Anguirus
Destroyah
Hyper Gyaos
Rarity
Pinkie Pie
Sweetie Belle
Scootaloo
Apple Bloom
Monster X
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Ponyville, Day After Canterlot Incident
================================
Destroyah almost rolled her eyes as she smacked the side of her forehoof into the trunk of a thankfully spry apple tree, earning a downpour of apples. As she watched the fruit tumble into the preset baskets resting around her, the former kaiju shrugged.
Destroyah grimaced as an overwhelming feeling washed over her in a despised mood. She wasn’t vengeful right now. She wasn’t bloodthirsty or wrathful. Heck, she wasn’t even angry or enraged. It was something far worse. She was absolutely bored out of her skull. The only reason she’d even agreed to roll out of bed in the morning and start harvesting was in a vain hope that repeatedly striking the trees would help her vent off any lingering rage she held over her current circumstances. It was a limited success at best. The fact she couldn’t hit the tree with anything more than a firm tap and not snap the trunk in two wasn’t aiding in any attempt at venting. At this point not even projecting certain faces onto the trunks when she hit them was helping much.
Her attention was pried away by a loud grumbling echoing out from her gut. Destroyah’s face sneered. If there was one thing about this world she disliked, it was how easily she got hungry now. A chipper, youthful voice squeaked from the fence line near the giant mare.
“Howdy Princess! Thanks for hittin’ the big trees!”
Destroyah’s face flattened considerably, clearly not amused.
-Make that two things about this world I dislike…-
She turned to the grinning Cutiemark Crusaders as they looked at her from the fencing, her tone having a minor hint of a growl.
“What do you runts want?”
The little trio crawled up and over, through, and under the fencing and trotted over to pegasus that was easily twenty times their size without a hint of fear. Scootaloo was carrying a picnic basket in her mouth before setting it down in front of the kaiju and digging through it.
“We were on our way to explore and heard you were working out here, so we packed you a lunch.”
Smiling, the little pegasus unwrapped a hay sandwich and a carton of apple juice before setting them down on a napkin.
“Don’t worry, Sweetie Belle didn’t make it.”
“Hey!”
Destroyah craned her head down as Scootaloo backed up. She eyed the food. Typically she was used to snacking on fish, whales; and the occasional human. Then again, it wasn’t exactly a typical situation she was in. The pegasus glanced up at the grinning young trio and momentarily felt a spark of something inside. It was a bafflingly odd feeling inside her ribcage, one of odd warmth for a moment’s passing. It felt weird and she hated it. Snorting, she eyed the small assortment of food before her mane and tail began to sizzle and crackle with strands of bright purple energy. Opening fang filled jaws, Destroyah exhaled with a hiss as bubbles of micro-oxygen gushed over the food and evaporated it into a ball of purple light. Condensed and evaporated biomass morphed into oxygen destroying particles, an old favorite. Destroyah widened her jaws and was just about to inhale when a voice caused her to pause.
“Hey um, Miss?”
“Eh?”
“Cool as that is to watch, didn’t you keel over last time you did that?”
Applebloom rubbed the back of her head with a nervous chuckle.
“Y-yeeeeeaaah, Granny Smith said you right near wrecked your stomach eatin’ that stuff last time with the Timberwolves.”
Destroyah closed her jaws and rose up, taking a moment to think the situation through. She’d been eating this way since she could remember eating at all. Spray, dissolve, absorb, repeat; killed quick and left no useful scraps. But as much as she loathed thinking it, the fillies that made her want to yank her mane out had a point. Last time she tried that was with one that one wooden wolf, and if there was one thing the kaiju didn’t want it was to knock herself out again. The orb of dissolved mass that had been Destroyah’s lunch faded away into nothingness. Her stomach angrily yowled loudly at the observation.
Thankfully for the kaiju, Scootaloo was quick to dig through her saddle bag and whip out a similar meal to those past.
“Here, I had a big breakfast anywho.”
The snarl of her stomach caused Destroyah’s instincts to fire off, the giant mare swinging her jaws down and snapping them shut on the sandwich and drink in one swift motion less than a half second after Scootaloo set them down.
The Pegasus filly jumped back as recurved fangs slammed shut like a vice less than an inch from her hoof. The fillies all backed up a bit as Destroyah chewed her food behind closed lips. Her brow leveled out as she glanced down at them. Her stomach had stopped rumbling. Between the food in her mouth and no small measure of reluctance saying a word she hardly thought of, much less spoke; it was hard at first to understand the two words she spoke.
“Th-Th-Th-Thaaaaan’k… yooou….”
The giant mare turned and went back to her work after swallowing her lunch whole. The CMC took a moment to catch their breath before trotting off back to their course.
“Pretty untidy for an alicorn princess.”
“Did you SEE her teeth?!”
They walked for a moment more, and then promptly exploded into a burst of glee and excitement.
“That was AWESOME!”
“I know right?!”
“Did anypony else see her teeth?!”
“IIIIIII like her!”
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White Tail Woods
===============
Hyper Gyaos flapped her wings best she could to try and slow her decent, but her exhaustion had long since caught up to her and the best she could manage was a gentle crash landing. The battles of before had taken their toll on her, she'd only been only flying for about an hour at the longest after retreating before she expending the last of her master's energy boost. Now she was only about the size of the smaller members of her flock.
Hauling herself out of the small trench of dirt her crash had dug, Hyper Gyaos slumped against a tree trunk to catch her breath. She'd failed. She wasn't successful in retrieving this 'Tree of Harmony' nor did she manage to capture the Element of Magic. To her credit, she did the best she could upon suddenly finding herself fighting a ticked off angry moth thrice the size of a 747.
The sunlight was strong, forcing the albino to shield her eyes before picking herself up. Still worn out, she limped off through the wood, trying to find a patch of forest with more shade.
-Least I wore out Mothra enough for the second flock to make it to that city. The master probably has the alicorns right now-
Finally finding a darker patch, partly due to some clouds rolling in up above and partly due to the large, solitary cedar tree having broad branches; Hyper took a seat to catch her breath.
She'd been sitting there for some time when an isolated screech caught her attention. It was extremely distant, barely a whisper in the winds. But she knew that call, as well as the small chorus that followed. The meaning was clear, 'Where are you?'. Taking in a deep breath, she stood upright and shrieked back loud enough to send the nearby birds and squirrels scattering. 'I'm here.'. There was silence for a moment, before a similar, higher pitched scream replied, 'We're coming.'.
Squinting over the tree line, Hyper Gyaos quickly spied dark forms coming over the mountains. Broad wings that flapped without feathers as about a dozen normal gyaos glided over the mountain peaks and straight for the forest below. It was then that Hyper Gyaos remembered her situation. She was the same size as them for the moment and sporting numerous wounds. Wounds that smelled of blood that could send the flock berserk. Their kinds blood driven feeding frenzies put the most vicious sharks to shame. Hyper Gyaos screeched to the approaching flock, ordering them to stay back just in case.
But fate had other ideas. The winds shifted, and the scents from the wood trailed up to the high lands. All at once the flock erupted in crazed, gluttonous shrieks as they increased their pace. Hyper Gyaos slowly stepped back, shrieking again to order her flight to stay back. Words fell to deaf ears, the flock being close enough now the albino could see the craven hunger in their eyes. They were starving, and they smelled food. Her eyes widened in fear, mentally begging for a portal to Zenith to open for her, pull her away from this situation. None came and she had to dodge to the side to avoid a beam of sonic energy that sliced the cedar tree in two.
Unable to fly from weakened wings, Hyper Gyaos ran down a game trail full sprint; the berserk flock hot on her heels. One of them lunged at her leg, chomping down on her ankle before the shriek of wrath and a purple sonic beam to the head ended its life.
