Rainbow Dash descended from the clouds, landing with a thud in front of the concealed Twilight and Fluttershy. Her expression was stern, her gaze fixed intently on the purple unicorn. "No magic, huh!?" she cried with frustration.
Twilight said nothing in return, trapped in thought and letting the silence hang in the air.
"Rainbow, That was…that was…" Fluttershy muttered.
"Yeah, I know," Rainbow Dash interjected harshly before softening her tone. "Which means Twilight was wrong about her having magic."
Twilight finally spoke up. "No, I wasn't." Rainbow Dash arched a brow, prompting her to continue. "It's not her magic," Twilight continued, "it's Discord’s."
"Come again?" Rainbow Dash asked bitterly.
"It's Discord's magic!" Twilight reiterated. "That claw that saved her didn't just look like his, it was his."
Rainbow Dash let out a groan of frustration. "Is she Discord or not?!"
"She's not, she's not!" Twilight assured, her hooves raised in a placating gesture. "He's...inside her."
Silence reigned as the two pegasi regarded Twilight with bewildered expressions. Then, with a snicker and a smirk, Rainbow Dash chimed, "That's what she said!"
Twilight fixed the rainbow-maned mare with a pointed stare, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Magically! I mean, his magic, and by extension his soul, is inside her!"
"So he's possessing her...?" Rainbow Dash trailed off before her eyes suddenly widened with realization. "Like Daring Doo and the Idol of the Hecatoncheires!"
Twilight's brow furrowed in confusion before the connection clicked. "Like Daring Doo and the Idol of the Hecatoncheires! Yes, exactly!"
"Like…Daring Doo and the Idol of…who???" Fluttershy asked, confused
RainbowDash took upon the mantle of enlightening the timid mare. "Daring Doo and the Idol of the Hecatoncheires. Daring tracks down this mysterious temple that Dr. Caballeron has been searching for and, she finds the Idol of the Hecaroncheires."
"The Idol contained the soul of their dead king," Twilight interrupted. "He was dying and had to abandon his original body. Over centuries he was gathering enough magic to revive himself while hiding away."
Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and huffed."I was explaining it!"
"You were going to retell the whole book," Twilight countered.
"No…" Rainbow Dash replied bashfully. "Yes…it's a good book, Fluttershy."
"I'll add it to my list," Fluttershy politely said. Her brow furrowed and she asked, "So if that's Discord’s plan, how do we stop it?"
Twilight's expression turned clinical. "We remove his soul from her body," she stated matter-of-factly. "Which is easier said than done."
Fluttershy frowned. "That sounds…deadly."
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure people need their souls, Twilight," Rainbow Dash chimed in, her tone tinged with a hint of sarcasm.
"Well luckily for our friend, she's got two," Twilight said. "The law of self-reflection states that magic is the manifestation of a soul. I know what both their magics feel like, and they're completely different. Discord’s soul no doubt rests inside Dizzy, he must be using her as a way to regain strength in secret."
Rainbow Dash couldn't resist a mocking jab. "Too bad he had to save her flank and reveal himself!"
Twilight nodded in agreement. "It's going to take me quite possibly weeks of study in Canterlot to devise a proper spell. So, for now, we continue as normal—let's not tip Discord off that we know he's there."
Rainbow Dash's expression brightened, a mischievous glint sparking in her magenta eyes. "Can I take Dizzy next, then?"
Twilight considered the request, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Sure, and take your time to think up something good."
Rainbow Dash saluted sharply, her wings flaring with eagerness. "I only need a day."
Fluttershy watched the exchange, her concern never fully abating. While she trusted her friends' judgment, the prospect of tampering with a pony's very soul filled her with a sense of unease. Silently, she vowed to keep a watchful eye, ready to intervene should the situation grow too perilous, even if it would stop Discord.
