//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 – A Random Encounter // Story: The Epic Quest of Ford Mustang // by RoyalRainbow //------------------------------// Chapter 21 – A Random Encounter “AUUGH! SO… HUNGRY!” Ford Mustang is beyond starving! He hasn’t eaten anything since he left the Everfree Forest, and recently, he just finished an excruciating battle with Wagner the Inferno Dragon King in the Talos Mountains in order to gain the dragons’ alliance against Arrogon the Destroyer. Plus, the dragon's home didn't have anything that was edible to him. Either way, the grumbling void in his stomach is becoming unbearable. So for now, he searches for anything that might offer the necessary nutrients he seeks as he travels back to Equestria. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find anything sustainable within the mountains he’s passing by. With quick glance to his left, he suddenly spots something where the mountains end their range. It is a large forest that is just as dark as the Everfree Forest. Most ponies wouldn’t even dare trend to such an ominous place, but considering that Ford has practically conquered the Everfree Forest firsthand, he has nothing to fear from woods' intimidating nature, especially when his growling stomach tells him otherwise. Hopefully this forest can offer something to eat in there! With nothing else to considered, Ford quickly makes a sharp turn to the left and heads into the dark forest. Upon his landing, he notices some differences that separate this haunting forest from the one he trained in for two weeks. While the Everfree Forest was incredibly dark, it was at least full of life in every turn, from its enriched vegetation to its diversity of animals. This forest, however, is a complete opposite as it devoid of any form of life. There is not a sight or sound from any creature that would roam in these woods. The ground is hard and cracked. And the sickly trees are practically dead as their skeletal branches sprout no leaves nor do they bear any fruit. In a way, Ford feels that this “Foresaken Forest” is far creepier than the fertile Everfree Forest. After spending several minutes aimlessly searching for any signs of food, the immensely starving stallion is just about to give up. But just as he is about to take-off from this dreary forest, Ford surprisingly notices a colorful speck in the shadowy background. After trotting closer to it, he gets a better look at it as he gasps in mouthwatering joy from what it up ahead: a bushel of mixed wild berries featuring blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries! Unable to contain his furious hunger any further, the overjoyed Pegasus leaps into the air and charges at full speed. Upon close proximity, Ford quickly takes a sniff of the tempting berries, just to make sure they are not poisonous. With his nose, he gratefully detects the berries’ enriching smell of abundant sweetness. Satisfied enough, the hungry pony greedily gobbles them up as he indulges on the ripe berries’ sweet and tart taste. Upon his indulging, he makes several observations on this too-good-to-be-true bounty he just found. What amazing luck! To think I would find such tasty berries in this wasteland! Hmmm… now that I think about it, who would anyone leave such a treasured fruit right next to this tree and underneath this neatly pile of leaves? In fact, there are hardly leaves to be found on these trees at all! If I didn’t know any better, I would say that this is all starting to sound like a--! TWING! Literally, right under his nose, a silky web springs from underneath Ford and quickly it entraps him! As he swings lightly while hanging in the air, he finishes his sentence with a tiresome groan, “Sigh… trap.” “HA-HA! SUCCESS!!” From pinpointing the location of that startling noise, the entrapped Pegasus notices a very blurry figure that's vaguely shaped like a pony. Suddenly, its nearly perfect camouflage deteriorates as it reveals itself. Upon observation, Ford realizes that this isn’t a standard pony at all. From its overall dark-colored body and insect-like characteristics, including wings, legs, and wing covers, the pony recognizes that his entrapper is a changeling! While it does possess identifiable features, the changeling does have a few distinctions that separate him from the rest of his race: a box-shaped face, a sharp, pointed chin, and a multitude of razor-sharp teeth. “At last! My patience has finally been paid off!” the over-zealous changeling exclaims with pride. “And what’s even more fortunate is that my quarry is a pony of all things! Truly, the Colony will praise me for my valiant efforts!” “Hey, you’re a