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Ponyville
========
Anguirus was both mentally and physically grumbling something incomprehensible to himself. When he was told he wouldn't be a 'free loader' on society and should lend a hoof, he had expected much. He wasn't strong armed into the agreement, but he still agreed on his own terms. One thing he didn't expect was to be running an errand for a senior citizen. He pulled the note impaled on one of his quills and looked it over again. Thankfully, Equestrian was miraculously close enough to what his creators had instilled into him, so the hardest part was less mistranslation and more correctly understanding Granny Smith’s odd chicken scratch.
-Standard 1 centimeter bolt and nails, two dozen each-
The old mare had been very insistent they were needed for some repairs. Apparently Destroyah had lashed a few times in her sleep when being taken back to the barn and a stray kick knocked the door off its hinges. Given how the Apple Family’s matriarch had mumbled about the barn needing a fix up “again” in a very annoyed tone, the kaiju began to wonder just how often that building was torn up.
-They got magical hocus pocus and plenty of metal, should consider some bronze enchants. The Mu Empire had that knocked.-
As tedious as the task seemed, he had agreed to it. Didn’t help though that Granny Smith fell asleep not two seconds after handing him the note, and Anguirus quickly found that elder seemed nigh impossible to wake up. Still, as he approached the outskirts of town; the kaiju turned earth pony was having second thoughts. True, he knew more about civilization than most kaiju. Partly through observation and partly because his creator’s wanted him to recognize his charges, he was well aware how a society worked. Anguirus knew what a hospital, what a library, and what a restaurant all were. What he didn’t have the slightest inclination of was how this town was laid out, and Ponyville was no small settlement. Anguirus’s expression flattened.
-Buried in the woods or knee deep in a township, why do I keep getting lost?-
Grumbling, he started down a street. It was a brisk day with a slight overcast that might herald future rain, so many ponies were out and about to get their errands done in case they were stormed in later. As the kaiju walked down a street though, he couldn’t help but notice some wandering eyes. A trio of earth pony mares operating a florist stand kept staring at him, whispering amongst themselves in what Anguirus could tell was slight concern. It almost made him frown. He was no looker but he wasn’t THAT ugly was he?
The familiar mental tug of Terran magic quickly ripped his attention away and the familiar voice of a fellow guardian seeped into his conscious.
-“Anguirus, you there?”-
He needed only think the words to respond back.
-“Ah, Lea, was wondering when you’d give an actual long distance call.”-
-“Very funny, anyways do you recall what a newspaper is?”-
-“Those weirdly folded pamphlets the humans use to update each other?”-
-“Right, well Equestrians apparently use them too. You need to get one.”-
-“Ah come on Lea, I’m already running one weird errand. What's is so important?!”-
Lea’s tone paid no effort to hide a fatigue driven, tranquil aggression.
-“Anguirus… I had QUITE the day yesterday and can’t hold this telepathy up much longer… I REALLY recommend you get that paper before I need to teleport over there myself.”-
-“…Wait, you can do that?”-
And goodbye tranquility. Lea’s voice could have been shooting flames out of her mouth.
-“I’M ABOUT TO TRY IF YOU DON’T READ THE ******* PAPER!”-
Anguirus couldn’t stop himself from widening his eyes and talking out loud with his thoughts, thoroughly confusing anypony who looked over to see a frantic stallion reacting to absolutely nothing.
-“OK OK OK! I’m on it!”-
He could hear Lea sigh, her tone lightening back up.
-“Sorry just, something pretty big happened that you’ll need to know about. Pass word to Rodan when he gets back into town.”-
Anguirus’ heart thankfully was slowing back down now that he didn’t have an enraged and annoyed changeling mentally screaming at him.
-“Alright but what’s the news I’m looking for, can’t you just tell me?”-
-“Not without cutting out mid-conversation and confusing you. Best you read it in full. I have to go now so take care. Trust me, you’ll know it when you see it.”-
Anguirus shrugged to himself, adding another line to his mental checklist and putting it at the top. Now he had two things to look for in a town that he had no clue how to navigate. After wandering around without a hardware dealer or newsstand in sight, the kaiju was quickly beginning to get annoyed. Given the odd looks he kept getting from some ponies, something told him asking the locals might be out of the question. On his own and thoroughly lost, not a very peachy situation.
He’d just passed by a pottery store’s alley when something caught his attention. A small vase set on the ground was violently rattling when he walked past it, only to stop when he departed. Raising an eyebrow, Anguirus backed up only to find the vase resuming its shaking with increased fervor. He was just about to look inside it, half expecting some sort of small animal to be trapped within when an explosion of confetti and pink burst out of the vase. The Element of Laughter, Pinkamena Diane Pie burst out of her hopelessly undersized hiding spot to the heralding forth one of her celebrations. Confetti burst into the air and trickled down like rain, streamers flew everywhere, and a small banner with the word ‘WELCOME’ stenciled onto it flew like a flag. Anguirus nearly jumped out of his skin and had to quickly resist the instinct to lash out after at first thinking he was under attack.
“Happy Welcome-to-Equestria Kaiju Partyyyyyyy!”
There was an almost cinematic, musical trumpeting when the mare announced the celebration, despite the two being alone in the alley. Pinkie Pie stopped herself mid-jump, beginning to rapidly babble on in a manner Anguirus could barely understand as she rubbed her chin with her hoof.
“Well,ActuallyDoesItCountAsAPartyIfOnlyOneOfYouAreHere?!NotToDegradeAnyponyAtAllNoNoNo! ButItWouldBeBestIfWeGotYourFriendsTogetherToMakeItAFULLKaijuParty. Ooh!Ooh! IKnow! ThisWillBeAPrePartyAndI’llMakeAFullOneLater! That’sIt!”
Pinkie Pie braced herself to the sound of a spontaneous drum roll before shooting up into a gleeful jump to the sound of trumpeting.
“Happy Welcome-To-Equestria-Kaiju PREE-Party!!!”
Anguirus had no clue what to do first after wiping the blinding amounts of confetti and streamers off his face, trying to comprehend what in the world was going on with this pony or try and find out who kept playing that music. He chose the latter and glanced around, but was unable to find anyone or anything nearby that had been playing.
“How did yo-…”
He looked back to the hopeless small vase that had somehow been the mare’s hiding spot only to find it empty. The banner and celebration accessories still flew, but in place of Pinkie Pie was a note and a slice of cake on a plate. Several odd moments and a gentle breeze passed before Anguirus gave up trying to understand what just happened. Taking a bite out of the cake, he read the second note of the day.
“Pinkie sense detected diaper emergency with Pumpkin Cake, will see you later.- Pinkie”
Anguirus stopped chewing his bite of cake and looked at it with a blank expression. Given the note’s content and his bewilderment at what the pink one was capable of, he was questioning if he should eat food that mare was handling or not. Thankfully his reading of the note did make him look down at the right angle to see something inside of the vase. No return of the pink yet, but the recognizable grayed pages of a newspaper restored some faith in destiny. Putting the now suspicious dessert and note aside, he pulled out the pamphlet to hopefully get to whatever Lea had been trying to tell him about.
What he saw on the front page under the title “Canterlot Under Siege! Monsters Among Us!” made his eyes wider than dinner plates.
================
Sweet Apple Acres
================
Destroyah wolfed down a whole apple after gnashing it amongst her teeth. Quelling hunger was good, arguably the first good thing in her mind she’d had during these equine shenanigans; but she still couldn’t shake the off feeling she got from eating this way.
-Eating this is like walking backwards constantly. Do-able but… awkward-
She’d just finished gobbling down her morsel after clearing several trees of their fruit when a trio of high speed streaks zipped up to her. A trio of voices that cued an annoyed grumble called out as the high speed flashes of orange, white, and yellow dove under her tall form.
“PRINCESS DESTOROYAR!”