Adam sat atop the guest room bed in Rarity's home, his gaze drifting towards the window as the encroaching darkness slowly consumed the land outside. The sun set, signaling the end of the day. He had spent the latter half of the day assisting Fast Pace in cleaning up Discord's chaotic aftermath at the Apple family's orchard, followed by some solitary reading in the library. Now, as he settled back into the familiar comforts of Rarity's guest room, he couldn't help but ponder his impact on his gracious hosts.
"Well, don't want to be too much of a burden on Rarity – already done enough today," he murmured, closing the book he had been perusing. A puzzled frown creased his brow. "Do they even have light bills here?"
Adam glanced out the window again and yawned. Adjusting to the circadian rhythm of a child's was strange—it felt demeaning, but at least it was easier to get a proper amount of sleep, a far cry from the haphazard slumber he had endured before.
He massaged the bandage that covered the wound on his leg. The irritating itch that emanated from the injury was a constant source of annoyance. That sticky stuff from the boards was hard to wash out.
"Dumb-ass Big Mac," Adam muttered in frustration. "Should've shown me how to distinguish the boards." He nearly started scratching, but was aware enough to stop—there was a reason dogs were given cones after all. With a final, impulsive slap to the afflicted area, he began his nightly routine: brushing his teeth, washing his face, and tidying the bed.
Once he was done, Adam nestled underneath the covers of the bed and awaited the embrace of sleep. But as he lay there, his mind refused to rest. Thoughts of home plagued his mind. Questions with unknowable answers, like ‘Did his parents know of his absence’ and others.
The thoughts filled Adam's mind endlessly. He may have had the body of a child, but his mind was still the same, and so he was trapped in the juxtaposition of a tired body and an active mind. He lay in the dark, futilely trying to sleep for half an hour until finally using a tried and true method for calming his mind.
It doesn't matter…he grimly thought in resignation. I left them all for this. Just…just forget that life Adam.
Repeating these thoughts like a mantra, he eventually found his sleep.
"Enhance!" Discord yelled from his podium at the center of the lecture hall. He was in the middle of a grand room, dressed as a professor, surrounded by his favorite people in school uniforms. They all had one goal, to investigate a peculiar sight Discord saw while Adam was with Big Mac. Upon the west wall was a screen displaying a slightly cloudy sky. Discord gestured dramatically at a cluster of out-of-place multi-colored pixels. "I said enhance!"
The operator next to him shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, sir, but it's from our perspective. We can't enhance it further."
"So! You're me!" Discord exclaimed, giving himself a sharp rap on the head. "Make it happen!"
"Oi, don't hit me!" came an indignant shout from across the lecture hall, where a multitude of Discord clones in various states of dress observed the proceedings.
"Yeah, ever heard of self-love!" Another one yelled.
With a snap of his fingers, Discord conjured a copy of his own claw, which promptly punched each of the clones, eliciting a chorus of pained yelps and forming large bumps on their heads. “No!” he said.
The screen operator rubbed his sore head. "Sir, you know we need that naive fool to get a clearer picture. We need his memories, not just our own perspective on them."
Discord huffed impatiently. "Well, do you have any way to get him unconscious? Without revealing ourselves, of course."
A Discord clone, in an anime schoolgirl outfit, raised his hand and the professor waved an annoyed paw to signal he could speak. "He's asleep right now, Discord-sama!" the clone announced excitedly.
Discord glanced at a nearby clock, but the hands had drooped down and were lying on the floor. "Oops," he said, snapping his fingers to fix the issue. The clock displayed 8:00 PM.
"I could've sworn he was an insomniac...oh well! No harm in trying." Discord snapped his fingers again, and a portal appeared before him. "Well, well, well, you get a gold star, Discord-chan!" he said, beaming at the schoolgirl-clad clone.
"Yes!" the clone cheered, while the other Discords grumbled in jealousy.
"Now then, come here little Merkur," Discord said as he reached blindly into the portal, searching for his target. He pulled out several useless objects—a potted plant, a rubber duck, a pair of novelty socks—until finally grasping what he assumed was Adam.
