Terraria: Friendship Is Magic

by Pomp-Neigh


Chapter 34 - The Worm Of The Underground.

-TERRARIA, UNDERGROUND SNOW BIOME-

[CLANK] [CLANK] [CLANK]

The sounds of multiple pickaxes goes off as Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Ritsu The Zoologist continues to dig into the frozen earth of The Snow Biome with Fluttershy serving as their main light source thanks to her drinking a Shine Potion.

“Oh, oh, do you feel that too Applejack?. There’s a large chamber not too far below us kind of like what we felt in The Jungle.”, Pinkie Pie says as she continues to strike the frozen earth with her silver pickaxe.

“Sure do Pinkie, but unlike back in The Jungle this chamber feels a bit smaller. It doesn’t feel like ah’ forest is down there, which is kind’ah disappointin’. Let’s be extra careful not to let any monsters catch us off guard, that goes double for you Fluttershy.”, Applejack says as she turns her head back to the yellow pegasus. Ritsu seems to catch on to Applejack’s worry which prompts her to say:

“I don’t mean to sound rude or anything Fluttershy but you have a tendency to always try and befriend creatures that wants nothing to do with any of us. You did very well with the slimes and we got very lucky with the hornets. However, there are ‘animals’ in this world that doesn’t care about friendship and kindness. They’d sooner see you dead rather then offer you a friendly gesture, I say this because I care a lot about you my fellow animal lover. There’s nothing wrong with showing the wildlife empathy, but you must still respect their strength.” Fluttershy is admittedly saddened by this but before she could reply, Applejack interjects and says:

“Couldn’t have said it better mah’self Ritsu, we just don’t want you to be heartbroken is all we’re saying sugarcube. Ah’ know you love animals but the ones in this world are a bit different from our world, some might accept yer’ friendship but others would rather do you harm. Like that no good varmint Queen Beezma...”, The cowmare grits her teeth in anger upon the memory of the former Queen Bee. Fluttershy sighs in defeat as she finally comes to accept their worries, there definitely were some merit to them thanks to recent events. Suddenly, Pinkie Pie shouts out:

“Tail twitching, mane stretching, body shaking, somethings coming everypony!”

“Ah dangit, this is not the time fer’ some monster to come after us. These mines we’re in are too narrow, this aint’ no place to fight. Come on y’all, we gotta dig faster!”, Applejack exclaims as she, Pinkie Pie, and Ritsu double their efforts. Fluttershy materializes all four of her staves and says:

“Come forth my Slime, Finch, Snow Flinx, and Hornet friends!”, Instantly, the aforementioned beings are summoned and face towards the darkened mines. “Everypony, keep digging and we’ll take care of anything that tries to harm us.”, Fluttershy says as she then conjures her new bow: The Bees Knees.

[TCK TCK] [TCK TCK] [TCK TCK]

Fluttershy’s ears begins to flicker about as she could hear something burrowing around them, the others wants to stop and stand at the ready but as Applejack has said earlier the narrow mine they were currently in would not provide them with enough room to combat their unknown foe successfully. They decide to put their faith in Fluttershy and her summoned allies to fight off the burrowing foe.

[TCK TCK] [TCK TCK] [TCK TCK]

[BSH]

Suddenly, the icy earth in front of the shy pegasus erupts as a large worm entity rears its head back as if it were ready to strike at the group like a snake.

“P-please Mr. Worm, maybe, we can settle this peacefully and-”

[SKREEE]

The large worm roars out as it lunges towards Fluttershy and her summoned allies to which she says:

“Oh no you don’t Mr. Worm, I’m sorry... But you leave me no choice!”, Fluttershy exclaims as she points a hoof towards the worm entity and shouts: “Attack!”, On cue, all four of her summoned allies rushes forward in an attempt to mob the large worm. The hornet manages to get to it first and attempts to sting the worm, however, looks can be deceiving as the worm dodges the strike and burrows into the frozen earth. The slime decides to give chase as it hops into the hole created by the burrowing worm and tries to capture it.

Moments goes by as Fluttershy and her remaining summons listen carefully for the worms movements or even for the return of the slime. As this goes on, the rest of the group are still digging towards the large chamber positioned below them. Applejack could only feel frustrated as she could easily kill the large worm creature with The Blade Of Grass were it not for the fact that the current mine they were in was too narrow to effectively swing the blade in. Ritsu and Pinkie Pie continues to dig with due haste however Pinkie begins to start using her own mane, which somehow turns into a drill, in an effort to speed up the process... Much to Ritsu’s confusion.

Suddenly, Fluttershy can feel her slime staff vibrating as she says:

“Oh no, the slime I summoned is defe-”

[BSH]

The large worm monstrosity erupts from the frozen walls of the mine and aims directly for Fluttershy, the world around her goes in slow motion as the shy pegasus looks on to the worms open maw coming to claim her life.

