//------------------------------// // Chapter 24: Trouble in Froggy Bottom Bogg // Story: BlackWarGreymon: Warrior of Harmony // by I-C-U-P //------------------------------// High in the skies above Ponyville, BlackWarGreymon was speeding through the open air, with Pinkie Pie holding on to his back. She was practically having the time of her life as she cheered, her mane and tail swaying wild in the wind. “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! This is the best ride I’ve ever been on!!” BlackWarGreymon merely chuckled at her obvious joke. Thinking that he was some kind of rollercoaster. As the two arrived at the outskirts of Ponyville, the black Digimon landed on the dirt road. Then Pinkie Pie jumped off his back, her mane and tail were swept back and stretched from the high-speed traveling. “Hehe, that was fun!” She said before her pink mane and tail puffed back in place, back to its puffy fluffy look. “Guess it is,” BlackWarGreymon said, seeing how happy the pink party pony was. Then Pinkie Pie looked at the tall Digimon with a playful smile. “And I didn’t know you were great with children,” She said, earning a surprised look from BlackWarGreymon. He then remembered that the pink mare appeared moments after the orphans went back to the orphanage, so it was likely that Pinkie Pie was around long enough to had seen his interactions with them. He then had an embarrassing thought that she had seen him being treated like a climbing frame. “Yep, you were so cute with those kids playing around with you,” Pinkie Pie added. From the expression in his eyes, it was clear that it was the first time that BlackWarGreymon was called ‘cute’. “C…cute? I’m not cute, Pinkie. Far from it.” Pinkie Pie let out a chuckle of amusement. “Hehe, of course you are. Even fierce beings can be cute at times, or do cute things.” “But still, I wouldn’t say I’m cute,” The black armoured Mega said, embarrassed that soon other ponies would call him cute. However, their conversation was interrupted by the rapidly approaching Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. “Pinkie Pie! BlackWarGreymon!” After gaining their attention, the two fillies stopped in front of them. Exhausted from their running. “What is it girls?” Pinkie Pie asked, concerned as to why the two fillies were panicking. After gasping for breath, Scootaloo answered. Followed by Sweetie Belle. “It’s Applebloom and Applejack!” “They’re in trouble!” Pinkie Pie and BlackWarGreymon were shocked to hear the terrible news. “TROUBLE!?” The pink mare asked in disbelief, greatly concerned for the two in peril. “What happened to them? And where are they?” The black Digimon asked. With Scootaloo answering his question. “They’re stuck at Froggy Bottom Bogg!” She then pointed in the direction of the forest where they came from. “They need help!” Brimming with determination to save Applejack and Applebloom, BlackWarGreymon was more than ready. “I’m on it!” He then sprinted past the two fillies and ran straight into the dense forest. Wanting to help out, Pinkie Pie galloped after him. “Hay! Wait BlackWarGreymon!” Not wanting to leave a fellow crusader behind, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed the pink mare. But being fillies, they couldn’t keep up. Pinkie Pie saw the two and offered help. “Quick, hop on!” Agreeing to her offer, the young Unicorn and Pegasus leaped onto the party pony’s back as she ran into the forest. Speeding across the forest floor, the three ponies managed to catch up to BlackWarGreymon. The sprinting Digimon glanced to his right to spot them following him. “I suggest you three go back to Ponyville. Let me deal with this,” He said to them, concerned for their safety. “No way. Applebloom is a fellow crusader. And crusaders all stick together.” Scootaloo stated with Sweetie Belle nodding in agreement. “Yeah. And Applejack is my cousin. So she’s family,” Pinkie Pie added, trying to keep up with the black Digimon while carrying two fillies on her back. ‘Applejack is her cousin?’ BlackWarGreymon thought, as if he didn’t believe her. But then his mind focused on an important fact. Friends stick together, no matter the odds. Even if the odds were stacked against them, they would be there for each other no matter what. BlackWarGreymon then sighed in acceptance. “Ok. But you three be careful.” Sweetie Belle noticed that ‘being careful’ was not what the Digimon was doing. “Watch out! You’re about to run into those trees!” However, BlackWarGreymon was aware of the approaching trees, but he ran straight towards them regardless. Then the trees, no matter thick or thin, were all snapped as the Digimon smashed his way through them while running at full speed. From a bird’s eye view of the forest, some