//------------------------------// // The Weirdo in Ponyville Square // Story: Stranger Friends // by Tangerine Blast //------------------------------// “So you’re filing this one as a monster attack?” Shining Armor asked, surveying the crime scene with a professional air of distaste. It was definitely messier than any scene he’d find in Canterlot but at the same time cleaner than he expected for a supposed violent strike by a monstrous animal.  There was blood smeared on the ground like something had been injured and dragged across the floor but it was thin, dried, and already flaking off. Claw marks dented the wood around the blood and on the edges of the door frame, but nothing had actually been destroyed. In fact, besides the flipped table near the center of the room, it barely looked like there had been a struggle at all. “Yes sir,” the local head of police, Closed Case, confirmed. He shook his head as he solemnly took in the scene. “They aren’t very common but once or twice some critter will stalk out of that there forest and harass the town folk. Must've smelled the food being baked. It completely tore through the garbage out back.” “And we’re unlikely to even find a body if it’s been eaten…” Shining muttered to himself, feeling a pang of regret that he couldn’t help the family of the victim with even something as simple as a proper funeral. “You know, sir,” Closed Case spoke up, snapping Shining out of his musings, “It’s mighty nice that you came all the way down from Canterlot to investigate this tragedy but it’s a pretty open and shut case for around here. Not something to get the royal guard captain involved in.” Shining turned to him with a smile that didn’t stretch to his eyes but made the officer relax some. “You’re right. I’m actually just in Ponyville to visit my sister. I heard about this as I was walking over and decided to stop and take a look.” “Well, it was certainly a pleasure, sir. I think we’re just about wrapped up here so I won’t hold up any more of your time.” “Thanks. It was nice meeting you.” Shining Armor dipped his head and made his leave, trusting the local police to clean up the crime scene. Still… something bugged him about that monster attack. He couldn’t put a hoof on it but he felt as if there was more that Closed Case wasn’t telling him. He pushed the thought out of his mind as he easily navigated the Ponyville streets towards its center. He had never spent much time in the small town, much to his own disappointment. Even though Twilight and Spike had moved here years ago, Shining's schedule as the Captain of the Guard had kept him from visiting his siblings more than once or twice a year. But, even though he was unfamiliar with the town, the roads had that simple straightforward ease to them that couldn’t be found in the twisting streets of Canterlot.  Plus, it was relatively easy to find a giant hollow tree in the middle of the village.  The moment Shining knocked on the door it flew inward in a burst of purple magic and Twilight was right there, staring at him with wide, scared eyes.  “Shining! You’re here!” Twilight threw her arms around her brother in a bear hug before drawing back again almost immediately. “Is Spike with you?” While Shining loved his sister dearly he also knew when it was time for family and time for duty and so he put on his best comforting-a-concerned-citizen voice as he answered. “No, Twi, as I said in my letter, I haven’t seen him in months.” Another piece of hair popped out of place on Twilight’s head. There was a worrying number already askew. “Oh! Right. Right right. That means he’s been gone for over 48 hours now which is officially when we can start being worried. But I can’t file an official report because no one remembers who he is! And now his stuff is disappearing and I feel like I’m falling apart!” “Twilight!” Shining put a hoof on his sister’s back as she quickly began to hyperventilate, “Twi, hey hey, just breath. Breath okay?”  Twilight obediently took a few deep breaths until she seemed to come back to reality. “Sorry. Sorry, I’m freaking out just a little. But a cool head will find Spike faster than a panic attack.” She turned to give her brother a soft, calmer smile. “Thanks for coming on such short notice, Shining. I’m sure you’re going to be a big help.” Shining smiled back as reassuringly as he could. “I’ll do what I can. Why don’t you tell me everything about the situation? You said in your letter that ‘no one remembers him’. What does that mean, exactly?” Twilight grimaced and shook her head, gesturing for Shining to come more fully inside. “That’s just the thing; I have no idea. If the town simply didn’t remember him I’d know just the counterspell to what would obviously someone’s very sick idea of a joke. But it seems random who remembers him and who doesn’t and, to top it all off, I can’t find any of his things!” “His things?” Shining echoed, gazing around the tree library that was his sister’s and brother’s home. Besides the books, it wasn’t highly furnished. Neither Spike nor Twilight ever seemed to have need for lots of knick-knacks, so