“EEP!”, Fluttershy lets loose a painful squeak as the worm manages to hit her and pushes her against the frozen wall of the mine. Fortunately, her bee armor absorbs most of the damage and fortune begins to smile upon her as the worm triggers the effect of one of her currently equipped items: The Honeycomb. In mere seconds, a swarm of bees appears out of no where and with lightning speed they both catch and mob the worm entity. Fluttershy’s summoned Finch and Hornet joins the fray as her Snow Flinx stays with her to protect her. Thanks to the effects of her bee armor, Fluttershy’s summoned allies were empowered and as they all attack the large worm entity it simply became too much for it.

[BLICK]

The worm’s body explodes as its gore flies around the narrow mine splatting against the frozen walls. Money drops onto the floor of which the shy pegasus collects, she then takes on a saddened expression and says:

“I didn’t want to do that... Why didn’t it try to see reason?, I just wanted to...”, Fluttershy asks but what causes all of her friend’s hearts to break was seeing tears coming down her eyes. This is exactly what Applejack and Ritsu were talking about... And feared. Having to watch the animal lover go against what she always loved to do, befriend animals. Applejack turns to both Pinkie Pie and Ritsu saying:

“Y’all keep digging, ah got’ta comfort her... Poor girl...”, The cowmare then sends her silver pickaxe to her inventory and walks over to her weeping friend. All of Fluttershy’s summoned allies were currently hugging the weeping pegasus in an attempt to comfort their summoner’s troubled emotions. Applejack finally stands by her friend and leans her head against Fluttershy’s shoulder.

“Ah’m so sorry sugar... I know this is hard for you, it goes against everything you’ve ever worked for in yer’ life.”, Upon saying those words Applejack is shocked by what happens next as the tearful pegasus snaps her head towards the cowmare and shouts:

“Hard for me?!, of course this is hard for me!. I’ve had to kill goblins, hornets, and now a large worm who was probably just too hungry to think straight!. You want to know how I really feel Applejack?, I hate this world!. Ever since we’ve been here I’ve had to do the opposite of what I promised myself, to never take a life!. To never harm a living being let alone an animal!... I... I hate it so much...”, Fluttershy falls to the icy floor and continues to whimper all the while her summoned allies look on with, at least from what one could tell from their features and lack thereof, sadness. Applejack narrows her features and, using her left front hoof, grabs Fluttershy by her right front leg and lifts her wobblily form into the air as she says:

“Now you listen here Fluttershy!, ah’m sorry for what’s been happening lately. It sucks, everything we’ve been through ever since The Moon Lord entered our world, sucks. But, let me tell you right here, right now. You are the reason we got this far ever since the fight with that no good Moon Lord, you know that right?”

“W-what?... But, but I didn’t do-”

“Yes you did sugarcube!”, Applejack exclaims as she cuts off Fluttershy’s words. “You want me to list down every reason why you got us this far?, fine.”, The cowmare then lowers the shy pegasus back to the frozen floor of the mine, setting her down on all four of her hooves, as Applejack continues:

“Who was it that got Discord, the lord of applebucking chaos, to be reformed?, you. Who was it that Discord came to save which bought us time fer’ Celebes to cast that spell to defeat The Moon Lord?, you. Who was it that helped a Slime Princess who then asked her pa’ to send a whole army of slimes to save us from the Goblin Army?, you. Who was it that summoned yet another slime army to save us from a bunch’a hornets who meant us nothing but harm?, you!”, Applejack exclaims as she then places a hoof gently on to the yellow pegasus’s shoulder. “Now you tell me Fluttershy, what exactly is it that makes you think you didn’t do anything?. Because ah’ tell you what, from where I’m standing and ah’ know Pinkie Pie and Ritsu will agree with me, you’ve been nothin’ but helpful to us all... And we love you sugarcube.”, Applejack then pulls Fluttershy into a hug as she says: “Despite you being one of the most timid mares ah’ know, you don’t seem to realize how strong you can be. Ah always looked up to you, ya’ know that?, and it ain’t just me either. I think I can say a lot of us do, you’re kind and gentle, you never want to hurt anyone. But, when it comes down to it you’ve got the strength to help us when we need it most.”

“Applejack’s right Fluttershy!”, Pinkie Pie exclaims as she zooms away from Ritsu and joins Applejack as they hug the shy pegasus together. “You’re superly duperly rifficly amazing!. That’s why if anyone tries to mess with you, your aunty Pinkie Pie will take care of them.”, Pinkie Pie says happily which causes a smile to form on Fluttershy’s muzzle who then replies with:

“I’m a year older than you.”, The trio of ponies giggle amongst themselves as Ritsu observes them from afar and says:

“I really envy you guys, it’s rare to find such friendships like yours in Terraria.”, Pinkie Pie over hears this as she leaves the group hug with Fluttershy and zooms back to the Kitsune saying:

“You’re our friend too Ritsu, we might be from different worlds but we’ll never leave your side. That’s what real friends are for, you can always count on us!”, Pinkie Pie then rematerializes her silver pickaxe and resumes digging into the frozen earth. Ritsu nods happily and returns to digging alongside Pinkie Pie, however, she takes on a saddened expression as she says internally:

-None of you would ever be my friend... If you saw me in the moonlight...-

"Hey so, uh, is now a bad time to say that... the worm isn't what activated my Pinkie senses?", Pinkie Pie says as she laughs sheepishly.

"..."

"WHAT?!"