For want of a Battle: part iii
For Want of a Battle
3/5
Nopony could say how long they had been walking, less than a day, more than an hour - probably. The path began veering upwards, offering relief from the endless 'forest' that spoke of jungles, bogs, thickets, and every other tangle of plantlife and animal forms. Each pony was lost in their own thoughts, so six ponies were startled when Jackie spoke, including herself. "Oh no. No way, look at that cliffside there. See how the edge is undercut right there? I may not be an Engineer or a University schooled pony but that don't look like the most stable footing I've ever laid eyes on."
By silent agreement the six cast votes - which is to say everypony but Twilight raised their hoof, so she rolled her eyes and raised hers as well. Progress slowed down as they left the path and made their way through the tangle of tree and brush and vine. Twilight considered the array of plants, comparing and contrasting the vast web of life to Sweet Apple Acres. 'It certainly has a beauty of it's own, and the way these disparate lives look after each other, even while trying to feed on or steal resources from one another. It has a feral grace to it. I certainly don't feel like an active part, but I do feel... tolerated.'
Diane took point, mincing through scrub and brush with a practiced ease, pointing out dangerous plants, hidden predators, and other dangers. Relief from the stress of accidental exposure kept any pony from asking her about her apparent familiarity... for a while. "So, uh Diane, right? How come you... know about this place?" The blue pegasus asked as they reached a wide clearing.
Instead of a verbal answer, Diane raised her hoof to her mouth in a 'shush'ing motion. She pointed to a field of deep red flowers, like a beautiful velvet carpet... until one notice the white tips of a large ribcage sticking up from within the field, like some alien architecture. "Velvet Poppies, their pollen has a powerful sleep agent and is easily jarred loose." Diane spoke in a hushed tone, visibly agitated for the first time most of the ponies had seen. "I'm afraid this path is closed to us."
"We will lose a great deal of time avoiding this, as well as risking getting lost." Rarity growled as quietly as she could.
"No, we are not turning back." Twilight said between clenched teeth. "I... give me a minute, I can get us past this." 'Ok, time to put this talent of mine to the test.' She cleared her mind and reached out to the plants, boxing her concern for her brother as tightly as she could, and ignoring the energy she had already spent earlier.
Jackie clenched her teeth, and gestured at Fluttershy when she looked about to ask what was going on. A noise was heard, a dry, creaking, and slow slithering. Rarity caught the motion first, vines snaking their way from between the trees, passing overhead to cross over one another in a clumsy weaving motion. The vines moved haltingly forward, dipping down, more vines snaking for support on the edges. What was less a bridge and more a funnel formed above the ponies, reaching with agonizing slowness for the other side of the clearing.
The five looked at the one, a purple unicorn aglow, blazing horn nearly incandescent white, sweat drenching her fur as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She looked like she was trying to avoid being crushed by great weight. She relaxed, eventually, gasping for breath. Fluttershy and Diane sought to make sure she was unharmed, the other three looked up to behold a tangled web of vines strewn above the field, narrowing as they approached the center gap, to a single vine for a pony's length in the middle.
Diane was first to try the 'bridge', reasoning she was most likely to recognize another threat on the other side. The others watched tensely - groggily in Twilight's case - as the pink pony performed the perilous perambulation. Pausing at the other side, she waved 'all clear' before hopping down out of sight. Next Rainbow Dash made the crossing, using her wings to balance her as she trotted right across the middle stretch, and gave a 'hoofs up' once out of danger. Fluttershy had to restrain the urge to flap her wings, afraid it would stir the deadly pollen below, she made her way, grinding her teeth the whole way. Rarity gestured for Jackie to go next but the earth pony shook her head vigorously.
"R-rarity needs to levitate me across, you need to go first, I don't know how long I can keep the vines in place." Twilight croaked.
'This just keeps gettin' better an' better...' "I thought you already did your magic hokum. Ain't the vines holding themselves up?"
"No, I asked for a favor, this is unnatural for them. I'm having to keep them in place, please, you need to go."
'I can't do it. If it's that tenuous, she could drop it by accident. Heck, she could drop it on purpose and tell the rest she'd tried her darndest.' Jackie shook her head, trying to remove petty doubts, 'I... I know she wouldn't do that, but maybe some little voice from the dark of her mind could distract her, it'd only take a moment of weakness.' Shame and fear warred in her heart.
