//------------------------------// // The Legend of Medusa // Story: 🐍 Medusa // by Phantom-Dragon //------------------------------// After hours of work on the site, the sun was setting over the horizon. The archeologist teams immediately took the time to start packing up, picking up their gears and all backtracked to where they had set up camp. There, the Rainbooms began to set up their own tents, while Spike went off to fetch some firewoods. "Hoo-whee," Applejack sighed in satisfaction. "That should hold it up for the night." The country girl turned her head, and was obviously startled at the sight of Rarity's tent that is so oversized, other campers would easily mistake it for a mansion. "Ta-da~" Rarity sang, feeling pleased with herself. Though, the Rainbooms can't seem to say they share her satisfactory. "Rarity, I can't tell if you're the world's worst camper or the best," Sunset began. "And what makes you say that darling?" The fashionista asked. "Because no camper should be without a portable house!" Applejack added. "Oh, pish-posh, and tut-tut," Rarity scoffed. "Better be safe than sorry. Besides, it's never too late for you to travel in style," With that, Rarity struck a proud pose, while Applejack could only roll her eyes. "Hey, has anybody seen Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked. "Here I am," The bashful girl whimpered, poking her head from behind a bush, wearing a football helmet and hugging a teddy bear close. "Uh, isn't that my helmet?" Rainbow asked. "Yes, it is," Fluttershy confirmed. "Sorry Rainbow Dash. Can I borrow it for awhile? I'd feel a lot safer with it on my head." "What do you need it for, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked. "You know, there's nobody out here, but us." "I'm sorry girls," Fluttershy whimpered. "It's just, I'm really scared of gorgons. The thought of being turned to stone, by one look! OH! I scare myself!" "Oh for the last time, Fluttershy," Twilight sighed. "I told you, it's just a myth. There's no gorgon." "How do you know?!" Fluttershy protested. "These things always happen to us!" "Not quite," Pinkie began. "So far, we've only battled demon sorceresses, power-hungry sirens, a magic stone that zaps away all of our memories, and a phone that teleports in the blink of an eye," The party girl listed. "But maybe Fluttershy's onto something. If we're not careful, we could wind up like that other dude who crossed paths with a gorgon!" She said, pointing to a statue who bears a resemblance to a certain draconequus. "Ooh, it must've been a horrible experience!" Pinkie began. "If you ever ran into a gorgon, without knowing there was a gorgon right then and there, you'll soon find yourself a statue in some art museum, with a very itchy nose! And if you're a statue with a very itchy nose, then you can't scratch it! And if you can't scratch it, then it drives you insane! And you can't even ask for help! You can't even have a cupcake! And if that ever happens to me, I'd rather be dead!" Then, as if she could be anymore cartoonish, Pinkie fainted dramatically, while her ghost left her body. Pinkie's ghost was about to say something, when she quickly noticed how transparent and blue she is. It didn't take long before she re-enters her physical form that she came back to life. Fluttershy could only hug her teddy bear closer for comfort, while shuddering even more frightened, thanks to Pinkie's description. "Chillax, Fluttershy," Rainbow reassured, as she sat down beside the girl and wrapped her arm around her friend for comfort. "If it makes you feel better, all of the gorgons on this island are dead," She explained. "You can thank the hero, Perseus for that after he killed the gorgon, Medusa." "Oh, okay," Fluttershy sighed in relief, before she looked curious. "Uh, Medusa? Who's that?" "You seriously don't know the story?" In response, Fluttershy shook her head. "Well then, sit down and let me tell you the story of Medusa." The athletic girl said, while talking in an eerie tone to give an emphasis on Medusa. "Uh, is this gonna be a scary story, Rainbow Dash?" Applejack asked. "Because I don't think we need to scare Fluttershy more than she is now." "Chill, AJ," The athlete brushed off her friend. "I got this." Meanwhile "Gotta fetch some firewoods," Spike said to himself, as he picked up as many sticks he can carry