//------------------------------// // Into The Woods We Go // Story: The "Death" of Button Mash // by Rated Ponystar //------------------------------// The gang wasn’t surprised that the plan had failed. After all, ninety percent of all of Button’s plans or ideas usually ended up in failure. While the sight of utter destruction was not new, the amount of it was staggering. Many ponies were rushed to hospitals or psych wards for intensive treatment. Apparently, there was a belief going around that carts had become sentient and were trying to take over the town, leading to a huge unscheduled cart burning as ponies tossed all their carts into a roaring bonfire. Naturally, the royal guards arrived to restore order with Princess Twilight. There was a riot. More injuries were a result as were arrests. And this was all in twenty-four hours. The only good thing that had come of it was that all the chaos made ponies forget that Button Mash was in the cart that started it all. Ms. Cheerilee was the only one to remember, but was more relieved that Button was okay. After giving him detention for the rest of the month, that is. So with that all said and done, the group was hoping that Button’s insane plan to fake his death was all over. Yet the next morning they were all lined up in front of the Everfree Forest with Button Mash, wearing a toy military helmet, pacing in front of them. “Alright, soldiers! Yesterday’s attempt to complete Operation Possum Play was a failure. There is much to blame, none of it mine of course, but what’s most important is that we move on from what we learned!” said Button Mash, attending to his friends. “You mean the lesson that faking your death is stupid and causes enough property damage to raise our parent’s taxes for the next three years?” asked Dinky raising her hoof up. “Yes! Wait, no!” shouted Button Mash, narrowing his eyes. “Great now I forgot my big speech. Thanks, Dinky.” “Yes, thank you, Dinky,” smirked Scootaloo. Tossing his helmet away, Button Mash said, “Look, we screwed up and we’re left with less than two days to have my name on a death certificate before my parents get home. We need to go with Plan B, aka ‘Little Red Button’, if were gonna make it in time.” Some of the others raised their eyebrows. “Little Red Button?” asked Rumble. “Are you gonna start cross dressing like Pip does in his room whenever he’s playing Super Magical Sailor Princess Heroes?” “Hey! A-a guy has the right to feel pretty while defeating the forces of the Minusverse!” cried out a blushing Pip. “Ignoring Pip’s questionable taste of imagination,” said Button Mash, earning a glare from the Trottingham colt. “We’re gonna go ahead with my backup plan!” He then pointed into the forest behind them. “We’re going into the Everfree Forest!” His friends stared at him for a long time before Spike raised his claw. “Yeah, I thought the goal was to fake your death. Not get killed for real.” “Oh come on, when was the last time anypony actually died in the Everfree Forest?!” cried out Button Mash, stomping his hoof. “We’ve heard hundreds of stories about the ‘dangers’ of the Everfree Forest, but how many of them are actually true? I mean we have a zebra living there and she’s fine. What dangerous things have any of us been through with this hunk of trees?” “Me and the girls got almost turned into stone by a cockatrice,” pointed out Sweetie Belle. “Ah almost got mah soul sucked out by cursed undead zombie ponies who burned a little filly for a cutie mark,” said Apple Bloom. “My family and I had to get rid of alien shadow like insects that live in wood and can eat a pony alive in seconds,” said Dinky. “Nightmare Moon, that’s all I’m saying,” stated Spike, crossing his arms. “What about Slender Pony?” asked Pip. Button Mash rolled his eyes. “First off, Pip, everypony knows Slender Pony likes to hang out at Whitetail Woods. Second, I’m sure all that stuff happened but if Princess Twilight and her friends can go back and forth towards that creepy castle every few days then I doubt anything dangerous exists there anymore. Besides, nothing will happen to us during the day. It’s like a rule or something in video games. Daytime is when you can travel, build, mine and explore while night time is when all the Creepers come out and kill your characters after all that hard work done for nothing.” “I said I was sorry!” cried out Sweetie Belle, huffing. “Its not like you were any better in our last play session.” “Besides, my big brother told me of a path he and his friends always took when they went into the Everfree Forest. As long as we follow that, we’ll be safe,” said Button Mash, smiling proudly. “This coming from the same brother who told you that the royal greeting for a princess was