Twilight grabbed Jackie by both shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "I will Never drop you. Right now... right now my brother is unconscious, hurt, and I can't do a thing for him. When we finish this, I KNOW he'll be ok. But. But if I let anything happen to you, if I deny Apple Bloom her sister, how can I ever face..." tears splashed to the ground "We all have to earn our way home. Please, just, just trust me - you Jackass." The sudden change of tone shocked Jackie out of her internal struggle and she laughed. In the middle of all this insanity, she laughed.
"Ok, I'm going. Not a scratch, you hear?" What had she been afraid of? 'Ol' Goody Four Shoes doesn't have it in her.' She didn't even realize she was across until she saw the horrified expressions on the faces of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Diane didn't look approving, either.
"There's badflank and there's plum crazy, Apple. You could have at least slowed down when you went over the single vine, but Nooo, there you are, chuckling to yourself and trotting like it was the marketplace. What gives?" Rainbow's diatribe was delivered after the ponies concerned were safely on the ground.
Fluttershy touched Jackie's shoulder, "we were both so worried for you, Rainbow couldn't even breathe." The mare in question seemed to still have a problem as she choked on Fluttershy's words.
Two Unicorns were added to the group as Rarity set Twilight on the ground. "Oh no dears, I'm fine and our little druid here is none the worse for her trip - no need to ask." All replies were cut off by the loud snapping noises as vines began to give way overhead. By mutual consent they fled, Jackie scooping Twilight onto her back with a practiced slide. 'Heh, never thought anything good would come from mah' stint as a rodeo clown.'
The grounds having cleared slightly, they kept a good pace, even after Diane and Fluttershy agreed they were safely out of range of the pollen. Perhaps it was the adrenaline, but the ponies were feeling less oppressed by their surroundings and started sharing stories of their lives. "... an then she turns to the old Stallion an' she says 'Honey, this one's eating the popcorn'." They all shared a laugh, "Haa.. and that's why I don't drink Mare-Garitas anymore."
"But the rate of growth would mean-" Twilight was shushed to silence as Diane called for caution. Her warning turned pointless as a roar crashed over the forest. Twelve feet tall, part lion, part bear, draconic wings, and a wicked scorpion tail, the monster smashed a tree out of it's way. It growled as it searched the area, sniffing and snorting, it let loose a titanic growl as it caught sight of the ponies, and advanced on them at an alarming pace.
"That's a Manticore!" Rarity shouted, "They're supposed to be extinct!"
"Try telling that one! I'm sure it'll play dead if you give it a good argument!" Rainbow shouted, pushing the other ponies to move.
Twilight had started another spell, Rarity caught her eye and shook her head. Snatching up some sharp looking rocks, the white unicorn hurled them with as much telekinetic force as she could muster. The ones that didn't bounce harmlessly from the creature's hide gouged holes in the ground and shattered tree branches. It looked like the battle might be won when Fluttershy managed to lift the behemoth off the ground in a tornado, until it flapped it's own wings and sent her careening off.
"Wait, there may be another solution." Diane pleaded. Jackie charged the creature, leaping to headbutt it in the chest, and fell back, stunned herself. The monster was enraged now. Rainbow raced out to pull the earth pony from the path of a pursuing paw lined with sharp claws as long as a pony's leg. "This will not accomplish our goals. Somepony will be hurt."
Twilight lined up with the others for a front on charge when Diane leapt into the middle of the field. "Be thou Still!" She cried, gasping in annoyance. Pony and Manticore alike looked at her as she trotted toward the monster. 'Breathe the air, walk upon the earth, and flow like water.' she repeated to herself. The monster took a swipe at her - at where she had been. Jumping off the back of its paw she continued past the beast, seemingly oblivious to further onslaught, always slightly out of the way, a hair's breadth from destruction. When she was out of range, the creature stopped, nonplussed. She veered off the path and into the brush.
Rainbow Dash's brow went from a sweat of fear to furrowed concentration. 'That technique, I've never seen it before...'
Moments later Diane returned, dragging a mewling mass nearly as large as she was. The creature ... would have been adorable without a razor sharp scorpion tail. The pink pony fled when the Manticore approached, the beast rumbling at a much lower volume. Parent and child reunited, Diane and her friends took their chance to pass unharmed.
