"And so Pooh and his friends, along with the Main 7, crossed over into...well, that part of the Hundred Acre Wood which Owl called "The Great Unknown." It was the start of their quest for Christopher Robin. They would find him, Owl said, if they could get through the woods. For the woods, Owl said, were filled with Heffalumps...and Woozles,...and...who knew how much worse.
Even before the journey started, the gang were a bit on-edge. Twilight had insisted that they stick together as much as possible to avoid the possibility of someone getting lost. They traversed through the darkening woods, looking around as paranoia began to set in. They soon reached an opening where the woods bordered a clearing.
"Look!" Pooh pointed to a giant rock formation sticking out of the ground. Two trees stood on either side.
"The Upside Down Rock." Rabbit studied the map. "If you've made it this far...you're where...monsters...are."
"Monsters?" Rainbow asked caustically. "C'mon, this is just ridiculous."
"Rainbow, we've had this conversation before." Twilight walked up to her friend. "We're still new to this world. Celestia knows what could be out there."
"Well, even if what Owl said was true, you guys are acting like foals about it." Rainbow countered. "We've taken down the likes of Nightmare Moon and Discord. What could this place possibly throw at us?”
As if to answer her question, a distant growling and screeching could be heard. It sounded as if it was coming the woods the gang was just in. Everyone turned around and stopped in their tracks in apprehension.
"What was that?" Piglet asked anxiously.
"Whatever it was, it sounded big." Spike said behind Fluttershy's hind leg.
"Sounded too hungry for a Heffalump." Tigger said.
The growling continued.
"Too plump for a Jagular." He whimpered.
The gang began backing up from the woods, all except for Rainbow Dash who raised her hooves for a fight.
"Whatever it is, it will have to go through me first." Her tone laced with confidence.
"I'd say it's a...big old...buggy-eyed, saber-toothy Skullasarus." Tigger finished.
"Skullasarus!?" The others exclaimed, horrified.
"You can't be serious." Rarity trembled.
"Say what?" The blue pegasus asked.
The Main 7 and others huddled together.
"Which way do we run?" Tigger asked.
"Where do we hide?" Piglet clung to Pooh's shoulder.
"What's the shortest shortcut home?" Rabbit panicked.
"Tell us, Pooh." Spike said.
The honey-loving bear looked through the map, searching for the best return route.
"I believe...that way is a good way." Pooh pointed.
That was all the confirmation they needed. Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Eeyore, and the Main 7, minus Rainbow, all ran off in the pointed direction, panicking. Pooh looked through the map more deeply as Rainbow flew down to him.
"You do know you just pointed them towards where the noises were coming from right?" The pegasus crossed her hooves.
"You have a point. Although, this way could be better." Pooh pointed it the complete opposite direction.
The others ran past them, running in the newly pointed direction.
"Give me a break!" Tigger yelled fearfully.
"If not over here." Pooh pointed again in a completely different direction.
Once again, the others ran in that direction. This time however, Twilight and Applejack stopped in front of Pooh.
"I don't mean to be rude, but, are you sure you know what you're doing with the map, Pooh?" Twilight asked.
"He's makin us run round in circles. That doesn't sound very adequate to me." Applejack commented.
"Although...there might be particularly pleasant as well." Pooh chuckled.
Rainbow sighed as she face-hooved.
Rabbit stopped as he realized that everyone was running all over the place. No one knew where they were going or where home was.
"Stop it!" He yelled as loud as he could.
The others screeched to a halt.
"Ha, tag you're it." Pinkie giggled as she tapped Eeyore on the shoulder.
"Pinkie! This isn't the time for games." Rarity scolded.
“But, I thought we were playing tag.” Pinkie argued playfully.
"M-M-Monsters." Fluttershy quivered, hiding behind the fashionista.
"Rarity is right. We're getting nowhere fast, Pooh, and that just won't do." Rabbit stated. "A leader must be someone leaderly, quick-thinking, informed. Someone like..."
