//------------------------------//
// #7-Snaptrap's Amazing Trap 
// Story: Twilight Sparkle: Masked Matterhorn 
// by Royal Pony Dude 
//------------------------------//

"Welcome to Superhero 101, where the street is your classroom, and books are replaced with on job training," Matterhorn said she and her new pals, Zapp and Radiance were battling Salamander. 

Salamander lunged at her, but Zapp kicked him at the chest as Radiance followed with a spin kick to the face. 

"That's good, because I'm more of hands-on kind of gal. That's sucked." 

"It works better if you use them," Radiance said to her as she dodges Salamander's tail strike and punch him. 

"As if one do-gooder was bad enough, now there is three," Salamander complained then fire a laser from his tail which they avoided. 

"You own the old saying, three heads are better than one." 

Matterhorn fired an electric beam at Salamander causing to him to feel the voltage then Radiance kicks him at his midsection.   

"You know, darling, that joke was horrible," Radiance said then avoided a quick punch by Salamander.  "Have you ever stopped a bad guy with comedy?" 

Then Matterhorn did an ice blast and froze his arms on the ground.  

"No, but there's a first time for everything." 

"Yeah, like these bad boys," Zapp showed the gauntlets and fired a small electric blast, but it missed. "The gauntlets work, but I really need to work on the aim. You had aiming problems when you started." 

"That was three months ago." 

Salamander broke free of the ice then fire a laser at them, but Matterhorn blocked with a magic shield then grabbed she grabs him by the tail and slammed him on the ground. 

"I'm not exactly what you veteran. " 

"Well, you're a great teacher. You have most experience with this. And they're not a lot of options," Radiance implied. 

"I'm flattered?" Matterhorn raised an eyebrow. 

"Do you even shut the hell up!?" Salamander snapped then his earpiece beeped. "Copy that. Moving into phase two." 

He grabbed a mailbox and threw it over their heads then ran away from. 

"Catch me if you can, losers!" He laughed. 

"Oh, where do you think you're going," Zapp exclaimed. 

"Something's not right."

All three girls chased after him. 

"Is it that Danger thing?" Zapp asked. 

"It's called Danger Radar," Matterhorn corrected. "And no, this more of a gut feeling." 

"You gut, do you mind, we're ladies," Radiance huffed. 

"What mean is, I fought Salamander plenty of times and he's more of a gloat about his evil plans  bad guy and he hasn't mentioned what he's up to." 

Then all three corner him at Canterlot Sqaure. 

"We were in a middle of a conversation, and you ran off. So rude," Matterhorn froze him in a block of ice. 

"Joke all you," Salamander said as one of the billboards came on. "My job's already done." 

Over the years, I've roamed the jungles of the world, stalking the most dangerous creatures alive. 

"Oh shit, Snaptrap's Amazing Trap, is on. It's my favorite show." 

 But today, I've come to the asphalt jungle to hunt something different.  The feed shows the three ladies. 

"Hey, look we're on TV." 

"We're on TV. As thousands of people are watching," Radiance said then did a pose. "This my good side, people of Canterlot." 

 The most vicious  prey. The menace known as Masked Matterhorn.  

She looks across a building to see Snaptrap aiming his laser rifle. 

"You might want to pick a new favorite show." 

"Last words, Matterhorn," Snaptrap said then notice Radiance and Zapp. "There's three." 

"Thanks a lot," Matterhorn rolled her eyes. 

"What? These reality shows are all fake anyway," Zapp said. 

Snaptrap fired darts at them forcing them to scatter then his earpiece beeped. 

"I told you not to call me when we're live. You want all three? My pleasure." 

"Tranq darts?" Matterhorn picked one of the scanned them with her goggles. "So maybe he's not trying to kill us on live TV." 

"He takes his prey home and does it there. But it's all show for the cameras, right?" Zapp asked. 

"Something tells he's more reality and less about show," Matterhorn said then run to avoid more darts being fired. 

Meanwhile at Sweet Apple Acres.... 

"Hey sis, look. Matterhorn's is on Snaptrap's Amazing Trap," Apple Bloom said to Applejack who just walked in. "Who are those two?" 

Then Applejack gulped knowing that Rainbow and Rarity are superheroes. "I think their names were Zapp and Radiance. You know the ones that Scottaloo and Sweetie Bell from a week ago." 

Back in the city... 

"Salamander must've been a setup," Matterhorn said. 

"He was the bait. And we took it hook, line and sinker," Zapp added. 

"Uh, darlings, we still live," Radiance mentioned. 

"Then we better get out of here and come up with a plan to give Mr. Reality, a reality check." 

The girls head to 5th Avene, then suddenly Zapp crossed a red laser then came out a sentry and it fired a green goo at her. 

