Discord Vs Maud

by Natura

EverFree Crusaders

“Once again on another wild adventure” Maud said to herself as she ran through the tangled undergrowth of the forest to find Discord and the source of those screams. She could only wonder who exactly needed their help and how unlucky for them it would be to find their saviour in discord.

One Hour Ago

“ Perhaps we shouldn't try to get our cutie marks in bee keeping” Winced sweetie belle as she pulled a stinger from her side with her teeth as her magic had not yet come into effect due to her being to young to perform magic.

“ Yeah, I’ve gotta agree with ya on that one” Replied Apple Bloom as she too pulled a stinger out her back.

“ I dunno what you two are on about that was awesome!” Exclaimed Scootaloo. Unlike the others she did not get attacked by the bees as she escaped on her scooter before they attacked.

All three were sitting in their clubhouse after a encounter with the local bee’s nests where they had to make a “Tactical retreat” as scootaloo put it.

“What I couldn't risk myself saving you two, Rainbow Dash can’t keep being awesome without me there” she said when they questioned her “Retreat”

“ Well what do we do then?” Questioned Sweetie Belle after all the stingers had been removed.

“ Well I’m up for something exciting still” Scootaloo added in.

“Ah agree, we need something to spice up our weekend”

“ Wasn't the bees enough” Sweetie Belle turned to Apple Bloom raising an eyebrow.

Apple Bloom shrugged her shoulders and the three fillies went back to thinking of new ideas. After a while of thinking Scootaloo spoke up.

“How about rock climbing?”

“Nah Miss Sunny don’t trust us after we brought down the dam while abseiling no way to get the equipment” Apple Bloom struck the idea down.

“Swimming?” Sweetie Belle added after some thought
“Nope not allowed to after we contaminated the lake” This idea was struck down by Scootaloo.

“ I’ve got it” Scootaloo said suddenly.

“ What is it?” Both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom said at the same time.

“Ya know that old temple of the princesses before Luna turned all crazy?”

“Yeah what about it” Apple Bloom replied.

“ I heard from Rainbow Dash that it contains some really cool things that nopony has taken because their all to scared of the temple”

“Well they should be” Sweetie Belle said before looking suspiciously at Scootaloo. “ You weren’t going to suggest we actually go there? It’s in the Everfree forest. Remember what happened the last time we went there because of the poison joke?”

“ I know but it’s only a short journey and as long as we don’t stray off the path the animals won’t bother us unless we bother them which we won’t”

“Ah’m still not sure, AppleJack would tan my hide if she found out I’d gone into the EverFree”

“ Same here but with Rarity, she seemed really stressed today and was carrying a bunch of needles with her, Best to just leave her without any stress when she’s in those moods”

“Come on guys where’s your sense of adventure? Apple Bloom you said yourself you wanted excitement.

“Ah didn't say I wanted to be a creatures dinner though”

“C’mon please” Scootaloo whined flashing her best puppy dog eyes.

Apple Bloom couldn't deny she was bored and she knew for a fact if you stayed on the path the animals wouldn't attack you thanks to a magic spell Twilight put up. She debated for a bit before deciding.

“Fine I’m in”

“ Cool!” Scootaloo grinned, “How about you Sweetie Belle”

Sweetie Belle sighed “I guess I need to stop you two from getting hurt, Alright I’m in.

“Alright lets go” Shouted Scootaloo racing out of the clubhouse her wings buzzing in excitement as she strapped on her helmet and jumped on her scooter

“Cutie mark relic collectors go!” They shouted before heading towards the forest.

“See, what did I tell you we are perfectly fine” said Scootaloo while performing lazy circles with her scooter.

“ Still not sure if this was the best idea” Sweetie Belle whispered while fearfully eyeing the leering eyes visible on the edge of the forest.

“Ah come on Belle” Apple Bloom admonished. “At least its only a couple more minutes and nothin bad has happened yet”

“ Yeah Sweetie Belle stop being such a chicken”

“You can talk” Sweetie Belle said back to Scootaloo.

“Hey!”

After walking for another couple of minutes without incident the crusaders found themselves outside the temple of the princesses. The walls looked stable enough but the whole building was covered in decay and was rotten to the core. A few statues on plinths littered the castle walls and the statues themselves looked as inviting as the castle.