Safely past the oversize reunion, Diane turned to her companions, her face a mixture of satisfaction and relief. "I motioned for quiet because I heard a cry of juvenile despair. The beast has not the Mane of a male lion, so I sussed the situation, but had trouble locating the cub with the ... extraneous noise." She scowled at the other ponies who were busy looking elsewhere. "No matter, I am... pleased none of you are harmed, 'The female of the species is the most deadly' after all."
The forest became denser again as the group traveled. They kept up their conversations, at a lower volume, to distract themselves from the feeling of confinement. It had become so dark that Twilight and Rarity had to summon a glow to their horns so the party could see one hoof in front of the other. "So, Diane, I wouldn't have thought poppies would grow normally in this region?" Twilight asked, questions nagging at her as she regained her mystic reserves.
"They would not. When I retrieved the Manticore's cub, it was tied with a black rope I had to cut to free it." She mirrored Twilight's concern.
"So what we feared is the case then? Nightmare Moon is trying to stop us, is setting traps. Well, now that we're sure of it we can be better prepared when next she-Waughah!" Rarity's speech was cut short by a ghastly glowing face that leered from a tree-trunk. Similar screams sounded from all sides as the ponies discovered an entire forest of faces fowl and threatening.
After squeaking once, Diane shook her head in consternation. "Perhaps a song from my childhood will help-"
"Don't waste yer lungs, Sugarcube. They ain't real pretty to look at, but they're not exactly moving in for the kill. If this is the be - nope, not saying that line. Let's just be thankful Nightmare Moon thinks she's dealing with fillies, have a good laugh and be on our way..." Jackie was interrupted in her suggestion by the arrival of another pony, a Unicorn Mare of indeterminate age, of Palest Blue hide with A mane of hair so red it looked black. On her flank was an Inky blue heart with a jagged line through the middle, cutting it into two halves.
"You're General Heartbreaker, of the Lunar Rebellion! But that was eight hundred years ago, there's no way you could be alive! What are you?" Rarity gasped.
Pitiful creatures her voice echoed within the ponies ears without seeming to travel the intervening space. I will give you one chance to submit before I lay waste to the lot of you. A crackling bolt of lime green and Midnight purple struck Fluttershy as she charged. Time's up, wither and die! Black fog enveloped the ponies in the blink of an eye and all fell.
Thus ends a tragic tale of futility.
Thanks for reading! See you again sometime.
Artwork by: Inspired_Light
.
..
Applejack looked up at her parents, the strong and noble Good Earth and the wise and skillful Apple Bough and was content. Nearby her brother chased butterflies and laughed, content that nothing in this world could harm him while his parents sat vigil. Granny Smith hummed to herself tunelessly as she pared apples for the delicious pie they would bake that evening. Life was good, everything was simple and kind.
Aunt and Uncle Orange had visited a few days ago, bringing tales of the mysterious big city and good news about new markets for the Apple Family's wares: apples. 'If I lay here, if I just lay here, y'all will lie with me an' just forget the world. If I don't move, nothing will ever change.'
The thought was comforting at first, but it seemed like it was out of place. Of course she couldn't lay here forever, the picnic would be over when the sun started back toward the western part of the sky, then they would return to the harvest. Father said she was old enough to help with the bucking this year. It filled her with pride to think she'd be knocking apples into buckets rather than sorting them or having to use the ladder - she didn't like the ladder, it embarrassed her, reminded her she was too little to do the hard work.
'Daddy never did understand why I wanted to do the hard stuff. He'd say "My little apple, don't be in such a rush to grow up. There'll be time enough for that when you're older".' There it was again, that thought like a tickle at the back of her brain. She shook her head to try and clear it. Her mother looked down, amusement tinged with concern. "Jaquelin honey-child, are you ok? I do hope nothing is upsetting you, we don't want you running away again now do we?" 'Run away? I hadn't ever done that at this age... what?'
Applejack stood up, unsure on her much shorter legs. Legs she had outgrown years - no, stop it! She fought against the alien thoughts. 'You stop messin with my head, you hear?' "Oh, ah do think our little Dumplin's being a Bad Pony." Good Earth's deep and even tones were off-key, twisted somehow, a tone of snark he had never used in life present.
"You, you're not real. You are Not my parents!" She stood up.