He put a hand to his chin and tapped his head, as if to overexaggerate his thought-process.
"...me" Rabbit snatched the map from Pooh.
"Ah nominate Twilight. She's has way more leadership and competence." Applejack stated.
"Agreed." The rest of the Main 7 said.
"Hey!" Rabbit said, offended. "I am more than capable of leading with a map."
The growling came back and it sounded like it was getting closer.
"We don't have time for debates! The monster's upon us!" Rarity screeched.
Rabbit quickly looked through all the landmarks on the map, trying to get an idea of where they were and where they should go.
"Well,...there." He pointed to the center. "Anyone with half a set of smarts can see we lose the beast by cutting across this lovely meadow."
"A meadow? Thank goodness, I thought the woods would never end." Spike said.
"Welp, guess that's are only option." Applejack said.
"Oh, yes. Finally somewhere nice and relaxing." Rarity added.
Much to the disbelief and discomfort of the others, the “meadow” was nothing more than a thick forest filled with spike-covered tree limbs and roots. Crows flocked about and the ground was littered with carnivorous plants.
"And a lovely meadow it is." Rabbit carefully stepped around the spikes.
"Rabbit, dear, I don't see a meadow anywhere." Rarity hissed between her teeth.
"Oh, I'm sure this going to be a redeeming factor about this place." Rabbit said uneasily.
He looked over and spotted something.
"Oh, why look." He gasped. "Is that a golden dahlia-daffodilus? Rare for this location."
The plants slammed its razor-sharp mouth closed with a snap. Rabbit gave a distraught frown while Rarity fainted at the horrid sight.
"What exactly is this location, Rabbit? And might it be nearer Christopher Robin than farther?" Pooh asked, helping piglet up the branches.
"Yeah, you said this a "lovely meadow” Ow!" Rainbow yelped as a spiked branch poked her in the side.
"Why, we're right here, on course, of course. Where else w-would we be?" Rabbit reassured.
Crows cried out from high above.
"Owl where are we?" Rabbit looked at the map. "Nice Peeceful Spot!" Ha! Indeed!"
Piglet carefully made his way through the dastardly foliage. Every so often, however, he would get poked by one of the spikes on the branches.
"Oh, d-d-dear. This is not the place for a small and frightfully fearful animal...such as myself." He whimpered to himself.
"Or myself." Tigger added as he crawled through the spikes. "Or himself."
"Thanks for noticing." Eeyore muttered, crawling under the sharpened trunks.
Pinkie sat on her belly behind him.
"Isn't this fun, Eeyore, buddy?" Pinkie asked excitedly.
"What's so fun about this?" The donkey asked.
"Nothing beats playing adventurer." She giggled.
Meanwhile, Applejack was carefully pulling some of Fluttershy's mane out of the spiked branches.
"There ya go, Fluttershy." Applejack said as just got the last of the pink strands out of the branches.
"Thanks, Applejack." Fluttershy said quietly.
"Anytime, sugarcube." The country mare said.
"Rabbit, are you sure you know where this map is supposed to take us?" Twilight pushed the branches away with her magic.
"Yes, well, uh precisely why I chose it." Rabbit assured uneasily. "No Skullasarus would dare follow us here."
As if to prove the bunny wrong, the familiar distant growling could be heard. Rabbit's ears curled up and flattened dramatically.
"You were saying." Rainbow called out.
Piglet, on the other hand, panicked and ran into a thicker portion of the branches, screaming in fear.
"Piglet! Come back! I can't lose you, too." Pooh cried, trying to fit through the opening amongst the branches.
Piglet ran farther and farther through the foliage. His friends desperately called out his name, but Piglet was too scared for his life to listen. He ran across a log bridge that pushed out of the spiky prison. When Piglet finally stopped to catch his breath, he realized where he was.
