Twilight... I reckon we should start runnin' right about now." Applejack shifted uncomfortably. "It's not that close yet, it may not give chase!" Twilight focused her binoculars to get a better look at the mass. Applejack looked from side to side, "It wasn't that one I was saying we should run from..." Twilight's eyes went wide as she slowly put down her binoculars and turned to see three long necks slowly rising from the mud. "AAH!" They screamed as Twilight shot the boat forward, just before the beasts struck. Applejack grabbed her pony signal and shot it into the air, alerting the others. *** "SoInevergotananswerfromApplejack!WhatdoyouthinkChimmyCherryorCherryChangaChimmyCherryorCherryChanga?Ireallylikebothandcan'tdecidebutyouknowhowitissometimesright?Youjustcan'tmakeupyourmindonthesethingsandtheybugyouforareallylongtimebutyouneverknowwhattherightthingtocallitissoyoujustkeeponwonderinganditkeepsyouupatnightandyouaskGummybuthedoesn'tknoweither!SowhatdoyouthinkRarity?" Pinkie went on and on and on and on... "I think I know why Twilight chose the other boat..." Rarity dramatically fell back onto the boat. "Oh and Pinkie dear, Cherrychanga sounds better to me." "Really Rarity! Thank you! Oh look it's Rainbow Dash! She going really fast..." Pinkie looked where Rainbow was going, "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! Applejack's pony signal!" She pulled a bubble pipe out of thin air, "The game... is ahoof..."