sections of trees were either brushed aside of simply knocked down. Anyone who was watching would think that a giant creature was in there. Pinkie Pie, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were all amazed at BlackWarGreymon’s display of strength, and his determination to save his friends. He looked as if nothing would stand in his way. ……………………………………………………………………………................................................................................................ Froggy Bottom Bogg Applejack and Applebloom remained stuck in the humid swamp. While the younger filly was still up to her knees in the thick mud, the older sister was slightly deeper. She was half way up her upper legs. After another failed attempt to struggle free from the grip of the mud, she turned her concern to her little sister. “Ya ok, sugercube?” Applebloom inspected the ground beneath her before answering. “Ah think so. The mud over here seems to be much firmer than the one you’re in,” She said, noting that it took longer for her to sink further into the muddy trap. “Right. So… would ya tell me why ya ran off here all by ya’self!?” Applejack’s demand caught Applebloom off guard. “What!? Ah don’t think this is the time for that, AJ!” “It sure is little missy! Now spill!” With the situation they were in, Applebloom had no choice but to confess. “Ok ok. I thought that by coming to the forest alone, it might earn me a cutiemark for bravery or somthin’. But I didn’t know about this swamp, honest!” Applejack could see in her little sister’s eyes that, although ashamed, she was telling the truth. As the big sister responded, she and the filly were unaware that something was moving in the murky waters as green mist started to appear around them. “That last part I understand, Applebloom. But what I don’t understand is why ya came here all alone. I mean what if somethin’ happened to ya? And why can’t ya try somthin’ safer to earn ya cutiemark?” “Well I…” Applebloom’s answer was cut short as she breathed in the green mist. Its unexpected stench caused the filly to cough in disgust. “Uhhh! What in Equestria is that smell!?” She asked before shaking her head side to side, trying to get rid of the mist. Applejack meanwhile froze at her sister’s reactions. It was the exact same reactions as Twilight’s the last time she came to the bog. The green fog stench was a sign that meant only one thing. Her worst fears of coming back to Froggy Bottom Bogg were coming true as she heard sounds of splashing. She then saw a tall silhouette in the green mist, stretching up from the pond behind Applebloom and into the sky. It was followed by three more identical silhouettes. As the stinky green mist started to fade away, Applebloom realised that her big sister had suddenly got very quiet. “Applejack?” Looking at her sibling, Applebloom saw that Applejack was paralyzed in fear while staring at something behind the filly. Though already she had a bad feeling of what was going on, the young pony’s eyes widened as she heard sounds of growling. Turning her head around to the source of the sounds, she gasped at the beast behind her. High in the air looming over the two ponies, were four identical dragon-like heads. Each of the heads had scary green eyes and bright red spikes on the sides of their heads. Supporting the heads were incredibly long snake-like necks, covered in thick orange scales. Slowly rising to the surface was the rest of its body. It had a yellow under-belly, two legs ending in claws, and several yellow spikes on the end of its tail. As the sixty foot tall reptile fully emerged itself from the swamp, the hydra let out several loud roars. Seeing the massive monster for the first time, Applebloom let out a scream of panic as she struggled like mad to get out of her muddy trap. But given the type of mud she was in, she was stuck like glue. The screams only made the hydra draw its attention closer to the two ponies, licking its lips as it approached its prey. Unable to run or defend themselves, Applebloom and Applejack called out for help. “HEEELLLPP!!!” Just in the nick of time, BlackWarGreymon, Pinkie Pie, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle arrived on the scene. They immediately spotted the huge reptile, much to the surprise of the Digimon and the two fillies. “What is that thing!?” Sweetie Belle asked. “That’s a hydra! A big meanie monster with four meanie heads!” Pinkie Pie answered, remembering the last time she encountered a hydra. “It’s huge!” Scootaloo said while eying the four-headed beast. BlackWarGreymon meanwhile was quickly analyzing the situation. He first spotted Applejack and Applebloom, struggling to free themselves from the mud they got bogged down in. He then glanced up at the