Through the portal emerged Adam in his draconequus form, his body now dull and lifeless, and a dead, glossed-over look in his eyes. "Ooh," Discord winced, "having trouble with your sense of self, are we?" Discord cracked his knuckles menacingly, winding up for a punch. But just as his taloned fist dove towards Adam's face, it transformed into a splash of lemonade, drenching the helpless filly.
Immediately, color flooded back into Adam's body and he inhaled sharply, as if emerging from the depths of the ocean. "Again!" he yelled furiously. "I'm going to fucking kill you—" Adam abruptly cut himself off, finally taking stock of his surroundings and the sea of Discord clones that filled the lecture hall.
"Hello!" Every Discord greeted in unison. "You're going to kill who?"
The room fell silent as they waited for a response. Adam remained motionless, his eyes darting frantically between the rows upon rows of Discords, his mind clearly struggling to process the bizarre sight before him.
Discord smiled, not having planned such a reaction but delighted by it nonetheless. He slowly crept up behind the bewildered draconequus, relishing the opportunity to milk the situation for all its worth. With far too much enthusiasm, Discord grabbed Adam by the shoulders, wrenched his head around to stare directly into his eyes, and yelled, “BOO!”
To Discord's disappointment, Adam did nothing but tremble. He held his pose, waiting in vain for a more entertaining reaction. Just as he was about to give up, he felt something touch his feet. Glancing down, he was met with a rather unpleasant sight.
Well...there was certainly more lemonade now.
Every Discord in the room erupted into ravenous laughter. Discord had known that accidentally triggering one of Adam's fears would yield results, but not to this extent. While his clones cackled uproariously, the professor himself basked in the man's sheer terror, feasting upon the terror. "Alright, settle down my handsome 'quus's," he said once the laughter had subsided. "We have an investigation to finish!"
A visible crack ran down Adam's body, as if his very form was shattering like glass. The Discords all ceased their laughter in shock and fear.
"Don't you dare!" Discord bellowed, snapping his fingers. A blindfold materialized over Adam's eyes, and the crack on his body began to seal, repairing the damage. "I need you here! No waking up!"
Once Adam's form was fully restored, Discord asked, "You with us?"
"I-I-um...where am I?" Adam stammered, disoriented.
"In the matrix," Discord quipped. "That doesn't work. You're subconscious ."
Adam relaxed and said, "Thank god…"
"Eh, don't thank that guy. I'm adding this to my blackmail list," Discord said with a chuckle.
Adam flailed blindly in Discord's direction. "Don't you dare tell—" He stopped short, realization dawning. "Wait, you can't."
Discord chuckled, "You sure?"
"You wouldn't," Adam corrected.
"Pff, called my bluff," Discord grumbled.
Adam went to rub his eyes, only to encounter the blindfold. As he reached to remove it, Discord's magic held him back.
"I need to talk with you. Take that off and you wake up," Discord stated firmly.
"Good, because I want to," Adam retorted as he struggled against the telekinetic hold.
Annoyed, Discord snapped his fingers, and Adam's claws transformed into solid stone. "This is more important than your pride."
"Fuck you," Adam spat.
Ignoring the outburst, Discord tapped his head. "There, you can see now. Just ignore my friends, because I'm not removing them." He gestured to the image of the sky displayed on the west wall. "Now what do you see here?"
Adam looked at the screen, searching for anything before getting annoyed and saying, "The sky.”
Discord pushed the filly closer to the screen. "Look a little closer." He pointed to the patch of unexplained pixels. "Specifically, right there, please."
Adam squinted before looking back. "Dead pixels?"
"Perhaps. But I've got a feeling that it's a certain someone and I need your memories," Discord said.
"Do I even have a choice?" Adam asked, reaching up to touch the blindfold.
"Nope!" Discord announced, plunging his fist into Adam's head like a ghostly intruder.
