//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 The Great Crusade // Story: WHY DO I HAVE HOOVES?! // by Cydon //------------------------------// Chapter 7 The Great Crusade With a yawn of epic mouth stretching proportions I open our eyes and look about Rainbow's room. 'Hey, I woke up before Rainbow. Weird, I don't usually wake up before anyone.' I still feel a little strange about being in a body other than my own, not to mention the fact that the body is a small blue female pegasus and that i'm currently sharing it with its owner. I look out the window just as a bird flies past happily chirping a song. 'This place is just so different from Earth, no cars, no pollution, just peaceful ponies going about their lives without a care in the world.' I get up from the bed and hop down to the floor landing back hooves first before falling forwards to all fours. 'Hey! I didn't face plant this time! That must mean i'm getting better at this whole walking on four legs thing!' With a small smile starting to work it's way across my face I take a step towards the window, and another and ano-*wump* 'And there's the face plant. Good morning floor.' I push us back up and get over to the window somehow managing to not fall again. I stare out the window and watch as the sun starts to rise and the shadows begin their retreat from its morning rays. From this window I can see the town below slowly coming to life as the ponies wake up to to begin their day. Small colorful blobs moving back and forth across the streets as market stalls open for business. If I listen closely and the breeze is just right I can hear a faint *thwack* coming from Sweet Apple Acres. I look back at our wings. 'It would be nice if I knew how to use these things.' I try to flutter them lightly somehow managing to hit myself in the face with one. "PPPFFFBBBT! What the hay!?" Rainbow splutters as she spits out a feather. 'Good morning Rainbow.' "Yeah, morning. What was with the feathers?" 'Sorry about that I was just stretching out the wings.' "Well be more careful next time these feathers aren't meant for eating." With a deep growl our stomach added its two cents. "Speaking of eating it's time for breakfast." Rainbow looked over to the door and started over when a whirring noise began coming up the stairs. When Rainbow opened the door a small green smiling face was inches away. "Are you hungry too Tank?" The tortoise stared at us blankly for a few seconds before his smile widened and he ever so slowly nodded. "I think so." With a quiet giggle Rainbow took us down the stairs and into the kitchen where she got out two apples and a few carrots. "How about something special today?" Rainbow said grinning as the Tortoise flew in through the doorway. A quick glance at the apple and the Tortoise was on it in a blur of green and whirring blades. 'I take it he likes apples?' Rainbow giggled as she ate the other apple and some of the carrots, leaving the rest for Tank. "Sweet Apple Acre's best apples in Equestria!" She scrunched our face into a frown. "Oh Celestia, I sound just like AJ!" Tank gives us a funny look as I take a quick glance at the cuckoo clock hanging from the wall. I use my best high class accent. 'Oh darling I do declare, the Crusaders must be getting ever so worried. We were supposed to be at the clubhouse a few minutes ago.' "BWAHAHAHA! Oh my gosh! That was Rarity perfectly! HAHAHA!" Tank's face contorted to one of intense confusion as Rainbow laughed out the door and took to the skies. A quick flight over to the orchard and we landed in front of the CMC clubhouse with Rainbow still giggling quietly. "Rainbow Dash!" "You made it!" "Bout time." Three small voices squeaked from behind us. "Heya squirts!" Rainbow said as we turned to face the three founding members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Hey kids!" "Guess what! Guess what! Guess what!" Scootaloo shouted as she bounced around Sweetie Belle. Sweetie's eyes tried to keep up but only succeeded in making her dizzy. Rainbow shook our head grinning at the display. "What?" "Yesterday after Rarity took Sweetie Belle home they stopped at the library and Sweetie overheard Twilight talking to Rarity about the depen... depellen-" "The Depellendam Anima Amulet." Sweetie Belle corrected as she shook her head of the dizziness. "Yeah that." Scootaloo said as she grinned and rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. Rainbow raised an eyebrow curiously. "So what does it do?" "Twilight was trying to figure out if she could use it to get Kevin home faster." Rainbow raised our other eyebrow now surprised. 'Wait. Home home?' "Okay but what does it have to do with us?" "Twilight was doing some research and said it was too dangerous." Rainbow began to grin. 'I don't know if I like that grin.' "Hah! Danger is my middle name! I can handle anything the world throws at me, now do you know where this thing is?" 