//------------------------------// // 61: Performances and the Everfree... // Story: An Equestrian Witcher // by OblivionShadow //------------------------------// The morning had been uneventful and he bucked a set of trees in the back of the property with Sasa picking up the ones that rolled away from him. While using magic would be faster he opted to do it the other way. His ears flicked as Applejack came trotting to him. He paused and waited as she came out of the trees. She smiled at the sight of him and approached him. “Time ta go into town.” She said to him. “For?” “Apple Bloom and her friends have a talent show tonight. We need at be there ta support ‘er.” She explained. Oblivion nodded and his magic levitated the barrels of apples as Sasa picked up her own bucket and they began to go back toward the barn. “So what are they performing?” “Ah’m not sure. Ah think it was a song of some kind.” “Hmm.” They reached the barn and he set the apples inside and walked with the orange mare toward town. The black stallion walked into the auditorium and went to the backstage area to help Apple Bloom and her friends with anything. He tilted his head at the sight of them in their hoods. They turned to him and he saw the makeup and a glimpse of the costumes under the hoods. He fought back a near cringe and remained stone-faced. Sasa tilted her head and blinked at the sight in front of her. “What in the world?” She said to him. He shook his head at the cats questioning glance. “Who is doing what?” He asked, trying to sound supportive. Twilight looked at him as he asked and she nodded in agreement. “Are you singing Sweetie Bell?” Scootaloo looked at them and shook her head. “No, I’m singing.” “And I’m dancing.” Apple Bloom informed them with a gleeful expression. “Oh,” Twilight said to them and a smile went over her mouth. “I see. And what are you doing Sweetie Bell?” “Props.” She replied. “Made them all myself.” Oblivion looked to the crate they had with them and to the large pieces that surrounded them. He had ignored them when they first came into the backstage area. But now that he saw them it was obvious that nopony with any carpeting skill had put them together. Sasa walked up to one of them and reached out to sniff them as it trembled at her presence and she pulled away and stepped back as it stilled. “Chosen that is going to fall apart and hurt somepony.” She rushed out to him. “I’ll keep an eye on it.” He agreed. They waited as the other acts went on and finally it was their turn. They tossed off their hoods and Oblivions eyes widened at the outfits they wore. Sasa snorted a laugh in response to them. Apple Bloom wore a bodysuit of black with white marking in some places along her legs white stars littered the suit, along with a bandana of the same fabric. Scootaloo wore a bodysuit with a high collar with pink and blue streaks along with the purple fabric. Sweetie Bell’s looked torn in places of the pink fabric with green striped throughout. Sasa snorted once more and hid behind his shoulder. “Who made those?” She asked him. “Sweetie Bell did.” He supplied. “I don’t think she has the same talent as her sibling.” “No.” They ran out onto the stage, which had darkened for them to set up. He watched as they moved the props into place and stood on the center pillar. The music started and they began to sing. Oblivion pinned his ears back as they shouted out loud and Sasa went to the ground and put her paws over her ears. He watched as the props were moved and his azure magic covered the occasional piece to prevent it from falling on them. Thankfully it looked like a special effect when his magic intervened. Sweetie bell ran to activate a smoke machine and she ran around like a pony possessed to get things into place. Oblivion would have felt bad for them had he been able to, but he also could feel the beginning of a headache. At his side, Twilight and Applejack also cringed. “Ah can’t watch.” Applejack said aloud as she hid behind her hooves. Twilight set a hoof on her shoulder as she sat down as well. He watched as Apple Bloom kicked a piece of the props and her hoof got stuck. Sasa yowled and ran to the back of the prop piece as Oblivion held it still for her. She pushed her forehead against the ponies hoof and it popped out from where it was stuck. Oblivion kept an eye out for any falling materials but mercifully it ended after a minute of torture on his ears. The crowd was silent for several seconds, leaving the three fillies in shock as no one clapped