changeling, aren’t you?” Ford confirms calmly. “Yes indeed! And you, my foolish little pony, has fallen right into my trap!” “Uh-huh. And how long did it take you to make this?” Ford asks coolly while examining his own entrapment. “Well, providing the bait wasn’t the problem thankfully.” the changeling replies casually. “It’s the details in its construction that took a majority of my time.” “Oh, sorry to hear that. But hey, this is a really nice trap you setup out here.” “Why, thank you--! Wait, why are you speaking to me so mannerly like that?!” he snappily gets back on track. “You should be wallowing in despair and agony!” “Oh no. Please. Don’t hurt me. Ahhhh…” he enunciates in emotionless sarcasm. Unamused from his prey not taking this seriously, the changeling inquires in a deadpan manner, “…You’re not taking this seriously, are you?” “Well… if it makes you feel better, this isn’t the first time I was trapped in a spider’s web before.” “It doesn’t matter! You are trapped, and there is nothing you can about it!” “Oh really?” Ford smirks deviously. “Not even if I do this?” SNAP! With a quick amplification from his Draconian Magic, Ford uses the edge of his feathery wings to easily cut through his webby ensnarement like they were made of extremely sharp scissors! After his graceful landing, the proud pegasus turns around just so he can see look on changeling’s speechless face. “Wh-wh-what?!” the insect-like creature flabbergasted in disbelief. “What are those wings made of?! That fine silk was spun by the Colony’s best spinners!” “Huh, what a shame.” the pony sympathizes casually as he brushes off any remaining silk on his body. “Despite its stickiness, the threads are very soft and firm. Well, it was nice talking with you, but I’ve got to get going. See ya!” As Ford Mustang is about to take his leave, the frustrated changeling sharply steps in the way of the pony’s departure. “Hold it right there! I, Trapjaw, commander of the Royalty’s army, challenge you to a duel!” “Ah man! Not another one!” Ford sighs aggravatingly before he turns his attention back to his challenger. “Look buddy. I don’t have time for this. I just fought a dragon, and I really need to get back to Equestria.” “Ha! Your boastfulness shall not deceive me, pony! If you wish to leave these woods, you must defeat me in a battle! Now then, have that thee!” “Are you sure you want to do this right now?” Ford asks with severe disinterest while raising an eyebrow. “Because I really don’t feel like fighting right now.” “Enough of this!” Trapjaw impatiently dismisses Ford’s passiveness. “You shall not delay this any longer! FOR THE ROYALTY!!” During his screeching warcry, Trapjaw charges at the uninterested Pegasus head-on. With repressed strength, Ford swiftly makes a hard push against his charger, and the headstrong changeling is quickly shoved back before he trips over a dead log behind him. As the startled changeling gets himself back up, Ford approaches him slowly as he cautions his contender gently, “Please. Don’t make me have to hurt you.” After composing himself, Trapjaw responds boldly, “You are… a lot stronger than I’ve expected, but this match is far from over! I have faced tougher opponents before, and I shall not back down from this one! And if my might cannot match up to yours, then have a taste of my fury!” FOOSH! Immediately, Trapjaw exhales his own natural flamethrower as the stream of fire engulfs the slightly surprised Mustang! With the pony engulfed in the small inferno, Trapjaw laughs triumphantly over his successful attack. However, that laughter starts to die down before Trapjaw gasps at the implausible feat the pony is pulling off. Through an extensive inhale, Ford sucks up the creature's fire like they were strands of spaghetti! Of course, the absorption of his fire isn’t the only thing that made Trapjaw gap in awe and shock! Ford miraculously remains unharmed after being briefly swallowed by his opponent’s fire! “Mmm… thanks for the meal, Trapjaw.” he smirks while mockingly licking his lips. “And now that you’ve shown me yours, I’ll show you mine.” FOOM! In return, Ford unleashes a golden fireball, which explodes upon direct contact with the stunned changeling! Through that explosion, Trapjaw is slammed right into the same log before! Thankfully for him, his beetle-like hide protected him from being severly burned from that counterattack. However, the force from the Pegasus’s attack greatly injured him as he grudgingly tries to get himself up once again. “What in blazing infernos are you?!” Trapjaw inquires as he pants exhaustively. “Oh, you know…” Ford shrugs with a shrewd smile. “Just a simple Pegasus Pony who gained