Applebloom and Scootaloo tried their hardest to get the large, incredibly heavy chunk of wood off of their friend's leg. The unicorn filly cried in pain as she laid there, feeling the pressure on her leg increase more and more. She knew that after a few more seconds, the large metatarsal bone in her lower leg would give way and break in two. The ground shook as Mr. Bubbles approached the struggling fillies. Scootaloo looked up at him as he stood idle in front of her. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Mister Bubbles!" Scootaloo cried, earning his attention. "Help her!" Mr. Bubbles merely stood and looked at her, not moving at all.
"What is he doing?" Applebloom cried out. "Sweetie Belle's leg is gonna break!"
"Mister Bubbles!" Scootaloo cried out louder. "Help me get this off of her leg!" The protector groaned loudly and wrapped his large fingers around the chunk of wood before casually lifting it off of Sweetie Belle and throwing it away. Applebloom and Scootaloo rejoiced, moving toward their injured friend to give her a hug. Sweetie Belle cried as her friends embraced her, relieved and extremely happy that her friends had saved her.
"Goddesses, we were so worried!" Scootaloo said, tears coming to her eyes before she nuzzled Sweetie Belle.
"How's your leg?" Applebloom asked her. "Can ya move it?"
"I...I don't know." Sweetie Belle said, tears of pain still falling from her eyes. "It...It hurts..."
"Try to move it, sweet pea." Applebloom said, her eyebrows raising with worry. Sweetie Belle tried to move her leg, but failed, crying out quietly in pain. The unicorn filly fell back where she laid and clenched her teeth before giving off a sob. "Ah think it's broken..." Applebloom whispered to Scootaloo as she looked at her friend's swelling leg. Scootaloo gulped.
"It's all thanks to Mr. Bubbles." Scootaloo said, a scowl forming on her face as she looked at the metal behemoth that stood behind the three of them. He moaned quizzically upon seeing the filly he was protecting point at him. "Ever since he showed up things have gotten worse!"
"Scoots, calm down." Applebloom said. "If he wasn't here, Sweetie Belle's leg would probably be a lot worse off than it is." Scootaloo thought for a moment. Her farm filly friend was right. Mr. Bubbles had in fact saved Sweetie Belle's leg, which probably would have suffered irreparable damage if the chunk of wood hadn't been removed.
"Mr. Bubbles..." Scootaloo said, giving him a shameful look. "I'm sorry..." Mr. Bubbles moaned softly, moving his hand out to most likely stroke the Pegasus filly's mane.
"Stop right there, monster!" The three fillies heard a familiar voice cry out. They turned and were relieved to see Applejack and Rainbow Dash, running and flying respectively, toward them. Scootaloo realized with horror, however, that Applejack looked to be poised to "rescue" her from her protector. The focused and dedicated look in her eyes and the pace at which she moved confirmed it.
"Wait, Applejack!" Scootaloo cried. "No! Don't come any closer!" But the filly's cries fell on deaf ears. Applejack closed the distance between her and Scootaloo before quickly pushing Scootaloo behind her...
And away from Mr. Bubbles.
Mr. Bubbles roared in outrage as he moved closer to Applejack, who was attempting to shield Scootaloo from her protector.
"Sis!" Applebloom cried out. "What're ya doin'?"
"Ah'm savin' your flanks!" Applejack cried. "Now get out of here!"
"Applejack!" Scootaloo cried out, terrified for the mare's life. "Get away! Now!"
"Why the hay would Ah?" Applejack said, turning her head quickly toward Scootaloo, a single eyebrow raised.
"Because he's protecting me!" Scootaloo cried, looking at Mr. Bubbles, who was moving closer to the two of them. "And right now, he thinks you're a threat!" Applejack looked confused at Sweetie Belle before turning back toward Mr. Bubbles, who cast an enormous shadow over her as he towered above her, groaning menacingly. He brought his large hand back and quickly brought it into Applejack, shoving her roughly away from Scootaloo. Applejack flew and tumbled, end over end on the ground roughly, finally coming to a halt on her side. She groaned, seemingly in much pain.
"Applejack!" Applebloom cried out as she sprinted toward her sister. "Are you okay?!" The farm mare seemed to have some trouble breathing as she struggled to stand on the ground. Scootaloo prepared to defend Applejack, but she noticed that Mr. Bubbles' portholes still glowed yellow, which she had deduced to be his neutral color.
"You piece of-" Scootaloo heard another voice cry from above her. "I'll kill you!" The filly looked up to see Rainbow Dash plummeting from the sky at extremely high speeds, straight toward Mr. Bubbles. The filly's eyes widened heavily as thoughts of her idol being eviscerated flashed through her head. Frantically, the filly called out to Rainbow Dash.