in his little mouth. "Gotta fetch some firewoods." Once he's got enough he could carry, the little dog turned started to backtrack where he came from, while noticing how dimly lit the sky became. "Oh, it's almost sunset! Gotta get back to Twilight and the girls, now!" As he continues his trek through the woods, Spike took the time to observe his surrounding. Aside from the lush color of green, and the vast thickets that nearly blocks out the sky, the forest was eerily quiet. Too quiet. Though, it didn't exactly help the little dog to shake off the feeling he was being watched. Just then, something moved past him, shaking a nearby bush, startling the dog into backing away, right off the edge of a cliff, "AAAHHH!!!" The dog screamed, as he fell and rolls down the side of a rocky hill, bouncing on the surface a few times, before he hits his head on a rock, and everything went black, with the sound of sharp ringing piercing his ears. "A long time ago," Rainbow Dash narrated. "There was an attractive, but very snooty woman, named Medusa. She had a long, beautiful hair, which she is very proud of. Kinda like Rarity." "Oh hardy har har, Rainbow Dash," Rarity muttered. With a snicker, Rainbow Dash resumes the story, "Anyway, as the story goes, Medusa, and her sisters, Stheno and Euryale, were attractive ladies who would swoon and win the hearts of men, wherever they go. Even the god of the sea, Poseidon, was madly in love. And that's how the trouble started." "How so?" Fluttershy asked. "Because according to the story, Medusa was seducing Poseidon in one of the sacred temples of Athena. And both Athena and Poseidon can't stand each other. Big mistake! Athena took that as an insult, so she punished Medusa, by turning both her and her sisters into hideous monsters!" Fluttershy gasped in fright, "Isn't that a little bit extreme of a punishment?" Applejack asked. "Hey, can't argue with a god or goddess, can you?" The rainbow haired girl shrugged. "But you should be glad that it wasn't you who suffered Athena's wrath," Fluttershy whimpered in fright, as Rainbow Dash went on describing, "Medusa and her sisters' once fair skins became rows of scales, their fingers became sharp claws that can rip you to shred, the bottom half of their body became a giant snake's tail. And if that's not worse enough, Medusa's once beautiful hair became a mass of venomous snakes! Out of all the three, she's ugly! She's so ugly, if you look at her, she'll turn you to stone in the blink of an eye! Countless of warriors have all tried to slay her, but none of them prevailed." "Eek!" Fluttershy whimpered. "But don't be afraid! Because this is the part where the hero, Perseus comes in!" "Who's Perseus?" "Only one of the greatest Greek Heroes of legends, besides Hercules!" Rainbow commented. "Plus, both he and Hercules are sons of Zeus," Twilight added, momentarily interrupting the story. "But they're not exactly brothers, since they have different mothers and–" "Yeah, yeah, stories for another time, Twilight," Rainbow interrupted, wanting to get back on topic. "But long story short, Perseus is the guy who is famous for defeating Medusa, with the help of Athena and several other gods! They gave him these wicked and awesome weapons that he used to fight Medusa! Like winged sandals, a helmet that turns him invisible, a very sharp sword, and a shield! With these weapons together, he's unstoppable against a gorgon, and they can't turn him to stone!" "Really?" Fluttershy asked with piqued interest. "But how?" "Well, you could say Perseus owes it all to Athena, and her shield." Rainbow began. "The trick is to not look a gorgon directly in the eye. Instead, just look at its reflection in a mirror or something that's reflective. That way, you don't have to see the real deal and less chance of you being turned to stone." Rainbow lectured, before she resumes the story. "So anyway, Perseus and Medusa fought! Medusa's deadly stare was useless against the polished shield Athena had given to him. And finally, Perseus delivered the final blow and–" Rainbow Dash draws a line across her neck, while making a slashing noise with her mouth. "And that's the end of Medusa," Rainbow smiled. "So you see, there's nothing to be afraid of." "Whoa, she lost her head!" Pinkie commented, while munching on some popcorns. "Yeesh! And I thought the Headless