hydra, seeing the carnivore grinning meant that it planned on eating the ponies as they were unable to escape. The Digimon narrowed his eyes in determination. He knew he could take it on. He then glared back at his three companions as he formulated a plan of action. “Ok. Pinkie Pie, you get Applejack and Applebloom out of there. And you two, hide and stay out of trouble.” He then glanced back at the beast. “I’ll take care of the hydra.” To the surprise of his three friends, BlackWarGreymon immediately took off the ground and flew straight towards the danger. Unaware of the advancing Digimon, one of the four hydra heads lowered just above the two Earth Pony heads and opened its gaping mouth wide to engulf them both. Just as the two stranded girls gave up hope, BlackWarGreymon flew in-between them and the hydra and kicked the lizard’s head square in the jaw. The sheer force of the attack caused the hydra head to swing over its other heads and flop down over its back. “BlackWarGreymon!” Applejack and Applebloom said, they never thought they would be so glad to see their digital friend in the nick of time. “Don’t worry girls, we’ll get you out of there,” The Digimon said as he turned his attention back to the hydra. The Mega level Digital Monster then became aware that each of the four hydra heads had minds of their own. Because as the head he kicked rose back up with a dizzy expression, the other three heads looked as if they were mocking it. “Back off now, if you know what’s good for you,” BlackWarGreymon demanded. Since the hydra was only acting on instinct instead of desire like the dragons, it wasn’t evil. It’s just a hungry reptile. But the hydra was indeed hungry and only glared back at the Digimon with amused grins. “Suit yourself,” BlackWarGreymon said, already knowing that it would end up in a fight. Flying up to the hydra’s heads, the black Digimon punched one of them back. The head forced back and sustaining a large scratch form the metal gauntlets. Though surprised at the intruders’ strength, instinct told the hydra to fight back. trying to gobble him up. While the fight was on, the two fillies on the side lines were either sulking or in awe. “Why can’t we help? We can do something too, right Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle asked while looking at Scootaloo. Seeing her amazed expression. “Wow. He just booted that hydra in the jaw.” “Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle shouted in her friend’s ear, snapping her out of her trance. “Uhhh… yes. We must find a way to help,” The Pegasus said, putting on a brave face. The two fillies were just in time to see Pinkie Pie rearing on her hind legs and had a look of confidence on her face. “Don’t worry AJ and Applebloom! Pinkie Pie’s here to rescue you!” Then the pink pony without a plan charged straight towards the stranded two. Completely oblivious to the fact that Applejack saw she was making a big mistake. “No! Wait Pinkie!” But the orange pony’s warning came too late. Her supposed-to-be saviour ended up getting herself stuck waist-deep in the same thick mud. Only her upper body and her forelegs were free. “EEEEEEE! Now I’m stuck too,” Pinkie Pie said, briefly happy about her situation for some reason. But after a short second, she and Applejack panicked. “HELP!!” Back at the fight, BlackWarGreymon was holding back one of the hydra’s heads while doing the same with his legs on the second head. As he wrestled the two heads at once, he heard the sudden cries of distress. He turned his head around to see what was going on, only to see something as ridicules as part of his plan backfired on him. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” After he finished talking, he immediately got head-butted from the side by another hydra head. The blow knocked the Digimon out of the way. On the sidelines, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo watched on as the older mares sank deeper in the mud. Pinkie Pie was up to her ribs and Applejack was up to her stomach. While knee deep in thick mud, Applebloom pleaded with her fellow crusaders. “Come on girls, think of somethin’ quick!” “But I don’t know what we can do,” Scootaloo answered in worry. But Sweetie Belle had an idea. Though it hadn’t worked before, but she could at least try to slow down the sinking. “I know what to do,” She said before pointing her horn at Pinkie Pie and Applejack, and concentrated as much magic as she could. Surrounding the two stranded mares in her magical aura, Sweetie Belle held them in place. Stopping their decent into their muddy tombs. “Great work, Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo complemented. “Yeah. But I can’t hold this forever,” Sweetie Belle said, already feeling the strain