"Oh my, what a terrible thing to say, you're right Honeycrisp, she IS a Bad Pony..."
"Stop this!" She stomped to demonstrate her frustration.
"Little filly, do you know what Bad Ponies get?" The two figures leered at her, seeming to grow in height.
"I'd really like ta' wake up now, brain!" Her eyes crossed as she tried to address her inner self.
"Dead Parents!" Shouted the Impostors in unison, flesh melting and tissue bubbling as they dissolved to nothing.
She screamed. Jackie Screamed, in horror, then in anger, and last to hold onto control of something as the pressure built again, worse than ever before. "None of you are real! I know who I am!"
"They might not be, but I am!" 'Oh no, no You Do NOT GET TO DO THAT!' Jackie's mind raced as she heard Apple Bloom's voice. "First you run off and abandon me, of course you Blame me for Momma's death - way to go blaming a foal, by the way - and then you torture me my whole life by sending just enough letters to remind me I have a sister I never get to see. I finally manage to get a replacement, heck a better sister, one who can teach me things and make sure I get a good schooling and a real future, and what do you do? You beat the living tar out of her! Do you just want me to be miserable? Is that what this is all about!?" The apparition's eyes filled with tears, hurt and rage and terrible terrible hope mixing like the cement of despair.
Jackie couldn't help it, she scooped the filly up and squeezed her tightly against herself. "Thank you 'bloom." she whispered.
"So you're mentally retarded too? I'm telling you that you do nothing but ruin my life!"
"Thank you so much for sending that letter. I-I don't think I was strong enough to come see you, on my own. I will never forget that you did that. An' I'm sorry I got mad at Twilight, we 'bin patching things up. And, for what it's worth? I'm sorry."
"What are you?-" The apparition turned to ash and faded as the entire scene faded to white and was replaced by an almost pitch black forest, only illuminated by cruelly grinning faces on gnarled trees.
All around her, her friends lay sprawled on the ground, limbs twitching as their own nightmare scenarios played out. "You made a mistake there, Missy." Jackie glared at the Unicorn, Heartbreaker. "Gonna be your last, I have anything to say about it." Jackie checked that her saddlebags, relieved to see she still had them, 'of course I still have them, that Nag thinks her magic will beat anything. She didn't count on a Pony who can run from anything, even her own guilt.' "Now, I'm disappointed with your service, Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask to see your manager."
The Night General roared in anger, firing off a volley of purple and green bolts. Jackie ducked and dodged through the trees, laughing at the unicorn's attempts to kill her or put her back to sleep. Chasing after the earth pony, Hearbreaker began to hear twanging noises and a sound like wires being tightened. Heedless, she charged forth. It took her a moment to realize she had lost sight of her quarry, and she snorted in rage as she searched for the mare.
From the trees, the sounds of a guitar floated down. Strum strum, pause, strum, pause strum strum...
"Buck it!"
Jackie leapt down in front of Twilight, and began shouting in her ear. "You wake up late for school Mare you don't wanna go, You ask you mom, 'Please?' but she still says, 'No!' You missed two classes, and no homework; but your teacher preaches class like you're some kind of jerk. You gotta fight for your right to party!" The guitar bucked and wailed like a living animal.
Rolling over to Rainbow Dash she poked the pegasus in the side of the head, "You pops caught you smoking and he said, 'No way!' That hypocrite smokes two packs a day. Man, living at home is such a drag. Now your mom threw away your best porno mag (Busted!) You gotta fight for your right to party!" Squealing reverb filled the forest, the Night Unicorn couldn't seem to concentrate.
Jackie slid between Rarity and Fluttershy, laughing between verses like a madmare. "Don't step out of this house if that's the clothes you're gonna wear! I'll kick you out of my home if you don't cut that hair!" Eyes began opening as the spell lost it's strength.
She stood directly over Diane and Screamed in her ears, "Your mom busted in and said, 'What's that noise?' Aw, mom you're just jealous of the Girls and Boys! You gotta fight for your right to party!" Jackie whipped her head around to see her friends awake, if confused. "C'mon, y'all, sing it with me: PARRTAY!" They echoed it back to her without questioning what was going on.
General Heartbreaker screamed in rage as her body dissolved into white light and vanished in a flash, leaving behind a grove of stunted and gnarly trees, without faces. "And that, girls, is how you defeat a Tartarus-Spawn Pony of darkness!" Jackie gasped, her exertion catching up with her. The others pulled her up onto their backs.