slapping her hindquarters and saying ‘All hail the glorious royal butt’?” pointed out Scootaloo, deadpan. “So I’m not allowed in the Crystal Empire anymore, big deal. Place doesn’t even have video games in their entire kingdom! I don’t see why so many ponies are so amazed by it,” said Button Mash, shrugging which earned another facehoof fromthe rest. “Look, Button,” said Sweetie Belle, walking over to him and touching him on the shoulder. “You’re a sweet guy and you're a good friend, but you kind of tend to be a bit... naive...” Button Mash gasped and looked like he had been sucker punch in the stomach. “I-I’m not naive! Name one thing that’s ever happened to prove that!” Rumble snorted and bumped elbows with Spike who smirked as well. “Well...” *** Two Months Ago*** Spike and Rumble could barely hold back their laughter as they watched Button Mash playing with his toy train just across the street. The two of them were hiding in a bush, keeping as quiet as possible until Spike turned to Rumble. “You sure he’s gonna fall for this? I mean I know he’s always mixing reality with his games and all... but nopony is this gullible.” “Hey, I want those ten bits and I’m gonna win it fair and square,” said Rumble as he pulled out as small laser pen. He beamed it over towards Button Mash. The playful colt was humming to himself while moving his train back and forth when he suddenly noticed a red blinking dot nearby. He narrowed his eyes and slowly touched it a bit, but nothing happened. He looked around, trying to find the source of the dot, but there was nothing. Spike giggled before he pulled out his cellphone. “You got the sound clip?” Rumble pulled out his and accessed a saved music file. “Right here.” Button continued to look at the red dot until his cell phone started to ring. Answering it, he then heard only one thing. Button’s eyes widen before he stared at the red dot, then up in the sky as his face began to pale. “Aaaaaaaaaaauuuuuugggghhhhh!” screamed Button Mash as he ran down the street in a panic. “Get out of Ponyville! Missile inbound! We’re all gonna die!” The two kids fell out of the bush, laughing to the point where tears were coming out of their eyes. Spike paid the pegasus ten bits but it was worth it. *** “Man that prank was great,” said Spike as he and Rumble shook their heads with nostalgic glee while Sweetie Belle did her best to hold down a raging Button Mash who looked ready to maim them. After calming down, Button Mash cleared his throat. “Anyway, the idea is simple. All of us will be pretending to be searching for the mysterious Olden Pony, who searches for her rusty horseshoe and murders anypony who doesn’t have it. We’ll just film a few shots of us playing in the woods and then suddenly a timberwolf will come out and eat me!” “And how are we going to do that?” asked Scootaloo, raising an eyebrow. “Are we gonna walk up to one and ask,” she faked a smile and performed the classic puppy eyes trick that all foals knew from birth. “Please, Mr. Timberwolf, can you only pretend to eat my juicy fat body so that I can make everypony think I’m dead by being too stupid to live.” “Hey!” shouted Button Mash over everypony’s laughter. “I am not fat!” He paused. “And I’m not stupid either!” He then pulled out a timberwolf costume from his saddlebags. “I managed to get my old costume from last year’s Nightmare Night. Somepony just need to wear this and all will be fine.” “Can we just get this over with? Ah wanna get home for dinner later,” said Apple Bloom. The gang nodded as Button Mash grabbed his saddlebags before leading them all into the Everfree Forest. *** Thirty minutes had passed and so far most of the gang was ready to leave. Even in the daytime, the Everfree still had a strange foggy and dark setting about it as the trees were so tall they could barely see any sunlight from above. Sounds of animals, bugs, and other creepy sounds echoed across the woods, sending shivers down their spines. Some of the trees even had scary looking faces if one could see close enough. Even Spike, who had been through the forest multiple times with Twilight, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who often took a safe route to visit Zecora, were still nervously checking around for any danger. However, a much greater problem was approaching them... “I need to use the loo again.” The gang groaned again as they glared at a blushing Pip who lowered his head nervously. “Sorry.” “This is like the third time since we entered here!” shouted Button Mash, hoof over his eyes. “Do all Trottingham ponies have small bladders or something?” “Ah can’t help it! Ah get scared easily and... well...” Pipsqueak nervously said while crossing his legs. “And you want to be in the Royal