"Shit! I forgot that Snaptrap studies his prey patterns and then sets traps for his behavior. Which means he totally knows everything we're gonna do!" Zapp exclaimed as she tried to avoid the goo. 

"Wait, what?" Matterhorn asked they snuck into alley way. "You're saying that he'd booby trap all of Canterlot City." 

"Yeah, pretty cool right?" 

"Are not the least concerned that a manic is hunting us?" Radiance gave her stoned looked. 

"Sure. But he has to catch us first." 

"Only matter of time, lassie," Snaptrap while riding his gilder. "Preferably 22 minutes, not counting commercials."  

Then he laser shots from his rifle making the three to avoided them. 

"One thing, I'm so burn all the Snaptrap merch." 

At the Simon Tech Tower... 

"Worth every penny," Caleb said as he watches the show as well. "Oh, Gunther." 

"What is it?" 

"My latest plan to capturing the heroes. Since my Destroyer wasn't able retrieve the geode holders. I figured why not hire the world's greatest hunter. Only instead taking them to his mount he'll deliver them to me for experimenting." 

"And agreed to this willingly?"   

"Snaptrap may be a hunter, but's he also businessman, and they are always looking for Finacial backing. Something I was happy to contribute to. 

Meanwhile...

"Look at them. The natural enhance human in their environment," Snaptrap said as keeping firing shots at Matterhorn and the others. "Amazing. But don't loyal viewers. My rifle has taken down the rhinos. This won't be a problem." 

"Well look on the bright side, at you're getting some hero practice in," Matterhorn said. 

"Only you can find the bright side of this," Radiance said as the three took shelter then Zapp's Danger Radar. 

"Whoah, Danger Radar is going off, but I don't know where it's coming from?" Zapp wondered. 

On cue, a net fired right behind them. 

"Net! 4 o'clock!" Zapp screamed as she and Matterhorn got out the way, but the net caught Radiance and started to scream when the net zap her. 

"Rads!" Zapp tried to get but Snaptrap pinned both her and Matterhorn. 

"Go ahead, save comrade , I dare you." Snaptrap said as went down then armed his spear and went after Matterhorn which allow Zapp to sneak by and free Radiance from the net. 

"I have an idea, follow my lead," Radiance said. 

"Right." 

Radiance did a diamond blast and hit Snaptrap from behind then Zapp followed up with electric kick which made him go down to ground. 

"Nice going," Matterhorn cheered then follow until they were miles away from Snaptrap. 

"That was amazing."

"I know, still surprised I can do that." 

"Not that, you two may have figured a way to beat Snaptrap." 

"We did?" 

Matterhorn led the two to a sewer hole. 

"He studied my patterns, but you two are new to the whole superhero thing, you don't even have any patterns." 

"So, us, being noobs is a good thing?" Zapp asked. 

"In this situation, yes. We need to be unpredictable to beat Snaptrap. Where's is one place we never go." 

"A country club?" 

"I was thinking the sewer." 

"The sewers. Gross," Radiance shuddered as Matterhorn open the manhole and three enter. "I stand by my oringal thought it." 

"There's no way, Snaptrap set trap down here because I never use the sewers." 

"Unless..." 

"Unless what?" 

"On the show, Snaptrap also tries to predict what back plan his target might use." 

"Like going underground." 

Then out of nowhere an energy cage came on and trap them with Snaptrap being on top. 

"Aha! The hunt is over! I have won. But we expected that, didn't we?" 

Zapp touch the bar, but it mildly shocked her due to the electricity in her body. 

"No use in struggling. That cage is made from electrified titanium alloy three times stronger than steel. Proudly made by Cage Industries. Available in select hunting sites.  And now the branding iron."

"Come again?" Matterhorn asked. 

"The branding ceremony. It basically means the ultimate humiliation before getting ship off to the museum." 

"Your knowledge of the show is becoming a pain in the ass." 

"Sorry." 

"I have defeated many jungle animals, but today I am victor of a differnt breed of creature. Let all who upon them see that were brought down by Snaptrap." 

"Hero lesson. If bad guys go to blab, disenge the cage," Matterhorn said then shot down his cage remote which free them just Zapp kicked him back.  

"Nobody escapes Snaptrap!" 

Zapp fire an electro blast at Snaptrap's rifle which made shot up and burst a steam pipe and hot steam came down on him." 

"Nice shot!" 

"I'm a quick study." 

"And here's a lesson in ice crafting!" 

Matterhorn did an ice blast which froze him solid then Radiance places some symbols on a six-pointed star, a lightning bolt, and diamond. 

"With a little branding of our own," Radiance smiled. 