'And here we go.' "I know where it is! It's in the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters in the middle of the Everfree forest!" Sweetie Belle shouts with a squeak. 'The where in the what now?' "I've been there. We can get it and be back in no time!" Rainbow started to turn towards a dark forest. 'Wait what?' "Do I get a say in this?" "You do want to go home don't you?" "Well yeah." "This amulet whatchamacallit might get you home faster so what's the problem?" I paused to think of a good reason not to go but came up short. "Nothing I guess." Rainbow started to take a step towards the foreboding forest in the distance when three small voices squeaked from behind us. "So you'll take us with you!?" We froze in our tracks. "What!?" Rainbow shouted spinning around to face the Crusaders. "Are you three crazy? The Everfree forest is no place for foals!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stared at the ground. "But ah am a big pony!" Rainbow gave Applebloom a glare and she sank to the ground. "But I know we'd be safe if Rainbow Dash was there to watch us." Scootaloo said trotting up to our leg and staring up at us. 'I know where this is going.' "I know I could but that doesn't mean I should." Apparently that was their que for them to unleash the secret weapon of all cute things, weaponized adorableness. Rainbow tensed as they stuck out their lower lips with just a hint of trembling and the start of tears in the corners of their eyes. Rainbow tried to hold out and be responsible, but it was not meant to be. "Fine! Just stop with the faces already!" "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER ADVENTURE PONIES YAY!" "I'm going to regret this." 'Famous last words.' __________________________________________________________________________________ 15 Minutes later Edge of the Everfree Forest "Rope?" "Check!" "Snacks?" "Check!" "Grapplin Hook?" 'They have a grappling hook?' "We have one of those?" "I don't think so." "Oh yeah." 'Oh, okay then.' "We're ready!" Where three kids managed to get all of this gear will forever remain a mystery for before us stood the Cutie Mark Crusaders wearing saddlebags packed with various supplies and tools. They stood with large grins plastered across their faces as Rainbow sighed and turned our head to look towards the dark looming entrance of the Everfree forest and gulped. "Alright did you three remember to tell everypony I was taking you camping for a day?" "Yep!" "Mmhmm!" "Yes'm." They all say with a quick nod of their heads. 'Are you sure about this Rainbow? This forest just feels eerie.' "As long as we stick to the paths we'll be fine, Zecora uses some sort of potion that keeps the monsters away. And besides, if anything does show up I can handle it, I hope." Rainbow finished with a whisper as the Crusaders led the way into the forest humming a happy tune as they skipped down the path. "What was that?" A scratchy voice called back, we looked up to see Scootaloo staring at us intently with a smile on her face. "Nothing!" Rainbow says quickly. "Oh okay." Scootaloo's smile fades as she turns to catch up to her friends. Rainbow started trotting, following from a few feet behind them. 'Rainbow you can't lie to me you're scared and I know it, so why are we doing this?' Rainbow whispered. "Because I can't let them down they're counting on me to be a big hero who isn't afraid of anything." 'Why can't you be afraid?' "Because... because I just can't be okay!" Rainbow nearly shouted as we stopped and she huffed. "You okay Rainbow Dash?" We looked up at the Crusaders who had stopped to check on us after Rainbow's outburst. "I'm fine." Rainbow's words seemed to do little to placate the worried fillies. "Ya sure?" "Yeah, come on it's this way." Rainbow took the lead as we tromped through the darkening forest. As the trees above grew ever thicker over the path I began to notice the distinct lack of generic woodland life. No birds calling out, no squirrels or rabbits jumping through the brush, just complete, and total, incredibly eerie, silence. Before long the path began to thankfully open up again as we arrived at a cliff. "We need to get down there." Rainbow said pointing over the cliff. "Get the rope girls were goin down!" Applebloom said as Sweetie Belle helped Scootaloo pull a rope from her saddlebags. "Right!" Rainbow shook our head and said nothing as we flew to the bottom to wait and catch them if they fell. Within a minute the girls were shimmying their way down. 'Those three will never cease to amaze me.' "It ain't that much further keep goin! And don't look down!" "Eep!" 