for them. Oblivion chanced a glance out to the crowd as they burst in raucous laughter. He grimaced as the fillies skunk off the stage and into the backstage. The fillies looked upset and crestfallen that their performance had resulted in laughter instead of clapping. Apple Bloom stood in between Oblivion and Applejack. She leaned against her elder brothers legs and he leaned down to give her a gentle nuzzle. “Did you do your best?” He asked her quietly. “Yeah. But we got laughed off the stage.” She whimpered to him. “It matters not what the crowd did. It matters if you did all that you could do with the time you had.” He replied to her. She nodded to him but she still hung her head as Sasa laid down in front of her and nuzzled her face. The filly hugged the cat's snout and nuzzled her back. The black Unicorn went quiet as the fillies shuffled as they waited for the awards to be called out. The fillies went back out to the stage when they were all called out front to start the awards ceremony. They watched as Cheerilee and Spike went out to hand out the medals and awards. Spike carried the medals and handed them to Cheerilee as they were announced. Applejack sighed and Oblivion could see the unhappy look that sat on her face. “And finally, the last award of the night goes to... the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Cheerilee called out with a wide smile to the three fillies. Applejack looked out to the stage, her eyes wide with shock. Twilight smiled and Oblivion gave a short nod to the stage as Apple Bloom looked back to him. They paused as they waited for the rest of the announcement. “Their award is for the Best Comedy Act of the night!” Their teacher went on. Oblivion chuckled as Sasa laughed and pranced in place. “That works.” He said aloud, his voice quiet under the loud applause. The fillies were given their medals and they pranced back to the others backstage. They came back to the others and each looked excitedly back and forth between them. “Did we get our Cutie Marks?” Apple Bloom asked as they all tossed off their costumes to reveal nothing on their flanks. They looked dejected and sat down in place, their eyes downcast. “All things in good time,” Oblivion said to them. Apple Bloom got to her hooves and smiled at him. “Mah brother’s right. We just need to keep trying.” The other two got to their hooves and agreed with her. Twilight went up to them and began to talk to them. “Well done girls.” She praised the group of them. “We didn’t get our Cutie Marks though, which is the prize we really wanted. But I think we know what to do now!” Sweetie bell explained. “Which is?” Twilight asked. “I’ll make a special report to the Princess for it.” "Maybe we were trying too hard to make something work.” Sweetie bell admitted with a sideways look at her friends. “And?” Twilight encouraged. And instead of forcing ourselves to do something that we are not meant for.” Scootaloo added in. “Go on,” Oblivion spoke up. “We each should be embracing our true talent!” Apple Bloom piped up. “Which is?” Applejack asked with a hopeful smile. “Comedy!” All three of them intoned to finish the thought. Oblivion was not able to stop his hoof from colliding with his face as he dragged his claws over his face. Sasa hung her head and shook her head in disbelief. Applejack stared at them and she rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “One day,” Twilight said as she looked back to the others with her. “Gods preserve me,” Oblivion grumbled as Rarity and Rainbow Dash joined them to collect the other two fillies. He and Applejack collected Apple Bloom and moved to take her home for the night. Oblivion trotted through the Everfree with Sasa close on his heels as he hunted. His ears flicked as his eyes scanned the game trial for fresh sign. “Girls!” A shout caught his attention and he looked up as the light that came from Fluttershy shone brightly back at him. “What is she doing out here? Fluttershy hates the Everfree more than most.” He said aloud as Sasa drew up next to him. “Shall I investigate?” She asked him and he nodded to her. He watched as the cat took off for the mare and waited as he went back to scanning for food. His steps slowed and he advanced at an easy walk, waiting for Sasa’s reply to him. “Chosen?” She called out to him through their connection. “Come to me.” His horn flared as he hid his wings and then teleported to the feline’s location. His eyes focused on the butter-yellow mare as she looked more nervous than normal. “What