Guard when you grow up. They don’t let you have bathroom breaks when you focused on defending the princesses, you know?” said Button Mash. “That’s actually true,” pointed out Spike. “They teach you how to hold it in for a full twenty-four hours while you’re on duty.” “I don’t think I have the time to learn that, mate,” muttered Pip, gulping. Button rolled his eyes and pointed to bush far away. “Just go, and hurry it up before we leave you here for the manticores.” Pip didn’t need to be told twice as he zipped towards the bush. With that problem taken care off, Button turned to the rest of his friends and said, “Well, we might as well shoot our first take. Who's got the camera?” There was a long silence. “Anypony?” Another moment of silence. “Don’t tell me...” Button lowered his head and sighed as the rest realized. “Nopony... brought the camera.” Growling he turned to Rubble and shouted, “Dangit, Rumble! You had one job! Just one job!” “Me?! Why is it my fault!” shouted Rumble, pointing at him. “Well, you're the one to remind me of things before I look stupid!” shouted Button Mash “You were the one who wanted to be shot getting killed by a timberwolf! And aren’t you carrying the bags?” “Yeah, I think most of us here assumed you had it in there,” said Scootaloo, pointing to the saddlebags on Button’s back. “I put the costume and the other necessities inside first before we headed out. I didn’t have room so I texted you all to find one and bring one,” explained Button. He raised his eyebrow. “You guys did get a text right?” They all took out their cellphones and shook their heads. “I got nothing.” “Nope.” “Don’t got it.” Button Mash scratched his head. “Then who did I sent the text too?” ***Meanwhile*** “Hey, Button! I brought the camera!” shouted Pinkie Pie cheerfully. When she arrived at the entrance to the Everfree Forest was met with silence. Pinkie looked around in confusion. “Hello? Guys? Button?” ***   “Well, it doesn’t matter! Let’s just get out of here and head home!” shouted Sweetie Belle, shivering. “I’m really not liking this.” Button bit his lip upon seeing not only Sweetie Belle afraid, but the others acting nervous as well. Guilt began to eat inside of him as he sighed and realized this was a really bad idea. I knew we should have gone with the fake sniper trick. “Guys, I’m sorry, this was dumb. Let’s head home and try something else later or tomorrow, cool?” he asked. Nopony voiced a disagreement as they nodded simultaneously. Button turned to the bush where Pip was and shouted, “Yo! Pip! We’re heading back! Get over here!” There was no response. Everypony raised their eyebrow as Dinky shouted, “Come on, Pip! You didn’t need to pee that badly! Let’s go!” Again there was nothing. Worry crept onto Dinky’s face as she turned to her friends and asked, “Do you think he’s okay?” “Maybe he’s got diarrhea? Like the time Scootaloo ate those berries on our campin’ trip last summer?” suggested Apple Bloom. Scootaloo moaned and held her stomach. “Ugh, thanks a lot. Now I feel just sick remembering that day.” Spike sighed, “You guys realize somepony is gonna have to go in and check on hi—Not it!” Six “Not it” were shouted with the seventh coming from Apple Bloom who growled and kicked a nearby rock into a tree which bounced off and hit Button in the forehead. Ignoring his crying as he rubbed it, Apple Bloom stomped her way towards the bush. “Ah swear, if Ah see him doin’ his business Ah’m gonna gouge out mah eyes.” Scootaloo whispered to Rumble. “Five bits says she catches him doing number two.” “That’s gross,” whispered Rumble in disgust, but then he smiled. “Seven and you’re on.” Apple Bloom nervously made her way towards the bush where they last saw Pip as she carefully opened it with one eye open and the other closed. They watched her look around before she dovein. Worry started to appear on their faces as they slowly thought of the worst scenario happening. Apple Bloom dived out of the bush with shock on her face. “He’s gone!” *** Day 32 We continue to wander in our endless forest prison, searching for our lost comrade who no doubt lies dead, food for the earth that has swallowed him whole. This forest is watching us, whispering to us, it tells us things we do not want to hear but do. The one who dragged us into this, the buttoned one.  He is to blame for bringing us into this den of madness. Perhaps it already has taken him as I fear it has taken my friends.  