Horseman from Halloween had it worse." "Oh dear," Fluttershy whimpered, before she remembered, "Wait, what about her sisters? What happened to them? And all the other gorgons?" Rainbow Dash groaned, while sweating a storm. Fluttershy is never going to drop the subject of Medusa and gorgons anytime soon. "Uh, hey look!" Sunset pointed to show the sun was setting over the horizon. "Sunset! Time to go to bed!" "I'm all for that, darling," Rarity yawned. "I need to get some beauty sleep." "Anyway, let's forget about all this gorgon nonsense and get some shut eye," Applejack yawned. "Tomorrow's gonna be a brand new day for us. And hopefully, we'll have some excitement that's gorgon free." "Okay," Fluttershy whimpered, as she bunks in the tent she is sharing with Pinkie Pie. Still, she's a little unsure. "Now don't you worry your pretty little head, Fluttershy," Pinkie smiled. "Auntie Pinkie will take care of you!" "I'm a year older than you," Fluttershy scowled. "Speaking of which, Spike should've been back by now," Twilight said in concern. "I'm sure he's alright, Twilight," Applejack reassured. "He'll be back with those firewoods." "Or he might've seen a squirrel and got distracted, chasing it," Rainbow added. "Well, let's wait until he comes back," Pinkie suggested. "Can't go to bed without some good marshmallows to roast!" With a pounding headache as his greeting, Spike wearily came to his senses, while slowly regaining his vision, "Ow, my head," He groaned, before realizing how dark it has gotten. "Uh oh. How long was I out?" He asked, with the cold touch of dread taking over. "Where's the way back to camp?" The forest had gotten so dark, that Spike could hardly see the path in front of him. "Oof!" He grunted, upon bumping into something. Shaking his head, Spike looked up and could barely make out the outline of a person. "Oh, excuse me," He greeted the person politely. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there." But there was no response from the person. "If you're looking for me, I'm down here." Again, no response. "Hello? Hey! Can you hear me?" Spike barked, placing his paws on the person's legs. "What the?" The little dog was taken by surprise upon touching, not skin or cloth, but stone. As if on cue, the moon revealed itself from the dark clouds, shedding lights through the thick branches of the thickets, and the little dog's eyes widened in shock, while feeling every part of his body turning cold at the haunting sight before him. Spike had wondered in a grotto of even more frightened statues. Spike whimpered in fright, with his tail tucked between his legs, as he shivered in fright, as he stared wide-eyes at the frighten expressions on each faces of the statue. From one statue to another, the fears written on their faces furthers the dread in the cold haunting air around them, and intensifies the beating of Spike's heart. "Okay," Spike whimpered, as he slowly backs away. "This is getting creepier and creepier. Even for a dog," Shaking his head, Spike quickly regained a bit of his composure as he barked, "C'mon, Spike. Get it together! Just because it's dark, and you're surrounded by scary looking statues, doesn't mean there's anything to be afraid of." Suddenly, the little dog's ears perked up, to the sound of unfriendly hissings that sounded close, "Except maybe that," He whimpered, bumping into a statue, which fell on top of another statue, then another, until it crashes onto the last statue, who's head fell off, and landed in front of Spike, with its face screaming at the dog. "AAAAAAHHHH!!!" Spike screamed, at the horrifying sight. "I have to get out of here!" Spike barked, beating his legs, desperate to escape. But with the forest's intense darkness, the little dog went stumbling and tripping blindly against the crumbling statues of the areas. His ears perked up, with his hairs standing on end, when the sound of violent hissing pierced the air, and he felt a slight tremor from the ground beneath him. Something was behind him! Something was following him! Not wanting to wait around to find out what it was, Spike resumes his hasty retreat. But in the end, he realized too late he was in between a rock and a hard place. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!" Spike's scream echoed, followed by the sound of bloodcurdling hissings, and cracking stones.