'That doesn't sound good.' "What is it Sweetie Belle? Why did you stop?" "I looked down." "Aw shoot. Can you keep going?" "No!" "Darnit! Rainbow! Can you come an get Sweetie Belle she froze up!" "I'm coming Sweetie Belle hang on!" With a flap of our wings we flew up to Sweetie Belle who clung tightly to the rope eyes firmly shut. "I'm here Sweetie just grab hold of me and let go of the rope." She said softly in an attempt to calm the nearly crying filly. "I'm scared!" Rainbow grabbed the filly in a hug causing the filly to relax her grip on the rope. With her eyes still shut we pulled away from the rope and gently fluttered down before softly setting back down on the ground and releasing the filly from our hug. Sweetie Belle lay there on the ground with her eyes closed as her friends made it down the rope safely before quickly trotting over to us. "Are you okay Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie Belle opened her eyes and when she realized she was on the ground she got up slowly giving us a weak smile. "I'll be okay. Thanks for getting me down Rainbow." "Anytime pipsqueak. Come on we still have a long way to go." The Crusaders hopped back to their hooves as Rainbow turned to continue down the path. As we continued to walk down the path Rainbow began to grow nervous, darting our eyes left and right, ears swiveling this way and that searching for the faintest of sounds in the silent forest. "What's going on Rainbow? You act like you're scared something is going to jump out and eat us." "That's because I am. Last time I was here there was a huge Manticore on this path." A twig snapped to our right and the bushes shook as something moved within. "What was that?" "Ah.. Ahm n..not scared of a Manticore." Applebloom declared with a trembling voice as her whole body shook. The rustling grew louder as the creature came closer. "It's coming closer!" Sweetie Belle nearly shouted. Scootaloo jumped towards the bushes wielding a large branch in her mouth, "Go amay!" The rustling stopped at the fillies sudden shout. We all stayed frozen in place waiting for something to happen. 'Why don't we just fly over the bush and see what it is?' "Hey yeah!" Rainbow took off flying over to the bush and moving it aside to find... "A RABBIT?!" The small white animal looked up at us seemingly unamused with all the shouting, with a frown the bunny harrumphed and hopped away into the underbrush. We land next to the fillies a moment later as the shock of only finding a rabbit settled in. "Heh, hehe, ha haha!" Like madmen- er ponies we all began laughing growing louder as the seconds passed. "RRROOOOOOAAARRRR!" We all immediately fell silent from the loud roar echoing across the forest. While Rainbow tried to calm our rapid firing heart I tried to calm everypony else. "Stay calm everypony it sounded like it was still pretty far away." I said managing to keep a level voice. The three fillies stared at us with their fear filled eyes before rushing up to us and hugging our legs. "What was that?" Rainbow managed to speak without her voice shaking. "I'm sure it was nothing to worry about. Heh, I mean i'm still here after all." Rainbow said puffing out our chest. The fillies looked up at us with fear clear in their eyes. "Hey it'll be okay. I won't let any mean old monster even touch you three. Now come on we have to keep going." The girls slowly nodded their heads in understanding as we started off on the path again the three fillies keeping pace behind us. We continued to trot through a pass and back into the forest. As we trot the forest continued to grow especially dark, it grew darker and darker as we went until we could no longer see our hooves in front of our faces. "Grab on to each others tails so we don't get separated." I felt a light tug as somepony grabbed hold of our multihued tail. Rainbow walked slowly through the darkness one hoof outstretched to make sure we didn't run into anything as we stumbled about in the dark. After what felt like an hour of bumbling about in the darkness but was probably more like ten minutes. We stepped back out into the blinding sunlight once more. Using the outstretched hoof to cover our eyes from the sun we took a look around as three gasps came from behind us. Before us a mighty river flowed cutting and winding its way through the Everfree forest. We trot up to it looking around for any sign of danger. "Oooooh! If it isn't one of my little pony friends! Hellllo again!" We turned to face a very large purple sea serpent that was staring at us intently from upriver. As he swam over to us I noticed his golden styled hair and his manly golden and purple moustache. "Oh hey it's you again." Rainbow said starting to smile the serpent smiled back as he finally made it the rest of the way over to us. "Who's this Rainbow?" Scootaloo said hopping up onto our back. "This is... well I don't know his name but he helped us cross this river a while back when we needed to get to the castle last time." The serpent continued to smile before speaking. "Oh my where are my manners my name is Steven Magnet." "It's nice to meet you mister Magnet!" Sweetie Belle shouted hopping up to him. She started looking closely at his scales examining her reflection in them. "Your scales are so shiny! I can see my own