“Yeah, No I’m not going in there” Sweetie Belle started to back away but she was pushed back by Scootaloo.

“Oh no you don’t, we came this far no point in turning back, Anyway think of all the cool stuff in there!”

“Ah agree with her again” Said Apple Bloom. “Ain’t nothing there that will harm us now since Nightmare Moon got turned back to Princess Luna.”

“Fine, I guess” Sweetie Belle said unsurely.

“ Come on we're wasting time” Scootaloo complained. “I wanna see what's in here” She added excitedly.

As one the group leaded by Scootaloo headed into the castle.

“Whats this?” Scootaloo asked looking up to the shrine that once held the old elements of harmony.

“Sis told me it was a place where they held the old elements” Apple Bloom said reminiscing back to the memory of AppleJack telling her what had happened the night Nightmare Moon attacked.

Sweetie Belle said nothing yet. She was too nervous to look at anything other than the walls watching for movement.

“Hey guys look at this” Scootaloo shouted. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle rushed over to find the pegasus holding a pink ball.

“Ooh that’s really pretty!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Indeed it was, the ball had glowing wisps of pink and white light emanating from within and veins of energy pulsed through it causing the ball to look both spectral and solid at the same time.

“What d’ya think it is” Apple Bloom questioned.

“I dunno but look at it, Rainbow Dash is gonna be so happy with me when I show her I found something this awesome!” Scootaloo said her eyes fixed on the sphere in her hooves.

“ Are you sure that’s a good idea, taking it back?” Sweetie belle broke out of her staring at looked at Scootaloo.

“Well yeah it hasn't harmed us yet so what could it do?”

After a couple more minutes deciding what they should do they decided to take it home. Scootaloo put it on her scooter and they were about to head back onto the path back home.

“Uh guys d’ya hear that noise” Apple Bloom said straining her ears. They all stopped and listened for a couple of seconds. A low humming noise could be heard from outside.

“Yeah what is that…”

Scootaloo was interrupted mid sentence by an ear shattering roar. Right outside the entrance to the castle stood a manticore. It stood at well over eight times the height of the fillies and looked far more ferocious and animalistic than any book could truly describe. Its jaws held three rows of heavy teeth set in a snarl on its lion head. The manticore's body flexed and rippled as it eyed the three fillies with a deadly gaze. But most noticeable of all was its massive tail. Tipped with a large poisonous barb getting stung would mean almost certain death.
“Ah thought Twilight shielded the path” Apple Bloom gulped.

“Must have missed the castle” Sweetie Belle whispered while slowly backing away from the slowly approaching manticore.

Scootaloo slowly brought the sphere out of the bag and pointed it at the manticore. “This should do something right?”

“Ah dunno try something, hurry!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. The manticore was getting closer now drooling from its cavernous jaws as it closed in.

Scootaloo began squeezing the sphere. Then she tried twisting pulling and pushing but nothing worked. “ Oh come on” She shouted striking the sphere at the top. The sphere suddenly shot a purple beam of pure magical energy at the manticore. The fillies shielded their eyes from the blast.

When the room became visible the fillies gazed upon the manticore. It was frozen in place a look of horror on it’s face. Slowly standing to full height it let loose a massive growl. They noticed it’s eyes had gone red and it looked slightly larger.

“Run?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Run” The other two agreed.

The crusaders then ran out of the back exit to the temple screaming their heads off followed by a very angry manticore attracting everything within a couple of miles to their location, Including a pony and one certain draconequus

Present Time

Maud finally caught up to Discord as they tore through the forest to the screams. “ Tell you what my dear Maud” Discord huffed “Today certainly has been different from my usual schedule” Maud couldn't agree more as she ran equally as tired alongside him.

“Discord you must concentrate a pony’s life is in danger” Maud reminded him.

“Yeah,Yeah I know” Discord replied.

After another minute of running in silence they finally came to the source of the screams in a clearing. A huge manticore that would make the timberwolf from earlier look like a little puppy stood facing three fillies who Maud could vaguely remember as the cutie mark crusaders.
“Discord distract the manticore” Maud said bluntly.

“Like you even had to ask” Discord grinned.

Donning a long poncho and handling a whip and red cloth he conjured from thin air he leaped at the manticore.

“Oi you” Discord shouted.