the powers of a dragon. No biggie really.” “I see. The odds in this fight are clearly against me.” the changeling states as he amazingly stands back up on all four legs. “But I shall not shy away from battle so easily! I would rather die on the front line than to live the rest of my days as a shameful coward! So don’t think this over just yet--!” In the midst of his bravado, Trapjaw begins to lose his balance as he nearly topples over. “Are… you alright over there?” Ford asks with concern. “I’m… I’m fine!” the proud warrior reassures. “I don’t need any sympathies from the likes of--!” Suddenly, his shaky legs could not hold himself any longer and he reclines right on the log. Upon his collapse, Trapjaw holds his stomach as he squirms and moans in uncontrollable discomfort. “Ooooooh! The paaaaain!” he groans immensely. “Why must it happen now at a time like this?!” “Seriously, what’s wrong?” Ford inquires as he crouches next to the fallen combatant. “So… hungry!” he whines greatly. “Haven’t… eaten… in days! Must… feed!” “Hang on. I’ll get the berries from your trap over there.” But as Ford is about to get up, Trapjaw stops him. “No, those will never sustain me! I must… feed off of emotions! Preferably love of all things! It is the only thing that can end my hunger!” “So that’s why you were setting up traps earlier.” Ford speculates. “Yes… and even though… I wish to continue this battle of ours until the bitter end, I... don’t have the strength to carry on! Please, pony!” he begs him as he reaches out with a trembling foreleg. “Be merciful and end my pitiful life already! I have shame myself long enough already and cannot bear it any longer!” Yeesh! And here I thought Rarity was the over-dramatic one! Ford scowls to himself. “Alas, my time is growing short, yet I have no regrets.” Trapjaw continues with his melodramatics. “Everything that I did… is for the good of the Colony. And that… is truly enough for me. So farewell, my dear brothers and sisters! Long… live… the Queen!” While the supposedly dying changeling makes an exaggerative gagging noise, Ford’s pupils shrink after hearing Trapjaw’s last sentence. ‘The Queen?’ Could that be Queen Chrysalis? As he ponders on this, the voice of Hindel, his deceased master and dragon friend, replays something familiar in his head. If you keep an open mind on your journey, you might find some unexpected allies along the way. Could Hindel have foreseen this possibility? But more importantly, can she be trusted? I mean, she was able to fool nearly everypony when she infiltrated the Castle of Canterlot! Hmm… perhaps she might be a valuable ally after all! After some careful consideration, the Pegasus makes his decision and quickly taps the changeling on the cheek to snap him out of his nap. “Hey, wake up!” “Wh-what?!” he awakens abruptly before he glares at the sight of his defeater. “Oh, it’s you! Have you changed your mind already?” “No.” Ford answers with a frown. Displeased, Trapjaw dismisses the pony, “If you will not grant me a warrior’s death, then leave me be so that I may die in peace already!” “Look, before you keel over, this Queen of yours… this wouldn’t happened to be Queen Chrysalis by any chance, would it?” Surprised to hear the name of his queen, Trapjaw asks, “You know of her royal Majesty?!” “The one who disguised herself as Princess Cadance and nearly took over Canterlot, right?” “Ah yes, what a glorious day that was!” Trapjaw reflects with a warm, toothy smile. “Ever as beautiful as she is deadly, the Royalty has accomplished what no pony else would even dare to do: invade Canterlot from the inside out! My Queen has managed to slip pass Celestia’s defenses and perfectly disguised herself as one of the enemies! With Celestia dethroned and their impervious shield shattered, the Colony had those frightened, little ponies right under our hooves! If it wasn’t for Celestia’s wretched protégé and her friends, we would still have Canterlot under our control! We may have been defeated on that day, but never have we come close to enjoy the sweet taste of victory ever since then!” So, Queen Chrysalis knows how to sneak into the castle, eh? If she can get into the castle with ease, then maybe she can help me rescue the Elements of Harmony as well! “Trapjaw, was it? You feed off of emotions, is that correct?” After receiving a nod from the weakened changeling, Ford continues, “Okay, now answer me this truthfully: what happens to the victim once their emotions are being drained?” “Nothing too fatal really.” he answers straightforwardly. “If the host is thoroughly drained, then they will just feel asleep until their strength returns overtime.” “So… no permanent