Chapter 6
It's Weed Killing Time!
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I take in a long, deep breathe of the clean Ponvyille air, arms outstretched wide as I step outside the castle.
Man, it feels good not being naked anymore. You forget just how much better it feels to wear clothes until you’re forced to be naked for a prolonged period of time.
Glancing around, I see Derpy, Dinky and Sparkler walking out Sugar Cube Corner.
“Taylor!”
The soft, yet stern voice makes me flinch and I turn around to see Fluttershy giving me a none too pleased look.
I rub the back of my head, laughing nervously.
“That was very rude of you, just walking out on the princesses like that, the yellow mare scolds me and I actually feel really bad about it.
I don’t know if that’s general guilt, my mental brain and physical child brain waring with each other or because it’s Fluttershy doing the scolding.
Let’s be honest, doesn’t matter who you are, if Fluttershy is scolding you, it makes you feel bad.
“Sorry, Fluttershy,” I say, grinning nervously. “I guess, in all the excitement of feeling more in control again, I forgot myself? I mean, I am mentally an adult from a species who are ingrained that going out in public without clothes is wrong and been stuck doing exactly that for over the last twelve hours.”
Angel makes a stern squeaking sound, folding his arms and nodding in agreement. Glad he’s on my side here.
Fluttershy blinks, thinking for a moment, before sighing and nods. “Okay. You have a point.” She smiles. “So, would you like me to show you around town?”
I nod, folding my arms. “I would like that. I’d like that very much.”
So, we head off into town, Angel riding atop Fluttershy.
We run into Rose and her sisters, who are taken aback when they see me (and likely not helped by my eyes), but calm down when Fluttershy assures them I’m not a danger.
As we say goodbye to the trio, I snap my fingers in annoyance. Damn. I was hoping to see a “The horror! The horror!” in person.
As we pass Berry Punch, I pause when I notice a flyer that is vaguely familiar.
“Fluttershy?” I call out, walking over and bending down to look at the flyer.
“Yes?” said mare’s voice says from behind me.
“Is the Sister Hooves Social really tomorrow?” I ask, looking from the date on the flyer to the Pegasus.
She nods, before looking sad. “Oh, I do hope Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle aren’t going to be too upset.”
I cock an eyebrow. “What do you mean? They seemed fine to me when we met them earlier.”
Angel makes a squeak and rolls his eyes.
“What do you mean about the Friendship Mission?” I ask the rabbit. “Why would Applejack and Rarity’s…? Oh.” My face goes blank as it clicks.
With Applejack and Rarity headed off to Manehatten for their mission, with it unclear how long said mission will take, the chances of them being back in time for the Social were slim to none. No sister, no social.
I fold my arms. “Dang. That’s a rough deal.”
“You’re gonna need this!”
The three of us yelp in fright as the pink mare who’s DNA I share is just suddenly behind me, shoves something into my hands and… is just gone.
I blink… not entirely sure what just happened.
“What did Pinkie give you?” Fluttershy asked after seeming to recover from… whatever the heck Pinkie just did.
More aware that I’m actually holding something, I look down to my hands… only to raise an eyebrow.
“A… bottle of weed killer?” I turn to Fluttershy, giving her a “what in the world?” look.
Fluttershy and Angel look just as confused.
We stand there for a few more moments, before deciding to put it out of our minds and move on, myself shoving the can of weed killer in the back pocket of my shorts.
We spend the rest of the day just walking around Ponyville, helping me familiarize myself with the area so I don’t get lost.
Granted, I’m not really sure how I could get lost. I know enough landmarks around this place thanks to the show to figure out wherever I’m going, but I let Fluttershy do so anyway. I mean, it can’t hurt, can it?
As it gets to late afternoon, we head back to Fluttershy’s cottage, but, just as we’re about to enter, the yellow mare pauses in the doorway, before sighing, “Oh, dear.”
“What?” I ask, Angel, who’d just hopped off her back, glancing up at her in confusion.
“I forgot to bring Edith the seeds for her and her chicks before they leave the Everfree to return home from their late migration,” Fluttershy rushes inside… and I’m left more confused than before.
I glance down to Angel. “You any idea what she’s talking about?”
He nods, folding his arms and mumble squeaking.
I feel extremely nervous at his words, gulping. “Edith is a cockatrice?! Um, why is she helping the creatures that turned Twilight to stone and nearly did the same to her?!”
He shrugs.
“Um, yeah. I think it kinda does matter!” I toss a hand in the air. “Creatures that turn you to stone, Angel. Stone! Discord knows what—” I stop myself and sigh. “Okay. Maybe Discord would notice that kind of thing.”
“Come on,” Fluttershy steps out, a small purple bag of what I’m assuming are the seeds she mentioned held in a wing. “We’d better hurry before Edith flies off.”