The manticore turned and growled showing Discord his unnatural red eyes.

“Your mother was a smelly pirate hooker!” Discord grinned using his ability to talk to animals.

The manticore roared furiously at the insult but made no motion to move. He obviously didn’t want to give up his catch of three fillies he now had cornered.

“Oh you want more?” Discord questioned. “Well I personally suggest you go back to your home on whore island!”

The manticore had finally had enough. It reared up on its hind paws now standing a good five foot above Discord and charged.

Discord readied his red cloth and steadied himself as the beast approached. “ Come and get it” Discord taunted. As the beast charged him he swung around flashing the red cloth in the manticore's face as it charged by striking it on the side with the whip as he did so. “Sorry not fast enough my dear manticore” If anything the whip only made it more angry than actually hurting it.

Maud nearly facehooved. Discord did plenty of things she didn’t understand such as the Harley Davidson and basically everything else. She didn’t even know what a Harley Davidson was to start off with! But taunting a manticore. Yep that just took it to new levels.

However it provided an opportunity as Discord was taunting the manticore it gave Maud a chance to grab the fillies. “Come on lets go we don’t have much time” She said as she approached them.

“Hey your pinkie’s sister aren’t ya?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yes but introductions can wait follow me”

Maud turned back to Discord as he finished another pass with the manticore who was now covered in red marks but not showing a hint of pain. “ Lets go Discord we have to get them to safety”
“Always spoiling my fun aren’t you?” Discord grumbled. “Oh well until next time” Discord addressed the manticore. “Just let me give you a little parting gift” He grinned evilly.

So evil was the grin that it made the manticore stop in it’s tracks. It growled uncertainly as it slowly backed away. Discord’s grin grew in size as he clicked his talons. The manticore was covered in a field of twisting energy slowly twisting around it. When the field disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared the manticore was left with… bright pink fur. “ Oh you look simply fabulous darling!” Discord said barely holding back his laughter. The manticore howled in misery similar to the timberwolf had as it held it’s pink arm in front of it’s face. Still howling it ran through the forest shamed and humiliated beyond belief.

“Well that was fun!” Discord exclaimed turning back to the group of ponies.

“Come on lets go before anything else tries to eat us” Maud said to the three fillies snapping them out of their shock of seeing a manticore completely destroyed by Discord. Together they all ran to the edge of the forest back to the point where Discord and Maud had entered.

“Thanks for saving us Mr Discord and Miss Maud” The three fillies said happy smiles on their faces.

“Well we couldn't just leave you there with a manticore” Maud said.

“Say how did that manticore start chasing you?” Discord asked them.

The fillies ears spayed back in shame as they recounted their story. “ Well we kinda accidentally wound up in the old castle” Scootaloo said chuckling nervously.

“Yeah and then we found this big pink sphere and we took it” Sweetie Belle said looking the other way.

“Then we saw this big manticore an he attacked us so we used the sphere and he got real mad” Apple Bloom admitted.

“Hmmm” Discord said stroking his beard with a claw. “May I see this sphere.

“Sure” Scootaloo said as she took it from her scooter that had somehow been brought along.
The sphere seemed to glow brighter in Discord’s presence.

Discord’s eyes grew to massive proportions as he looked at the sphere.

“Oh how I have missed you pester sphere!” He cried swinging it around in a circle.

“That’s a what?” Maud asked.
“A pester sphere” Discord explained. “It fires a concentrated beam of magic, If it hits the target will grow in size get angry and obtain red eyes” Discord raised an eyebrow. “Surprising I didn't notice the red eyes when I was facing it, too much stuff in my head” He said while shaking his head producing a rattling noise. “ I had it taken a long time ago by those princesses of yours, It must have been left in the castle” He nodded as he clicked his talons making the sphere disappear.

Maud looked satisfied with Discord’s explanation and turned towards the cutie mark crusaders.“Alright, make sure you don’t tell anyone about this, No point needlessly getting into trouble” Maud said

“Okay and thanks again!” Sweetie Belle said as the crusaders rushed away on their next crazy adventure.

“So what next we have still got some time want to cause more chaos?” Discord asked that grin back on his face.

“Lets just get away from this forest I've had enough for one day” Maud sighed.

Discord nodded and together they walked the path back to ponyville.