//------------------------------//
// An huge problem and an Ursa Major 
// Story: Natureshy: RotE Episode 11 
// by Dream Volt 
//------------------------------//

	Ursa minors seem scary at first, but really they're just extra large bear cubs.  She roared right in my face.  I just glared back at her.  I understood why she was upset, but that didn't mean it excused her behavior.  She had a huge steel bear trap around one leg.  The trap's teeth had all bent where they impacted her leg, and it was a little banged up all around, but she couldn't seem to break it.  Despite the fact I tended to treat them like they did, animals don't really think in words, much less talk in them.  So sometimes I feel a little silly even though I do know what they mean.  I flew up off the ground and into her line of vision.  I put my hooves on my hips.

"Now that is just uncalled for.  I know you have a problem, but it isn't my fault, and it's wrong to take it out on the poor trees, not to mention all the other animals you're scaring."

The ursa minor looked down.

"I thought so.  Now just hold still and I can get that nasty trap off of you.  Then you can stop causing all this ruckus and go home to your mommy."

She nodded.

"Good."

I wasn't sure I would have enough butterflies.  It was a really big trap.  But there were enough after all, and they pried it open.  The big bear then stepped out of the trap.  I then smiled and landed.  It had that dopey little grin only bears can get on its face, then it nuzzled me.  It was real cautious.  Ursas are always such sweethearts when they aren't in a bad mood.  Though it was still big enough it almost accidentally knocked me over once or twice, but that was okay.

"Trixie is seeing it, but she is not believing it."

"I told you." Said Sky.  "Also it is your duty to listen to your superior officer so you should have stopped before I had to drag you over here."

"Trixie knows that.  Trixie also knows she is not obligated to listen when said superior has so clearly gone insane.  Yet…"

Then the not so little dear licked me.  It wasn't very fun.  I know she means well but now I'm so very wet, and this is much worse than just water.  My butterflies were very soon flying around me, drying me.  That's nice.  Then there was a second roar.  A similar but much bigger roar.

"Oh my." I said

Trixie sighed.  "Another one?  Great, Trixie can be shown up for a third time.  It's not like Trixie has anything better to do."

"That was further away, wasn't it?" asked Sky

"As in it's bigger?" asked Rarity

"Yes.  We should hide."  I said  "That was a mother ursa, and an angry ursa major is a very bad thing.  And right now she sounds very angry.  I don't think explaining the situation is going to help."

"Trixie agrees with that assessment.  Though she is not sure there is anywhere the beast might not trample accidentally if we were to hide."

"Oh no, that's unlikely." I said  "Ursa's get less solid as they age, well sort of.  She would only damage things if she wants to."

"So they get less dangerous as they get bigger?  Trixie is confused."

"If you think a countless ton animal that can sneak up on you is less dangerous, then sure."  Sky laughed.  "It just means they don't cause any collateral damage."

"Ah, Trxie understands now."  Her eyes went wide.  "Can't you just do your terrifying mother thing and make it leave."

"Well I could try, but it's probably just angry about it's missing cub, so it should calm down once she has her back."

Then a giant paw came down nearby without a noise.  It moved though the trees like they weren't even there.  Now that I think of it I'd never seen Ursa's do it with anything but trees so maybe it was like what Acorn was teaching us earlier.  Pinkie was the one that came to me asking about how ursas don't wreck the forests since they were so big.  I guess that book on strange creatures I donated to the library was really good even if the reason I donated it was because I got a better one.  Daddy always said know your enemy, and even though the scary things in the Everfree weren't exactly my enemy, it was sort of the same thing.  Then it kept walking.  Past it's cub.

"Huh?" I said

"Trixie guesses if you're small enough standing out in the open is hiding."

Sky looked at the retreating paw.  "It just did something against its nature didn't it?  I may be no animal expert, but I know that's never good."

"Well, maybe it's not its cub but…" I began

"Situation report.  Now soldier." Shouted sky.

I gave a salute.  "An ursa major should not act that way.  This could not be its cub but that seems unlikely.  Further if its not mad about this then logically it would be with something in that direction.  The city is the most likely target."

