//------------------------------// // The End // Story: Twilight's Pet Tentacle // by Michael Hudson //------------------------------// Twilight sat back as Fluttershy finally started to back away from Tentle. Sweat covered the yellow pegasus’s brow and at any moment the stare would break. It was the only way they could come up with though to not get either possibly killed, at least not while getting him there. When he woke up was a different case. Magic filled the air around Fluttershy and when she simply couldn’t take it anymore, she blinked. Immediately she was ten feet away from the clearing and could hear the roar that their pet gave out to the change in environment. Trees let out loud smacks, branches let out a cacophony of crashes, all while tentacles flew about in a wild frenzy of fear. Fluttershy backed away while Twilight stood resolute. “You don’t actually expect him to be able to listen to you anytime soon, right Twilight?” Twilight only watched the chaos instead of looking back as she answered. “I hope he will and if he can’t, I will face the dangers. He was and still is my responsibility and I’m not just about to abandon him without saying goodbye. You may go if you wish Fluttershy. In fact,” she paused as she mulled over the idea in her head, “I think I would actually prefer it if you left.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “Are… are you sure.” She watched as Twilight nodded and saw the a solitary tear fall from her face. Fluttershy gave her friend a soft smile as she turned away. She herself had experienced such pains before, but knew Twilight was more than strong enough to take it. Tentle let out another roar and Twilight swallowed hard as she watched him dig up the hard earth beneath him. He had already grown to be so big so fast. This also meant he had become quite deadly, at least in theory. Her horn flickered to life as a scent she could barely trace filled the air about her. The beast froze in place as it picked up the scent and let out a low pitched whine. Twilight almost felt her heart break as the tentacles became more frantic as he now grabbed whatever was in reach. She sent her magic out again and placed a calming auric hoof near his base. The creature slowed its movement, though the earth in front of it still almost exploded with about ten tentacles. Twilight stepped forward and ducked underneath one of the black vines as she came closer. One blow would probably knock her out and she couldn’t risk it. The magical hoof disappeared momentarily and appeared on the other side of the core. She slammed herself to the ground the free tentacles whipped about to now try to reach for its mother again. At this point loud echoing whines filled the clearing. Twilight’s eyes filled with tears as she hopped over the last obstacle and she was finally next to the core of her pet. Her wonderful, little pet. She nuzzled against it before sitting down, unable to control the few more tears that fell from her muzzle. Two tentacles snaked around her hind hooves tentatively to make sure it was the real thing and not another fake and felt her shake. One of the bulbed vines came around to in front of her face before nuzzling her. A slight giggle escaped from the princess as the sucker took one of the tears. “I’m sorry Tentle. We should have at least warned you you were moving, but then we would have had to tell you why.” A low growl came from Tentle. Twilight guessed it was because she thought she was hurt, and the few more tentacles that came over and started to prod her body for injury proved it to her. “I’m fine, I promise.” Tentle retracted his limbs as he tried to figure out what it was. He had only heard his mother and beloved Twilight be like this about one time and then that had been after he had tried mating with her. Twilight heard the growl become a roar as she was pulled into the air. “Tentle, I’m okay. Nopony hurt me.” Even with that said she couldn’t stop crying. The beast kept Twilight in his coils as he continued to check her and more and more of his tentacles decided to join. None of them found what caused her pain though. She had tension, but no where near the levels she had had in the past. Tentle let out small whine as he brought her closer. Twilight extended her one free hoof and stroked against the core of the beast. For a moment the tentacles squeezed her tighter. They let go though and it only broke Twilight’s heart further. He trusted her so much, but now she had to betray him. You have to. Just keep telling yourself that Twilight. “Tentle, after today, I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again. I… I can’t keep taking care of you. Other ponies wouldn’t understand and-” Fear raced through her as a tentacle closed her muzzle. Another came around wrapped over her throat. Finally her eyes were covered and she was a mummified pony within his coils. Heat was all around her, and soon Twilight realized she had nothing to fear. None of the tentacles were touching her inappropriately, and they barely moved. She was simply being held by the creature she had grown so fond of and would enjoy it for all she could. After what she had hoped was hours, the tentacles moved away. She could hear its whine. Hear the crashing of the tentacles as it moved away of its own volition. Twilight never opened her eyes though. She would want one more hug, on more nuzzle, one more massage, and she couldn’t. Instead she turned around and did as the beast did: cry until she found her way ‘home’.