Destroyah maintained a blank expression, opting to ignore what was likely the most horrendously bad case of royal titling in recorded history. She lowered her neck and looked upside down at the three fillies hiding under and behind her legs.
“Get out…”
The Cutiemark Crusaders all shook their heads feverously from side to side in unison, shaking and shivering as they clung to hooves bigger around than they were. Destroyah snorted out of her nose as her brow lowered. Her hissing grumble was very audible. The stench of fear coming off the three was nauseating.
“What are you three runts up to this time? You’re about to wet yourselves.”
Sweetie Belle, still clinging to Destroyah's left forelimb in a death grip, spoke up as loud as she could with her face half buried in crimson fur.
“S-S-S-S-Slendermane!”
The goliath of a pegasus raised an eyebrow, her response devoid of emotion.
“…Who?”
“A t-t-tall monster pony with no face. H-H-He lives in the woods and snatches little po-ponies up!”
“…And this concerns me how?”
Apple Bloom managed to catch her breath and slow her racing heart enough to speak a bit more coherently, though she refused to leg go of Destroyah’s back left leg.
“W-Well you right beat the tar outta them timber wolves sooo…”
Scootaloo was in a similar to state to Apple Bloom, looking up at the kaiju from behind her other forelimb as she finished her friend’s sentence.
“We figured you were enough of a flank kicker to be a monster hunter!”
Sweetie Belle managed to compose herself again, perking up a bit at the last two words.
“Yah! Like the Whinnychester brothers on TV!”
“So will you do it?”
Destroyah blinked, most certainly not amused.
“So let me get this straight. You runts got scared of some deformed no-face on stilts and want me to take him out?...”
All three nodded in unison as rapidly as they had shook their heads before.
“Will you do it!?”
“We can help you find him!”
Destroyah was motionless for awhile, only blinking and staring blanking at the begging faces of the fillies. This excursion sounded hopelessly idiotic, but given her current bored and awkward mood; maybe getting into a fight and having some blood on her horn might cheer her up a bit? Was something she was good at after all.
“Alright, where’s this Slendermane?”
The CMC let go of Destroyah’s legs at last, and jumped up as they held their hooves in a three way high five.
"CUTIEMARK CRUSADERS ASSISTANT MONSTER HUNTERS!”
The giant mare loudly growled and grumbled, snapping the three back to attention. Sweetie Belle rubbed the back of her head and chuckled.
“Heh, oh right, sorry. This way!”
The little unicorn took point with Destroyah walking behind her, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo tailing them close behind. Apple Bloom turned to the young pegasus with a bemused expression.
“…’Flank Kicker’? We’re in private ye’ know, you coulda said it.”
Scootaloo shrugged with raised shoulders.
“Sister Rosary and Mother Superior don’t like us to cuss.”
========
Ponyville
========
Anguirus was good at a great many things. He could roll around at high speed. He could swim through lava and magma. He could walk through enemy fire like a champ. He had quite a few skills. Successfully sneaking around a town of sentient ponies despite his best efforts was not one of them. He was mentally kicking himself for not being more aware earlier. He felt the bursts of energy coming from the Everfree and Canterlot, and even saw some of the distant lights last night. But he’d been naïve enough to think it was just Lea and her new friend running some tests. After he had drove off what had to be most of the local dragons, what threat possibly could have warranted a transformation to deal with after all? That expectation as well as so many others had been shattered by a triple digit flock of gyaos.
The jig was up and Anguirus knew it. There had to be more kaiju in Equestria than the first six, that was for sure. He didn’t know how or why, but now it was almost like nowhere was fully safe anymore. The reaction from the natives wasn’t helping one bit.
Equestria’s opinion was split directly down the middle. One side was wary but thankful for the arrival of the big gray goliath. They cheered and applauded when he walked back to their city in victory. The other half however, noting Junior’s power and methods, were terrified. Parents saw violence they sought to shield their children from, other groups were livid at the damages Junior caused and could potentially cause; and numerous politicians were calling out what they saw as a menace to society their princesses were harboring. And adding fuel to the fire, the image of that dark blue alicorn carrying a tired out Junior confirmed that the ponies knew the bigger secret, monsters in disguise. Suddenly it all made sense.
-After seeing Godzilla change into one of them, the scared half of the populace is running around paranoid-
He looked out into the street goers as he hid behind an oddly circular shaped building.
-They see a weird looking pony and they might start suspecting things…-
He just rounded a corner when a familiar flash of pink erupted from a barrel.
“HIYA!”
“WAAAAAAAAA!”
Once again he had to resist the mental urge to lash out upon being subject to a benevolent ambush. Pinkie Pie evidentially had the stealth skills to impress a box wielding commando. It took a few moments for Anguirus to catch his breath again, with no small amount of annoyed growling. Pinkie Pie hardly noticed, smiling honestly with a titled head.
“Why yah sneaking around town all of the sudden?”
“Did you read the paper you left in the vase.”
“Mhm! I had to pass the time while waiting for yah silly!”
“…You were waiting for me? How did you know I’d-…”
Anguirus looked at Pinkie Pie as the words died in his throat. Something told him he shouldn’t even try touching that topic.
“...Never mind, did you read the front story?”
“After the Funnies and crosswords.”
“Then you know about Canterlot and there being a bit of a panic.”
“Yeppers! Fitting that monsters pop up right around Nightmare Night of all holidays, and someponies are running around spooked because some monsters can turn into ponies and-”
Anguirus just looked at Pinkie Pie blankly, motioning to himself. The truth dawned on Harmony’s element.
“-Ooooooooh, you don’t wanna possibly draw much suspiciooooon, I gotcha. I’ll make it a super secret private welcome party for you all then!”
Anguirus nodded his head affirmatively.
“Yes thank you- Wait party? I meant!… Urg never mind just go with the first part.”
The stallion crossed his hooves and sat down behind some cover, trying to think up a way to get through the now growing crowds all around him. Pinkie Pie rested her head on a hoof, puffing a bubble pipe Anguirus half suspected she pulled out of her mane; pondering as well. A minute and a breeze passed by before the mare got an off thought.
-Hmmmm no Nightmare Night costumes till dusk, so he might not pass off much like thaaat… wait a minute here! Costume! That’s it!-
Pinkie Pie sprung up in excitement.
“Aaaaah ha! I’ve got it!”
Anguirus cocked an eyebrow and actually felt a tad hopeful. This pink one was very… distinct, but she obviously meant well. Maybe she had a plan to help him out after all. He turned to look over to her as she was busy digging through the barrel she’d shot out from.
“What do you have in mi- MMMPHIPHHM!!”
He was cut short by a flurry of movement and before he could so much as count to two, Anguirus was covered in something. He looked down at his hoof, seeing it now cloaked in a covering of pink plush cloth that went up and coated his whole body outside of his face. He felt something very large sitting atop his head. Something inside told him he looked ridiculous.
"WHAT is this?!"
"My Pinkie suit! Now nopony will recognize you if from head to hoof you look like me!"
Anguirus looked into a low hanging window to check his reflection. It looked like some giant headed monstrosity that resembled the mare was swallowing his face. He couldn't hide a frown, eyes frozen.
"... You can't seriously expect me to walk around wearing this..."
Pinkie gasped with a frown, waving her arms before rapidly shifting to a joyful tone.
"But it's faaaaantastic! And it completely covers you, no CHANCE anypony would freak out seeing you now!"
"Yes and if I take one step into public with this thing on my head, I'm going to attract the attention of everything in town."
"Why is that?"
"BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE I'M GETTING EATEN BY A GIANT PINK PON-"
An accented, distinct voice cut the ranting kaiju off as a third party joined the conversation.
"What in the name of Celestia is going on out here?!"
