1
“We need to find them, Twilight! The thought of my dear Sister out there somewhere all alone and frightened. This is the worst possible thing!” Rarity hollered while ‘fainting’ on her red couch, which she pulled out of nowhere.
“For once ah agree with Rarity! We need to find them!” Applejack said loudly.
“I know, I know just please everypony calm down for a minute and tell me what happened.” Twilight iterated calmly.
Rarity and Applejack explained that when the school day had ended the two of them never came home. Twilight looked over too Rainbow Dash with a questioning look.
"Scoots never came to find me like she normally does." Rainbow Dash said, defensively.
“Well that’s a problem.” Twilight said, rubbing her chin with a hoof.
“Well, I did see them running toward the Everfree forest when I was out.” Fluttershy said quietly, though not quietly enough.
“Why in tarnation didn’t you say something earlier!?” Applejack yelled, causing Fluttershy to sink behind her mane.
“I…I’m sorry. It’s just that everyone was running around and yelling I didn't want to interrupt.” She squeaked.
Applejack let out a sigh and backed off of the yellow Pegasus. “Well then ya’ll, it looks like we’re going to the Everfree.” Applejack stated.
2
Sweetie Belle awoke near the break of dawn even though she was more than exhausted from her misadventures in the Everfree. She stretched and opened her eyes. She could not see much except for a large opening where the morning sun was breaking through. She slowly made her way over too where the sun was peeking in. She stepped out of the cave and watched as the sun rose. She looked to her sides and saw the giant standing stone still, his hands to his sides.
“Hey, there. Morning.” Sweetie said wearily. The giant looked down and made a metallic clink. “Thank you for saving my friends. I’m sorry about everything. I wish I could make it up to you.” She said with some remorse in her voice. The giant bent down and grabbed Sweetie Belle and lifted her to the position she was in the previous day on top of his shoulders. “It’s strange, you’re so nice to me and the others yet you have your…” her voice trailed off unsure of how to phrase the last of the sentence. The giant let out a high pitch moan. “I really wish you could talk.” she whispered to herself. “I’m hungry and the others will be too. How about you and I go get some food?” she recommended, the giant nodded his approval.
3
“Are you sure this is where you saw them go in?” Twilight asked.
“Yes, they ran in here rather quickly. I didn't have a chance to stop them.” Fluttershy responded.
“Well then girls, let’s get going. Rainbow Dash scout up high please.” Twilight said.
Rainbow Dash flew up leaving a rainbow trail behind her. The others entered into the Everfree Forest.
4
The giant and Sweetie Belle had spent most of the morning looking for things within the Everfree that were edible for them to eat for breakfast. When they had collected enough they went back to the cave where Applebloom and Scootaloo awaited. Sweetie Belle was keeping herself busy by eating and talking almost constantly about how many times she and her friends failed to get their Cutie Marks, she would occasionally drop some of her food onto the giant’s head.
“When we get back, I’ll go in first to see if Applebloom and Scootaloo are awake. I want to be able to explain what’s going on and then you can come in and meet them.” She said after finally finishing her meager breakfast. The giant grunted.
They arrived back at the cave and the giant let Sweetie Belle off of his shoulders. “Don’t forget, I’ll go in first.” She said facing him again. She walked into the cave expecting to see her friends awake. “Ah darn, their still asleep. I wonder if I can wake them up.” She whispered to herself. She walked over to where they slept as quietly as she could and tapped them with her hoof. Applebloom stirred and moaned slightly. Sweetie Belle tried prodding her again. She moved and slowly opened her eyes slowly.
“Where am ah? Mah back hurts.” She while trying to wipe away the tiredness in her eyes. She rolled herself over on her stomach. She looked around seeing only rock and small bugs walking along the cave’s floor. She let out a small yell and jumped up causing pain to shoot through her spine. She wailed a little and fell back down to the ground.
“Applebloom are you okay?” Sweetie Belle asked, concerned. Applebloom would have tackled Sweetie Belle if not for her back pain.
“Ow. Yeah , ahm alright but where are we? Ah remember me and Scootaloo tripping into a pile of mush that was warm and really wet. And it smelled really nasty. When ah got up ah saw these big red eyes in the dark. Ah grabbed Scootaloo and ran. Then Ah remember being attacked by these three Manticores. Some dream huh?”