side-effects what-so-ever?” Ford inquires cautiously with a cocked eyebrow. “Not at all! Where are you so persistent on this matter?” “…Okay. How about this… if I offer you a little of my emotional energy to you, will that be enough to satisfy your hunger?” Trapjaw blinks in response on this rare offering before he responds in disbelief, “You would do that for me?” “Mm-hmm… and all you have to do is to take me to your leader.” “NEVER!” he snaps out loud in defiance. “I would rather die than to be deemed as a traitor to my beloved Queen!” After lightly chuckling over the misunderstanding, Ford reassures, “Relax! I’m not going to harm her or your Colony. I just want a chance to speak with her, that’s all.” Not buying it entirely, the vigilant commander asks with slight curiosity, “Why do you insist on seeking an audience with her Majesty?” “Because I have some important information that may not only be the end of your Colony, but for the rest of the world as well." “The Colony is endangered?” he gasps in horror. “That’s right.” “Quick, you must tell me!” Trapjaw demands in a state of panic. “I need to relay this message to the Royalty immediately! The fate of the Colony may depend on this!” “Sorry, but only I can deliver this message myself. You just need to lead me to Queen Chrysalis unharmed. Plus, you’ll get a free snack out of yours truly. The way I see it, you’ve got nothing to lose from what I’m offering to you. So… do we have a deal?” After Ford extends a friendly foreleg to confirm the agreement, the conflicted changeling contemplates on whether or not this gamble will be beneficial to his queen and his Colony. Finally, he extends his foreleg and shakes the pony’s firmly. “Very well, I accept!” After smiling over the newly formed compromise, Ford then asks with a hint of nervousness, “Okay, so… how does this work?” “Just relax, and I’ll let my magic do the rest.” “And remember, only a little bit!” he reminds the changeling sternly. “Because if I start to get dizzy, tired, or hurt from this, I’m cutting you off! Got it?!” “I assured you, it would bring great shame to my honor if I go against my word! I will never betray such rare kindness from a pony this generous!” After breathing out a heavy sigh, the Pegasus relaxes himself before he authorizes his readiness, “Alright… go right ahead.” With a nod in return, Trapjaw closes his eyes as his jagged horn illuminates a green glow. In the midst of the changeling’s concentration, Ford feels a slight tingling sensation around his head. But thankfully, this unfamiliar feeling isn’t the equivalent of a headache. Soon enough, Ford starts to feel lightheaded and deems that this is where he should end this psychic draining session. “Okay, that’s enough.” To Ford’s surprise, Trapjaw is too distracted while conjuring his energy-draining ability as he makes inaudible noises to show that he is clearly enjoying the nurturing food he is partaking in. “Hey, I said, ‘that’s enough.’” Ford repeats himself sternly. Once he realizes that Trapjaw is too drawn in with the energy he is gradually sucking out of the disapproving Pegasus. Ford swiftly smacks the changeling’s jagged horn to disrupt his mental absorption. “HEY!” Ford crossly shrieks him out of his mediation. “Huh?! Oh, my apologizes!” Trapjaw says humbly after he breaks out of his haziness. “It’s been so long since I tasted such a strong flavor of emotions before! I can honestly say that it was the best thing I have ever eaten in my life!” “Umm… thanks?” he awkwardly assumes as a form of a compliment. “To whom do I owe my deepest gratitude towards, noble pony?” "Ford Mustang.” Right away, Trapjaw bows before the staggered Pegasus for his noble kindness as the changeling grovels before the pony’s hooves, “Ford Mustang, I thank you from the bottom of heart! If I already didn’t swear my eternal allegiance to the Royalty, I would have dedicated my life to you from this point on! But as promised, I shall escort you to her Majesty herself!” “Thanks, Trapjaw.” “But before we take our leave, I must make one thing perfectly clear to you!” Trapjaw warns in absolute seriousness as he gets too close in Ford’s personal space. “Nopony must know of our secret hideout! Ever! So if I find out that you reveal the Colony’s location to any pony else, then I swear on my blood that I will hunt you down and will not rest until you pay your treachery with your very life!” “Alright!” Ford agrees hastily as he pushes Trapjaw away from him. “Your secret will be safe with me! I Pinkie Promise!” “‘Pinkie Promise?’” the changeling bewilders momentarily. “But… we don’t have any fingers.” “No, it’s--! …Sigh. Nevermind. Let’s just go already.”