Everypony was staring at me.  I looked down.  Oh, I guess that was sort of loud, wasn't it?  I always worry I might be talking too loud, but I forgot for a second there.  It's just a habit.  Even after all this time I'm still daddy's little girl.  It always made him so happy when I gave him a proper report.

"Trixie did not think you could be that loud."

"Agreed." Said Rarity, nodding

"Are you saying the ursa is attacking the deer?" asked Acorn

"Yes." Said Sky, then nodded.  "Sister, you need to stop it."

"Oh I don't think so.  I mean I’m sure Wynn can do it.  I can just…"

Acorn's eyes went wide.   "Oh no, he's off at the meeting with…"  Acorn sopped.  "Never mind that, the point is by the time he hears the roars it will be too late.  I'm going to see if I can reach him, but you have to at least slow it down."

Then she was gone.  I gulped.  I stared down a dragon.  Ursas aren't half as scary as dragons, but angry bears rarely listen to reason, and ursas are worse.  But then I thought of all those poor deer that might loose their homes.  They could probably get away.  Deer are very good at that.  But their city would be destroyed.  Not only that but all the poor animals were in danger.  They could lose more than their homes if the ursa is really as mad as it seemed to be.

"Uh, maybe she's not really heading to the city and…" I began

"You know that isn't true." Said Sky

"I believe in you darling."  Said Rarity, smiling.  "I'm sure no matter how difficult you can make that brutish creature see reason."

"Trixie is not half so sure, but now has reason enough to believe everything Luna said is right.  In that case the humbled and comparatively powerless Trixie bows to your superior abilities."  She then bowed.  "Trixie suggests you start right away."

I flew as fast as I could.  I was just lucky the ursa was lumbering along so slowly.  Then I saw why.  Discord was flying just in front of the creature zapping it with brightly colored lights.  If he was trying to hurt it, that would never work.  Magic just annoyed ursas.  Then I got close enough to see him smiling and laughing.  He waved.

"Hello there Fluttershy.  Lovely to see you.  Isn't this just the perfect day for a walk in the woods?  Especially if you have a fuzzy little pet to follow you."

The ursa tried to snap him up in her jaws, but he dodged out of the way and zapped it again.  This time the magic coming from his hands was blue and a sickly shade of orange.  I guess he can't just snap his fingers anymore.

"So playful."

"You want to hurt the deer, don't you?"

"If you must know I was aiming to hurt you, but really I just want this little scamp in the wrong place at the right time."  Then he suddenly laughed.  "Of course if you're here at the deer's hart of power…"  He smiled.  "Get it."

"Oh, uh yes."

He frowned.  "You're not supposed to actually answer."  He threw up his hands.  "You just can't do anything right, can you?"

"Sorry."

"Arrgh."  Her tore out his beard with one tug like it was fake.  A new one quickly grew in its place.  "The point is with you both gone that means I can cut out the middle deer and simply get the show on the road.  Have fun calming an enraged monster."

Discord then vanished.  At first the ursa just looked around, but then she started smashing trees, still going in the same direction Discord had been leading her.  I flew up to her ear and took a deep breath.  I could do this.

"Please stop momma ursa.  I know he's upset you but that's no reason…"

Her ear flicked slightly.  I don't think she could even hear me.  I then flew around to the front and her and landed on her nose.  Her fur was as tall as I was.  I don't think she could see me at all.  I had a fairly nice time with the mother ursa in the Everfree once, but she had been looking for me and was calm.  This one wasn't in the mood to listen, not now, and she wasn't going to focus on tiny little me right now either.

"Oh my, what do I do?"

"Something." Said Sky

"Eeep."  I zipped up a bit, then calmed.

"Sorry, you usually notice."

"I'm sorry, I'm just nervous because well…"

"Yes, of course.  Since I don't have a full squad, much less the several I might need to even slow the beast down, it has to be you.  You can do it."

"But do what?"

"I don't know exactly, but you have a lot of new magic.  Use some of it somehow."