Piglet found himself in a lush valley surrounded by tall mountains. A stream cut through the bright grass and flowers of all kinds painted the ground with beautiful reds, purples, and blues. The young pig smiled, taking the colorful sight. He skipped on top of rocks and slid down a hollow log. He found a bush covered in bright, blue flowers. Piglet took a big whiff, but one of the flowers got caught against his face. As it turned out, the flower was actually a butterfly. The insect squeaked and flew around Piglet. He chuckled as the butterfly took a hold of his shirt and pulled upwards.
"Oh, my, my." Piglet heard Pooh's voice. He turned to see the others making their way across the riverbanks. "I believe you've made a friend, Piglet."
"I believe you're right, Pooh." Piglet giggled with delight.
"Oh, hello little guy." Fluttershy said softly to the butterfly.
Both pegasus and bear watch the butterfly pull on Piglet's shirt. The elegant insect soon tuckered out and faltered. It whistled and gestured with it's wing for his friends to help. Soon enough, another butterfly flew from the branch and clung onto Piglet.
"And another, it seems." Pooh said.
More butterflies flew toward Piglet.
"And also that one." Pooh added.
"They're all coming." Fluttershy said.
"And that one, too,...as well. And he, or her. And her, and him. And they, and them." Pooh said.
In no time at all, all of the butterflies were clinging onto Piglet.
"Well ain't that somethin." Applejack said with interest.
"Face it, Piglet, old pal, you're just plain popular." Tigger said.
"Some piglets have it,...some donkeys don't." Eeyore croaked in depression.
"Well, not with that attitude. Just stick with me, Eeyore and you'll be more popular than Princess Celestia herself." Pinkie threw a hoof over Eeyore's shoulders. The donkey just sighed.
Like magic, the butterflies lifted Piglet right off the ground. The others looked on in wonder.
"Consider yourself 20% cooler now, buddy." Rainbow said flying up to Piglet.
"Why, I believe, Piglet, they want to take you home with them." Pooh said.
"It's very kind of them, I'm sure, but I already have a home." Piglet chuckled.
Higher and higher the butterflies took Piglet into the sky. Piglet realized this and panicked.
"Oh, d-d-dear." Piglet covered his eyes.
"Piglet. Don't leave." Pooh clambered up the remains of a dead tree.
"I would if I could, but I can't." Piglet cried.
"Where are they taking him?" Rainbow flew after the butterfly horde.
"Shoo, go away, all of you." She tried shooing away the incests.
"Don't do that! Piglet will fall f all the butterflies left!" Twilight yelled emphatically.
"Oh, right." The speedy pegasus realized.
"Jump, Piglet. We'll catch you, likely as not." Tigger shouted optimistically.
"I would if I could, But they won't let me." Piglet cried out.
"Perhaps you can ask your friends to bring you back." Pooh called out.
"Why, yes." Piglet squawked. "But I don't know which way back is."
"It's down here. Look." Pooh chuckled.
"Yeah, just look down." Spike said. "Wait..."
Piglet tried in vain to lift his hands from and his eyes, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.
"I'm afraid I'm too afraid to look." Piglet said sadly.
Fluttershy took action and flew up to the team of butterflies.
"Um, excuse me,...Mr. Butterfly. Could you, maybe, take Piglet down to the ground please? If you could." She asked.
The butterfly shook his head and they all sailed away from the butter-yellow pegasus.
"Oh, if only Christopher Robin was here." Piglet whimpered.
Pooh's eyes widened. He remembered the conversation he had with Christopher Robin the day before he disappeared.
"Christopher Robin." Pooh said with a smile. He set the honey jar on the tree. "Piglet, that's it. He said all I have to do is remember that you are...bigger than a big leaf."
That wasn't right. Pooh struggled to remember what Christopher Robin told him.
"What?" Twilight asked in confusion.
"No, it wasn't that. I mean, uh, bolder when you're not green. Or..." The bear strained to recount his memory. "Is any of this making you feel any less afraid, Piglet?"
"I'm afraid not, Pooh." Piglet swayed all over the place.
"What are you trying to remember, Pooh?" Rarity asked.