Adam cringed at the numb, invasive sensation of Discord's arm rummaging through his mind, akin to the feeling of a root canal while still partially numbed. It took longer than he would've liked, but Discord finally pulled his arm out. In his hand was a sparkling, star-like light. "Hah! To think I wanted to learn from Luna!" He handed the light to the screen operator who consumed it.
"I didn't just forget that, did I?" Adam asked, holding his head as dizziness washed over him from Discord's intrusive memory extraction.
Discord responded with blatant sarcasm. "Do you remember what happened at the barn?"
"Yes…?" Adam asked, tentatively.
"Then no," Discord stated matter-of-factly. He turned to the screen and raised his arms dramatically. "Behold, my little fool! A perfect projection of your memory."
The assembled Discords erupted into cheers, one even crying out in sheer joy.
"It looks the same," Adam observed flatly.
"Yes, but now we can…" Discord became engulfed in a fiery aura and said with far too much grandiosity, "ENHANCE!"
Slowly, the projection zoomed in on the multicolored splotch, which expanded into a rainbow trail.
"Is that...?" Adam trailed off.
"Indeed it is," Discord confirmed. "Go forward a few frames," he whispered to the operator.
The rainbow swayed through the air, frame by frame, until it slid back to reveal a blue object attached to the end.
"That's Rainbow Dash's butt," Adam stated bluntly.
"Yes! In ultra high-definition!" Discord exclaimed gleefully.
"Perv," Adam mocked.
Discord brushed off the accusation. "Creative," he said dismissively, before beginning to pace in thought. "Now then, if you find a roach in your room, what else is there?"
When Adam could only offer a shrug in response, Discord sighed. "More roaches!" He pointed at Adam, slowly pulling his hand back and extracting a second memory, which the protesting filly was powerless to stop. Discord guided the memory to the eager screen operator, who promptly consumed it.
"Look at those disgusting little roaches!" Discord declared as he turned back to the screen.
On the screen was when Adam had gotten up after falling and looked around to get his bearings. The short scene looped before slowing to a stop "Enhance!" Discord ordered.
The screen zoomed in on a patch of bushes at the edge of the frame, where a lavender hoof could be seen sticking out along with a faint glow emanating from the same bush.
"Twilight Sparkle!" Discord announced. "Either about to check on you or retreating after realizing you're fine; I'm going with the latter. But thanks to your foolishness, she has no doubt seen me."
"And now they're more suspicious of me. So once again, you've made my life harder," Adam complained, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Discord teleported directly in front of the draconequus, looming over him with a look of pure rage. "This is your fault," he growled menacingly. "They're no doubt going to try to get rid of me now."
"Why should I care?" Adam retorted. "You've done nothing to help me, and you're every bit as awful as the ponies say you are."
Discord's eyes narrowed dangerously. "The only one here who has done nothing is you. I brought you into this world, I saved your life. You were going to kill yourself over a stupid test!" he spat. "How fragile must you be?"
Adam glanced away. "It wasn't because of the test."
Discord coiled around Adam like a scarf, his voice taking on a mocking, poetic tone. "Oh, but it is. It exemplifies the abject failure you are, and how you could never fulfill your oath as a Merkur."
"How...how do you know about that?" Adam questioned, bewildered.
"A merchant learns about the market," Discord said cryptically. "The night before you got the results, you so happily repeated that family oath to stay calm. 'To be a Merkur is to shine the brightest' or whatever."
With a theatrical flourish, Discord fell to the ground in a Shakespearean pose of despair. "Such a shame that you're the only dud." He rose and leaned in close, whispering venomously into Adam's ear, "But don't worry, Adam, I'll make you go down in history like you want."
"I-I see through your bullshit!" Adam yelled as he threw Discord off of him.
"I don't think you do, Mr. Merkur," Discord mocked. "You didn't before, you don't now, and you never will. You're nothing but a naive fool who deals with devils. Luckily for you, I'm a nice one."
