//------------------------------//
// Everfree Forest Pt.2 
// Story: Pony Cloud 
// by Tekkie 
//------------------------------//

The manticore watched as Twilight walked through the forest, licking its fangs at the sight of the lone pony, it lunged out from the forestry and roared, bringing its paws up high, claws at the ready and it knocked her off her hooves, throwing her across into a wide opened up part of the forest, it licked it's fangs again with its tail hunched up ready to strike. Twilight grunted as she was thrown through the bushes into a wide opened space, quickly picking the sword up with her magic she looked around, poised in a position to strike or atleast a position she thought looked like she was ready to strike. A pair of glowing purple eyes appeared from holes with the bushes Twilight focused on them as they disappeared, for a second Twilight thought she had been imagining things until the Manticore jumped out from behined her and right hooked her with its paw, she keeled over and slowly pulled herself back up, only to get left hooked this time, she spat out a couple of droplets of blood and scowled her mane was messed up she didn't know where her friends were or even if they were alive and she was being left in the dark. Twilight picked up the sword and slashed the Manticore's paw away as it came in for another hit, the manticore roared loudly and stepped back, then moved in for another try only to be met with the sharp stinging pain of Twilight's blade digging into it and then it slowly started twisting, the manticore howled in pain and ripped it's paw away leaving a bloody gash in it's paw. 

Twilight found herself smiling at the recoil of the manticore and quickly shook her head to dismiss the thoughts, rolling sidewards to avoid the sudden attempt to impale her on it's tail, Twilight brought the sword down on the edge of it's scorpion-like tale hack-sawing it slowly and laughed as the sword turned-blade-downwards and impaled the Manticore's tail in the ground, she jumped on the tail and ran along it's length, pulling the sword out with her horn only to bring it back to her and force it into the Manticore's eye which caused it to instinctively bellow in pain and swipe her off with its claws, Twilight grunted as she hit the floor and charged at the manticore again while it was rubbing it's eye, forcing the sword into it's chest, it roared in pain and fell onto it's back, wheezing it's last breath it slowly got up and roared - unlike it's past two roars this one seemed pitiful, it fell almost in slow motion and hit the ground hard. Twilight was panting heavily and there was beads of sweat running down her body, she looked herself over and coughed quietly she hadn't noticed during the fact that the Manticore had scratched her side pretty badly, deciding it would be best to set up camp and figure out what was going on with these orbs and why a manticore had attacked her unprovoked, she headed off in the direction of were her and the mane six had first encountered "Steve" the dragon, it was only logical after all it was a source of water and she was starting to get thirsty. Nirk landed on the dead manticore's body and smiled "Oh you poor baby" he whispered into it's ears, his bat wings spread as he took flight, leaving behind a small wooden half-moon on it's body.

Twilight sighed and looked up at the moon, she was so lonely right now. Nirk grinned at the negativity emitting from Twilight's camp, it was delicious she was upset and lonely perhaps the most delicious forms of negativity he had ever tasted, especially from a pony that had lived their fillyhood alone, only to have their friends ripped away from her. Nirk shook his head lightly and he flew down to Twilight's camp, smiling as politely as he could "hey now girl, what's with the frown?" he asked as kindly as he could, Twilight sighed heavily "I'm just lonely without any of my friends here.." Twilight whispered to herself, Nark felt something tick in his head, but he shook it off "well miss Twilight, I do believe you have the power to bring them back" He teased, flapping his wings lightly. Twilight looked at him with a confused look "what? you mean this thing?" she asked, lifting her hoof up to reveal the bracelet-like alchemillia* Nirk laughed and started picking up his wings speed, lifting him off the ground a little more "I've already said too much, the big boss will have my head if I tell ya any more" he whispered, turning around and flying off in the moonlight. Twilight looked down at the Alchemillia and raised an eyebrow, her horn started to glow with the purple gem encrusted into the front of it.


*Alchemillia, the Gauntlet that Allowed Toan to restore the world to it's original state and allowed Maxwell (Dark Chronicle/Dark Cloud 2) to travel forward in time + restore the world.