"Oh, Christopher Robin told about some things before he went missing. But, I can't remember what he said." Pooh said. "Oh, bother. Hm. How to get a piglet down who is very...up."
As Pooh brainstormed for other ideas, the butterflies flew low enough for Piglet's foot to snag Pooh's shirt. Pooh was dragged into the air leaving the branch to teeter. Tigger noticed the honey jar was about to fall. Just before it could hit the ground, Tigger grabbed it just in time and slammed into a flowerbed.
"Well, that's not good." Spike eyed the airborne bear and piglet.
"Now what do we do?" Rainbow wondered aloud.
"Oh, bother." Pooh held onto Piglet's leg.
"Oh, e-excuse me, b-but is that you, Pooh?" Piglet asked, his eyes were still covered.
"Yes, Piglet, it is." Pooh confirmed.
"Don't worry, y'all. We'll think of somethin' to get you two down." Applejack hollered.
Pooh began to notice that some of the butterflies were beginning to disperse.
"Might we be coming down soon?" Piglet asked desperately.
More butterflies separated from Piglet until there were only two left.
"I believe so, Piglet." Pooh replied.
"Uh, how soon?" Piglet asked.
"Very." Pooh said flatly.
"Oh, no." Twilight grimaced.
The two remaining butterflies couldn't hold the weight any longer. Pooh and Piglet dropped to the ground. Rabbit was unaware of the situation as was too busy thoroughly looking at the map.
"Rabbit! Look out!" The alicorn shouted.
Rabbit noticed the shadows casting over him. He looked up, but before he could anything other than shriek in surprise, Pooh and Piglet landed right on top of him.
"Are you two alright?" Rarity ran up to them.
"I-I think so." Piglet stammered.
"That's throwin' your weight around, Buddy Bear." Tigger came up to them, hoisting them up. "Imagine, being outnumbered by those buggy boys a zillion to one. What a guy."
"Uhm, right." Rarity said.
The unicorn noticed something was pushing up against the flowerbed. Out came Rabbit, backside first. He shook the petals off of himself.
"Are you okay, darling?" Rarity asked in concern.
"Haha. Brave indeed." Rabbit said in a daze. "Now if you don't mind, Chrustopher Ribbon, Ristopher Crobbin, Rustopher Crobbin..."
Rabbit stumbled over to the group.
"...is this way." He finished.
"Walk it off, Bud." Rainbow put a hoof on his shoulder.
Rabbit shuffled away. The rest of the gang, minus Piglet, followed after. Pooh noticed Piglet was following. He turned to see his best friend with his head down. Piglet was sad about something. Twilight noticed too and walked over to him.
"Is something wrong, Piglet." She asked softly.
Piglet struggled to come up with a response.
"Are you all right, Piglet?" Pooh walked up to the two.
"Yes, Pooh. Thank you." Piglet finally said. "Saving me was very brave of you."
A butterfly landed on Piglet's ear.
"But you're brave, too, Piglet." Pooh said grabbing Piglet's hand. "Braver than...something."
"Braver than you maybe." Twilight teased.
Pooh let the butterfly walk on his hand. He then put on a nearby flower.
"Oh, Christopher Robin said something about being braver than something." Pooh stated.
"I am?" Piglet asked "Oh, what thing is that?"
"I'm not sure, Piglet." Pooh shook his head.
"Do you mean "something" as a place or thing or "something as a concept?" Twilight asked.
"Uhm..." Pooh tried very hard to recall the memory.
"You know what, don't feel the need to answer that." Twilight affirmed. "Whatever it is I'm sire it will come back to you."
"Oh, if only I could remember." Pooh said.
"Those kinds of things always seem to leave you when you need it most." Twilight chuckled. "Trust me. I know what that's like."
"I hope I can remember though." Pooh said.
"I know you will, Pooh." Twilight reassured.
With that, the three went after the others. Leaving the butterfly to rest on the flower.
To be continued