“Ya know, for somepony who just found out she’s my biological mother, Fluttershy’s really not thinking about my safety right now,” I whisper to Angel as we follow after her into the Everfree, my arms crossed.
He grunts in agreement.
We walk for a few minutes before coming to a cliff overlooking a small ravine clearing.
As we near it, I can’t help noticing the loud clucking sounds. When we reach the each, I have to stop myself from screaming in absolute fright.
There are hundreds of the snake chickens down there. Every instinct in my body is screaming at me to run for my life, but I’m too paralyzed with fear to move.
How ironic.
“Edith?” Fluttershy calls softly.
At once, every Cockatrice turns, glaring up at us, hissing, before aloud cluck make them all turn as a purple Cockatrice walks into view, before flying up to meet us.
“Here you go,” Fluttershy passing the Cockatrice the bag. “Sorry it’s a bit later than I’d said. I was showing my new daughter around town.”
Edith give an intrigued cluck, glancing around Fluttershy to me, before cocking an eyebrow and clucking at the mare.
Fluttershy chuckles. “Oh, yes. I know it seems odd that she could be my new daughter when she looks way older than a newborn foal. It’s a bit complicated. I’d be happy to explain it next year when your family migrate.”
Edith gives a happy cluck, takes the bag and then flies down to join her kin, waddling off into the flock.
“C-c-c-c-can w-w-w-we go n-n-n-n-now please?!” I manage through chattering teeth.
Fluttershy nods with a happy “Uh huh” and we start heading back through the forest.
As we walk down the path, my confidence return with every step we take further away from that nightmare, my nose wrinkles as an unpleasant scent reaches my nostrils.
“Ew!” I say, my hand covering my muzzle. “What’s that stench? Smells like somebody rotting fruits out in the sun for ages and ages and ages and then covered it in vinegar and set it on fire. Bleah!” I stick out my tongue for emphasis.
Angel agrees with me, making very displeased sounds.
Fluttershy sniffs the air too, before her ears splay back and I tense before she even says “Uh oh”.
Turning around slowly, we’re met with a six pairs of glowing green eyes and the sound of many twigs shifting.
“Timberwolves!” I yell, my heart leaping into my chest. “RUN!”
Before either of them can say anything I’m sprinting off into the underbrush, not even paying attention to where I’m going.
“Taylor, wait!” Fluttershy’s voice follows after me.
Glancing behind me, I see her running as fast as she can, Angel clinging to her mane for dear life, the Timblerwovles right behind them.
Looking behind me was not the smartest move, however, as I feel my hoof connect with something and I go tumbling down, falling through a gap of some kind, sliding down a dirt wall.
“Taylor!” Fluttershy’s terrified voice follows me.
I hit the wet ground and quickly get up, trying to get a good look at my surroundings.
I blink, realizing I’m in some kind of underground cave… and can see really well, for some reason.
A cry from above makes me glance up where I fell to see Fluttershy falling down through the same hole I must have, followed by a pair of wooden paws thrashing at the hole, trying, in vain, to catch their pony prey.
When Fluttershy flops to the ground I help her up, asking if she’s okay.
“Other than being a little dirty and not being able to see, I’m okay,” she says, turning to look up at my face, before her eyes widen in surprise. “Taylor, your eyes are shining.”
I blink. “They are?” Then I faceplam. Of course. I’ve Nightmare Moon’s eyes and since she was a different version of Luna, the Princess of the Night, her eyes could see in the dark, meaning mine can too.
I frown. You’d think I’d have remembered that from when I first became the pony I am. Guess a lot’s happened since then and the thought was driven from my mind.
A howl from above makes us look up to see the Timberwolves glaring at us from the hole.
“Doesn’t look like we’re getting out the way we came in,” Fluttershy murmurs.
I sigh, folding my arms. “Yeah. Guess we’ll have to find another way out of here.”
Fluttershy looks to me and smiles. “Lead the way.”
I’m about to correct her, before remembering I’m the only one of us who can see, so close my mouth, put a hand on Fluttershy’s back and we start heading further into the cave.
We take a few turns that lead to dead ends, before Angel suggests us following the water might lead somewhere.
We do so, going up stream for about five minutes, before we come to an underground waterfall.
“Wow,” Fluttershy says and I glance down to her. “I can’t see it, but I hear it and it’s so wonderful.”
I can’t help grinning, folding my arms. “Yeah. It is kinda nice, ain’t it?”
“Angel?” I glnace back to notice the little rabbit is no longer on Fluttershy’s back.
Looking around, I see him standing near a wall, looking up at it, a frown on his face.
“What’s up, Angel?” I ask, leading Fluttershy over.
He glances to me and points.
“You think there’s a way out through there?” I look to the spot he’s pointing… which has an odd curcular look in one spot.
He nods.
I shrug. “Okay.”
I reach up, putting my hand through the dirt.
At once, my eyes widen as I feel a familiar tingling sensation and the dirt starts glowing with yellow light.