"Rainbow Dash! No! No! NO!" Scootaloo screamed, completely in vain. The cries fell on deaf ears at the daredevil pegasus, determined to get payback for her currently injured friend, flew into Mr. Bubbles.
Clang
Mr. Bubbles stumbled forward one step and Rainbow Dash fell onto her back, stunned, with a very bloody nose. Scootaloo looked on in horror as her protector's portholes turned dark red...the same color they were when he killed the manticore. It turned toward Rainbow Dash, who had just come to. The pegasus gasped in fear, her eyes widening heavily as Mr. Bubbles let out a deafening roar. It brought it's drill back to plunge it into the pegasus pony's midsection.
"NO!!!" Scootaloo screamed, jumping in front of Rainbow Dash just as Mr. Bubbles thrusted his drill. The very tip came to a stop mere inches from Scootaloo's face. Tears streaked down the filly's face, as she stared up at the protector, whose portholes returned to the color yellow. "Mr. Bubbles...no." Mr. Bubbles moaned softly and stepped back, allowing Rainbow Dash to stand and move quickly to Applejack's side. Scootaloo watched her idol the whole way, until she finally looked at her
"Are you okay, AJ?" Rainbow asked frantically. Applejack coughed and struggled heavily before standing up.
"Ah'm..." Applejack said. "Ah think Ah'm alright." The farm mare said.
"Are you sure?" Rainbow asked her. "Your legs are shaking."
"Ah might..." Applejack said, breathing heavily. "Need a little help."
The pegasus wasted no time at all coming to her friend's aid. Applejack put a fore leg around Rainbow's shoulders, Rainbow putting in the effort to keep Applejack standing.
"Scootaloo..." Rainbow said. "What the hay is that thing?"
As if on cue, Mr. Bubbles moaned and looked down at Scootaloo. The filly had no idea herself just what exactly she was looking at. It seemed to have a die-hard urge to protect her, and her only. Other fillies he was indifferent to, as she saw with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. But anything...anything at all that could pose any kind of threat was a threat to Scootaloo in Mr. Bubbles' book. This apparently included mares.
"I...I don't know, Rainbow." Scootaloo said. "I really don't."
"How are you not dead yet?" Rainbow asked, an eyebrow raised. "He looks evil! Look what he did to Applejack!"
"He's not evil." Scootaloo said. "At least I don't think he is. He's been...protecting me."
"I've got to take Applejack to the hospital." Rainbow said. "She's in pretty bad shape. Come with me, Scootaloo."
"I can't." Scootaloo said with a frown, looking at her idol, longing to go with her.
"Why not?" Rainbow Dash inquired. Scootaloo sighed before continuing.
"He'll follow me everywhere I go." Scootaloo said.
"What if I just take you and fly up really really high?" Rainbow asked.
"You won't get close, Rainbow." Scootaloo said, tears forming in her eyes. "He'll kill you."
"I'm fast." Rainbow said.
"I don't want you to risk it, okay?" Scootaloo said suddenly, surprising the mare speaking to her. "Just...please, take Applejack to the hospital. I'll be okay here, I promise."
"I'll send Twilight here." Rainbow said. "She might know what to do."
"Rainbow..." Applejack said finally. "Ah'm hurtin' pretty bad here..."
"Oh! Sorry, AJ." Rainbow said quickly, before allowing Applejack to climb up onto her back. Scootaloo helped Sweetie Belle over to Rainbow Dash, who was able to climb onto her back as well. It was a tight fit, but Rainbow looked confident that she could carry them both. "Be safe, Scoots. I'll be back soon. Hold on tight, guys. Applebloom! You know where the hospital is, right?" The filly nodded at the pegasus. "Meet us there."
The rainbow-maned mare flew toward Ponyville at breakneck speed as Applebloom approached Scootaloo.
"You gonna be okay here by yourself?" Applebloom asked. Scootaloo nodded and smiled at her friend.
"Yeah." Scootaloo said with a small nod. "Twilight will be here soon." Applebloom nodded and started running toward the exit of Sweet Apple Acres. Scootaloo sighed deeply and turned to Mr. Bubbles, who moaned lightly. Scootaloo sniffled and sat down next to his massive boot. Mr. Bubbles noticed her do this and followed her lead, sitting with a huge vibration. Scootaloo looked up at Mr. Bubbles, who looked down at her. He groaned deeply and put a hand on her head.