Suddenly, the entirety of the room was plunged into darkness, and Discord disappeared. "Here's a warning, you help those ponies remove me, and I will take your soul with me."
To emphasize his point, a searing pain shot through Adam's chest, as if someone had driven knives into the right side.
"Tata!" Discord called out, and with an ambient, the blindfold was removed from Adam's eyes.
Adam blinked his eyes open, instantly met with the sensation of warm water cascading over his face. He shot upright, disoriented but finding himself in a familiar setting—Rarity's shower, of all places, being scrubbed clean.
"Ah, you're finally awake," a voice spoke up beside him. Adam turned to see Fast Pace watching him intently.
Adam was speechless. Fast Pace glanced away, an uncomfortable expression crossing his features. "You, uh...you wet the bed and wouldn't wake up," he explained, the words stumbling out awkwardly.
Seated at her desk in the Ponyville weather station, Rainbow Dash furrowed her brow in concentration as she compiled a list of supplies for her upcoming trial. As the second manager, she should have been spending these early morning hours orchestrating schedules and addressing customer requests. Instead, she was overtly planning her own agenda, three days with Dizzy.
Twilight had forgotten a crucial detail within the Daring Doo story that Rainbow Dash remembered—the King needed a new living vessel. That limitation granted Daring time to plan, and it was abundantly clear to Rainbow Dash that Dizzy was intended to be Discord's replacement. Their timeline was distressingly short; Discord needed to be dealt with immediately.
Rainbow Dash's solution was a camping trip to the Everfree Forest. She would pitch the venture to Twilight as an opportunity to test Dizzy's loyalty and obedience. Of course, Twilight would object, but Rainbow would ease her concerns by assuring her they would remain far from the forest's darkest depths.
Her musings were interrupted as a nearby clock chimed twice, signaling the start of the day's weather duties and the end of her procrastination.
The Everfree Forest teemed with untamed, ever-changing life, embodying the raw essence of nature. Yet since its discovery, the forest had long been perceived as a blight by the neighboring ponies. They had recently launched an incursion to subdue the chaos within, their efforts resulting in a devastating loss of life—leaving but a single survivor.
The lone creature tore a chunk of decaying wood from a fallen tree, only to gag and spit it out in disgust at the putrid taste. Need fresh wood! it thought desperately. If it were to enact vengeance upon the ponies, it would first need to regain its strength.
The ponies were a formidable adversary, a fact well understood by this creature's kind. A longstanding, unspoken agreement had emerged over time—they would stay out of pony territory, and in turn, the ponies would refrain from sending their mightiest warriors to hunt them. This fragile ‘peace’ had endured for generations, with only minor transgressions occurring; the bloody wars of old, sparked by the ponies' initial arrival, now a distant memory.
Conflicts were typically resolved through intimidation, neither side willing to spill blood over mere inconveniences. But the ponies had grown increasingly unsatisfied with the lands outside the forest, encroaching ever deeper into its depths. Warnings had been issued, to no avail. The equines persisted, cleaving away the old game trails and transforming them into useless paths that made tracking prey far more difficult.
These transgressions had, of course, angered the forest's denizens. They no longer respected the ponies, viewing any they encountered as fair game. It was only after witnessing his brethren slain, and sustaining mortal wounds himself, that the lone survivor realized the foolishness of this mentality.
The creature limped through the forest, ears pricked and eyes darting warily - an easy target for any predator seeking a meal. For the past month, it had been skulking in the shadows, desperately searching for any fresh wood that could be easily consumed. Its jaw was splintered, a hind leg burned away, and its very soul cracked - all remnants of the brutal battle with the ponies.
Hatred now consumed the creature, a novel and consuming emotion it had never experienced before. There was disappointment and anger, certainly, but this creature had never needed hate. It was a feeling that clouded judgment, risking survival for the sake of eventual catharsis. Yet now, it was utterly consumed by it, especially the loathing it felt towards the purple pony. That equine had nearly killed it, leaving its soul in its current shattered state.