Pinkie and Anguirus looked to the source and saw Rarity half standing in the open doorway with a bewildered look on her face. She looked back at the awkward sight before her, blinking in sheer confusion.
"Would, you two like to step inside for a bit?..."
============================================
Sweet Apple Acres Outskirts, in the Fruit Bat Reserve
============================================
Destroyah had expected something of a shelter when the fillies told her more and more about this so called 'Slendermane' they claimed to have seen in the woods. A long forgotten cabin or broken down house maybe? What she didn't see coming was a gaping cave burrowing halfway into a tall hill inside the trees that lead down underground. The entrance and cavern tunnel itself wasn't especially large, and had several holes in the roof where light filtered through. It hardly looked like the lair of a reclusive monster.
"So, this it?"
Apple Bloom nodded, pointing to a patch of ground just inside the cave.
"We saw 'em standing there. Ya' can see some hoof prints on the ground too!"
Destroyah glanced down and did indeed see a patch of grass and dirt that had been crushed down by a light weight, forming a vague hoofprint. She put her front hoof next to it, dwarfing the imprint. No blow to confidence taken, just some disappointment. She expected something bigger. Scootaloo tugged on Destroyah's tail, peeking past the mare and at the cave ahead.
"How can we assist?
Destroyah grumbled, flickering her tail free of the filly's hooves.
"Don't get in my way..."
She approached the cave with a self assured, powerful gait that thoroughly impressed the unwanted posse that followed suit in their own march. Reaching into their saddlebags and backpacks, the CMC whipped out their armaments. A shovel, a softball bat; and a particularly menacing looking broom. It, along with following what they still was convinced was an alicorn princess into battle dispelled all fear in the young trio. Destroyah didn't notice or care. At this point the only thing she was hoping for was this Slendermane having a lot of blood in him.
No sooner did they enter the cavern did Destroyah's eyes lock onto something moving in the darkness. It was moving too quickly to be identified and was diving amongst cover. Still, instincts flared and Destroyah knew a threat when she saw one. It didn't smell like any pony. Not wasting a moment, energy cracked amongst the giant mare's mane before she spat out a high speed orb of bright purple light. The basketball sized bolt of micro-oxygen rocketed through the air and briefly lit up the cave before impacting something down around a corner in the cave. A gust like shriek echoed out as the tell tale flash of light indicated the orb hit something. Once the CMC got over the shock of the sudden attack, their hearts were racing a mile a second.
"He screamed! You got him! You got Slendermane!"
Destroyah slowly approached the edge of the corner, not so sure. She sniffed the air. There wasn't even a trace of blood.
"WOW! You vapori'zied him!"
Something wasn't right. She was sure she'd hit someone, but such a relatively small orb couldn't have completely taken out something as big as she was told this monster was.
"I don't think so, something like that wouldn't disintegrate it entirely..."
Sweetie Belle worryingly looked past Destroyah with this new knowledge. The cave was very dark, and very still. She wished she'd brought her flash light. After several moments her eyes trained upon some movement around the corner. Stretching out like a ghastly specter was a tall shadow against the back wall. It looked like a pony with elongated limbs.
"There!"
All four braced themselves, the CMC cringing in fear as a large grin stretched across Destroyah's lips for a moment. But as a half second past, the latter faded. Destroyah relaxed, looking the shadow over with a raised eyebrow. Something wasn't right. Scootaloo, whom had been hiding behind the kaiju's tail half this time however felt a surge of courage. She adjusted her bicycle helmet with a snort, held high her softball bat and rushed out past her posse before anyone could stop her.
The little pegasus' shadow joined Slendermane's on the wall, only for the latter to not move at all. Scootaloo's battle cry spiraled down to a confused grunt.
"AAAAAAAAAAAaaaahhh-huuuh? What the?..."
Scootaloo looked at the shadow and followed it across the wall to its source. What she found wasn't a tall figure lacking a face. Instead the shadow shrank and shrank the more she followed it, seeing it was coming through a small hole in the wall that led back to the surface, the light streaming through it and casting the shade. Right outside the same hole was a tiny figure. The rest of the CMC and Destroyah came around the corner as Scootaloo turned around with the culprit in hand. A small, kitten sized, patchwork doll.
"IIIIII guess the light caught it funny to cast a big shadow eheh."
Sweetie Belle tilted her head as she combed her memory.
"Hey isn't that the weirdo doll everyone was going ga-ga over a few months ago?"
Scootaloo nodded.
"Yeah but what is it doing all the way out here?"
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, knowing the reason. Her brother had probably brought it out with him awhile ago while doing chores and dropped it. They had all been terrified by Smarty Pants. She walked over, taking the toy from Scootaloo and quickly stuffing it in her bag.
"IIIIII think Ah'll take it back with us, Ah know where it goes."
A guttural, annoying grumble echoed out from behind them. The CMC slowly turned around to see a very disgruntled looking Destroyah sneering before she turned and started storming out of the cave. It didn't matter she somehow didn't feel quite as angry as she felt she should, the confusion swirl of emotions only making her more unhappy. The CMC's collective ears flopped against their heads as they ran after the giant, catching up to her at the cave entrance.
"Huh?! Princess where you goin'?! Did we do something?!"
The crimson pegasus looked back with a snarl before trekking off into the woods.
"I'm NOT some princess! Next time you runts get spooked by a shadow, don't waste my time!..."
Scootaloo sadly looked over to her friends.
"What's eating her?..."
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Ponyville
========
Anguirus sighed as he sat down on some plush carpet. Being indoors still felt a bit awkward for him, but he was mostly grateful for getting out of the open and was praising Tanaka to be out of the Pinkie suit. Rarity hummed as she walked over to the Element of Laughter and the Fire Guardian, levitating over a porcelain tray with some steaming warm tea atop it. Anguirus crossed a hoof over his chest and bowed his head respectfully.
"I appreciate you allowing me inside."
Rarity beamed through her red glasses as she poured several cups of tea from the kettle.
"Oh don't mention it all darling, you looked like you and Pinkie were in quite the conundrum outside."
She set aside a cup for herself before levitating one over to Anguirus, nudging it at him via levitation magic to offer him some. Anguirus held up a hoof and shook his head slightly. Pinkie however was quick to look up from the party planning sketch she was working on to hold up her hoof and nod rapidly. The white unicorn chuckled and dropped in a few sugar cubes before giving her friend the cup. Anguirus could smell what the cubes were and raised an eyebrow as Pinkie gulped down the drink.
"Uum... are you sure that's a good idea?"
Rarity rolled her eyes slightly and shrugged with a chuckle. She leaned in and whispered to the kaiju.
"I've seen her guzzle down at least a baker's dozen worth of sweets a day. When you stay around Pinkie you learn she can't get any more hyper if she's already in a perpetual sugar high.
Anguirus nodded, shifting his attention to look the interior of the boutique over. Between the sketches, the mountains of fabric, large amounts of plush, some random feline, and the mannequins he didn't have much of an idea as to what he was looking at. Still, if his host was kind enough to invite him in he should least be courteous.
"Guess we weren't formally introduced, names Anguirus."
Rarity flipped her mane over her shoulder.
"Juliet Rarity Belle~, though personally I just go by Rarity."
She held her arm out to him, not knowing if she had a gentlecolt present or not and seeing if he'd shake or kiss it. When he just looked down at it with obvious confusion, the Element of Generosity just giggled and retracted it. Anguirus looked back up, or rather he looked less down than before given the height difference, at her face.
"Greetings. Though if you'd forgive my cluelessness, what is up with this place's layout? Is it meant for something?"
He motioned to his surroundings. Rarity smiled.
"Why I am a seamstress, considered best in Ponyville if I can risk a small boast. Haven't you ever seen clothes design in progress before?"
Anguirus knew clothes came from somewhere, his creators nor the humans weren't just born with them. Still, he didn't know the process and shook his head. Rarity raised an eyebrow.