Rainbow Dash turned her head to glare at Jackie, "you do realize I've never looked at porn, right?"
"Sugarcube, it's a lyric. Don't pay it no mind. B'sides, woke you up, didn't it? If the shoe fits..."
They strode forward, laughing.
Eventually they had to let Jackie get down. 'Nothin' quite so embarrassing as being carried, is there?' Ponies continued making bad jokes, however, and so the laughs continued. Right up to the edge of a raging river of rapids. Sight of the swirling swells slowed the ponies in front, who had no time to warn those behind them. After sorting themselves out of the inevitable pony-pile-up, the band looked at the river.
"Uh, this part is flat, why is it so turbulent?" Fluttershy pondered.
"Perhaps there are some underground volcanic vents?" Rarity considered.
"We'd smell the sulfur, or at least feel the steam if that were the case." Twilight countered.
"Perhaps we can ask that large serpent over there, flailing around, crying." Diane deadpanned.
Indeed, there was a massive purple... River Serpent? It was long and sinuous with an outrageous coif of orange hair that could have hidden a family of deer and had room left over for a bear. A maw as long as a cart was draped with further orange and water flew everywhere from tears and river water.
Jackie stepped forward, ready to talk their way across. "Uh, begging your pardon, Sir? What's, uh, why are you cryin'?"
The serpent stopped his thrashing to ponder... ponies? "Oh, I don't know, maybe because of... This!" he gestured to the right side of his massive mustache which ended raggedly and unevenly in a mess of cut hair.
"Come again?" Jackie asked, jaw agape.
"Really, you are raging and making this river impassable because of a mustache?" Diane couldn't even summon the placid calm she usually displayed - this was just plain stupid.
"So much swag, ruined by one errant cut. I tell you, this will not stand. Do you hear me!? THIS WILL NOT STAND!" Rainbow leapt onto the serpent's neck climbing by hoof and wing, flapping madly and flailing into her saddlebags as she yelled. The serpent quailed as she landed on his snout, wielding what for her were a large pair of hedge clippers. "Justice shall prevail!" She cried, diving at the mustache.
Nopony could look, the screams and piteous cries suggested a slaughter on a scale no pony should be capable of. Fluttershy wept to think her oldest friend had finally gone off the deep end - the least she could do is end this quickly, she steeled her nerves and turned to behold... A River Serpent with a very stylish short mustache and a... Rainbow colored rope necklace. "R-rainbow? Dash, what did you... oh my." There was Dash, but there was no rainbow to speak on, her head was bare and her tail was perhaps three inches.
"So, I can have a set of 'shades' fashioned for you in, oh, I'd say a week, probably get them barged down her to 'ya - trust me, the shades'll seal the deal. You'll look like a swinging private detective."
"Hmm... not my usual style but I think I can..." the serpent processed what his minute maniac stylist had said. "Moi? Oh I don't think so. Magnet P.I.? Well, maybe... but thank you SO much! I just didn't know what to do. You ponies want to cross the river? Allow me, by all means!" The grateful beast extended his lizardly length across the river as the ponies hopped from hump to hump.
Fluttershy reached out-and Rarity tackled Rainbow, crying at the pegasus's personal sacrifice. "Oh dear, your beautiful Mane! How could you bear to part with it?"
"Uh, not really that big a deal. I was growing it out so I could cut it and donate it to the Chemo-pony Society, they can blend my mane to match a lot of unfortunate ponys' original colors. I do it all the time, just figured the fella needed something with a little flash to pick him up, right?"
Rarity schooled her face to hide her absolute disbelief as she helped the pegasus up. "Well in any case, I think it was a noble sacrifice. Also, your crochet technique is amazing, what's your secret?"
"Eh, just use my wings, the flight feathers can catch and pull four rings at a time. Thanks though." The pegasus trotted forward as the group continued.
Fluttershy flew back over the gorge after repairing the rope-bridge, smiling. "I think we're close, Nightmare Moon's attempt on me wasn't even worth mentioning." From the pony's mouth, truth flows.
"I think we've had about enough of being on the defensive. I'm calling a planning huddle." Rarity spoke as the group gathered around her. "Now, before we start this, I think it's obvious we're being spied on so I'm going to cast a spell to protect us from scrying until we move again
...