from holding two ponies at once. Back in the sky, BlackWarGreymon took a brief moment to see what was going on back on the ground. And spotted what Sweetie Belle was doing. “She’s slowing them down. But I must end this fight, and quick,” He said as he charged at the hydra, just as it lunged its four heads at him. As the heads came close to him, BlackWarGreymon elbowed one on top of its head with his right arm, while at the same time, he slammed his left knee into another. After twirling himself over the third head, narrowly escaping its gaping jaws, the Digimon swung his right leg over and slammed his heel on the back of the hydra’s third neck. The trio of beat-downs caused the three heads to be dizzy. The forth hydra became infuriated that its prey was outsmarting the other three heads. It then let out an angry roar to bring the three to attention, and then to BlackWarGreymon’s surprise, one of them suddenly reached out and grabbed a hold on the Digimon’s left leg. With its prey firmly in its jaws, the hydra reared its long neck back and then flung BlackWarGreymon straight to the ground. The black Digimon hardly had time to brace himself as he impacted straight through the soft ground. Throwing up heaps of thick mud in the air. As the mud settled, there was no sign of BlackWarGreymon anywhere. The five onlooking ponies thought for a brief moment, that their digital friend didn’t made it and stayed buried under the swamp. As the hydra started to laugh un amusement, the pool of mud started to bubble. Gaining the beast’s attention as well as the ponies. Then to their surprise, BlackWarGreymon came bursting out of the muddy pool. Launching himself free like a cannonball. He also grunted while doing so, showing that it took a bit of effort to free himself. The mud covered BlackWarGreymon then hovered up to the hydra’s eye level some distance away, guarding the ponies below. The two mares and the three fillies remained still ad quiet, seeing that the Digimon was clearly not happy. As the hydra got a brief shiver from BlackWarGreymon’s gaze, the Digimon spoke to it in a serious tone. “I’ve been taking it easy on you, hydra. But no more! Now you asked for it!” He then raised his Dramon Destroyers above his head and a tiny red orb formed in-between them. Though the hydra barely sensed the orb’s power, but it froze in fascination. Wondering how BlackWarGreymon was doing that. Although Pinkie Pie and Applejack knew what was coming, the three crusaders and the hydra were in shock at what happened next. Almost instantly, the Terra Destroyer orb grew from the size of a football to the size of BlackWarGreymon himself. Measuring ten feet in diameter. The Mega level Digimon saw the hydra’s expression and decided to go further. “Not scared yet!? How about now!?” Within less of a second, the glowing red sphere of negative energy doubled in size. Up to twenty feet. The hydra started to feel fear as it took one step back. Although trying to keep his temper down, BlackWarGreymon wanted to scare the giant reptile even more. “How about now!?” Like before, the size of the fiery sphere doubled again. Growing to an impressive forty feet. But then to the surprise of everyone whom were watching, even surprising BlackWarGreymon himself, the giant orb expanded again. Measuring a colossal fifty feet in diameter. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both had never seen BlackWarGreymon’s Terra Destroyer attack so large. It was even bigger than the one he used to defeat Tirek. Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were stuck in both awe and utter shock. They were glad that the black Digimon used a much smaller sphere to destroy the old barn the other day. If he used one that was fifty foot wide, it would utterly destroy half of Sweet Apple Acres. Or maybe even the whole of it. ‘Wow. Seems my power has advanced even greater than I thought,’ BlackWarGreymon thought to himself as he stared at his larger-then-average energy sphere. While with the explosive orb within his claws, the black dragon warrior turned his sights back to the frightened hydra. Its natural hunting instincts instantly vanished as it looked at the unbelievable sight, realising the situation it was in. It wouldn’t stand a chance. Eating five ponies wasn’t worth it for being beaten in a way it never felt before. No longer wanting to fight BlackWarGreymon anymore, the massive hydra backed off as it lowered its four heads closer to its body. The powerful Mega took those actions as signs of defeat. “Good. NOW GET LOST!!!” As he shouted, the Terra Destroyer sphere suddenly got brighter. Seeing what looked like a miniature star and the angry Artificial Digimon beneath it, the terrified hydra immediately turned its