As the beast moved, it left a trail of viscous green fluid in its wake - the magic of its very soul leaking out through the brambled gash in its chest and onto the forest floor. Distracted and disoriented, it took a misstep onto a rock, stumbling and causing a section of its front leg to snap. A roar of anguish tore through the forest as it collapsed into a pool of its own magical essence.
The beast laid in agony, slowly acclimatizing to the pain. It whimpered as it knew what it must do. The creature closed its eyes and sank its teeth into the splintered leg. The agony was excruciating, but it needed to penetrate the break to infuse the remaining magic in its soul to facilitate hasty repair. An eternity passed as its damaged jaw strained to apply enough force. But slowly, mossy growth filled the break, and the pain in its leg faded—only to be replaced by a raging, painful fire burning within the core of its being.
I can't do this anymore! it cried out internally, straining to resist and accept the inevitability of its demise.
Once the healing was complete, the creature desperately limped to a nearby tree, sinking its teeth into the thick bark. But no matter how much the creature tried, it couldn't pierce the tree's bark and consume the holy flesh and nectar within. "Always a failure, runt!" echoed a taunting voice in its mind—the epithet the pack had bestowed upon it, a fitting title for one so ordained by the alpha as a disappointment.
Sap trickled from its eyes as the timberwolf lamented its inability to save its pack.
He and his timberwolf kin had been stalking new prey—a peculiar black and white equine that had taken up residence in the forest years prior. The intruder was a perpetual trespasser and was deemed worthy of being hunted for sustenance. They had attempted to claim the equine's life, but it proved a cunning trickster, evading them mere minutes into the chase through the use of strange magics.
The next time they encountered the creature, it was at its den. His brothers wished to uncover the secrets behind the equine's trickery, but they discovered something far more concerning—the black and white equine could communicate with the stone-clad alphas of the ponies—worrisome.
War was coming, they knew. The ponies would undoubtedly resume their aggressive hunts. The creature had not experienced one before, none of his kind had in generations, only knowing from the stories passed down.
And so they prepared. Every male and female, save for the honored mother and the young, were conscripted. They formed a company of twenty timberwolves, ready to assert their dominance over the ponies.
The wolves had a simple plan: the strong would form the frontline, while the weaker members would pick off any stragglers. He was among the weaker of the pack. They awaited the ponies' approach, eager to witness the opposing army enforce their might. The coming battle would be forever immortalized in timberwolf myths, like those of the past. The display of honor, tactics, and sheer willpower would inspire future generations to no longer fear the equines.
But when the ponies came, they came without honor. What he had seen was a clear declaration of dishonor upon his kin. The ponies had only sent three—three females.
A rustling in the bushes behind the wounded timberwolf alerted him to the presence of another predator, drawn by his anguished cries. Without hesitation, he mustered every ounce of strength in his three remaining legs and bolted, desperate to reach the safety of his pack's resting place. The familiar scent of his kin would ward off this new threat, as it had the others.
Faster and faster the wolf went, the risk of further injury ever increasing. His very soul rebelled against the movement, pulsing bolts of searing pain through his body. He could hear his pursuer growing ever closer outpacing the wolf's three legs. With one final warning step, the beast revealed itself. Time seemed to freeze as the timberwolf witnessed his pursuer pounce from the brush—a manticore.
The hulking beast soared at lightning speed, pinning the timberwolf to the ground. The wolf convulsed in terror underneath its weight but he knew he had to remain still. Manticores were carnivorous hunters, driven by the desire for flesh. As long as he did not provoke the beast, it would likely lose interest and seek out other prey.
However, the manticore did not relent. Its focus shifted to the wolf's chest, and overwhelming dread filled the timberwolf as he realized the creature's true hunger. It was not flesh it sought, but magic. With careful precision, the beast peeled away the wolf's protective branches. It hurt like tartarus for the wolf, as piece by piece was removed. There was no need for such cruelty, the manticore was having fun collecting its meal—savoring the wolf’s anguish.