“Well…that wasn't a dream Applebloom.” Sweetie said, reserved.
“What do you mean it happened? Am ah dead?” she wailed while darting her head to and fro causing her spine to hurt
more. She stopped when the pain grew.
“Shut Up! I’m trying to sleep.” Scootaloo half-shouted, feeling groggy.
“Wake up Scoot! All the stuff that happened wasn't a dream.” Applebloom called. Scootaloo shot up in a hurry and winced hard at the pain in her side.
Scootaloo shot up, causing pain to reverberate through her body. She winced and focused her attention on thier surroundings, her gaze falling to the cave entrance. “Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, what is that thing?!” she asked, terrified.
“What are you talking about Scootaloo?” Applebloom asked, looking toward the entrance.
The giant stood in the doorway, the light shining through the gaps in his ribs and body. “I told you to wait outside until I was done explaining everything!” Sweetie Belle reprimanded, like a mother scolding her child. The giant stood unmoving for a little bit and went back outside still holding the food for the other two fillies. Sweetie Belle went after him and when she reached the entrance he had vanished into the forest. She went back inside her face downcast.
“What was that thing?!” Scootaloo asked, half yelling.
Sweetie Belle lifted her head. “I'll tell you.”
5
The five Elements had been walking for hours and were tired from their search. The only thing keeping them going was the prospect of finding the missing fillies. Rainbow Dash had been flying for a long time as well and had not reported in for some time.
“We’ve been walking for hours. How come we haven’t seen any sign of them?” Rarity asked.
“Yeah, Ah’m getting worried about mah sister, Twi.” Applejack said with worry.
“I don’t know. We need to be patient and remember Rainbow Dash is up there looking as well. I’m sure we’ll get some
sign of them soon.” Twilight reassured them but she was also unsure of her own words.
They stopped when they heard a high pitch screaming in the air. They all looked up and saw Rainbow Dash speeding through the sky toward their location. The five ponies ducked for dear life. On the verge of causing a Sonic Rainboom Rainbow Dash smashed into some trees. Breaking them on impact and sliding into another. She shot up seemingly uninjured and ran over to where the others were still on the ground. They got up in a hurry.
“What the hay Rainbow Dash!? Ya almost took our heads off!” Applejack seethed.
“You guys are not going to believe this!” she said her voice rising in pitch. “I found something farther in the forest. Follow me.” She said, running to the thing she had found previously.
The others ran behind unable to get a word in before Rainbow Dash took off. They ran at full speed while dodging trees and branches. They came to a clearing and stopped. They saw rainbow Dash pointing down a cliff. They all looked down into the crater. Their eyes grew large as they realized that the cliff was actually a large crater.
“What happened here?” Twilight asked, to none in particular. Twilight looked down into the crater and saw something reflecting light. “Rainbow do you see that thing in there?” she asked. Rainbow looked in the crater and saw whatever it was twilight had found.
“Yeah I see it.” With that she sped down and came back up in less than a second. “This what you saw?”
“Yes. That’s it, thank you.” Twilight said levitating the object from Rainbow Dash. She looked at the small metal brick carefully and couldn't make anything of it. She put it inside the saddle bag she had slung across her body. “I can’t examine this thing properly until were back at the library, but we need to keep moving.” She turned to leave.
“Twilight dear, I found something else over here.” Rarity called.
“What did you find?” Twilight asked.
“They look like footprints but are much too large for any creature that I've ever seen other than a Hydra.” she said with her usual grace.
“This isn't good. Let’s follow them. Whatever made these obviously went in a hurry. You can tell by the smearing of the
prints and the length of its stride.” Twilight observed.
They all darted back into the forest and found what they hoped they wouldn't see. There was a straight path where trees had been completely destroyed. They looked at in awe but were quickly snapped out of it by Twilight dashing down the lane of broken trees. They all followed her to the small clearing where the Timber wolf attacked Sweetie Belle. They instantly noticed the pile of sticks covered in red sappy substance upon the ground. They decided to stay clear of the pile.
“Hey, I found more big feet prints!” Pinkie Pie called out from under the tree.
“I found something over here too. “ Fluttershy squeaked. They all came over to where Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy stood.
“See here.” They all looked at the small imprint of a body in the dirt.