"...Have you ever, worn clothes before?"
"I've seen things wear them, never had myself."
Now Rarity was the curious one.
"Oh why ever would that be? I understand most ponies go around nude most of the time, why just look at me and Pinkie right now-"
"Birthday suit's the best suit!"
"-but for special occasions and all those matters we feel like it, we prefer to dress up. I mean after all that Changeling friend of yours would look simply DIVINE in a dress with those wings and eyes of her's!"
Anguirus waited a few moments before spelling it out as bluntly as possible.
"For all but the last few days of my life I've been a 90 meter tall giant monster that looks like a cross between a lizard, an armadillo, and a porcupine. They never really had any shirts or shorts in my size back home."
Rarity blinked for a few moments, recalling just what she was talking to right now.
"Oh, pardon my confusion then... Well that size issue might not be much of a problem now that you're here in Equestria. Could aid in some of that whole 'blending in' parts you were worried about earlier. Just drop in if you need anything, I'm sure I could whip up something to your liking!"
Anguirus sighed but smiled. He knew kindness when he smelt or heard it.
"Thank you, that offer is very generous."
Rarity nodded approvingly.
"Tis my element my friend."
Anguirus's mind wandered back to a previous topic and previous sentence.
"So if you know about this whole 'me blending in' part, I take it you can guess why it's a concern?"
Rarity sighed, removing her glasses and nodding a bit sadly.
"Yes, I had read the paper. I was just finishing it when I found you and Pinkie."
Anguirus leaned back a bit with a disgruntled shrug.
"Your country is divided right down the middle on this whole 'Kaiju Emergence'. After all of the capital saw Godzilla in full and then not only had front row seats to a war but also spotted him change into a unicorn, a lot of ponies are walking around spooked. If they knew someone they passed in the streets was really a multistory monstrosity, there would be a panic."
Neither Elements of Harmony could really disagree with the assessment. They had enough problems with an immigrating zebra and the changeling fiasco. Rarity and Pinkie shared a look with an affirmative nod before straightening back up.
"Well, until your friend and Twilight can get you all home, we're going to help the public front then."
Anguirus fought back a quick smile before suspicion took route. It was one thing to stuff him in a giant costume and then take him inside for a bit. It was another to offer long term aid to a stranger. Such was not something he was used too.
"Why would you go to all the trouble on my behalf? You knew full well what's going on and even saw a brawl me and the others had right in front of you."
Rarity was thinking over her response for a moment, rubbing her chin. Pinkie just grinned and gave the stallion a giggling pat on the shoulder.
"Because we're nice silly!"
Rarity chuckled, adding on her part.
“Well when you’ve been on as many ventures as we Elements have, ones with changelings, living nightmares, tyrants, pirates, dragons, chaos beings; you tend to become accustomed to out of the ordinary. Besides, generosity means giving even when some parts of your mind say otherwise. True, you’d probably set the record for oddest house guest I've had short of Discord dropping in. But I know a good pony, er, kay'iju, when I see one. A bit vicious as he might have been in doing it, but your friend Godzilla putting himself in harms way to save Canterlot was a noble cause if I ever heard one. And if your description of yourself is accurate, you’d be the one I have to thank for saving Rainbow Dash back at the camp ground.”
Anguirus sighed contently, thinking it all over and half wondering now if these Equestrians were just born kind or if he'd lucked out. Pinkie Pie popped up beside Rarity with a small shower of glitter.
"Besides, everypony is entitled to a bit of laughter and joy from time to time. You might be a bit of a grump, no offense, but you seem nice enough. What kind of happy go lucky, party planning, cheer spreading Element of Harmony would I be if I turned anypony away from the start?~"
Anguirus was touched for a moment, before quickly squirming from a wet, fleshy feeling on his ear.
"Awww! See? Gummy likes you!"
================
Sweet Apple Acres
================
Destroyah hissed and snarled to herself as she trudged through the fringes of the orchard and towards the natural forests. Decade old apple trees surrendered ground to century old oaken wood. Small birds chirped and flapped amongst the glade, rabbits and opossum scurrying in the brush; as deer waded through the foliage to browse. The scene was serene, but Destroyah hardly even noticed. She was too busy trying to figure out whether she wanted to be enraged or not. Try as she might to strike up the flames of anger which she'd utilized since she could remember anything, it was like drawing a blank. Ungodly amounts of boredom and some small vibe she kept getting in the back of her mind kept keeping her from settling on any one emotion for longer than a second's breath.
She paused, noting her surroundings. Plenty of life around. Maybe she should try and be herself. Do what she'd done since the day she knew what was going on around her. The kaiju convert cracked a fang and molar filled grin as she curled her lips back, her horn humming and igniting to life.
Letting out a shrieking wail half way between a banshee's scream and an equine whinny, Destroyah lashed out at everything around her. She turned and gutted the oak tree behind her, burning and slicing through the wood with her horn. The song birds cried out and fled after Destroyah whirled around and fired several rapidly expanding pellets of micro-oxygen, tearing the shrubs the birds had perched on asunder. Destroyah snarled, planting her front hooves on the ground and bucking the slashed tree behind her. The roar of splintering and cracking wood filled the air as the tree trunk was completely snapped in two, sending the oak tumbling backwards. Energy crackled in the mare's mane before she looked up at the shocked herd of deer before her. Throwing open her jaws, a violet stream of power shot out of her in torrents. It ripped the ground apart and caused the foliage it hit to explode and disintegrate. A dark laughter rang out of the mare as she intentionally fired at the cervids' feet, making them dodge and run for their lives every second before they got out of range. Not feeling like giving chase and rage broiling, Destroyah roared into the sky above before assaulting the fallen tree. She bit, slashed, shot, punched, kicked, and smacked the tree with everything she had. Showers of splintered and partially vaporized wood flew out in every direction as the tree itself began to vanish. Destroyah didn't care at all, she was too busy projecting her hatred to kindle more wrath. With every blow she imagined faces, the images of her foes. Of that moth, the pteranodon, the dinosaur; that mongrel runt of a successor. She imagined each blow hitting them, showering blood and crushing bone.
She didn't know how long she'd been striking at what was below her, but with one last exhausted stomp; Destroyah stopped. Huffing badly for breath, she stood in the center of a sizable trench she'd cut into the ground. She stayed like that, her mind darkening. The feelings were still there. If she had a weaker constitution she'd probably be far worse off, but her resolve barely held. Killing, rending, breaking, and being a butcher were all things the Serizawan legacy was very good at. It was what she'd been doing for over a decade. It always made her feel better. But right now, she didn't feel better at all. Destroyah hung her head as her wings drooped. She only felt worse.
The fleeting surges of emotion were quick to fade when a damp cold tapped her nose. The sky was darkening high above, and a gentle drumming called out all around her. It was beginning to rain. Destroyah climbed out of the trench, briefly standing idle before grumbling and trudging off into the storm. Despite being amphibious, she despised the cold. And this rain was freezing. Attempts to raise her wings to shield herself only resulted in a chilled breeze broad-siding her and making her left flank begin to numb.
-As if my day couldn't get any worse...-
===============
Carousel Boutique
===============
"So you actually think I'll be okay out there?"
Anguirus had to keep from mumbling the words as he looked himself over in the mirror. He already wasn't used to having hair period. But having hair more neatly combed down to the point it looked more like a mane and less like a mass of quills was a whole new ball game. Rarity finished off organizing his tail in a similar manner, a bit of a challenge given the actual quills present.
"Hmm... Yes I'd say so. You can excuse these spines off as some sort of hair pins. You definitely look more like a normal pony than some of your acquaintances. I'd say you can pass. I'd say pose as a foreigner if you need to explain yourself, but just don't draw too much attention and you should be fine."
