Flutterbreeze had a mouthful of apple when Applebloom said, “Ah reckon y’all know about the other mission I was on.” An awkward silence continued until he could finally swallow.
“I’ve received notice of two missions. A monster escaping from some place called the Foggy Bottom Bog, and some foal-napping cult.”
“A monster? That’s new. By the way its called the FROGGY Bottom Bog. And its not a colt, its some twisted secret society.”
“That’s what I said, a cult.”
“Not a colt, you nitwit, a group of insane ponies up to no good.”
“I know, that’s what a cult is!”
“Ugh, maybe ah better handle that mission while you go hunt yer monster.”
“You sure you’re fit to handle it on your own?”
“A course I am! I may be young but that doesn’t mean I’m weak. I could probably whip YOU if I wanted to”
“Alright, alright, don’t throw a fit. Maybe next time I find you turned to stone I’ll just leave you there.”
‘Ah’m not throwin’ a fit! Yer throwin’ a fit!”
“FINE, I’m throwing a fit! Happy? Just tell me where this foggy, boggy, bog is so I can look for the monster.”
She pointed at a map of Ponyville on the wall drawn in crayon. At the edge of town was a picture of a marsh with a frog in it.
“Alright, well I guess I’d better get going then.” He looked down at the apple with one bite in it. “Ok, I’ll finish my lunch and THEN get going.”
Flutterbreeze was expecting more scenery like the Everfree Forest, but the woods around the Froggy Bottom Bog were remarkably docile. As far as he could tell, there was nothing out of the ordinary... except for a certain “monster” running amuck. ‘Should make it easier to find, at least.’
He kept trotting along, ever alert, until her heard a scream off in the distance. ‘That’s my cue!’ He galloped through the trees at top speed, till he eventually came to a clearing. It was a picnic area where a pony family was having a picnic, or at least they were until they were interrupted.
Flutterbreeze noted a trail of mud along the grass leading through the clearing. He chuckled to himself, ‘It really IS running... a muck.’ *facehoof*
The picnickers told him that a big green and brown monster had come through and ate the whole picnic. “MY POTATO SALAD! WHY POTATO SALAD?!? WHY!?!?!?!?!” Despite the amount of time they had spent preparing it, Flutterbreeze thought it a bit melodramatic.
No time to spare, and hot on the trail, he followed the oozing path of the monster all the way through the forest. ‘This guy can run! He must be at the bog’s jogging track every day.’
The mud path continued all the way to Ponyville, right up to the front door of Carousel Boutique, from which he could hear the screams of a filly in distress.
He flew over to a window and looked inside. Therein he saw the monster. It looked like a big lump covered in mud and tangled up weeds, with two big blue eyes and a mouth. It walked around the room touching things, leaving mud everywhere while a white unicorn with purple mane sat in a corner and screamed.
“THE WORST POSSIBLE THING!!!”
Flutterbreeze flew around and burst through the doors. “Have no fear! Flutterbreeze is here! Now, you rascal its time you left this town and went back where you came from!” He puffed out his chest at the monster, which then roared at him, throwing its mud-slobber around.
“COME AT BE BRO!”
The monster charged, but Flutterbreeze flew off to the side as it ran out the doors with its momentum. He followed the beast outside, duct tape in hand. As he got up close to it, he dodged a couple of swings from its filthy arms, then thew one end of the duct tape at it. He then circled around it as fast as he could, tying its arms down.
But, after a moment its arms retreated inside of it, then reformed from the mass, as if they were made of mud. The monster then pelted Flutterbreeze with a huge ball of mud, which coated him and knocked him to the ground.
“So, you want to fight dirty eh?” He said, wiping off his face. He got airborne again, reached into his mailbag, and pulled out a hairdryer. He then flew around the monster, continually heating it up, dodging its swings, until it finally hardened so much it couldn’t move. He then shot up into the sky, and dived down to kick it, right in the... gut? Regardless, the strike was decisive, and the monster was down, defeated.
By this time, a small crowd had gathered at the scene, which started cheering. Flutterbreeze felt a little embarrassed and shrank back behind the boutique from where he watched the townsfolk carry the monster back to the bog. He could see tears coming from its big blue eyes, which made him feel a little sad... and confused. ‘Why did it come here in the first place?’ He pondered this for a few minutes, then looked inside the boutique, where the unicorn was frantically cleaning up. ‘Aha! That’s it!’
He stepped inside, and was noticed by the unicorn. “So that rampaging... thing is gone now? Thank heavens! It left such a frightful mess of my studio.” She looked him over. “And your uniform! I can’t thank you enough by the way, for getting rid of it. I’m Rarity, by the way. But, who are you?”
“I’m Flutterbreeze, just a simple mailpony trying to help out those in need.”
“Oh surely you don’t expect me to believe that. I mean, the way you battled it was downright heroic.”
“Oh nonsense! I don’t think it even wanted to fight. I honestly believe it... wanted a dress.”
“A dress! A dress? You think that... came all the way here looking for a dress?”
Flutterbreeze nodded. “Why else would a swamp thing go to a dress shop? Besides, I could tell by the look in its eyes that it was sad and disappointed about something.”
“You really think so?” He nodded again. She sighed and looked at a pile of filthy cloth. “Well, I suppose I could make something out of this mud-covered fabric. Its not like I can use it for anything else.” She looked back at him and said in a more cheerful tone, “And while I’m at it I can make you a new uniform! No no, don’t try to object dear, I INSIST. After all you’ve more than earned it after what you did.”
“Well... that’s very generous of you, thanks. Oh, but I’d better be on my way, I have lots of mail to deliver still. Oh, I bet there’s some in here for you.” He opened the mailbag and pulled out quite a few fashion magazines, as well as a couple letters. ‘So THAT’S what all the weight was from!’
“Alright, come by later and pick up your uniform. And thanks again. Wait! I forgot to get your measurements!”