“ OK that has to be one of the girls. It’s in the shape of a filly or small colt. We need to speed this up. Whatever that thing is, it left massive damage in its wake and we need to find it fast, if it has one of the girls.”
“Agreed.” Applejack said.
“Yeah.” The others said together.
They ran off following what tracks they could see in the ground. It was increasingly difficult the longer they followed because the imprints that were made were becoming lighter, and slightly less pronounced. They followed the tracks until they came to the most horrific sight they had ever seen. Fluttershy started bawling immediately. The bodies of three Manticores were strewn about, pools of dried blood stained the dirt and grass. One of its faces had been completely flattened and its skull fragments lay all about the ground.
“Celestia’s planet. What happened here? It’s absolutely atrocious.” Rarity cursed.
“My goodness, this is horrifying. This must have been that thing that came out of that crater.” Twilight said disgusted.
“If this thing has mah sister I don’t think I could live with mahself Twilight.” Applejack stated on the verge of tears.
“I know you’re all worried but we’ll find them. Don’t worry.” Twilight said reassuringly.
They all were now a little downcast. The thought of losing their sisters to an unknown monster was debilitating. They began making their way back into the forest when they felt the ground shake and heard a deep grumbling sound. The shaking ceased after a little while and they went to where the sound was coming from.
6
The giant returned to the cave with an armful of herbs. After he entered the cave and put down his load of supplies he was tackled in the leg by Sweetie Belle. She gripped the giant’s leg as tightly as she could but kept sliding down until she was sitting on his foot.
“I’m sorry I yelled at you. Will you forgive me?” she pleaded. Her eyes had become large and tears slowly fell from them. She stared at him for a little while, still sitting on his foot. He picked her up by the scruff of her neck and set her on the ground and patted her head. Sweetie Belle understood his actions and smiled while wiping away the small water droplets. “What’s all that for?” Sweetie asked while pointing with a hoof at the pile of plants by the wall.
The giant pointed over to Applebloom and Scootaloo and motioned with a finger to come over to them. Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement with the giant.
"Come over here, it's alright." Sweetie Belle assured them. Applebloom and Scootaloo came over to where the giant and Sweetie Belle stood with some hesitation. The giant slowly moved a hand to Applebloom. She flinched and closed her eyes. She felt the giant’s finger run along her back lightly. She opened her eyes as the giant pushed lightly on her back. She winced.
“Ow! Hey, that hurts ya know!” she wailed at him.
The giant nodded and grabbed a couple of plants and a small apple from the pile of stuff. He pointed to the apple and plants and then motioned to her mouth while making a snapping noise with his mouth. Applebloom looked at Scootaloo who just shrugged her shoulders slightly and then to Sweetie Belle.
“He wants you to eat them.” She said. Applebloom took the apple and gulped it down quickly. “The plants too Applebloom.” She said with a ‘you missed a spot’ look on her face. Applebloom ate them quickly and winced at the taste.
“Yuck!" she exclaimed. "Those tasted nasty! What were they for?” she asked, still trying to get the taste out of her mouth. The giant waited for a minute longer and then pressed the filly's back once more. “Hey!" That didn't hurt at all." she said, smiling
“Those plants must be some kind of medicine.” Scootaloo chimed in. She ran up to the giant and tapped her sides indicating that they hurt as well. The giant grabbed a couple more herbs and a small fruit and placed it at Scootaloo’s feet. She grinned and ate it all quickly her face also twisting at the taste of the plants.
After they had eaten, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were led by the giant to a small stream with a waterfall. They all hopped in quickly and without reserve. They splashed into the water watching as all of the dirt and blood washed from their coats leaving them with the feeling of being clean.
“How did you guys end up all gross like that?” Sweetie asked while they played in the stream.
“How did that happen? I forgot.” Scootaloo said.
“Well, the last ah remember is that we tripped and fell into this pile of mush. It smelled really bad.” she said while pinching her nose with a hoof. “Then I remember falling down a hill and these Manticores showed up and then I don’t remember anything after that. The last thing I remember was waking up in that cave.” Applebloom said, still revelling in the water's cool embrace.They continued to play in the stream while the giant sat on the bank with his back against the waterfall’s stone wall.