She looked up in the mirror, immediately noting the gleaming ivory poking out from Anguirus' lips.
"Though as for the um, fangs, I'd suggest keeping them under your lips most of the time. If need be you could pass it and the quills off as some sort of outfit, given the time of year."
She'd just finished up when the tell tale pinging against the windows heralded the rain. Pinkie Pie shot up before scooping up Gummy and her plans, stashing them away in her mane and tail.
"Ohp! That's my cue to sca-doo! Rain tends to wake up Pound Cake and he'll want to fly around!"
Stopping briefly in a flash of pink to hug Rarity, Pinkie shot out through Opal's kitty door by means neither Rarity or Anguirus wanted to ponder. It took a few moments for Rarity to snap back to her senses.
"Well I guess I best be heading out as well. Sweetie Belle is out with her friends and wouldn't want any of them to get soaked before Nightmare Night later today."
She went for the front door, slipping on some rubber boots and a cloak before opening her umbrella. She glanced back at Anguirus.
"Storm should blow over in an hour or so. You can borrow an umbrella if you need."
Anguirus bowed his head a bit in a quick thank you, but made for the door anyways.
"Kind offer, but rain never bugged me much any who. Thanks anyways though for all the help."
"Was my pleasure.~"
The duo headed out the door before splitting ways.
==============
Whitetail Woods
==============
The gyaos shriek was cut short, falling into a coughing wheeze before it slumped over. The purple beam that sliced through its heart and out its back silenced its hissing and dissipated. A weak groan sounded off over the rain as a soaked, battered, and bleeding form shifted the falling corpse off of herself. Hyper Gyaos fell to her hands and a knee, wheezing and choking on her own breath. The rain borne mud along with caked blood and bruises dirtied much of her pale skin. She looked up around her as the rain poured.
Gyaos lay everywhere in a 20 meter radius. Some crushed under a fallen tree, some with their throats torn out; and others sliced apart by sonic rays. They were all dead. All gone. She knew this. She was the one who killed them.
Hyper Gyaos looked up at the storming sky as the ramifications settled in. She never liked her flock, she hated them. Monstrous automations who’d been a threat since the day she hatched. She had spent more time fighting for her life against them to keep them in line than she ever did fighting other kaiju. But, they were all she ever had. All she ever had to share an unending hunger with. For a social species, she needed company. But that company would never come; there would be no more flocks. Their kind had always bounced back from oblivion. All it took was one adult female to self reproduce a clutch of her own before she expired, her daughters doing the same, her granddaughters following suit, and so on. There would be no bounce back now. She'd just reduced her species to a single individual. A single individual who was a sterile albino.
Her limbs were weakening, already numb, but she still looked to the sky. A tear joined the rain drops in soaking her face. Hyper Gyaos took in a deep breath and screamed back at the storm, her nose filled with the smell of death all around her. She was starving, a hateful pain gnawing at her stomach and nearly causing her to writhe in agony before it drained the last of her power. Her arms and legs lost all their strength and the albino demoness fell to the ground on her back. All she could look at as her conscious flickered away was the storm above, and the painful truth of what she knew. She was completely alone, with none to roost around. She was hungry, and there was only one thing around her to eat when she woke up. A small voice chimed into her head, lulling her to rest like a lullaby. A warm presence surrounded her, lulling her quicker into a comforted, sleepy state.
-"Sleep... Poor soul... Help is coming..."-
She obeyed, blacking out. The last conscious input she detected was footsteps approaching her rapidly before darkness took her. A tall figure stood over the fallen albino as the rain poured. It knelt down, bracing his arms under her shoulders and hips before slinging the unconscious Hyper Gyaos over his shoulder. Monster X's calm voice betrayed a strong sense of urgency. A mysterious voice calls out to him and directed him to the right location in his search for her, but that wasn't a concern of his right now. Gyaos was alive, but she needed attention pronto.
"I have found her, open the portal again NOW!"
===============
Sweet Apple Acres
===============
The Cutiemark Crusaders had thankfully made it back to their clubhouse after the cave fiasco before the rains came. Fortunately the planning of their next big endeavor managed to take their minds off just how their last adventure ended. Currently they resigned themselves to playing a few board games to pass the time. As much as they loved playing out in a gentle storm like this, none of their party wanted to get soaked or muddy before Nightmare Night. Such would lead to a statistical loss of candy after all!
The sound of footsteps approaching quickly caught their attention. All eyes were at the front entrance as a rain cloak clad Rarity poked her head into the clubhouse.
"Figured you three might be up here. Sweetie Belle, I came to see if you or any of your friends wanted me to pick you up to wait out the storm back at the boutique or not."
The youngest unicorn present got up and threw her saddlebags back on her back.
"Guess it would be best to get ready for Nightmare Night. You two wanna come?"
Apple Bloom mulled over the thought for a moment before packing up too.
"Well plannin's all done and we've played Go-Fish fourteen times in a row. Would help. Can you walk me back to Granny Smith Miss Rarity?"
Rarity beamed and nodded.
"Certainly! And what about you Scootaloo?"
Scootaloo sat up from her game board, but didn't pack up. She began to put up the game while waving off to her friends.
"You guys go ahead, I got some things I want to handle before I head back. I brought my umbrella."
"Are ya' sure Scoots?"
"Yeah yeah I'll be fine! See you all tonight!"
Scootaloo smiled before exchanging goodbyes with her friends, waving at them from the clubhouse front door until they were out of sight. Her smile slowly faded with each step they took away from her. The sight of a big pony walking fillies home inherently killed her mood a bit. She turned and headed back inside after shutting the door, her own thoughts being her company and time waster. Scootaloo was a filly that had a good life over all. Sister Rosary was a great caretaker and Rainbow Dash had recently proven to be an excellent big sister figure. But, sometimes you can't quite substitute one of those for something else Scootaloo wanted. Something her friend's had. Something this day of the year reminded her of.
Some time had passed as Scootaloo doodled on a few pages of a sketch pad, trying to get her mind off things. The sound of beaten air heralded wing beats just outside the front door, making Scootaloo's eyes widened. Rainbow Dash wasn't in town at the moment, but maybe she got back recently? Maybe Rarity pointed her to the clubhouse! Scootaloo eagerly dropped her pencil and ran to the door, whipping it open. But instead of cyan blue and rainbow streaks, she got messy crimson and ivory. Destroyah stood in the doorway, getting rained on as she looked down at the filly with an emotionless expression.
"Oh... H-Hi Miss Destoroyerah..."
The kaiju didn't feel like correcting her, only ducking down more to get through the door.
"Move."
Scootaloo obeyed and got out of the doorway. It was a bit of a cramp, but once she was past the door the giant mare managed to, abet barely, fit inside the clubhouse. She still had to crouch a great deal. Shaking herself off a bit, whipping her tail outside the door to wring it free of some excess water, Destroyah tried to dry herself off some to reduce the biting cold that enveloped her. She wasn't succeeding much until a small tap on her elbow caught her attention. She whipped her head around to see Scootaloo sitting down next to her, holding up several large towels.
The kaiju shrugged, taking one and wiping herself down; finally managing to dry off and begin to feel warm again. Destroyah set the towel aside and laid down on the center of the room, looking out into the rain. She noted the small shape of orange and purple next to her and something caused her to blurt out two words she was obviously straining to say still.
"Th-ank you..."
Scootaloo laid down a short distance from the older mare, still partially astonished a pony could be this enormous. She looked out into the rain like the kaiju had. Several moments passed, as did the filly's attention span.
"So, what brings you here?
Something in the back of Scootaloo's mind was getting its hopes up. Her conscious on the other hand was just trying to make sure the kaiju wasn't angry at her still about the Slendermane fiasco. Destroyah's response was blunt and devoid of feeling.