dragon-like body around and ran as fast as its two short legs could go. After seeing the hydra fleeing across the horizon, BlackWarGreymon started to condense his giant red orb. Shrinking it as its immense energy faded away. After the mighty Terra Destroyer sphere shrunk into nothing, the Digimon turned around and flew down to the ponies. There was some work to be done. Back on the ground, Sweetie Belle finally ran out of magical power and nearly collapsed from exhaustion. “Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo said as she rushed over to the young Unicorn. “I’m sorry. I just can’t do it,” Sweetie Belle said, her voice as well as her face was one of defeat. She thought she had let Applejack and Pinkie Pie down. But it was not to be. “Don’t worry. I got this.” Turning towards the source of the voice, the two fillies, as well as the three stranded ponies, saw the victorious BlackWarGreymon hovering above their heads. “BlackWarGreymon!” The five ponies cheered, glad to see that the danger was long gone thanks to him. Seeing that Applejack was deepest in the sinking mud, the Digimon decided to free her first. “Hay, it’s a good thing ya showed that hydra a thing or two,” The orange Earth Pony said as she watched BlackWarGreymon position himself above her. “Yeah. Now keep still.” BlackWarGreymon then lowered his arms and dug his metal claws in the mud either side of Applejack. Then closing them together, he felt his claws joining together and then used his two gauntlets as a scoop to successfully pull Applejack free. BlackWarGreymon then reached out his leg so Pinkie Pie could use her free forelegs to grab a hold on the Digimon’s foot. Levitating upwards, he pulled Pinkie Pie free and then placed the two mares on safe ground with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. “Wow, that was close,” The pink party pony said as she tried to shake the mud off her fur. “Don’t forget me,” Applebloom said, getting everyone’s attention. “Don’t ya worry. We’re gettin’ ya out, lickidy split,” Applejack said as BlackWarGreymon hovered above the Earth Pony filly and freed her the same way he freed Applejack. After the Digimon placed Applebloom on much firmer ground, Applejack ran up to her and gave her little sister an affectionate hug. “Ya ok, sugarcube?” Applejack asked. “Well I’m fine now,” Applebloom answered. “Maybe you’d want to save that for when we get back to Ponyville,” BlackWarGreymon suggested, seeing that the town was much safer for the ponies than in the swamp. After the five ponies nodded in agreement, they and their Digimon friend walked back into the forest where they came from. Leaving Froggy Bottom Bogg behind them. As the six trekked through the forest, Applejack was scolding Applebloom for all that she had done. “…now Applebloom, surely ya would know better than running into the forest alone!” "Applejack, how many times did I say I’m sorry?” Applebloom asked, but wasn’t expecting an answer from Pinkie Pie. “About fifty-seven times.” After looking at Pinkie Pie in surprise and confusion, Applejack spoke back to her sister. “Though I’m glad we got outa’ there in one piece, but ya still in big trouble little missy.” As Applebloom tried to get the thoughts of punishment out of her head, she and the others surprisingly heard BlackWarGreymon’s voice. “Don’t be too hard on her, Applejack.” Surprised and confused, the five ponies looked at the Digimon while he explained himself. “She had no idea about the bog, never mind that hydra. Yes, she shouldn’t have gone in the forest alone, but she had an adventures spirit. The same goes for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. They go out and beyond the ways of a normal filly to try to find their destinies. I recon in time, they would eventually find their cutiemarks.” Applejack and Pinkie Pie were surprised at BlackWarGreymon’s surprisingly wise words. It seemed Twilight was right, he really had changed from what he once was. The Cutiemark Crusaders all smiled in joy, knowing that he was right about them being adventures. Then the three fillies were startled at the Digimon’s next statement. “In a way, that’s something I can relate to.” The confused Scootaloo started to question him. “What do you mean? I bet you were born to save lives and be a hero.” “If that were true,” BlackWarGreymon said as his mind trailed off in thought. Not realising that he openly spoke out loud. While Applejack and Pinkie Pie grew in concern of what they’re aware of, the three fillies were worried at what the Digimon was trying to say. “Wha-what are you saying, BlackWarGreymon?” Sweetie Belle asked. BlackWarGreymon took her question as a sign and then looked over to the two older mares. “I assume you haven’t told them,” He