7
The Six Elements traced the rumbling to a small stream where they saw Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo playing. They almost jumped to get them but something caught their eyes. They all looked to the stone wall of the waterfall on the bank and almost screamed in fright. Sitting there was the giant. His chest moved slowly and they could hear his hard breaths from behind the bush where they were hiding.
“What…in the world is that?” Twilight asked the others. “ I've never seen anything like it. There is no mention of such a thing in any of my books.”
“How are we supposed to know? We’re not eggheads like you Twilight.” Rainbow Dash piped up, trying to stay quiet.
“We need to get the girls away from that thing. Who knows what it might do to them.” Fluttershy whispered.
“Agreed. I wonder if I can teleport them to us without that thing noticing.” Twilight said determined. “Then I can get to the library and try to find any information on this thing.” She said with a maniacal smile. Twilight’s horn began glowing purple.
8
“What’s going on?!” Scootaloo yelled half-crying.
“I don’t know!” Sweetie Belle hollered back. “Help!”
The giant shot up in a hurry and jumped into the stream nearly emptying it for a second before the waterfall filled its banks again. He went through the water, causing waves with the vibrations coming from his steps. When he reached them they vanished in a flash of purple light.
The giant stood, frantically thrashing water with his hands and feet looking for the girls. Out of the corner of his eye he saw another flash of purple light. He jumped out of the water and landed on the ground making two small craters and he stomped over to where the flash had come from, unsure of who created it. He was determined make whoever did pay.
The three Cutie Mark Crusaders appeared at Twilight’s feet and they looked around in a panic. They were stopped instantly by hugs from Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The three of them struggled to get out of their grip, especially Scootaloo and Applebloom due to their injuries. They were released after a bit and Twilight noticed their injuries, even though they were below the skin, because of how they moved. Her horn glowed and she touched each of them before they could object and they were healed by Twilight’s advanced healing spell she had learned in the previous weeks.
The girls were thrown onto the backs of their respective sisters and Rainbow Dash. They began to turn and run when out of the trees came the giant howling like an animal his clawed hand outstretched. The Elements stumbled back and Twilight put up a barrier with the help of Rarity because her energy was almost completely drained. Their auras mixed creating a bluish purple shield around the group. The girls screamed, scared and confused by what was happening. The six Elements stood their ground putting the Cutie Mark Crusaders behind their backs. They stood their ground readying themselves in case the monster broke through the shield. The giant smashed the shield with his clawed hand and did not relent. Twilight and Rarity were struggling to keep it strong against the giant's onslaught of attacks. He kept bashing the shield causing Twilight and Rarity to wince in pain as he did so, but something was wrong.
The giant roared loudly enough to cause birds and other animals, small and large, to run away in terror. He stopped bashing the shield and clutched his left arm and started to flail his body while stumbling backwards. The skin on his left arm began to smoke and began melting off of his arm. The giant thrust out his left arm in a bout of pain, anguish, and anger. He could feel all the pieces and mechanisms move inside it, scraping and rubbing over themselves, causing the pain. It stretched and expanded until his left arm resembled his right. His new weapon had revealed itself and it was the same as his right, a clawed hand. The giant recovered from the pain it felt and charged the shield again.
He hopped into the air and brought his two clawed hands down in a swipe. The shield imploded on the spot where the impact was made, but bounced back into its original shape. He thrust his left hand into the shield blades first. It was met with some electrical discharge from the shield but the tips managed to pierce it slightly. Purple and blue bursts of electricity shot up through his arm causing it to make a high pitched squealing sound as he pushed through the shield. The giant kept pushing through until his whole arm had penetrated the barrier. His arm was smoking and had a faint orange glow to it, heating up his arm.
The two unicorns watched in fear as his arm came toward them. They tried to move but did not make the bubble large enough to maneuver. He managed to scratch Twilight with the hot metal along her side. She screamed and toppled over in pain leaving Rarity alone to keep the shield up. The giant brought down his right hand into the barrier making it shatter like glass. His fist smashed into the ground making a wave dirt and debris. He swiped up Rarity by the neck, his claws slightly piercing skin.
The giant roared into her face making her hair fly backwards and her ears bleed a little from the sound. The others all covered their ears. Twilight kept one hoof on her injury and the other, on one of her ears while pressing her head into the grounds to block out the noise. The giant brought his other hand to Rarity's face and placed it right over her eye the blade mere centimeters from penetrating it. Rarity cried profusely trying to comprehend what was happening.