"I hate getting cold and found this cabin on my way back to the barn. Didn't think someone would still be in it."
"Y-Yes this is mine and my friends' clubhouse."
A word in that sentence perked up some minor interest, even if Destroyah's voice didn't show it at all.
"Why are you still here? I saw the other two runts heading down a road during my fly over."
The word 'runt' would have been insulting in most contexts and to most persons. The CMC however just figured it was their new princess's way of saying kid. It made the little pegasus smile a bit for a fleeting moment before her face drooped in memory of the topic.
"I guess I... I just wanted to stay for a bit. It's a, special, day of the year I like to take some alone time on before going trick or treating. Call it an anniversary."
"Still, would think a whelp like you wouldn't want to be in the woods alone. You and your cohorts keep talking about monsters."
"Weeeell you DID kill the timber wolf pack, and disproved Slendermane. Guess there's no monsters left around here to be afraid of."
"I suppose. Still, if it's some sort of holiday most mortals I know go home for it. Least that's what the other two seemed to be doing. Don't you have one?"
Scootaloo lowered her head and pawed at the ground in front of her, trying not to think much about it. She had a place to sleep, a private room, warm suppers; and kindly aid. But she didn't quite have that five letter word nailed down just yet. She curled up into a small ball, sighing to keep bad thoughts and memories away.
"It's a bit complicated. I just like to go out on this time of day. Mother Superior will just think I'm with the Apples or Rarity at the moment... I'll head back after the storm."
Destroyah didn't take any sympathetic hints, either by lack of notice or choosing not to. She just rolled her eyes a bit and shrugged. Melodrama was never something she liked.
"I asked a yes or no question, not your life problems."
She looked back out into the rain before a tiny voice spoke up again. The kaiju looked over to Scootaloo, who'd nudged herself a bit closer to Destroyah either by intent or on accident.
"S-Sorry about dragging you over to that cave. Sweetie Belle was so sure she saw Slendermane standing in front of it and when we thought we saw him in there we freaked out."
Destroyah sighed this time, replying in a much calmer tone. Despite the annoying memories, she couldn't feel much anger right now. Her voice was still very blank and emotionless, but came off more as disappointed advice than it did an annoyed growl as it normally was.
"Next time just don't be so quick to jump at shadows in the dark. You scare too easily."
Scootaloo perked up a bit, raising her ears and looking up at the kaiju convert.
"Y-Yeah I suppose. But you didn't seem scared at all."
Destroyah looked down at her.
"Wasn't."
"How though? You didn't seem hesitant or cautious at all. I mean, that place was so dark in spots, who knows what could live in there!"
Destroyah titled her head as she lifted her head up a bit more, crossing her forehooves in front of her. Even laying down her massive horn nearly scrapped the ceiling.
"For one, I easily could have killed probably anything that could be in that cavern with my bare hooves. And besides that, you assume far too much just because something is dark and hard to see. There are just as many threats that walk in the daylight as those who roam upon nightfall. Danger is real, no matter time of day or circumstance. Being afraid of possible danger however, is a choice."
Scootaloo rubbed her chin, thinking over the words to summarize the meaning.
"So, don't choose to let fear of what you can't see or perceive control you?"
"If you'd rather put it in such words, yes. Fear leads to panic, and nothing good ever came for those who panic."
"I see."
Destroyah and Scootaloo both looked outside the open front door, watching the rain drops drum against the world outside. The kaiju didn't know how much time had slipped by before a little yawn sounded off. A short time later, she felt something brush up against the side of her stomach. Grumbling near silently she craned her next to the side to see the Scootaloo, dozed off and leaning against her flank after apparently rolling to her side a bit. A tiny smile was on her little face, sleeping contently against a warm tummy.
Destroyah didn't respond to it much at all. In truth, her annoyance at the fillies gave her half the mind to grab and toss the runt away, preferably through the wall. But her mood was against the thought. A small tightness in her ribcage bound away any insistence to shove Scootaloo away as much as she fancied the thought. After some thought and grumbling to herself, Destroyah resigned that she just must have just been too bored to bother. The runt was no threat after all.
Electing to ignore the odd flickers of emotion and the urge to maim, Destroyah laid her head down. The activities of the day had taken some toll and she could use a power nap. The gentle pressure against her stomach grew slightly as Scootaloo rolled in closer in her sleep. The kaiju still didn't bother with shoving her away as her own eyes began to close.
-You're lucky I'm not in a bad mood kid...-
========
Ponyville
========
Anguirus walked down along several shops, not minding the rain much at all despite its chill. The cold rain had worked wonders for his plans. Though confident Rarity’s handiwork on him would disguise him well enough, the downpour had helped ease his conscious somewhat by driving most of the town goers inside. Still, he was regretting not taking the unicorn up on the offer of an umbrella. Back home he’d moved through everything from sleet filled glacier fields at the South Pole to magma chambers kilometers beneath the surface. Temperature extremes, especially heat, never bothered him much. Least they used too. While he shrugged it off, he couldn’t lie and say this storm wasn’t uncomfortable right now with what was rapidly becoming water logged hair. The earth pony grumbled, mumbling a small curse to himself for being so bull headed. He spied an awning hanging over a building front up ahead, trudging over to it and getting under its cover. All the building’s lights looked like they were out so there thankfully wasn’t likely not a soul inside.
Anguirus plopped down in front of the door and tried to wring himself out best he could without spoiling Rarity’s efforts from earlier. It was taking awhile but something stopped him right in the middle of it. The kaiju convert felt a presence behind him, his suspicions being confirmed by a feminine voice talking about a meter behind him.
“Do you intend to sit under there all through the storm or do you plan on coming inside?”
Anguirus whirled around and saw the speaking pony, or least he thought it was a pony, standing cock eyed through a half open door. When he got a good look at the speaker he was almost questioning if he was looking at another transformed. The tea green fur was natural enough looking, given the color palettes he’d seen so far, but the ivory colored scales on the nasal bridge and chest stuck out like a sore thumb. And while he had so far seen equines with bird wings and spiraling horns, he hadn’t met one with antlers before. She looked almost more like an antelope or deer than a horse. The assumed store owner titled her head and snapped Anguirus out of confusion and back to attention.
“Well are you coming in or leaving?”
Brushing his theories about it somehow being another kaiju convert aside, Anguirus shrugged and tried to act natural. If this was her property she’d probably grow suspicious from him sitting down on her front door step for awhile. And despite Rarity’s words of assurance, he didn’t want to risk drawing attention any more than he had to. He should get going.
“Sorry, I was trying to pass the storm by. Didn’t mean to cause a bother.”
He turned to leave when he felt a tug on his shoulder. Stopping just short of sticking his head in the rain, he looked back to see a cloven hoof pulling him back slightly. The store owner looked at him with an honest smile.
“No bother at all. Please do come in and dry yourself off some. This time of year brings the cold gales upon us sometimes. Some ponies can get chilled to the bone in rain like this.”
Anguirus looked back at the odd creature. He really should leave, just to be on the safe side. He should have departed. But, subconscious acted on kindness. Nodding, he followed the store owner inside.
Soon as he was indoors he realized two things. For one, the windows had their blinds partially down and appeared slightly tinted. Explained why everything looked dark earlier despite being fairly well lit on the inside. Secondly, his host was most definitely not anything he had seen in Equestria so far and certainly wasn't a normal mare. Besides the aforementioned fish-like scales, antelope styled antlers or horns, and cloven hooves; the green and ivory shop owner had a long tail like a cow or lion’s, ending in a dark green tuft. And to add to the oddity, her height was quite tall and easily was the tallest mare he'd seen short of the two elder alicorns as she seemed even a few centimeters taller than him. If he had to put a description on it, she looked like a vaguely reptilian cervid. Definitely mythological. He swore he’d seen something similar before but exactly where eluded him. The long haired host looked back at him with a raised eyebrow and a giggle, causing Anguirus to realize he was staring.