is going on?” “I’m looking for the girls.” She admitted. “Girls?” He replied. “The fillies or mares?” “Fillies.” She clarified. “I’m watching them for the night to allow Rarity to get some work done. They wandered off to find a chicken of mine that is lost. I didn’t know they had left until a few minutes ago. I followed their tracks here but the tracks are gone.” “So they came out here after a chicken?” “Yes. I know they are in trouble though. There is a Cockatrice out here somewhere. It froze Twilight in stone back there.” She said and pointed behind her. “In stone?” He asked her. “They can turn you to stone if you look into their eyes.” She told him. “That’s new.” He admitted. “I have slain my share of Cockatrices but the stone thing is new. I have never seen one that could do that. So if I have to fight one I should do it blindly.” “We need to find the girls quickly or they could be turned to stone as well. Then we can try to find out how to help Twilight. Can you track them?” Oblivion nodded and turned back to the trail in front of them. His eyes narrowed and the subtle changes in the ground became clear to him and he picked out the hooves of the three fillies. He led the mare and cat forward as he broke into a trot to follow them. Orange cat eyes scanned the area as he led them through the trails. He broke from the main road and onto a game trail that he knew fairly well from his own hunting expeditions. The Witchers blood pumped through him at the prospect of a fight and his heartbeat steadily in his chest. At his side Sasa stayed close as Fluttershy stayed behind them, keeping up with the fast trot of the Monster Hunter. “They are staying on the game trail thankfully. That will make tracking them easier.” He said aloud and the mare behind him stayed on his tail as he slowed, his ears flicked forward. He could hear the muffled sound of talking ahead of them and he broke into a lope as his ears led the way for him. His eyesight went back to normal as he broke through the foliage to reveal the fillies ahead of them. Fluttershy galloped to them and Oblivion stood to watch for any sign of a monster. “Girls we need to get back to my cottage now.” She said to them and began to usher them the way they had come. Oblivion watched as nothing happened and he stepped to the side to allow Fluttershy to keep pushing them out of the Everfree. “But we need to find your missing chicken.” Apple Bloom commented. “We can look in the morning,” Oblivion said to them. “But we can be Cutie Mark Crusader critters catchers!” Scootaloo replied and pushed against Fluttershy’s legs. “Not tonight you can’t.” She said. “Not with a Cockatrice about.” “A what-atrice?” Sweetie Bell asked, confusion crossing her face. “It’s a monster that has the head of a chicken with the body of a snake. Now come on.” She rushed out and tried to push them further. “A cockatrice. That just sounds silly.” Apple Bloom replied and they jumped away from the butter-yellow mare. Fluttershy fell forward and stumbled back to their hooves and jumped back in front of the now laughing fillies. Sasa snarled at them and they paused as Fluttershy jumped ahead of them. The fillies stopped as they saw the chicken in the bushes behind them. Oblivion rolled his eyes and his horn lit as he was about to grip the chicken when a second one popped out the same bush, his magic faded at the sight. “Two of them?” Apple Bloom commented. “Were two of them missing?” “We still found it,” Scootaloo said as she walked toward the chicken. “Scootaloo stay away from it,” Oblivion called to her and she paused as the second chicken hissed at her. Oblivion darted forward and pushed her back toward Fluttershy. The monsters main body came out of the bush, revealing a five to the six-foot-long snake-like body. It screeched once it was free of the bush and the fillies creamed and fled with Fluttershy and Oblivion on their heels. They tore through the brush with Sasa at their sides to make sure they didn’t split up. The fillies slid to a halt and they began to scream anew at the sight of Twilight encased in stone. Fluttershy slid to a stop by them and tried to gather them up once more to usher them out of the Everfree. But they had become more than a bit panicked and were no longer able to listen as well as normal. Oblivion spun to face the creature and he recalled what Fluttershy had said about its gaze and closed his eyes. He filtered out the screaming and focused on the sound of scales on dirt and stone. “Chosen!” Sasa called