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// chapter 2 mission briefing 
// Story: the thing in the dark 
// by nallokthecat 
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"Ugh when is she getting baaack???" whined Rainbow dash "Like I said" Spike began "she went to go see Zecora about 10 minutes ago and she takes about 20 minutes to get there so not for awhile.” “But I need her help noooow" Dash sulked; she had come to Twilights hoping for a fix for her air friction problem. After all at the speeds she goes the wind starts to sting and there was no way she'd wear any flying suit that wasn't the Wonder Bolts, that would just cramp her style; so she'd hoped Twilight could help her out quick and then she could get back to practicing. Now I gotta sit here and be bored outta my skull, thought Rainbow as she glared with annoyance at Spike. Suddenly the door to the library burst wide open as Twilight and Pinkie rushed in "Oh thank Celestia!" Rainbow said with relief.

"I’ve been waiting forever, you see I kind of need you too-" "no time Rainbow Dash" Twilight said, cutting her off; the panic obvious in her voice. "I need you to go get the others and bring them back here as fast as you can. It’s an emergency." That was all dash needed to hear as she bolted from the library in ten seconds flat to go get her friends

Around 10 minutes later they were running to the library. "Wadda ya'll reckon got Twi so spooked?" Applejack asked as she and the other raced back to the library "Don't know; don't care, all I know is she needs us." Rainbow said leading the pack as they came in through the still open library door to find Twilight finish up reading a letter. From the seal on the bottom she could tell it was from the Princess but before she could ask about what the she had written Twilight gave the letter to spike and opened up her speech with a doozy. "I’ll get straight to the point" Twilight simply stated clearly having calmed down a bit "on our way to visit Zecora, Pinkie and I encountered an unknown creature in the everfree forest which killed a Manticore with a single attack" Rainbows jaw hit the floor. She couldn't believe any thing aside from the Princesses could defeat a creature as strong as a Manticore so easily.

"Yeah" Pinkie said bolting upright "we were walking and I said something about how super-mega-spectacular I was gonna make a party for Zecora and then the Manticore is all like RAUUUOWRRRGUH" Pinkie explained while doing her best manticore impression "and we were like oh noo and then there was this flutey like sound like ‘do do doo doo doo’ and the Manticore got all scared and charged, and then there was a KAA BOOOM and the Manticore was all ‘blargh I am dead’" Pinkie flopped to her side to show before getting up to continue "and then this thing walks out and grabs it and is like" Pinkie stood on her hind legs and looked at the group for a bit before continuing "and then it walked off and I was like ‘WHAT THE BUCK WAS THAT’ and Twilight was like ‘I don't know so we ran back here and Rainbow Dash was like ‘I need a favor’ and Twilight sent-" Rainbow Dash put her hoof in Pinkies mouth having recovered from the shock and wanting to keep the mare from going on forever.

"I think we get it Pinkie Pie." Twilight said in a calm voice "Now while you were getting here I sent a letter to the princess explaining the situation, and I had just gotten through reading her reply and the princess is definitely concerned about this, however what with the recent Changeling invasion that happened at my brothers wedding she can’t spare the time or mare power to go after it; So she would like us to find the creature and bring it to Canterlot, so the princess can decide whether or not its a legitimate danger to the citizens of Ponyville." "Aww yeah bring it on!" Rainbow Dash pumped her front hooves in a jabbing motion. The mare was always up for a challenge, but more importantly she wanted to keep her friends safe from whatever this thing was. "But" Fluttershy chimed in "if it can take down a Manticore so easily then what happens if it decides to come after us? After all this creature must be able to move fairly silently if no ponies ever seen it before.”

Twilight smiled "That’s why the princess sent us these!" Twilight levitated a gold brooch to each of the ponies. They were small and round with Shining Armors cutie mark emblazoned on it "The princess had my brother work on this after the wedding just incase the Changelings returned. It creates a mini version of my brothers’ spell that will protect the wearer from harm.” "That’s wonderful darling, I just wish it wasn't so... gaudy." Rarity shuttered, to which Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. Twilight continued “I want everypony to get ready, and meet back here in 10 minutes, ok?" to which they all nodded. Before rushing off Rainbow looked at the Everfree Forest and said “You better be ready whatever you are. Cause if you try and hurt my friends you’re gonna taste the painbow."