"What the matter, Snappy. The episode is not going to the script." 

"Later hater." 

All three of them left him just he broke out. 

"Turn off the camera now!" 





"What is the asshole doing," Caleb exclaimed seeing the live feed go off. "This was not part of the deal." 





"I think the Snaptrap show is officially cancel," Matterhorn prodly said. 

"It's cool, Extreme BMX is my second fav," Zapp said. 

The ground exploded as the three back away from it. 

"Uh oh, I think we may tick him off," Radiance gulped seeing an angered Snaptrap. 

"You expect to make a fool of me and get away with it? For centuries my family has been the deadliest of hunters.  But now my rage goes beyond that, and so you will endure a slow and painful death that suited for the televison." 

He shot his video drone then fired darts which followed them. 

"Have to admit I've never seen these types of darts before," Zapp said as tried to avoid them. "And I sign up to their exclusive membership that shows  BTS (No the band BTS, Behind the scenes) stuff." 

"Those are heatseeking darts," Matterhorn said then hid behind a hot dog cart and due to the cart produce more the dart puncture the cart. "Head for a heat source." 

Zapp shot them down with electric blast as Radiance tried to find a heat source but couldn't find one. 

"You have to be kidding me," Radiance exclaimed as a toxic dart hit her. 

Both Zapp and Matterhorn went but Snaptrap got the drop on them and rope them the two together. 

"Snug as the Moroccan wool rug. But let us make it a light tighter, shall we?" He increased the strength of the rope make them feel the tightness.  

"What did you... do... to her you jackass!?" 

"That was a venomous fear dart that hit your friends, extracted from the African cobra," Snaptrap said as approached Radiance with her freaking out. "It will not only frighten her. But it treated, scare her to death. The more you struggle, the faster the venom will seep into bloodstream. 

"Stay back! Stay back!" Radiance said then suddenly she vanished out of sight which surprised him.

"What the... where'd she go?" Snaptrap asked.  

"You're asking us?" Zapp said as she and Matterhorn broke free then knocked down Snaptrap and went to look for Radiance.  

"No way she could've gone that far," Matterhorn said. "Maybe thermal mode can help." 

Matterhorn switch to thermal mode on her goggles and got Radiance's body heat as she was behind a car. 

"There!"  

"Okay how in the hell did she do that?" Zapp asked her. 

"Don't know, she must've had some camouflage power we didn't know," Matterhorn carried her then she and Zapp left as Snaptrap got back up seeing them flee. 

... 

"Radiance, calm down," Matterhorn said to her. 

"It's only a terrifying monster," Radiance quivered. 

"No, I'm not a monster, Rarity. I actually Twilight Sparkle," Matterhorn said. 

"Wait what," Radiance as she calm down still unsure of what's going on even Zapp was stunned. 

"Yes, it's me," Matterhorn drop her mask. "I'm the Masked Matterhorn." 

"Okay, this getting nuts." 

"I know it is a lot to take in but relax so the venom doesn't spread through your bloodstream," Twilight told her. 

"Okay, taking deep breaths," Radiance did so. "It made me see things, that I did not want to see." 

"Yes, but you know what else it did. It unleashed a power you didn't even have. Cloaking. Come on. Rainbow Dash got electric powers, and you have invisibility. Now I envy both of you." 

"Wait a minute how do my secret identity and Her's?" She asked her. 

"I read the newspaper of the Canterlot Weekly and what you guys did at Canterlot High." 

"So, what about Snaptrap?" 

"You get Rarity to the hospital while go after him," Twilight as she put back on her mask.  

"We have to come with you. He's not going to stop until destroys you," Rainbow said. 

"For once, I agree with her. He could be literally anywhere," Rarity agreed until they heard an explosion. 

"Or be at the Canterlot Park Zoo!"

"Then what are we waiting for! Let's got, I just got my second wind in me." 

"You need to rest. Part of being a hero is knowing when to fight and when to heal. There are times where we get to work as team and times where you have to finish on your own."

At the zoo, Snaptrap tied up the zookeep and put her straight in the lion's den. 

"Sorry. lunchtime's over," Matterhorn kicked the lion into the cave then used her magic to slam the cage shut as the lion roared. "Sorry, don't speak lion." 

Matterhorn untied the zookeeper as she run out of there. 

"Uh, your welcome," Matterhorn sternly said. 

"I don't know what I like better, Matterhorn, that you took the bait or that you are the bait," Snaptrap smirked from his hoverboard as two lions approached her. "Feeding time, my kitties!" 

"You could've made an army of penguins, huh?" She asked. 

"Attack!" 

"Here has a seat!" 

Matterhorn threw the chair at the first lion then dodged the second lion's pounce. 

