//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Cutie Mark Crusaders Nightmares, Yay! // by LostUmbrella //------------------------------// The next day, two out of three crusaders were waiting just outside Ponyville on the path that lead into Everfree Forest; Scootaloo was relaxing on a low cloud while Apple Bloom was pacing back and forth, disappointment distorting her features into a frown. "Where is she? We were supposed to meet here half an hour ago..." "Relax Bloom, I'm sure she has an understandable reason to be late..." "Ah know Scoots, Ah'm just concerned about her... She keeps sayin' she's coming but..." explained Apple Bloom, letting out a sigh as she sat down in the middle of the road. "Don't worry, if she had a problem she would have told us." --- Truth to be told, Sweetie Belle had a problem: while trotting through town to reach her friends she had bumped into Pinkie Pie, who had inexplicably guessed right away what the three fillies were up to and had insisted on giving the small unicorn something useful. "Where are those things?" muttered the pink mare as she ransacked her own room at Sugarcube Corner. "Pinkie, I really appreciate, but it's not necessary..." said Sweetie "Moreover I'm already late." "Ah, found them!" announced Pinkie Pie holding out a decently sized wooden crate. It didn't looked anything special, hadn't it been for the writing in capital letters reciting 'break in case of monster hunting crusade'. "What's that?" "Now, take this and go meet your friends. Pay attention!" was Pinkie only answer. --- "Finally you're here Sweetie!" said Scootaloo as the trio reunited "Where have you been?" "And what's that crate?" inquired Apple Bloom. "Hi girls, sorry but I met Pinkie who insisted on giving me this..." "Break in case - wait, how did Pinkie knew?" asked the pegasus eyeing the crate. "She's Pinkie Pie," stated Sweetie Belle certain that it would somehow explain everything "Let's just open it, ok?" After having received a nod from her friends, the unicorn tore the lid off with her magic, revealing three sets of polished metal armors (comprehensive of helm, breastplate and four legs protection) and a letter. The filly took the folded parchment and red out loud: "Dear girls, if you're reading this it means that my pinkie-sense told me you were going into the Everfree, don't deny it, my left backhoof never lies! Anyway these are the armors I used back in the day to chase cockatrices away from the rock farm with my sisters(I'll have to tell you sometimes, maybe in front of a cup of chocolate milk, I love chocolate milk!); they are made of machalite ore, not the sturdiest of materials but it's certainly light. I hope they'll prove useful, Pinkie Pie." "Wow, just wow..." commented Apple Bloom, her mouth agape. "If Pinkie was a pegasus, I'd try to make her my sister instead of Rainbow..." "Really Scoots?" asked Sweetie raising an eyebrow. The pegasus tapped her chin with a forehoof and said: "No, probably not." "Anyway, Ah take the black one!" said Apple Bloom studying the three armors. "What? Why?" asked Sweetie, showing that she wanted the black one. "Because the other two have either wing or horn protections." "Hey, it's true, but why? I thought that Pinkie's sisters where earth ponies too..." said Scootaloo. "Post Scriptum" red the unicorn after having turned the letter "I adapted mine and Inkie's for you, hope you like them." --- Ten minutes later, the trio of armored fillies where marching through the forest dense undergrowth, fierce-looking in their new garments (excepts Scootaloo: a dark pink armor is a lot of things, but certainly not fierce looking). "I'm totally going to have mine repainted," grunted the frowning pegasus. "Com'on Scoots, it's not that bad," said Apple Bloom. "Yes, it compliments your mane," added Sweetie Belle. "It's easy for you: yours is gray, not pink!" "Well, it's Pinkie's, of course it would be pink," stated the first "Ah mean, even her name is pink!" "I think it's actually a light purple... Under the right light at least..." added the unicorn. Scootaloo was about to retort when Apple Bloom silenced her with a hoof and whispered: "Did you hear it?" They stood silent, trying to discern any sound. There was a faint noise, as if somepony was digging the ground with just his or her forehooves. They stooped and slowly made their way towards the source of the noise: it was a lone timberwolf, with a huge scar in its back bark, clawing at the ground. The trio exchanged a nod and jumped out of their hiding spot shouting: "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MONSTER HUNTERS, YAY!" The wolf turned just in time to see a pink and orange blur connecting a pair of hooves with its face. It was sent flying towards a nearby tree where it shattered. "Well, that was easier than it looked..." said Scootaloo, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Timberwolves aren't really resistant, but they regenerate!" said Apple Bloom pointing at the pieces of wood rebuilding the creature. "Cool!" said the pegasus pumping an armored hoof in the air "I can beat it how many times I like!" "Sorry to steal your prey, but this one is mine!" said Sweetie Belle catching the timberwolf in her telekinetic grasp. The creature howled and trashed but couldn't get free, not before Apple Bloom jumped in front of it and bucked it straight on the chest, sending the poor wolf flying over the canopy and out of sight. "Let's search something that's worth of huntin', what ya think?" asked the filly as to explain her actions. "Yeah, maybe it was too weak, even if immortal..." admitted Scootaloo kicking a rock. And so, the three fillies went in search of a worthy opponent, which they found in a sleeping manticore. "That lion is huge, I bet it's strong too!" whispered Scootaloo while spying the sleeping beast. "It's a manticore, and it's incredibly strong and ferocious," droneed Sweetie. "Well, what are we waiting for?" asked the pegasus, ready to charge. "Ah think that getting it by surprise is best, considering its size..." commented Apple Bloom "Let's attack together while it's sleepin', ok?" The other two gave and affirmative nod, but as they started to move, they were levitated in front of three very familiar mares: Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie, the latter bearing a large smile in place of the other two's angry frown. "Yer all in big troubles, missies, ya know right?" asked Applejack in a stern tone. "What were you thinking? You could have gotten hurt!" said Rarity "Luckily for us, Pinkie found you!" "I knew those armors would look great on you, especially yours Scootaloo!" said the pink mare in a knowing tone. "That's not the time and place for that, Pinkie, even if you're right," chastised the white mare. "We're sorry," said the three fillies in a dejected tone. "Ah bet you are! Now let's go before something finds us!" ordered Applejack turning around. As if to punctuate her statement, the not-so-sleeping-anymore manticore raised and let out a deafening roar. Goodbye surprise attack, sighed Scootaloo. "RUN EVERYPONY, RUN!" shouted Pinkie bolting away. The others did not need to be told two times. The six ponies did their best to avoid the beast, running and flying as fast as they could and throwing rocks and trunks at the manticore when they could. In the end, the creature lost interest and they got out of the forest. "Do you understand why we are so angry?" asked Rarity panting heavily. "Yes, we're sorry" said the three fillies in unison. We could have beaten it! thought Apple Bloom. Definitely! confirmed Sweetie Belle. Hadn't we been interrupted... commented the pegasus. "Good, but yer all grounded anyway," declared Applejack "Ya too Scootaloo, we told yer parents." "No more crazy crusades for a month," announced Rarity "And no sweets!" At the statement, both the crusaders and Pinkie became sad. "Please, anything but the sweets!" implored the pink mare "I practically eat ONLY sweets!" "Pinkie, yer not grounded." "Ah, it's true! You're really smart Applejack!" The farmare facehoofed.