The voices speak to us, drawing our strength as we continue to bicker among ourselves, slowly losing our sanity. I fear that we shall never escape, nor see the light of day again. Madness and darkness now are our friends. Along with the many, many trees. Day 33 We continue to live, but I wish death had taken us. Already my “friends” are plotting, seeking to throw themselves into the forest as we continue to cry for our long gone friend. The accented one was lucky, he no longer suffers under this accursed forest which has now claimed most of my “friends” sanity. I have lived a short but good life, if I remember it. I remember a home that I treasured with friends and family that I loved. Never again will they see me nor know of my fate, but perhaps they think I am dead already. Let it be so for I know my fate is sealed and none of us will escape. Not with the trees and its beast keeping us prisoner. Not while the old forest still whispers. Day 34 My friends are now husks, infected by the horrors of the forest. From deep within the earth, long since time forgotten are we hunted by abominations of which there are no words. It has already claimed our smart one and tiny winged one; I do not mourn for her but wish I was them. My remaining ones are too shocked by their demise, now they speak in tongues. Madness is all they know and soon I will know it as well. If you read this, it is too late for me. But let my story be told, reader; let me not be forgotten as my corpse becomes another meal for the forest. Let me be— “Hey, Spike!” shouted Apple Bloom, getting his attention as he stopped writing. “We calmed down Scootaloo and Dinky from that possum from earlier. Now stop yer writin’ and help us figure out what to do. Seriously, y’all been doin’ that for half an hour already.” Spike blushed as he put the pen and paper he got from Button back in the nearby saddlebags before joining the others. Leaping onto a nearby rock, Button stomped his hoof for attention. “Okay, everypony, listen up! We’re currently lost and Pip is missing. Things are down, but the most important thing to do is remain calm!” “Says the guy who thought nuclear missiles were gonna blow up Ponyville,” muttered Rumble under his breath. Ignoring that, Button continued, “Okay, we need options. Anything?” “Well, we’ll be okay thanks to those supplies you brought right?” asked Sweetie Belle. “You did sayyou brought necessities right?” Button smiled. “Of course I did. Check it out,” he opened his saddlebags for everypony to see but they only just stared in disbelief. “With all these Joyboy cartridges, we’ll never have to worry about being bored!” “You.. only brought your games? Your stupid games?!” cried out Dinky, looking ready to pull her mane out. “What about food?! Water?! Even something for lighting a fire?! Basic survival stuff! Haven’t you ever been camping?!” Button tilted his head. “Why would I want to do that? Unless I’m a sniper, it only makes me look like a noob.” There was a long silence followed by everypony smacking their foreheads with their hooves. “Dude, you need to get out more,” said Rumble. “Well, it’s official. We’re all gonna die. I knew Button would get us killed one day and it’s finally happening,” said Scootaloo as she lay on her back and closed her eyes. “Might as well just lay down and wait for the end. If any of you manage to make it and I’m long gone, have my body buried in a Rainbow Dash colored casket, please?” “Quit being a drama queen, Scoots,” scolded Apple Bloom, rolling her eyes. “We ain’t dead yet. All we gotta do is head in the direction the sun is settin’. Zecora said that’s the easiest way to get out of the Everfree.” “But what about, Pipsqueak? We can’t just leave him!” shouted Dinky, stepping forward. “He’s my best friend! I’m not letting him get left behind!” “How do we even know he’s even alive? A manticore could have gotten him! Or a poisonous snake! Or Bighoof took him away!” cried out Sweetie Belle. “Bighoof isn’t real,” scoffed Spike, crossing his arms.”You really need to stop listening to Lyra’s crazy theories.” “Maybe we should split up?” suggested Apple Bloom. “Half of us try lookin’ for Pip while the other half goes to get help?” “Split up?! Are you crazy?! Have you ever seen horror films or games?!” shouted Button Mash, shaking his head. “The one thing you never do is split up! We’ll get picked off one by one until only one of us survives and a sequel is focused on them! And those usually suck!” Making his point, Button Mash landed his haunches on the rock and raised his chin. “The most important thing to do is to sit still. Stick together. And, above all, not split up no matter what!” A large roar was heard that made Button’s eyes widen as he slowly looked up and saw the large, drooling mouth of a timberwolf that had just landed behind him. He looked into its fierce yellow eyes that stared at him like he was this week’s special lunch delight. The others were just as frozen as they stared at the forest spirit, knowing that the slightest of movements would startle