said to the two Earth Ponies. “Well… not yet. Ah just didn’t want Applebloom and the others to get the wrong idea of ya,” Applejack replied, while feeling a little guilty. “Same here,” Pinkie Pie added. The Cutiemark Crusaders became desperate for an explanation. “What? What haven’t ya told us?” Applebloom asked, with her two filly friends just as eager to know. The whole group stopped in their tracks as silence followed. Then as if he told the same story a hundred times, BlackWarGreymon told the crusaders the truth as he looked at their faces. He wanted to see how they would react. “You see, back in the world where I come from, the Digital World, all Digimon were born from Digi eggs.” His expression darkened, almost scaring the fillies. “But not me. I wasn’t born from a Digi egg, I was created. Created by evil Digimon.” The three fillies gasped in shock, frightened to what BlackWarGreymon was implying. “You mean… like an experiment?” Scootaloo asked. “Of sorts,” The Digimon answered. The filly’s question wasn’t far off. “So… if you were created by evil Digimon, does that mean that… you were…” Sweetie Belle’s question was interrupted by BlackWarGreymon. “Evil? Yes, I was. I was created to destroy the entire Digital World.” The young girl’s expressions were a mix of shock and horror, something that BlackWarGreymon expected. The fillies turned to Applejack and Pinkie Pie to see if he was correct. Only to see the two mares nodding their heads, confirming that it was true. The fillies looked back at BlackWarGreymon with mixed feelings, realising that he had the power to do such things. Then again, it was kind of obvious. His powers and strength were both formidable and very destructive. Even his name and appearance alone were frightening. “Ya… didn’t destroy ya whole world, didn’t ya?” Applebloom asked in a shaky voice. To the relief of the fillies, BlackWarGreymon’s answer was the one they were hoping for. “No. Because of the extent of my power, I disobeyed my creators and left to find my mark. You could say I was just as rebellious as you three.” The three crusaders, or rather the three little devils, chuckled at the Digimon’s last remark. Of which Applejack reinforced. “Ya can say that again,” She said as she ruffled Applebloom’s mane. As the group continued their walk to Ponyville, Scootaloo asked BlackWarGreymon a question. “So, you were evil. But like Discord, you became good?” “Yes.” Their conversation was joined by Pinkie Pie, who was bouncing around the whole group. “That’s right! He came from baddie to goodie. Oh, which rhymes with cookie! Now he saves lives so I can continue celebrating parties, holidays and birthdays!” As he listened to the joyful pink pony, BlackWarGreymon became curious of the last word she said. “Birthdays?” He asked with a questionable look, which surprised his pony friends. Mostly Pinkie Pie. “Wait, ya don’t know what a birthday is?” Applebloom asked the tall Digimon. Knowing that he would like to know the answer, Sweetie Belle explained what a birthday was. “A birthday is a yearly event to celebrate the day of a pony’s birth. I just had mine a couple of months ago.” “Celebrating the day you were born. Interesting,” BlackWarGreymon said. Then to the Digimon’s surprise, Pinkie Pie let out a loud gasp as she got an idea. She then jumped up right in BlackWarGreymon’s face in excitement. “Do you have a birthday!? Do you, do you, do you!?” BlackWarGreymon took a short moment to think. Remembering how long ago it was since he was brought to existence by a hundred Control Spires. “Well… if you count my creation as my birth, I say it was about four months ago.” All five ponies paused in shock at the startling revelation of the Digimon’s age. BlackWarGreymon noticed that his friends stopped following him and turned to see what was wrong. “Hold on now. Months? Not years?” Applejack asked to make sure that the Digimon hadn’t made a mistake. “Yes, months.” “You’re four months old!?” Pinkie Pie asked in shock and disbelief. “Yes.” “Ah don’t believe it! He’s even younger than us!” Applebloom said to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, whom were both just as surprised. “He’s even younger than the baby Cake twins!” Pinkie Pie added. Applejack was almost speechless. She knew that BlackWarGreymon’s life was short, but she didn’t know it was THAT short! “Wow. Sorry about that, big fella. We thought you were older.” “Well I do sound older and look older. But I am indeed four months old,” BlackWarGreymon said before he and his five pony friends started to walk on. The mares and fillies simply couldn’t believe how young the Digimon was compared to them. His life so far was even shorter than a speck compared to the likes of the Alicorn Sisters.