just by looking around, Shining couldn’t see anything to indicate there was less nothing than usual. “Yes!” Twilight cried, flinging a table to the ceiling to check under it before letting it crash back to the ground. “His basket is missing. As well as all the comic books he hides under his blankets.” Shining pursed his lips. “If he ran away then maybe he took them with him?” “When would he have done that?” Twilight snapped back, “The last time I saw him he only had a board game with him. Nothing about this is making sense!” She started pacing, her horn sparking randomly with stress. “The Mayor just acted confused when I asked her for help and so have most ponies in town. He disappeared right off of Sweet Apple Acres where Apple Bloom and her friends would have surely noticed if he was attacked by a creature. His things have vanished into thin air! And to top it all off I’ve had a splitting headache all day… like there's excess magic in the air I just can’t grasp. Something horrible has happened I just know it!” “Twilight, Twily!” Shining Armor yelled again, grabbing his sister before she could talk herself into a full break down. “Twily, I know this isn’t what you want to hear but I honestly think you’re overreacting.” She tried to jerk away from him in offended disgust but Shining held on tightly to her foreleg. “Spike is missing and that is bad but you’re blowing it out of proportion by thinking too much. Remember when we had an earthquake and you were convinced Tirek was coming out of Tartarus for revenge?” Twilight blushed deeply at the memory. “T-this is different. I’m not saying the world’s going to end. But Spike’s been taken-” “Maybe,” Shining interrupted, making sure to keep his voice steady and devoid of any strong emotions. His sister needed him to be her rock, and he couldn’t do that by scoffing at her ideas. “But statistically not likely. And certainly not by a… a memory wiping monster or something.” “Then how do you explain-” “Spike’s not very popular is he?” Shining prodded, not letting her get a word into freak herself out further, “He’s a nerd like the rest of us and stays inside a lot. It makes sense that he doesn’t make a big impression with a lot of ponies in town, even with being a dragon. I mean, you remember him, don’t you? And so do his friends?” Twilight completely stopped struggling now. She sat still as her eyes darted around in thought. “That… that’s true… he doesn’t really get out much… but then how do you explain-” “If he wanted to run away,” Shining continued, anticipating her next question, “it would make sense for him to sneak back here once you had gone to sleep to get some of his things. And as for the weird magic…” he shrugged, “You live by the Everfree Forest, Twily. Magic fluctuates weirdly all the time here.” Twilight didn’t look completely convinced, but she no longer looked like she’d blow up her house in panic either so Shining considered that progress. “I… I guess that makes sense. But that still doesn’t tell us where he is…. Or why he would run away...” Shining Armor shook his head in agreement. “No, it doesn’t. But that’s why I’m going to organize the police force to help search for him. Who knows, maybe he was trying to visit me but just didn’t take the train. We’ll start looking on the road to Canterlot first.” “Okay.” Twilight took a long, deep breath and nodded. “Okay. That… that sounds like a plan. I can work with a plan. We’ll find him.” She hugged her brother tightly around the neck. “Thank you, Shining.” He hugged her back gently. He didn’t mention the wild monster attack that had occurred last night. Most creatures in the forest wouldn’t dream of attacking a dragon and even if one had… he didn’t need Twilight worrying about something else right now. Even so, he frowned over Twilight’s shoulder where he was sure his sister couldn't see. *** “You want us to go where?” Sweetie Belle asked with a squeak, watching with wide eyes as Apple Bloom loaded up Scootaloo’s wagon.  “You heard what everpony’s been saying’,” Apple Bloom said, not looking up, “They’re thinkin’ Spike was taken by the same monster that took Mr. Cake. No one’s willin’ to go into the Everfree and check, though. So it’s up to us to find him.” “But… but those are just rumors! And even so...” Sweetie’s voice dropped into something less than a whisper, “...if it was a monster then he’s probably-” “Don’t say that!” Apple Bloom barked, whirling away from her task to glare at the Unicorn, “Don’t even think that! Spike’s a dragon and there was no blood on the path to Ponyville. He’s fine!” “Yeah, Sweetie,” Scootaloo scoffed, stepping onto her scooter and adjusting the strap that connected the wagon, “We already have half the town completely giving up on him. We can’t lose you too.” “I’m not giving up on him!” Sweetie protested, glancing away with a pout, “I’m just trying to be realistic about how much good us running into the forest is going to do.”  “We gotta try somethin’!” Apple Bloom insisted, “We can’t just sit around and let the big ponies go crazy while our friend could be in danger!” Sweetie bit her lip and swallowed thickly but nodded anyway. “I… guess he did disappear right around here…” “Exactly,” Scootaloo said, strapping her helmet on, “And we’re his best friends. If he, like, ran away from home or something he’d totally tell us.” Sweetie Belle gasped. “Ran away? Why would he do something like that?” Scootaloo shrugged. “I dunno. I’ve thought about doing it plenty of times. Maybe his dragon instincts told him to migrate. But my point is that he probably didn’t. Something took him and we gotta take him back!” “It don’t matter why he ran away,” Apple Bloom interrupted, climbing into the wagon, “What matters is that we do everything we can ta get him back. We’re his friends! He got lost on my property. It’s my responsibility ta find him.” Sweetie Belle let out a high pitched whine but clambered in next to Apple Bloom. “You know this isn’t your fault, right? He isn’t gone because of the game, okay?” Apple Bloom wouldn’t make eye contact. “Sure. Hey Scoots, I think we’re ready to go.” “Alright!” Scootaloo revved her wings and crouched down into a more aerodynamic position. “Operation Save Spike is a go!” With a squeal of the wheels, she sped off like a bolt away from the neat rows of apple trees and into the shade of the crowded Everfree forest, Sweetie Belle shrieking the entire way as they bumped over sticks and rocks.  “Good idea, Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom shouted over her friend and the rushing wind. “We gotta let him know we’re here! Spike! Spike where are you?” Sweetie wasn’t sure how long or far they searched. The trees and time zipped by in a blur but it seemed like hours before Scootaloo stopped the wagon in a relatively clear area and leaned over her handlebars, panting. “Okay,” she said after a few seconds to catch her breath, “I think it’s time for a break.” “A break?” Sweetie Belle squeaked as Apple Bloom fished out the snacks she had brought, “We’re going to keep going? But it’s getting dark!” “It always gets dark fast in the Everfree,” Scootaloo answered as she took some water from Apple Bloom, “It isn’t that late, yet.” Sweetie Belle bit her lip as she glanced around their unfamiliar surroundings and rows and rows of identical trees. She couldn't even tell which way they had come from at this point. “Even still… we’ve covered a lot of ground and we’ll get in trouble if anyone finds us out here. Maybe we should head back?” Apple Bloom whirled on her so fast Sweetie Belle stumbled back a few steps in surprise. “What’s your problem, huh? Do you wanna find Spike or not?” “Of course I want to find Spike!” Sweetie shot back, “I just don’t think this is the best way to go about it!” Apple Bloom shoved her face into Sweetie’s until the two were bumping snouts. “Oh yeah? Well, ta me it sounds like you’d just rather give up on him then spend five minutes gettin’ your hooves dirty!” Sweetie Belle stood her ground. “That’s not true! I’d do anything to find him. But adding three more missing ponies isn’t going to help!” “Do anything?” Apple Bloom yelled, “You’ve done nothing!” “Guys, shut up for a second!” Scootaloo cried, slapped her hooves on both her friends’ muzzles.  Sweetie Belle was just about to smack her hoof away when her ears perked up. There was a crashing and snapping sound echoing through the trees. A sound that was steadily getting louder. “What is that?” Apple Bloom asked, brushing Scootaloo aside. Sweetie Belle gulped. “Something big. We should-” “Raaaaaaah!” That’s when a manticore crashed into the clearing, ripping trees out of the way and whipping its head about as if looking for something. The monster was huge. At least twice the size of even Big Macintosh. It snarled with a cracked tooth and black eye, as if it had just been in a fight, and blood dripped from its claws. The crusaders stood frozen as the great beast locked its gaze on them. It growled deeply and stalked forwards, looking like it was sizing up which filly to eat first. Sweetie tried to will her legs to run. Or her mouth to scream and snap the others out of their terror. But she couldn’t move. She felt trapped beneath the piercing gaze of the manticore, steadily inching closer.  The manticore opened its gaping maw wide and Sweetie’s eyes filled with tears.  They were going to die. But, just as the monster leaned down to swallow the fillies whole, a hollow clunk sound rang out through the still forest and the manticore froze in place. For a few moments that felt like hours, Sweetie Belle couldn’t understand what had just happened. It wasn’t until she glanced past those razor-sharp teeth did she notice the giant anvil perched on the manticore’s head like a jaunty cap.  The manticore’s eyes rolled to the back of its head and its tongue lulled out of its mouth. With a groan, the beast collapsed onto its side, revealing a panting pony, eyes more intense than the manticore’s had been just moments before, standing right behind it.   Sweetie, now with the immediate threat gone, felt like she could breathe again. But, no use letting pent up terror go to waste. “Aaaaaaah!” Not to be outdone, her friends screamed with her. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Rang the trifecta of terrified fillies. “Gaaaah!” The strange fourth pony screamed back at them, the intensity in her eyes blinking away as she scrambled backward. She didn’t get far, however, before letting out a pained yelp and falling out of sight, back behind the manticore’s bulk. No one moved for a few heartbeats as the three fillies processed what had just happened.  Apple Bloom acted first. She untangled herself from the huddle the crusaders had squeezed themselves into and galloped around the manticore, giving the monster a wide breath as she circled to its other side.  Scootaloo dashed after Apple Bloom, hot on her heels, and Sweetie had no choice but to follow.  When they got to the other side the strange pony was still there, curled into a tight ball and crying her eyes out. It was obviously an Earth Pony mare but in the dying light Sweetie couldn’t make out anything more from the huddled figure. “H-hey, are you alright, there?” Apple Bloom asked, slowly approaching the sobbing pony, “W-was that manticore chasing you?” The pony glanced up, wide puffy eyes peeking out from a long straight mane. She nodded slowly at Apple Bloom, slightly relaxing at the Earth Pony’s nervous tone and soft posture.  “Did it get you?” Scootaloo asked, causing the pony’s eyes to snap to her, “There was blood on its claws…” The mare didn’t answer but she did uncurl from her fetal position and extended her left foreleg, as if offering it to Scootaloo. However, it had quickly gotten too dark in the shadow of the trees to make out almost any specifics of what exactly she was trying to show them. Sweetie Belle leaned forward and shakily lit her horn in a very basic light spell that barely cast a bright enough glow to illuminate the four ponies. As soon as the first spark emerged from Sweetie’s horn the mare gasped and scrambled back a few feet, resuming her tightly curled posture and shaking even harder now. In the light of Sweetie’s spell, it was much easier to see details. Contrary to what Sweetie first assumed, the mare was not an adult pony. She was a young teenager, only a little older than Spike, and was incredibly small and thin. It looked like she hadn’t eaten in days and the mud and dirt in her mane and coat made it seem like she had been living in the woods for weeks on end.  The worst thing of all though, was her leg. It was twitching sporadically at her side as blood pooled down it, matting the fur and causing a small puddle beneath her. The three fillies gasped at the sight of it and Sweetie Belle almost wretched.  “That doesn’t look good…” Scootaloo muttered, trotting over to the prone pony’s side and examining the injuring without touching it. The teenager didn’t move as Scootaloo examined her. She stayed stiff, her gaze never moving from Sweetie’s glowing horn. Scootaloo looked to her two friends, worry in her eyes. “Guys, I don’t think she should be walking on this. We need to get her out of the forest. Fast.” “Should we take her to a hospital?” Sweetie asked, taking a step forward to better offer her light. The mare on the ground cringed back and Sweetie instantly stopped in her tracks. “That… that seems pretty serious.” Apple Bloom glanced between the dark sky and the even darker forest. “Erhm… I don’t think that’s such a good idea this late at night. I don’t know if we’ll even be able to find our way back…” “We have to try!” Scootaloo insisted, pushing herself under the teenager’s good leg, “Help me get her in the wagon, Apple Bloom. Sweetie, keep that light going.” Applebloom moved to the other side of the prone pony and gently pressed against her ribs, helping her into a shaky standing position. Sweetie stood by awkwardly, feeling useless as her friends half guided, half carried, the injured pony into the wagon. “You guys are gonna have to walk,” Scootaloo explained once the teenager was securely settled in their little wagon, “There isn’t really enough room for all three of you without pressing against her leg. But I have to go slow anyway to keep the bumps down.” “But which way are we going?” Sweetie asked, biting her lip. She felt like the shadows were creeping into her small ring of light, reaching for her, trying to drag her deeper into the forest. Plus there was still that unconscious manticore a few yards away. “I can’t tell any of these trees apart…” “That way…” It was so quiet that if Sweetie Belle wasn’t standing right next to the wagon she wouldn’t have heard the teenager at all. “Huh? What?” The pony cringed back away from her but shakily pointed her good hoof into the forest and spoke a little louder. “You wanna go that way…” Sweetie glanced at Apple Bloom who simply shrugged. “I don’t got a better idea.” “That way it is!” Scootaloo said, pushing her scooter in the indicated direction at a moderate pace.  Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom walked after her, keeping close enough for Sweetie’s horn to light their way. No one saying anything. For the whole walk back to the clubhouse the injured pony didn’t once take her eyes off of Sweetie Belle’s horn.