the beast and have them for dinner. Button did his best to keep his face focused on the monster while mouthing “help me” to his friends. The others looked at each other, teeth near chattering as they tried to come up with something, but none of them could even think straight. It would take a miracle for something to distract the beast. That miracle... happened to be a manticore that appeared behind some bushes and roared, having smelled fresh prey nearby. The timberwolf, seeing competition for it’s meal, also roared back. “Oh come on!” shouted Sweetie Belle, angry at their luck. She soon covered her mouth but it was too late. The timberwolf and manticore leapt over and dived for the group. “Scatter!” shouted Button Mash as they ran in different directions, screaming their lungs out. Button Mash quickly grabbed his saddlebags before following Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle in one direction while Rumble, Spike, Dinky, and Scootaloo went the other. Both predators growled at each other for a bit before eyeing each retreating group. Through a series of grunts, snarls. and snorts, the two agreed to let their conflict pass for now and head for the real prize. The timberwolf went after Button and his gang while the manticore went after the other. “What was that about splitting up, huh?!” shouted Apple Bloom. “Just shut up and run for your pathetic lives!” screamed Button Mash. Just as the two groups were many distances apart... something else was just walking into the clearing. Pip looked around in confusion as he swore he heard his friends screaming yet there was no sign of them or anything really. “Maybe I was imagining it. Oh well. Now where is it?” He started looking closer among the ground, near some flowers until something small yet beautiful started flying away. It was the jade and amethyst colored butterfly that he spotted earlier and had been chasing for half an hour. “Come back here, Ms. Butterfly! I want to touch you!” cried Pip happily as he skipped and started singing, “Follow the butterflies! Follow the butterflies!” *** Spike was now finding Twilight’s offer to catalogue all the books in the library suddenly a lot more endearing than running for his life from a hungry manticore. He turned to Rumble and asked, “Can’t you fly us out?!” “Are you kidding?! I can’t lift either of you guys out! The only thing I could do is fly out of here on my own!” replied Rumble. “You do that and I swear I’ll come back as a ghost and haunt you!” screamed Scootaloo who jumped up a bit and tried flapping her wings. “Ugh! Stupid! Useless! Things!” “Hurry! They’re ganging up on us!” shouted Dinky. The four continued to flee with the manticore right on their tails, biting the air as he got closer inch by inch. Spike gulped. “So what do you think being digested feels like? Squeezed toothpaste? Or being a cooked marshmallow being squished into smores?” “I’ve always thought of it as the feeling potatoes get when they’re getting mashed,” commented Pinkie Pie as she ran beside them. “Eww, that sounds unp-p-p-p,” Spike eyes stared widening as the four of them looked at Pinkie who smiled at them. “Hiya!” “Pinkie Pie?!” “That’s my name! Say it again and I’ll tell you the same yet a totally different thing!” cheered Pinkie Pie. “Wha-what are you doing here?!” asked Scootaloo. “I was looking for you guys. See!” Pinkie then pulled out a video camera. “I brought the camera like you asked. Don’t know why though. Are you trying to do a Blair Witch Project ripoff? Because that is so twenty years ago.” “Pinkie! We’re being chased by a manicore that’s going to turn us all into his lunch if we don’t do something!” shouted Rumble, pointing behind him. Pinkie glanced behind her as her mouth made a little “O” look. “Ohhh, that’s much more important! Don’t worry, everypony! I’ve got an idea!” Then as quick as she came, Pinkie Pie bolted to the left while the others continued to flee. The manticore turned his head to watch Pinkie flee in a different direction of the woods, but decided to stay on the little ones for now. Scootaloo couldn’t help but groan that their fate now was all in the hooves of Pinkie Pie of all ponies. She then noticed a small break of light between the trees up ahead and shouted with joy. “Look! I think that’s the way out!’ Overjoyed, the three ran faster towards the bright light, arriving at a clearing... filled with other manticores. The three hit the breaks while turning pale at the sight of nearly half a dozen hungry beasts plus the one that was just behind them. The manticores all circled the three who held each other in comfort. “Well... I guess this is it...” said Rumble, tearfully as they closed their eyes. Waiting for their doom. “At least we ain’t dying alone.” “Yeah, and I’ll get some real wings in heaven,” muttered Scootaloo. “I wonder if I’ll regenerate like my dad?” asked Dinky out loud. “I can already hear the harps playing,” said Spike with fear only he then lifted his head in confusion. “Wait, those aren’t harps; that’s... a trumpet?” Everypony and every manticore’s ears lifted when they heard the music and turned to find something that just made them tilt their heads in confusion. Wearing a blue and yellow mambo shirt with extended sleeves, white silk pants, a yellow scarf, and a black mexicolt hat with red balls on strings on it, was Pinkie Pie, holding a pair of maracas. She started dancing a bit, shaking the instruments as she leaped back and forth on her rear hooves. Everypony eyed her and then each other before Pinkie started to sing: “They call me Cuban Pink! I’m the Queen of the Rumba Beat! When I shake my maracas I go Shake-shaka-boom Shake-shaka-boom!” Turning around she began to shake her rump rather provocatively while Rumble shook his shoulders to the beat. “Yes sir, I’m Cuban Pink! My dancing is as hot as heat! And when I shake my flank, I go   Shake-shaka-boom Shake-shaka-boom!” Pinkie started dancing to the left, swinging her forelegs left and right as she went towards two manticores who were looking at each other, confused beyond reason. “The chickies who comes see me want to swing with my piebero! “It's very sweet, so full of kink!” Pinkie winked at both as she spun like a top before landing on all fours and shook her plot at the two blushing manticores. “And when they're dancin they bring a happy bing the plotquer!” “Singin a song, all the night long!” By now most of the manticores were shaking to the beat along with the four almost-prey who were shaking it themselves. Despite being in a life or death situation, they couldn’t help but find the music enchanting. Pinkie jumped and flipped towards a small, weak tree, using it to spin around before landing and continuing her rumba. “So if you like it sweet Have a bite of Cuban Pink, And I'll make you feel Shake-shaka-boom Shake-shaka-boom!” Pinkie then shouted, “Conga!” and the music changed to that of conga music as one by one the manticores all lined up and started a line with Pinkie Pie. The four watched as Pinkie Pie lead the dancing manticores towards the other end of the clearing. She turned around and mouthed, “Go now” before continuing the dance. The four didn’t question anything, only just ran as fast as they could while swearing to take up lessons in mambo if they survived. *** Meanwhile, Button and the others were slowly getting winded as they continued avoiding the timberwolf that was getting closer and closer. A fork in the road was coming as a large rock stood in their way. Before anypony in the group knew it, they were splitting up again. Button went to the left while the girls went to the right, but the wolf followed the girls. Button came to a halt as he watched the predator run away while the girls screamed. “Sweetie Belle! Apple Bloom!” He started to trot in place and sweat. “Come on, Button. Think! Think! Think of something!” He gasped as an idea came to him and he quickly dug into his saddlebags. Back with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, the two of them finally couldn’t take anymore running and fell on their haunches, despite their brains telling them to keep moving. They gulped and looked at the timberwolf who had an almost sinister smile as it crept up towards them. The two fillies held on to each other, closing their eyes and waiting for their end to come. “Hold it!” The two opened their eyes as the timberwolf glanced to his left. There, standing on a rock, was Button Mash in his timberwolf costume looking ready for a fight. “Rawr! These are my prey! Stay away from them or else I’ll go Red XIII on your butt! Rawr!” At first, the girls were going to tell him to run since it was sure his plan wasn’t gonna work, but to their surprise the timberwolf turned away from them and focus on Button Mash. Button continued to roar, but soon he stopped as he saw something that none of the ponies expected. Red hearts in the timberwolves eyes. In his eyes he saw the most beautiful creature in the world. Small, yet gentle. A body that made the spirit feel as if he was truly alive. The way her sticks and leaves stuck out made it feel like he was burning and yet it never hurt. Her eyes were like the stars in the sky and his voice was mysterious as it spoke words it could not understand... but nevertheless obeyed. In a split second he was beside his future mate, licking and kissing her as she playfully struggled against him. Soon they would become one, make a clan all on their own with little ones, and hunt and