"This is the worst petting I've ever been to!" 

Matterhorn used her magic on the second lion and threw back in his cage. 

"Sorry, it's for your own good. I'm not lying." 

Matterhorn slowly back away from the lion. 

"Who's good kitty?" Matterhorn gulped then had idea. "Lions are just cats. And no cats can resist ball or yarns, or magic balls." 

She tossed into the cage which the animal walked into then she shut the cage. 

"And what's with the growling, I love animals. Snaptrap's the hunter." 

"Because they recognize the true king of the jungle. And so will you!" 

Snaptrap armed his spear then hopped off the hoverboard straight to Matterhorn, but Black Hawk arrived and did a sonic scream which sent the hunter back and made unconscious from the impact. 

"Caleb Simon? You saved me?" Matterhorn asked seeing him. 

"Saved  isn't the word I would use," he told her. 

Then Black Hawk came from behind and use Snaptrap's spear to stun her making Matterhorn collapsed. 

Moments later... 

"That was shocking," Matterhorn groaned as she came around, she herself and Snaptrap strapped up. 

"Struggle all you want, my matter friend. Those electro magnetic restraints can hold man or beast," Caleb said then turn to Snaptrap. "We have deal, Snaptrap. I bankroll your little show in exchange for the geode holders. But veered from the plan. And nobody disobey Caleb Simon." 

As he was talking, Matterhorn noticed that Zapp and Radaince enter the room through the ducks. 

"My honor is more importnat than your money, Simon. And she has disgraced me!" Snaptrap snarled at him

"Well, lucky, Matterhorn is going to enjoy these next few moments," Caleb told him. "It didn't have to come to this, Masked Matterhorn. I ask you to be friend, but you refused. So now I have to do things the hard way." 

Black Hawk handed him a blood extractor. 

"You are quite an intersing specimen. At first, I thought you were an anomaly. A freak in fact. And then two more show, and concern were confirmed. A superhuman army is it on way isn't it." 

"I have an no idea what you're talking about," Matterhorn replied. 

"Sure, you don't, but I don't need you to understand. I just need to be dissected." 

"I have I mention that needles freak me out and sometimes I want to disappear where no can see me," Matterhorn implied as Radiance made herself invisible and Zapp took cover. 

"Your cowardice disgusts me." 

"I'm surprised, Matterhorn. If your blood runs yellow, maybe I don't want it after all. On second thought I do." 

Then out of nowhere small blast of electricity shot the needle down.  

"What the..." Caleb exclaimed as Black Hawk went to investigate. 

"Bet you didn't see that coming," Zapp's voice was heard just Radiance surprise Black Hawk with a kick. 

"Whoever you are, be careful. Don't make the same mistake, Matterhorn did.' Join me and I promise you'll won't regret it."

Zapp came from behind a did a takedown move on Caleb. 

"Sorry, I'm good," She said to him. 

"Got you," Black Hawk said before doing multiple sonic screams then Radiance hit him at the chest.  

"Nice moves, I can't tell if your hawk or a chicken," She joked as Zapp fried the restraints on Matterhorn. 

"Hey Bird Brain! I'm over here! Take your best shot!" Zapp was near the condenser then jumped out of the way as Black Hawk did a sonic scream but blew a hole in it. 

"You fool! You rupture the hydrometric condenser! Get me out of here before this lab explodes," Caleb ordered Black Hawk then got carried by him and flew out of there. 

"Should follow suit?" Radiance asked. 

"Hold on," Matterhorn looked over to see Snaptrap. 

"Matters, what are you doing? He tried to kill us, remember," Zapp reminded her. 

"Another hero rule; Just because bad guys try to kill us, doesn't mean we do the same," Matterhorn said then went over to Snaptrap. 

"Leave me to perish! I failed and deserved to die!" Snaptrap pleaded.

"Get over it, Snaptrap. You've spent so much time with nature you forgot than part of bein human is picking yourself up when you fail. That's reailty. Too bad your viewers can't see that." 

"And for the record , I'm deleting your show from DVR," Zapp said as she free him then the whole place started to crumble. "Yeah, we should bolt. Hold on, what hell happen to Snaptrap." 

"Look likes he had same idea," Radiance said seeing him leave. "Should we follow him?" 

"No. Nobody got hurt this time. but he crosses the line, we know where to find him," Matterhorn said as they left as the lab went boom. 

Much later... 

"So that was a pretty terrifying training session, huh?" 

"Are you kidding, it was blast!"

"And that shows that even fear can be strength." 

"Yeah, and thanks for showing the ropes. You're teacher and a friend. Your secret safe with us." 

"And don't worry, your secrets safe with me, and just record, no one can find about it."

"We know how to keep a good secrets."