She wanted to resent him. She wanted to hate him...but she couldn't...not after all he'd done for her. He'd caused so much trouble for her...indirectly in most of the cases, but he had caused it nonetheless. But despite his terrifying look and strange stench, he seemed so caring and so dutiful. For whatever reason, he wanted no harm whatsoever to come to her in any form.
She sat alone with Mr. Bubbles for what seemed like hours. Eventually, Scootaloo laid over and cuddled up to Mr. Bubbles. His exterior was cool and clammy, the opposite of what the filly had hoped for. But even so, there was something comforting about laying on this creatures leg. Even more so when he placed a caring hand on her back.
_____
Scootaloo was woken up quite suddenly by Mr. Bubbles standing. Her eyes flitted open as she looked around, hoping for no hostile presence. To her great relief, it turned out to only be princess Twilight Sparkle, who landed before her, Spike riding on her back. The baby dragon cried out in fear as he saw what was standing in front of Scootaloo.
"Sweet Celestia!" Spike yelled.
"Scootaloo!" Twilight said. "What is that?" She seemed frantic, keeping perfectly in theme with every other reaction Mr. Bubbles had gotten that day. The filly wanted to roll her eyes. She had been asked that very question so many times already. Still, the princess and her assistant looked genuinely concerned for her safety. Scootaloo stood and walked in front of Mr. Bubbles.
"I don't know what exactly he is." Scootaloo said. "All I know is that he wants to protect me and his name is Mr. Bubbles."
"Mister...Bubbles?" Twilight asked. "How'd you find that out?"
"Well, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and I-"
"Where did he come from?" Twilight interrupted her suddenly, taking the filly off guard.
"I don't-"
"Is it evil?"
"Princess Twilight." Scootaloo said, furrowing her brows for a moment before she realized who exactly she was talking to. She then immediately changed her attitude to be much more cordial. "I really don't mean to be rude, but I can't answer all those questions at once." The princess blushed bashfully and nodded.
"I'm very sorry." Twilight said with a nod. "Could you please start at the beginning?"
"Yes I can." Scootaloo said, before continuing, preparing herself to describe the occurrences of that day. "After we got let out of school today, Applebloom and I were gonna have a sleepover here at the treehouse. It turned out that I'd forgotten a few things at the Home where I live, so I was on my way to pick them up. After Applebloom and I split up, I chose to take the scenic route, which was through the fields outside of Ponyville. Suddenly, a portal or something opens and out comes this guy." The filly gestured knowingly to the behemoth still standing protectively above her. Twilight nodded, understanding, seeing as how she'd never seen or heard about anything like this in Equestria.
"Okay." Twilight said. "Go on."
"Well, I was terrified at first, so I ran and he chased me. He chased me all the way into the Everfree Forest where I thought I'd lost him. But I ended up hiding in a manticore den by accident. It tried to kill me, but Mr. Bubbles came to protect me. He killed the manticore without so much as a scrape. He was able to throw it around like a chew toy." Scootaloo said. As she described the battle, Twilight struggled to comprehend what exactly she was hearing. Manticores were not to be meddled with by any means ever and if this thing killed one truly as easily as Scootaloo described it... She failed trying to comprehend what exactly it was capable of. The princess almost shuddered upon seeing dried blood on Mr. Bubbles' drill. "So I brought him to Sweet Apple Acres hoping to get some help. Me and the girls took him up into the treehouse. He was so heavy that the treehouse collapsed and a big piece of wood fell on Sweetie Belle's leg. Applejack and Rainbow Dash saw this and I guess they thought Mr. Bubbles was trying to hurt us. They fought him and he put Applejack in the hospital. I barely saved Rainbow Dash from him."
"How did you save her?" Twilight asked.
"I jumped in front of his drill as he was about to stab Rainbow with it." Scootaloo said. "Probably not the best idea...but I was prepared to do it anyway."
"I understand." Twilight said. "She'd probably be dead right now if you didn't."
"After all that, they called you here, I guess." Scootaloo said. "I mean, what are you thinking right now?"
"I don't know, Scootaloo." Twilight said to the filly. "I really don't know...I'm going to go let Granny Smith and Big MacIntosh know about what happened to Applejack." Scootaloo nodded at her and looked up at Mr. Bubbles. He moaned lightly.
"What are you?" Scootaloo asked him. "Why are you protecting me? I mean...me of all fillies?" The protector merely placed a hand on her head and stroked it softly, making Scootaloo sigh.
"I mean, I know you're from a different world...or dimension...or universe, or whatever..." Scootaloo said. "But I just can't stand not knowing anything about you, Mr. Bubbles." The protector moaned once again. A timber wolf howl echoed through the night, making him to stand and grunt, ready to protect his new charge.