reflection!" "Why thank you my dear I take great pride in my good hygiene practices." "Hey Steven would you helping us across the river again?" "Why it would be no trouble at all my little friends!" Steven coiled his serpentine body into stepping stones that the four of us quickly hopped across. "Thanks mister Steven!" Applebloom called out as we reached the other side. "Be sure to come back and visit now and again, tata!" "Thanks again Steven see ya later!" Rainbow shouted back to the sea serpent as we trot away, he gave us a wave goodbye before diving beneath the water. As we looked forward we were greeted by a thick fog that covered the world from us. "Do you know where we're going Rainbow?" "Yeah, all we have to do is follow this path even if we can't see where we're going this path will take us right to the castle." We continued to trot a few more minutes. "Are we almost there? Ahm gettin tired." As soon as those words left Appleblooms mouth a light breeze blew in revealing the castle up ahead for just a few brief moments before once more shrouding it in fog. "There it is girls we're almost there!" The girls immediately regained the spring in their steps as we trot ahead a little more quickly. It wasn't long before we came upon an old wooden bridge being held up by old and worn ropes. "Are you sure that bridge is safe?" Sweetie Belle voiced with worry as she looked the length of the bridge over. "It held the six of us last time I was here, i'm sure it can hold three fillies." Rainbow said nonchalantly as she shrugged our shoulders. With a nervous gulp the three fillies peer over the edge of the cliff and down into the abyss below. "I dunno about this. I mean there's gotta be a safer way across." The Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle quickly nod their heads in agreement. "Maybe we sho-" "ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRR!" A tremendous roar from behind us caused us all to nearly jump out of our coats. We quickly turned to face the source and see a large creature leap out of the bushes twenty feet behind us. Its lion body was crouched low in a position ready to pounce should anything stray too close as a scorpion tail with a stinger bigger than our foreleg bobbed back and forth above its head. "What the hell is that thing!?" "MANTICORE!" Sweetie Belle shrieked. "Quick! Across the bridge!" Rainbow shouts as we take a widespread stance between the Everfree monster and the fillies. She spread wide our wings ready for immediate action as the terrified fillies waste no time in beginning their precarious trek across the ancient wooden bridge. The Manticore grins wickedly at us as it bares its large fangs capable of biting right through armor. A small frown appears across its face when it realizes some of its prey is escaping and starts to close the distance between us keeping an eye on the fillies. "Stay back!" Rainbow shouts as she stomps our hoof to the ground, stirring up dust. The Manticore stops as it stares us up and down attempting to judge if we were a threat to it or not before growling back at us in response. Its leg muscles tense before it pounces towards us in a bounding leap. Rainbow wastes no time as she quickly launches us into the air going up and over the charging beast. As it passes under us a look of confusion on its face a swift kick from our rear hooves to the back of its head drives its face into the dirt, the Manticore's momentum keeps it moving forward a few feet causing it to slide its face across the rocky ground. As we touch back down facing the Manticore it growls menacingly as it stands back up, it turns to face us, the fillies completely forgotten. It's lower lip is cut and its face is bruised as it puts on a look absolute hatred before roaring at us once more. "Yeah yeah you don't like it when food fights back I get it, but we are not going to be food!" Rainbow rushes the Manticore using our wings to boost our speed, as we get close it swats at us with its massive paw just barely missing us as we slam shoulder first into its face. The Manticore staggers backwards from the blow as we fall back onto our rump, dazed from the hit. It shakes the stars from its eyes and raises it paw once again smashing it into us before we can recover and knocking us back a dozen feet. "Ow. We're going to feel that in the morning." Rainbow said sitting up and rubbing our side as a bruise began to form. "Rainbow we can't take this thing head on, I have an idea." "I'm Rainbow Dash the most awesome pegasus in Equestria I can take anything." Rainbow said as we got up wincing a little from the bruise. "I'd rather not risk getting killed if you don't mind" "Fine. What do you have in mind?" We watched the Manticore as it grinned at us once again clearly satisfied with how things were going. "Even with those wings on its back I don't think that thing can really fly." "Your point?" The Manticore started circling us a predatory