I nodded.  The butterflies swarmed around the ursa for a bit.  More than I had ever seen before, but she didn't even slow down.  I guess since they're sort of magic they can't effect it.  But they can do other things.

"Oh, maybe we can trip it?"

"With materials from the forest?  It might work, or it might just pass right though."

"But what else can I do?"

"If I might make a suggestion?"

I turned to look up at a beautiful black pony with long blue-green hair flying gently through the air.  She had on a blue gossamer dress that was just thick enough you couldn’t see though it.  Her wings were like a monarch butterfly's, but purple instead of orange.  She had a pair of antenna that ended in little glowing lights that sorta reminded me of a butterfly too.  She was also tall and thin just like Celestia.  She looked just like a flutterpony.  So pretty.  She smiled and it was perfect.  Maybe too perfect, like she practiced smiling a lot.  

But most striking were her eyes.  They were green with slit pupils, but so deep and calm.  It was a little scary, but she wasn't the first I'd seen with eyes like that.  I don't know exactly when I first started seeing ponies with those eyes, but I think it was after I stared down the dragon.  I had been worried for a while, but then realized I shouldn’t be.  Just because some ponies have eyes that look a little like a dragon doesn't make them bad, and I was being mean for even thinking such a thing.  Nopony else seemed bothered by them so it was silly for me to worry.  I was still a little curious about those eyes, but I didn't want to waste anypony else's time.  Then Sky nudged me.

"Flutters." Said Sky

"Oh, uh, yes. Sorry.  Uh, who are you and…"

"Not important for the moment."

"Okay." I said

Sky sighed.  "You shouldn't just trust her on that."

"Sorry.  So…"

She landed.  "My suggestion is simply order it to stop."

"Do you mean her to stop?" I asked

"Very likely, yes.  If you think it a she I have no reason to doubt you."  Then she looked up and muttered under her breath.  "I swear if he messed this up…"

"Uh, who messed what up?" I asked

She smiled again.  "Nothing of consequence.  He's not late quite yet after all."

Then two more black flutterponies flew in.  Both had dragonfly wings and each was carrying a pony.  Rarity and Trixie both yelped as they were dropped next to us.  I noticed the strange impressive looking pony had a little twitch in one eye.  Both ponies were black with teal hair, one stallion and one mare.

"Sorry your majesty we were a little late and so I decided…" began the stallion

"I can see what you did Thorax.  Just leave.  You didn't entirely screw this up but if you stay it greatly increases the chance that you will."

"He really did a good job this time." Added the near identical mare

The big flutterpony closed her eyes for moment, then she smiled.  It looked genuine.  "So he did.  And it was fixing a problem that wasn't his fault too."

"Trixie is a little confused.  Why does she seem to…"

"Oh wow, look at the time." Said Thorax.  "Well, we better go.  Bye."

Then he flew off just as Rarity pulled a gag out of her mouth.  It seemed to be made of some sort of strange green amber.  She turned to glare at the tall flutterpony, but then she stared.  I then noticed she had a little crown on her head too, I think I had seen the little silver thing but without really even realizing it was there.  It was so delicate looking, but also incredibly intricate.

"Sorry, but I need at least one relatively impartial witness.  A deer would be better but more problematic to acquire."

"What game are you playing?"

I looked to see Sky glaring at the strange princess, legs spread, wings out.  Trixie tilted her head to one side, looking at what was probably a fairy princess.  Rarity on the other hoof gave a slight bow.

"Well I must once again say I did not enjoy such treatment, but clearly you are a princess of some sort and…"

"Queen.  I am not a princess, but a queen, ruler of all my people.  We are fey, one of many types, loyal to the winter court.  Yet if you look behind you I believe you will realize it is best if Fluttershy hurries."

The forest was beautiful, but also enormous.  There were several layers of trees, the largest blocking out the sunlight of those below, yet somehow all survived.  There were countless lights too, some small, some large, both animal and plants, all giving off light.  But there was only once source of light bright enough to be what was now right in front of the ursa and relatively not far off.  A city full of magical deer crafted lights.

"Oh my."

"You can stop her." said the queen  "You have, at least if the whispers on the wind are to be believed, the power of command.  Use it."