out to him. “When I tell you to attack it and try to throw it away from them.” He said to her. “It will be more difficult since I cannot see it.” “If I can I will tell you when it is near.” Sasa said to him. He nodded and waited as the sound came closer to him. The loud hiss caught his ears and he pivoted on his heels and lashed out with his hooves. His horn lit and his crystal blade came from within the band on his leg. His magic gripped it and his magic had it hovering ahead of him. The same hiss \caught him and he lunged forward, his eyes still firmly shut as the blade caught only the air. His only goal was to keep it away from the girls and let them get together to escape. “Right!” Sasa yelled. He spun to the right and spun the blade in a wide arc to the side of him. “Forward!” He lunged forward and swung his blade ahead of him. “Oblivion!” He heard Apple Bloom call his name but he remained focused on what he was doing. “Left!” He spun tightly to the left and jumped back as well. His hooves lit upon the ground and he waited for the sound of the beast to come with him. “How far am I from them?” “About fifteen feet now.” Sasa related to him. “Gather them to flee.” He said to her. “Go forward and you’ll be able to hit it with your shoulder if you spin!” He lunged forward and his body and spun as instructed. His right shoulder collided with the monster and it squawked in surprised as he tossed it away from them. He opened his eyes as it away from them and he looked back as Sasa darted past him and her teeth sunk into the meat of the creature's body and she shook it in her teeth and tossed it away into the trees. “Go!” He yelled as he spun to the ponies and began to herd them away. A scream from behind them stopped him in his tracks as Scootaloo had gotten separated from them. Fluttershy cried out as the monster went after her. The mare galloped forward and got between the filly and the cockatrice. He started to go forward but the feeling of hooves on his fur stopped him. Apple Bloom had a hold of his leg. He stopped and stayed where he was, ready to throw his blade if needed. Sasa started to stalk forward to tear the creature apart once more as Fluttershy began to speak. “You! Just who do you think you are, going around turning others into stone?” Oblivion watched as the creature screeched to a halt and stared back at her. The black stallion said nothing as she continued to berate the hybrid further. “You should be ashamed of yourself. I have a mind to find your mother and tell her what you've been up to, young man. Now you go over there and turn Elizabeak and my friend Twilight back to normal, and don't ever let me catch you doing this again. Do you understand me?” It squawked in dismay and it folded under her gaze and Oblivion rolled his eyes as it ran away. “Why do I bother?” He asked the tiger as she sat next to him. She chuffed and rubbed her head on his shoulder as he shook his head. The mare came back to the girls after picking up Scootaloo in her hooves. “I’m sorry we snuck out of the house against your rules.” Sweetie Bell said to her. Apple Bloom came out from behind Oblivions leg as the stallion glared down at her. “You’re in trouble for that just so you are aware.” He said to the filly who cringed and nodded. He looked up as a chicken toddled over to them, disoriented and it slid to the ground after joining them. Oblivion looked over his shoulder as a wobbly Twilight started toward them. He went over to her and put a hoof on her shoulder to stabilize her. “What happened?” She asked and rubbed her head. “What's the last thing you recall?” He asked her. “I’m not sure. A chicken?” She said to him. Oblivion helped her to join the others who began to fill her in on the night’s events. She looked to the black stallion as they spoke. “What were you doing out here anyway?” She asked him. “I was out for an evening run.” He replied quickly. “Couldn’t sleep.” “Liar.” Sasa chuckled. “Thank Celestia for insomnia,” Twilight replied with a laugh. “Sometimes it works in one's favor.” He agreed. They began to walk back toward Fluttershy’s cottage and Oblivion peeled off to go in the other direction. “Chosen?” Sasa asked him as he went back the way they had come once the others were out of sight. “I have a different task to complete. I’m going to hunt down the monster.” “Why? Are you going to kill it?” “No. I need to be able to fight against it without you shouting out instructions.” “Oh, training.” She replied and caught up to his hurried pace. “Goodie.”