//------------------------------//
// Chapter 16 
// Story: The Power of Portals 
// by Flames173 
//------------------------------//

	"So Fluttershy, what uhh, can I do?" Fred asked.
"Just sit there and tell me when they're coming." Fluttershy said.
"All right."
"Here." Fluttershy pulled out a shotgun looking object and threw it to Fred.
"Woah, why do you have a shotgun? I thought you were some sort of animal rights activist."
"It's not a shotgun. It's a flaregun."
"Then why does it have two barrels?" Fred asked as he held it and looked down the sights.
"Because it gets jammed a lot, so they added a second barrel to double the success rate of a flare going off."
"Oh, I see." Fred found that it had a strap and he slung it over his back. "And we're bringing it because?"
"There are several deadly creatures in the Everfree. A manticore is far too powerful for any pony to kill. Very few who have even seen it lived to tell the tale. It's a powerful hunter. We'll need the flaregun to get attention from the others if we get separated and the manticore attacks."
"Ok. That makes me feel so much better about what we're about to do."
"Don't worry, there's only one manticore known to live in Equestria, and it's a male, so don't worry about it being pregnant."
"Well, that makes me feel a little better."
"You do know what a manticore is right?"
"Yeah, it's like half lion, half scorpion, half bat, 150% awesome or something right?"
"Sure." Fluttershy rolled her eyes as she continued to get supplies for the trip. She filled a few saddlebags with food and water. A day or two worth each. "Here." she tossed a saddle bag over to Fred. "In case we get separated and the flaregun fails. It should last you long enough to at least get out if need be."
"Thanks." Fred said as he awkwardly put it around his waist. "Hey, I think I see them coming." he said when he glanced out the window.
Fluttershy walked over and looked out the window. She saw her friends coming and bolted to her room. She came back a minute later, a rifle slung over her back and a saddlebag on her waist.
"Ok, I know that one isn't a flaregun."
"It isn't. It's an honest to Celestia sniper rifle."
"So we do have a violent side eh?"
"This is only if bad comes to worse." Fluttershy grabbed the other saddlebags and went to the door. She opened it quietly then glared at Fred. "And you don't know the beginning of my violent side." She left the cottage and greeted her friends. Fred followed because he didn't know what to do. "Hey Twilight, Jodi, Luke, and Joe. I got stuff for our trip to the Everfree." she said as she tossed a saddlebag to each pony.
"Why do you have a rifle?" Joe asked.


***


"All right, so is every pony ready?" I asked.
"Yup." The others said simultaneously.
"So, lets go!" I said as I turned from my friends and cautiously entered the dense forest.