I yank my hand back as Fluttershy gasps, “What just happened?”
I frown, thinking it over, before grinning as I turn to the mare. “It’s another portal to Sunset Shimmer’s world.”
Her eyes widen. “It is?”
“This is how we’ll get out without having to worry about the Timberwolves,” I grin, bending down and picking up Angel. “We’ll go through the portal, head for Canterlot High, go through the portal there that leads to Twilight’s castle and we’re home free.”
Angel makes a snarky squeak.
“Well, obviously I don’t expect it to be that cut and dry,” I reply to him. “But I’ve a somewhat good idea about that world and should be able to get us there. It’s either that or take our chances avoiding those rows of living teeth.”
He thinks for a moment, before wilting and nods.
I put him on my shoulder and hold a hand out to Fluttershy, who takes it.
I start moving upwards, pushing through the dirt as I feel the same tingling over my body as when I went through the mirror.
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I help pull Fluttershy, now looking like her Equestria Girls counterpart from what looks like quicksand.
“I… oh… my,” she says, remaining on her knees, looking at her hands.
I glance to Angel on my shoulder. “You doing okay, buddy?”
He squeaks at me… and Fluttershy cries in alarm, startling me. “Angel, I can’t understand you!”
He squeaks again, sounding worried, but I hold up my hands to calm them both down. “Relax, you two. Magic works differently here in this world than it does in Equestria. Once we go back through the portal, we’ll be able to understand Angel again. Humans aren’t normal known for speaking the actual language of animals, ya know.”
“Oh,” Fluttershy seems less worried, but still uncomfortable. I guess it would make sense, going your whole life understanding animals to suddenly no longer be able to would be a bit disconcerting.
Suddenly, I wince as Angel grasps my ear and yanks, hard, making loud intelligible squeaking.
“Angel, I just told you, we can’t understand you in the world,” I grumble, rubbing my now sore ear. “What’s so urgent you had to—?”
He graps my cheeks and turns my head sharply to the portal. More specially, above the portal… where a GIANT VENUS FLYTRAP IS RISING FROM THE UNDERBRUSH!
“SHIT!” I scream, grabbing Fluttershy by the hand and yanking her to her feet.
A squeaky scream makes me glance behind me to see Angel being lifted into the air, a vine wrapped around his little torso.
“Angel!” we both yell, before I have to wrap my arms around Fluttershy’s wasit and dive back to avoid several vines that lash out at us.
We hit a tree, Fluttershy pushing me harder into it, something hard jabbing me in my right thigh.
“Ow!” I yell as she tries to get off me. I reach down, grabbing the can Pinkie gave me. “Stupid can! Why’d Pinkie even give me Weed… Killer?”
I blink, looking from the can to the plant before us.
Did she…? How could she possibly…? Pinkie Pie or not, there’s not freaking way she could’ve known THIS was going to happen.
I shake myself, deciding to put the impossibilities aside and focus on the task at hand.
I stand up, aiming the can and press.
Spray flies from the tip, hitting the vines, which makes screeching sounds, before wilting.
Angel is about to be tossed into the plant’s mouth, but it turns sharply, snarling at me.
I smirk, tossing the can in my hand, before getting into a stance. “Time to do some gardening.”
The plant roars, sends vines flying at me, but I just aim the can and spray, each vines writhing in pain before shrivelling up.
I rush forward, spraying every vine that comes my way, before running up a fallen tree and aiming straight for its mouth, shouting “Open wide, you pathetic plant!”
I grab the each of its mouth, standing so I’m squarely in between its teeth, firing a constant stream of spray.
It writhes about, tossing and turning, trying the throw me out and nearly doing so, before, I think on instinct when I accidentally step on its tongue, it closes its mouth completely.
I don’t pay attention to the horrified screams from Fluttershy outside, instead just aiming the spray right at the beast’s throat, spraying contantly.
I can feel it thrashing around, trying to get rid of me, but it seems to have locked its mouth shut. I’m stuck in here, which is bad news for it.
After what I can tell is using up almost 2/3 of the bottle’s contents, suddenly, the plant stops thrashing about and I feel it slam down hard on something.
As I watch, it starts to wither away, Fluttershy’s cries much louder now as the membrane of the plant grows weaker.
I start kicking at the mouth, which breaks pretty easily, until I get through, breathing in the fresh air.
“Taylor!” I glance around to see Fluttershy standing at the base of the plant, Angel in her arms, tears in her eyes. “Thank goodness!”
I glance to the not yet empty can in my hand. “Yeah, um, let’s just go back to Equestria and use this on the Timberwolves instead?” I grin sheepishly. “I think I’ve had enough excitement without exploring wherever this is today.”
After we’ve had some time to calm down and settle, I’ll come back, more prepared. Plus, next time, I won’t have to worry about this Man Eating Plant, since it’s dead now.