"But it can't hear me."

"Wait." Said Sky.  "That might not matter.  There was a siren and one of my girls removed her own ears so…"

"How ghastly." Raity then made a face.  "I can't imagine."

"With magic.  It was as if she never had any to begin with.  It didn't help even though she couldn't possibly hear it anymore, because the magic was in her head regardless.  The command must be obeyed, regardless if heard.  It was utterly terrifying."

I gulped.  "I don't think I can do that."

"You fear it, yes?"  The queen smiled.  "But what alternative is there but to use it?  Think of all the deer that will be hurt, not to mention the ursa herself.  After all the deer are far from defenseless.  Win or lose there will be many injuries."

"Oh my, I didn't think of that.  But the deer…"

"Will defend their home.  In the face of a choice between that home and one life, especially one they most likely can't end even if they truly wished to, the choice is obvious.  But there is a much better choice.  One only you can make."

"But…"

"You fear it."  She was right in my face.  "You fear that power, because it can be misused and you fear that.  Yet at the same time, right now, in this instance the removal of will, for but even a single second, will save bloodshed for all involved."

"Stop talking to her." Said Sky  "I can tell what you're doing."

"I really doubt that."  She didn’t turn to Sky to say it.  "It's very simple.  Just one little order.  Not a request, not a plea, but an order.  Prove to me your power."

"Prove?" asked Rarity

"Trixie thinks you should really hurry, especially since the terrified and concerned Trixie is suddenly aware of what we are on."

"Stop."

I’m not sure anyone else heard it.  But I really wanted it to work.  I wanted her to just listen because the queen was right.  Because this power is really scary, but if Celestia can do what Luna hinted she can that's completely terrifying.  But now I remember daddy saying something.  That abuse of power and proper use of power can seem similar, but are nothing alike.  Just make sure never to loose track of what the differences are.  Though I've never used daddy's definitions since they're kind of scary.

"It stopped." Said Sky

"Trixie can't believe the power behind that…"  she paused

"Incredible." added Rarity

"Was that even a spell?  Trixie is not sure."

The queen had a big smile on her face.  "Very well done.  Yes, there is only one left, or maybe two now that I think of it."

Sky shook her head and glared at the queen again.  "One what?"

"Test of course.  Power, command, bravery, and maybe even will.  I need a test of guile anyway so why not a more concrete test for will while I'm at it."

"What are you talking about?" asked Sky

"Yes, Trixie is very confused."

"Furthermore what do we do now?"  Rarity frowned  "It's stopped but…"

The queen then gave a little bow to me.  "Allow me.  After all I very much doubt you will fail the last, so it's only a matter of making it official.  And the test is done so…"

Her antenna lit up bright green and the bear's eyes were as green as hers for a moment.  They were far away of course, but visible from its snout.  It then slowly turned around and started walking.  Sky was now staring at her blankly.  Trixie and Rarity were glaring however.

"Are you telling the enraged and seething Trixie that you could have stopped this yourself at any time?"

"You just brought us here to be witnesses?" asked Rarity

"Yes and yes.  But you have to understand, if I used the traditional tests it would be worse, for lady Fluttershy at the very least.  This was not just a better test all around, but far less likely to kill her."

"I thought you were her but…" Sky trailed off.  "I don't understand."

"Yes, I suppose introductions are in order, but I also hate to repeat myself so I'll wait until tomorrow.  Farewell."  She then flew off

"Wait, what did you do to the ursa?"  I took to the air so I wouldn’t lose her.  "Will it…"

"It will go home, then go to sleep.  It will wake up confused but calm.  Wynn should take care of the ursa minor himself.  You need not worry."

"Oh, good."

"Now I suggest you go get your two unicorn friends off that beast."  She smiled.  "Its getting away you know."

I let out an "eep" and sped after the enormous bear.  Her back was still below me, but she was really big so her head was already starting to fade into the distance.  I really wasn't sure if what the queen did was right, but it didn't seem too bad.  I don't think I'd do something that drastic though.  I could probably just ask her to go home.  Well, if I could make her hear me.