“What, take it you’ve never seen a kirin before?”
The word ‘kirin’ jogged his memory, flashing back to centuries past. Back when magic was plentiful on Terra and myths of old were true. He remembered now and was kicking himself for not realizing it earlier. Still, wasn’t exactly like he could outright say “No I haven’t seen one in 77,000 years.”, not without rousing more questions than he cared to answer. Rarity said he could blend in as a normal everyday Equestrian if he acted the part right, so a normal Equestrian is what he’d pretend to be. He could tell the truth, just maybe not the whole truth. Lying never was a strong suit of his anyways. He spied a menu laying nearby with the title of the shop written at the top, along with what he had to guess was the shop owner's name.
“Nnnot in awhile, no. Thank you for allowing me inside Miissss See-ooong?”
The kirin put a hoof to her chest and bowed her head a bit, causing her long tassels of hair to drape down. She was fighting the urge to giggle.
“The 'e' is silent, it's pronounced 'Song'. My name is Seong, Ki Seong.”
Trying to pry out some more information, Anguirus went on. If he was going to blend in he needed to try and figure out as much about this world as possible. If there was another race he needed to know about, so be it.
“Doesn’t sound much like an Equestrian name. You an immigrant?”
The question caused the Seong to snicker. She rolled her eyes jokingly.
“Well I don’t look very much like your average pony now do I? The ponies around here tend to call me ‘Tea Song’ as well. Probably the local custom of name matching the cutie marks along with some mispronunciation.”
Anguirus had to nod. He’d learned what the symbols on the hips meant and how they were acquired. Still, he couldn’t help but find it a tad eerie that many ponies’ birth names or nicknames matched their future marks before they even knew what the latter would be. He glanced at Ki’s hip and saw the image of a steaming cup atop of a leaf.
“I can see where they got the ‘tea’ part from.”
Seong walked over to behind a counter, rummaging through some things out of the kaiju’s sight.
“Well we all do have our talents, and I don’t mind the title. My restaurant is known for its cup brews after all. New home, new name I guess.”
Anguirus looked around at his surroundings. The restaurant was fairly small, having a few tables with assorted chairs, and a single built into the wall surrounded by several cushions, door leading to what he presumed was a kitchen in the back; and a counter beside said door that reeked of sea weed, rice, and kelp. The building’s constitution was completely different from anything in this new world he’d seen so far, having a lot of wooden beams with no coverings. Like the kirin it all seemed vaguely familiar.
“I take it then you are a foreigner then? Excuse me if I’m prodding, I just haven't seen a kirin around these parts before.”
“Oh no problem here. I haven’t had any customers since the rains kicked up, so any conversation is good company.”
She apparently noticed Anguirus’ fascination with the store’s architecture.
“Like it? I enjoy taking some of the motherland with me. I’m from Carrea.”
“Where’s that?”
“It’s a peninsula near Neighpon.”
-‘Neighpon’… Neppon… Japan! Alright so if it’s a peninsula with a name like that near Japan, must be Korea. So this world must have an equivalent to eastern Asia.-
Anguirus sat down on the booth next to the window. He decided to feint knowledge, hoping his memories of life back on Terra would help him keep up the act. Even if it was risky, it was better than looking like an idiot and risking something far worse.
“Oh, near Neighpon eh? Long way from home aren’t you?”
“One could say that. I guess I kept traveling until I found a place I enjoyed well enough. Crossing an ocean is no blockade to finding happiness.”
Seong came up from the counter, her antlers glimmering slightly with a yellow light before walking over to the table with a tray of something wrapped in a golden aura. Anguirus added the mental note of ‘can do magic like unicorn’ to his mental description of kirins. Seong sat herself down across from him, lowering the tray to show two still slightly steaming cups of tea next to a kettle. Realizing he was being offered something by a store owner, Anguirus reached from the small coin pouch Granny Smith had given him before a cervid hoof reached across the table and stopped him. Seong smiled warmly.
“No need, it’s on the house. Besides, I was going to have a cup myself and tea is best served when it’s shared.”
The stallion relented, shrugging and bowing his head a bit before taking his cup to sip. It had a very distinct taste, but the heat ignited his core and banished off any lingering cold. Seong took some sips herself before looking at her guest in an inquisitive façade Anguirus dreaded.
“If you pardon my turn for questions and answer, you don’t seem to be from these parts either. Haven’t seen a face like your’s in Ponyville before.”
Anguirus had to bite down on his tongue to keep his eyes from widening a bit. He was a nervous wreck, and he didn't know why.
-**** **** **** **** **** ****! Make something up!-
“Yeeeaah, one could say I’m a bit of a traveler as well. Just came into town.”
“Oh? Where from? Judging from your dense build I’d guess you’re from a more rugged country. You from the frontier?”
Finally a spot in this newfangled world he knew about. Anguirus made the mental note to thank Rodan when he got back or otherwise he’d have no clue what the southern lands were like at all.
“YYYeeeeessss, down south a good distance. I never came into towns or cities much.”
“Do you have a name then or are you like that Eastwood character and have none? Apologies ahead of time, but I like to address my guests properly.”
-*************************************!!!!!!!-
Anguirus hid his panic well. If he just established he was from Equestria, having a name that translated to ‘New Hope’ in a centuries extinct language was a no sell. He fanned his tail, causing some of his quills to rattle against the seating. His eyebrows perked up, getting an idea after recalling Equestria’s uncanny ability to match names to traits.
"My name iiiiisss... Quill Coat!"
Ki Seong smiled, peeking over the seat and noticing the name sake.
“Pleasure to meet you Quill, I can see the fit.”
She looked back up at him, smirking.
“Though it’s a good thing I pulled you in when I did. Not sure what Nightmare Night costume you have on, but rain might have ruined it. The tail spikes and fangs are very convincing.”
-***- oh screw it I don’t even feel like cussing anymore. Just go with the idea!-
Anguirus kept his mood stable, shrugging.
“Guess I enjoyed the fit enough.”
Seong smiled, holding up her cup in a small toast. After some awkwardness to recognize the gesture, Anguirus opted to copy it.
“Well, original or different can be good. Here’s to today and new acquaintances~”
==============================
Sweet Apple Acres, Fruit Bat Reserve
==============================
The rain began to lessen to a mild drizzle as the forest slowly came back to life. Still, in the darkened corner of the woods, something unnatural stirred outside of a cave. It staggered out of its hollow, assured its attackers were gone. Rain drops fell down across a blank, pale face as its tall form stretched out. Slendermane's eyeless face looked out into the forest around itself to assure that the demon was indeed alone. The slit legged monster grabbed at its head as greenish fire raced across its form. Towering height shrank rapidly as the magical aura vanished. A clean suit and pale skin turning into hard, black chitin forged exoskeleton. The changeling grimaced and cringed painfully as it pawed at the blasted stump that had once been its horn before a burst of micro-oxygen evaporated it.
-Thought the monster pick be good for Nightmare Night! What in the realms of Tartarus was that thing?!-
The changeling stumbled off into the forest and away from the orchards. After some effort to fight through the downpour, it managed to buzz its wings enough to fly away. It had a lot of ground to cover, but the Queen had to be informed!
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FAN WORKS!
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You all never cease to amaze me and touch my heart with your endeavors
Xain-Russel once again proving himself a master of his craft, both for the expect and completely unexpected!
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Mayozilla proving attacking the fanbase's waifu is a very bad idea! This is gonna be goooood...
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Pyrus-Leonidas, Man GOD DAMN! If I put every piece in here I'd double the chapter size. So I'm gonna throw this gallery link down and tell everyone to get over there.
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CLICK ME
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