look in its eyes. "The cliff Rainbow." Rainbow 'Ohed' and regained her signature determined smirk. The Manticore stopped its circling confusion again on its face. In a flash of blue Rainbow charged the beast bucking it square in the nose before jumping out of the way of the frantic swipes from its paws. Rainbow hovered in front of the Manticore and did something I was not expecting. The look of rage that came across its face would have made Crocodile Dundee need a new pair of pants. Fortunately for us we weren't wearing any clothes to begin with and it wasn't me in control. The beast swiped at us with its claws attempting to knock us out of the sky but Rainbow always hovered just out of reach. We kept floating backwards away from its attacks as it followed us trying to close the distance eyes fully locked on us. We kept going back and back until finally Rainbow stopped, looking down at the Manticore she smiled. The beasts confused look came to bear once again as Rainbow pointed down with our hoof. It looked down and once it realized the ground beneath its paws was actually air, gravity decided to start working again. The Manticore roared as it fell plummeting quickly before spreading its small wings and slowing its descent into the fog below. Grinning triumphantly we fly over to the three waiting fillies and land next to them. "That. Was. Amazing Rainbow Dash! You've got to teach me those moves sometime!" Rainbow grinned down at the little orange pegasus as she crushed our foreleg in a hug. 'I wish I could move like that.' "Yeah Scoots maybe some other time we should get to the castle and make camp for the night the sun's starting to go down." From our cliffside perch we looked out over the horizon as the sun started its descent below it. "We made it to the castle! Cutie Mark Crusader Castle Explorers! YAY!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders took off towards the castle leaving a dust cloud in their wake. "When do you think they're going to realize their cutie marks aren't going to be in something dangerous?" Rainbow watched the dust cloud until it started to settle before trotting along the path to the castle. "Probably when it stops being fun." The path up to the castle was devoid of any animal life, the only sound was our own hoofsteps and some excited chatter from up ahead that I could not make out. As we approached the gate of the castle we found the CMC trying to open the large wooden doors with little success. "Ok girls on the count ah three. One. Two. THREE!" Applebloom who was in front of the trio was hanging onto a large metal handle as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo tugged on her tail in their attempt to pull it open. After a few seconds of tugging and the door refusing to budge the trio fell to the ground. "Well that didn't work." "Now what?" Rainbow trot up to the door and placed a hoof on it before lightly pushing it open. "You could try pushing." "Why didn't ah think of that?" Pushing the door the rest of the way open we went inside. The large entry hall was a mess, the walls were cracked and several chunks of the ceiling had fallen to the ground, shattering into hundreds of smaller pieces. With the girls safely inside Rainbow pushed the door shut again. "We made it! Now we can find that amulet!" Sweetie Belle squeaked as she started to bounce towards a doorway. "Now we set up camp." Sweetie stopped mid bounce before turning to look at us with her best pout face. "Nuh uh I missed my nap today and I'm tired were setting up camp now, we can find that amulet in the morning." Sweetie Belles lip began to quiver. "Maybe you can get a cutie mark in setting up a campsite?" *Gasp* "Cutie Mark Crusader Campers! Yay!" The three fillies tossed their saddlebags to the ground quickly retrieving sleeping bags and a tent. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle set up the tent as Scootaloo trot outside, she returned a minute later carrying a large bundle of wood. Using the chunks of masonry from the fallen sections of roof they fashioned a fire pit and set about lighting it. In less than five minutes the trio stepped back to examine their work, a tent large enough to fit four ponies and a fire pit complete with a roaring fire. They quickly checked their flanks for their elusive cutie marks. "Awww." "Maybe next time girls. Now how about a little dinner before we get some shut eye?" A quick rummage through their saddlebags and they came back with a small assortment of goodies ranging from Sweet Apple acres apples to Pinkies famous cupcakes. "Stomach is pleased with your offerings, let the feasting begin." A giggle from the fillies and a head shaking smile from Rainbow later the eating began in earnest. 'We finally made it to the castle and in one piece to boot now only a search for the amulet and the journey home awaits tomorrow. Did I just call Ponyville home? Huh.' "Good night everypony." "G'night Kevin."