With one final, slow, and agonizing tug, the last branch that shielded the timberwolf's soul broke off, casting a green light onto the manticore. It licked its lips and reared back, appraising the meal it was about to have. But the moment the manticore went to dive, an object dove straight through its head, leaving a thin trail of blood in the air.
The wolf stared in stunned silence as the manticore's motionless body. After a long, tense moment, the creature finally toppled over, and the timberwolf allowed himself to relax, if only slightly. But his respite was short-lived, for he was suddenly reminded of the presence of his unexpected savior.
The sound of ravenous feeding reached his ears, and he looked over to see a monstrous creature consuming the manticore's severed head. Panic gripped the timberwolf and he hastily backed away, every fiber of his being screaming to flee.
The Everfree Forest was teeming with many terrifying and powerful beings, but none inspired the level of abject fear in the timberwolves like the enigmatic Black-Horror. The bird-like creature was the embodiment of pure, unfathomable darkness, its plumage the color of the void itself. Its eyes glimmered like distant stars, and the blood that stained its form resembled swirling crimson galaxies.
The Horror ceased its feeding, raising its head to lock eyes with the timberwolf. The wolf was paralyzed by terror, unable to look away, while the monster gazed upon him with a curious, almost contemplative air. Slowly, it tilted its head, as if pondering whether the wolf would be its next victim.
The timberwolf's heart raced as the Black-Horror placed a claw upon the manticore and stepped atop the corpse, its massive wings unfurling. Was the wolf next?
With a bone-chilling screech that echoed through the Everfree, the Horror spread its dark wings, revealing a set of claws beneath, finally spurring the terrified wolf into a desperate, frantic flight.
Scootaloo and Applebloom navigated the rows of supplies and equipment at 'Cut's and Hatchet's Adventure Gear,' searching for the necessary provisions to embark on a training expedition into the Everfree Forest. Their goal was to hone their skills, preparing to defend Ponyville from Discord.
"Applebloom, it'll be fine!" Scootaloo dismissed her friend's concerns.
"No, it ain't!" Applebloom argued. "'Ponyville Protector' might make a nice cutie mark, but this is too far."
Scootaloo pulled a Firestarter kit from one of the shelves. "Rainbow Dash and the others have already cleared out all the nasty monsters," she asserted. "Besides, I'm not crazy enough to go deep into it."
"That ain't the problem," Applebloom insisted. "My sis says the filly's fine—she even helped Big Mac fix up the treehouse just yesterday!"
Scootaloo blew a dismissive raspberry. "Just trying to cover himself and look good."
Applebloom sighed, knowing Scootaloo would not be easily dissuaded. "Fine, what are we even gonna train on?" she asked.
"I dunno, baby timberwolves?" Scootaloo suggested nonchalantly.
Applebloom regarded her friend with a look of slight disbelief. "Now that's just mean!"
Scootaloo shrugged and continued tossing supplies into a cart. "Shouldn't have been born timberwolves."
"And that's just wrong!" Applebloom chastised.
"Hey, if you've got a problem, then don't come," Scootaloo said, though her tone lacked any real conviction.
"I wouldn't, but I ain't gonna leave you in there alone," Applebloom replied.
Scootaloo turned and presented the most heart-melting puppy-dog eyes she could muster. "Daww, you love me!" she mocked.
Applebloom pulled her friend into a warm hug. "Of course I do."
Scootaloo tried in vain to struggle out of the earth pony's sturdy embrace. "Ew, get off me. No sappiness!"
Applebloom relinquished her grip, flashing a smug smirk. "I'm only doing this under one condition," she declared.
"I'm not giving you more hugs," Scootaloo quickly interjected.
"You're soft, but not that soft," Applebloom retorted. "I want a guard to come with us."
Scootaloo huffed in exasperation. "No guard's gonna let us go."
"Don't worry," Applebloom assured. "I know one who will."