…
…
Stats
Page generated in 0.024 seconds
Total duration
1,008 users online
1,573,841 hits today, 2,280,440 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
1233218
SO BE IT!
so what was the attempt on fluttershy?
1234169
Oh, you know, wealth, power, influence.
Just leave your friends-
Oh, I'm sorry, were you talking?
...I could write it in, for completion I suppose, but I'm not one for padding word count
Opinions?
and I thought it was funny to have it be a footnote.
If I have this right,
Dash = Generosity
Rarity = Magic
Pinkie = Kindness
AJ = Laughter
Fluttershy = Loyalty
Twilight = Honesty
1234374
We have a winner!
First prize is a... Moustache!
Yes, that is the list I'm using. The exact nature of expression is... different, as you've seen.
1234201 Not much point, really; you've given us the biggest "tiny hint" we could ever hope to get about what Rainbow's (Update: I mean Fluttershy's--geh, serves me right for trying to post at 1 A.M.!
) new Element is going to be. 
This story is enjoyable... but at the same time so frickin' weird. *shudders*
1234431
Glad I can amuse you.
Edit: Yeah, happens to me too - that's why I use the Twilight Sparkle approved 'triple check' Checklist
Ha! Love the "not ending" near the beginning there! 'Course, I tend to love all types of metatext humor, but those who not only dare to pull it off, but do it well are far too few in number... you actually had me for a half second there!
1234669
Yeah, I actually went back and added the periods because I was afraid I was actually going to fool some ponies.
I have to rein in my inherent 'Evil Bastard' tendencies sometimes
(I've spent a lot of time as a 'DM', you learn these things)
Twilight's honesty? I thought it was Fluttershy.
Beasty. Fucking. Boys.
You are an amazing writer my good sir (or madame, I don't know) I applaud you.
1305566 Thanks for the compliment.
I used to use 'ser' as a genderless term, but I don't know if it's in general usage so I just try to avoid reference anymore.
(On the internet, nopony knows you're a dog)
Oh no! She'll break my HEAR!
This will not accomplish out goals
Ponies continued making bad joke
1. Our.
2. Jokes.
Rainbow is now bald... with a three inch short tail... The image is too (unintelligible word?) to picture...
You couldn't come up with one, could you?
On a side note, this chapter took a wide left turn away from seriousness, and I loved it! The Beastie Boys bit had me laughing to tears, especially what with the whole:
That was just brilliant.
the set up you have is awesome for a winter wrap up parody but I have to read further on if that is the case
I don't know why but I think rarity makes a horrible leader thus far but my opinion might change I really hope it does
Nearly got me with that false ending, so glad I kept scrolling through the tears
I had to rewatch chunks of the second episode though to see how it compares.
, where smashing and I enjoyed how you added in your own obstacles as well.
All the changes, except Fluttershys
2846829 As I see it, she's not better or worse as a leader, just ... different.
Because who doesn't like ponified Beastie Boys?
2847097
She's less powerful, but more pragmatic, am I right?
3828522 That is my take on it.
You almost got me there. That was spectacular. Never saw it coming...
Oh, that was kind of funny.
YOU CAD!!
Me like what you did there; clever cliffhanger.
my
_______________
That song from Austin Powers popped into my head when I saw that line.
_________________________________
I
_________________
Before i compare test....
you monster, you skip out on the loyalty test!!1 You creep!!1
Ok, that part done. i love how the tests were different and ye similar. There were still the valuess of trust, hope, sacrifice, understanding, and missing out on the loyalty. But there was something else, it was like you took what some might try and ask in one of those moments when they are watching a show for the third time or what soem person wants to nitpick. You know the type "Why doesn't Rita attack somewhere else" (Because the rangers can teleport) "Why doesn't Xanathos smash the Gargoyles in the day (Because he has need of them). Those type of questions that can be answered if you take five seconds to think about them.
The question here was "What would happen if the girls just walksed away from the cliff" "They weren't scared by the trees." the answer is simple, then Nightmare Moon would find some alternate version of a way to stop them. Its like how you will do somethign similar later in the fic
I have no clue what happened.
Flutters was bathed in fire, and raised in a bramble. She's not gonna abandon anyone for some fake organization.