"It's okay, Mr. Bubbles." Scootaloo said. "It's just a timber wolf. Calm down." The filly stood and pulled on the Big Daddy's hand, prompting him to look down at her. She nodded comfortingly as he sat down once more. She laid her head on his leg once more, worried about things to come.
"I know you're not bad, Mr. Bubbles." Scootaloo said. "I'll make sure they don't hurt you..."
_____
Rainbow Dash sat in the hospital beside Applebloom and Rarity. Their sisters were now in the hospital, thanks to Mr. Bubbles. Rainbow put a hoof on the filly's shoulder and smiled at her.
"Don't worry, Applebloom." Rainbow Dash said with a small nod. "Applejack's fine. She's always been really tough."
"Oh, Ah know." Applebloom said. "But still, Ah can't help but worry. What if she can't applebuck? That's one of her favorite things?"
"I think she'll live if she can't applebuck for a while." Rainbow said. "I'm gonna make sure she's good and taken care of."
"I just..." Rarity said. "I don't know what to make of what's happened."
"It was a surprise for us all, Rarity." Rainbow said.
"Why would it protect Scootaloo?" Rarity said. "I mean, nothing against the little dear, but why her in particular?" At that moment, Big Macintosh came bursting into the hospital, a worried look on his face, similar to the look that was on Granny Smith's face, who rode atop his back.
"Is Applejack okay?" He asked Rainbow Dash, who nodded at him. The pegasus stood and approached him, escorting him comfortingly into the waiting room.
"She's fine." Rainbow said. "The doctor should be out any minute to give us a lowdown."
"Rainbow Dash, what the hay was that thing back at the farm?!" Granny Smith asked, to which Rainbow looked at her and sighed.
"I have no clue, Granny Smith." Rainbow Dash said. "All I know is that it wants to protect Scootaloo.
"Shouldn't we alert the royal guard?" Big Mac asked. "Looked a might mean to me."
"Apparently, it's not completely evil." Rainbow Dash said. "It just wants to protect Scootaloo. All it really did was shove Applejack away from her. It didn't go after her, it didn't attempt to kill her..."
"But what happened to your nose?" Granny Smith asked.
"Well, when I saw it shove Applejack, I kinda went into overdrive." Rainbow said. "I tried to fly into it, but I didn't do anything because it's made of metal. All I did was break my nose and peeve him off. He tried to kill me after I attacked him, but Scootaloo stopped him and he just became indifferent to me again."
"Aren't ya gonna get that looked at?" Big Mac asked.
"Later." Rainbow said. "Applejack and Sweetie Belle need all the attention right now."
"What happened to Sweetie Belle?" Granny Smith asked the pegasus, who shrugged.
"All I know is when Applejack and I got there, the tree house was destroyed and Sweetie Belle's leg was stuck under a big hunk of wood." Rainbow said.
"They seem to think that it's fractured." Rarity said.
"For now, let's keep quiet about...whatever it is." Rainbow said to them. "We don't want to cause a panic." They nodded and at that moment, the doctor walked into the room, Applejack moving behind him, her right front leg in a splint. Applebloom jumped up and hugged her sister softly.
"She's going to be fine." The doctor said. "Her front right leg is fractured and she has some bruised ribs, but she'll make a full recovery. As will your little sister, Miss Rarity. Her leg is fractured and they're splinting it right now." Rarity gave off a large sigh of relief.
"Thank you for the good news, Doctor." Granny Smith said.
"How did you say this happened again?" The doctor asked Rainbow Dash.
"The tree house they have back at Sweet Apple Acres collapsed." Rainbow said. "It's pretty bad."
"Oh." The doctor said to her. "Well, I hope you get that issue resolved well." He looked at Big Mac and Granny Smith, who nodded at him. As the doctor left the room, Applejack approached Rainbow, an eyebrow raised.
"Rainbow Dash, where's Scootaloo?" Applejack asked her.
"Back at the farm." Rainbow replied. "Twilight's there."
"Let's get back there." Applejack said. "Twi might need our help."
_____
The everfree forest had always been known to house a diverse array of monstrosities and horrors.
But deep in the darkest bowels of the everfree, where even the most monstrous creatures did not dare set foot, something stirred. Something that hated every living pony in Equestria. Something filled with nothing but spite, malice and anger.
Something evil.
It did nothing but flourish in the ignorance of Equestria and its rulers. It's goal was simple.
Destroy every living thing it could. In Ponyville, Canterlot, Las Pegasus and everywhere else in this pathetic land full of peace loving, tame ponies.
And it was almost ready to accomplish it's goal.
The hive would prevail, and nothing would stand in its way.