devour ponies for grand feasts. It would be a paradise. In reality, Button Mash was struggling to deal with a very touchy timberwolf. He fought against it’s licks and kisses as he shouted, “Help! Stop it! I need an adult!” “Aww, it likes him,” said Apple Bloom with a smile. Sweetie Belle, however, did not share the same feeling. Her face was slowly turning red as steam came out of her ears that made Apple Bloom step away. Gritting her teeth, Sweetie Belle muttered, “Some... dog... is... making... out... with... my...colt! RAAAAWWWWRRRR!” The timberwolf looked up to see the commotion when it was suddenly kicked in the face. Sweetie Belle stomped on it’s head over and over again before grabbing it’s tail with her magic before slamming it up and down on the ground and threw it into a rock where it shattered into pieces. It soon took back it’s form, but wished it hadn’t as Sweetie Belle drop kicked it on the back, took its legs and pulled them towards her, stretching them to their limit as the timberwolf yipped and started to cry. Apple Bloom and Button Mash continued to watch Sweetie Belle kick the wolf over and over while even suplexing it a few times despite the size difference. Apple Bloom whispered, “When y’all get married, never piss her off.” “Yeah,” muttered Button Mash who didn’t even bother correcting Apple Bloom. He was too amazed by the amount of punishment Sweetie Belle was giving the timberwolf, not to mention blushing as he found it kind of... hot. Sweetie Belle finally ended her rampage as she lifted the timberwolf by the throat and growled, “Stay away from him... bitch.” The timberwolf nodded before he was released and ran away with his tail between his legs. Sweetie Belle slowly began to calm down before she blushed and turned to her two stunned friends. “Um... I...” “There you are!” shouted Dinky as she and the others arrived. “What happened? Where is the timberwolf?” “Uh, he had to go do his laundry. How did you guys escape?” asked Sweetie Belle, hoping to change the conversation. “Pinkie Pie helped us, but who knows how long she’ll be in danger with those manticores!” shouted Spike. “Oh, relax, Spike. I’m perfectly fine!” shouted Pinkie, bouncing her way towards the others while still in her outfit which earned a few raised eyebrows from the three who weren’t at the musical number. “What happened to the manticores?” asked Rumble, tilting his head. “Well... ***Five minutes ago*** Pinkie kept the conga line going as she and the manticores continued to dance their way through the forest. A few other animals looked at the chain of dancers and just turned away,deciding it was too weird to even think about it. Soon enough, they came upon a large river where Pinkie Pie soon left the line, but continued to dance as she encouraged the beasts to dance forward. They didn’t think twice about it; they were too busy having fun. One by one they walked over the river in the air until the opened their eyes and realize what was going on. It was too late as they fell into the river and were washed away downstream, their roars crying out as they faded away. Pinkie wiped the dirt from her hooves before turning back and hoping along the way while going “La la la!” *** “And that’s how I managed to outwit them!” said Pinkie, proudly as she lead the others towards the edge of the forest. The sight of Sweet Apple Acres was a godsend to them as the group sighed in relief of being home. “We’re finally safe!” shouted Rumble in celebration. “But... we never found Pip...” muttered Dinky with a tear in her eye. The group lowered their heads in silence for their friend who was still lost in the forest. If he was even alive at all. Button shook his head. “We can’t give up! He could still be alive! We just need to get the mayor to form a search party and then—” “Hey guys! There you are!” said Pipsqueak coming behind Button Mash who looked at him with bugged out eyes and open mouth. “What’s wrong?” “W-w-where have you been?!” shouted Button Mash, grabbing him. “We looked everywhere for you!” Pip’s smile widened. “Oh! That was because I saw this really neat butterfly and decided to catch it. Look!” He raised his eye towards the butterfly on his head. “Isn’t she pretty?” “... you mean to tell me... you chased a butterfly... for over an hour while we were in that forest...” “Yup! *** Big Macintosh, carrying the last load of apples for the day, was whistling a tune on his way home when he saw what looked like his little sister’s friend Pipsqueak running like his rear was on fire. Not soon after, did he see the rest of his friends chasing after him while screaming a few very gruesome threats towards the running colt. Big Macintosh shrugged it off as kids being kids and continued on his way.