“Stop! You will not hurt my sister! Now, put her down!” Sweetie Belle roared from behind them. She stood there shaking with fear at being so close to all the excitement.
The giant removed his hand from her face and set her on the ground. The six of them looked at Sweetie Belle and then back to the giant with disbelief. Sweetie Belle half walked and half ran to the giant and glared at him. She sighed and sat down on the ground. She was breathing rapidly trying to calm herself down, tears falling from her eyes because of her fear. Rarity had fallen to the ground with shock and terror. Twilight had been able to patch herself up with her magic just enough to get back to Ponyville hospital. Rarity managed to get back up and sit.
“Sweetie Belle, you saved my life, but how?” Rarity asked.
“Well…that’s a long story but he just listens to me.” Sweetie Belle answered. She turned her attention to the giant. “I know you can’t talk but I want you to apologize to them for hurting them.” She demanded. The giant made a long groan and a high pitch whine. “Good enough. Now can we please go home I don’t want to be in this forest anymore.” She pleaded.
“I agree, I need to get this patched up until I’ve regained some strength to heal it myself.” Twilight said while pointing to her half healed wound. “But that thing is a different matter.” She said while pointing to the giant. “I need to study it but if it will only listen to Sweetie belle than it needs to come with us. We’ll work out details as we go but for now all I need to know is that this is a newly discovered creature that could be indigenous to Equestria for all we know.”
The others looked at the giant who stood unmoving. They slowly and cautiously accepted what was at hoof and gradually made their way back to Ponyville.”
9
Celestia had rested very little since her sister had felt that life signature. She paced around the room trying to figure out what it could be. She had checked the entire royal library and nothing turned up in its vast collection of knowledge. She checked to make sure the door was locked. She went to her night stand and pulled a hidden nob under the small desk. The floor opened to reveal a stair case leading below castle grounds. She descended the steps and went into the darkness using her magic to light the way. She arrived at a door and opened it slowly as not to disturb the lone soul inside.
The room was illuminated by a simulated sun that would rise when Celestia raised the real sun. A desk with an alchemical contraption decorated one of the corners of the room. Along the far wall was a simple bed with books on it. A book shelf adorned the other wall. In the center sat a desk with an old Colt sitting in the chair scribbling slowly at the parchment in front of him.
“Princess Celestia it’s been a while since you’ve come to see me.” He said while not looking up right away.
“Yes it has been a very long time.” She walked over and put a hoof on the old colt’s cheek. “You’ve aged so much in a short time.” She said caringly.
“Yes I have but that is what happens when you are being kept alive by magic I suppose. But you did not come here to partake in idle chit-chat, have you Princess?”
“No. I am troubled by something.”
“Oh, and what would that be?” he asked.
“It’s Luna. She sensed a being that I could not. It’s been troubling me for a couple days now and I can’t figure out what is going on.”
“Do you fear that her power is growing beyond your own?”
“No. At least I don’t think so. I don’t know.” she stammered, unsure of herself.
“I can sense the feeling that you speak of. I sensed it the moment you walked in here, it hangs all around you my dear.” He said, getting up slowly and wobbling over to a small basin by the bed. He lifted up a small portion of water with his magic and patted his face with it. “It troubled me as well but you must promise me two things when we are through speaking tonight.” He said with authority.
“That’s unusual for you to demand something but what is it you need?” Celestia said skeptically.
“I have been alive for a very long time Celestia but it is time that I leave this world and continue to the next. My first demand is that you allow me to leave this world in peace. The second is this, what Luna has felt is not normal for Ponykind. I have seen the future this night, Celestia. The events that are to transpire will shake the very foundations of what you know and that of your family. Promise me that when the time comes you will not abandon your sister and instead continue to love her and extend a helping hoof when she has fallen into the darkest of places.”
Celestia stood there in shock not knowing what to think. After a time of deep thought she nodded her agreement.
“I can provide you one last vision Celestia but after I will be unable to awaken from it. I will pass into the next world and, as part of our agreement you cannot save me. Are you ready for me to begin?” he asked while lying down on his bed.
“I…Yes. I am ready Starswirl.”