"What the B*@# is that!?!" Screamed Derpy, as she stared at the snarling Ursa.
Dinky reacted with shock, "You said the dirty word, i'm telling mom."
"Not the time or the place Dinky. And i still haven't gotten an answer, what is that thing!?" said Derpy.
"It's the Ursa Major, he's the one that we were hiding from for so long." said Trixianna.
Dinky seemed unusually calm and collected, she took her sister by the hoof and said, "Don't worry all we have to do is hide in some bushes and wait for him to leave." She said with cheer, after all, that plan seemed to work out fine the last two encounters with wild beasts.
Twilight thankfully was the voice of reason, "Sorry Dinky i don't think he'll just ignore us this time. It knows were trespassing and by the look in it's eyes i'd say it's none to happy about that." For Twilight time seemed to slow it's march as she began observing intently everything about their foe, hoping to find some weakness before it launched it's deadly attack.
The Ursa was tall, on all fours it stood roughly ten unicorns, hoof to horn tall. It's body was strange, almost completely transparent with a tinge of dark blue. She surmised this was likely a natural camouflage so it could blend in with the night sky. On it's pelt were markings resembling the constellations above, no doubt Cloudchaser would be interested in seeing this from a distance. Oddly enough the Ursa had a distinctly non bear like feature, a long catlike tail.
On it's forehead it bore a bright white mark like the north star. It's teeth were jagged and unsymmetrical, used for only one purpose. But most striking of all was the Ursa's eyes, it's bright yellow eyes accented by blood red pupils. These eyes glowed with intensity, they could unnerve even the most seasoned of adventurers. If the eyes truly are the window to the soul then this creature's soul is filled with nothing but rage.
Having failed in her goal to locate a weakness Twilight returned to her normal awareness of her surroundings.
"--- were in a tight spot here, which plan should we go with Twilight?" asked Trixianna.
"Huh, wha, huh?" Twilight confusedly stumbled.
"Were you not even paying attention? We need to know, do we try and escape? Or try and fight it out?" asked Trixianna, who cautiously kept an eye on the colossus.
The choice was difficult, there was no way to get past it on foot. Twilight could telleport away but she doubted she was skilled enough to take the others with her. Another problem with that is teleportation without a set destination is very risky, you could end up halfway inside a tree, or deep underwater, never to see the surface again.
"Derpy can you carry Dinky and fly at the same time?" asked Twilight.
"I can but i don't think i could carry either of you on my own, just don't have the wing strength." Derpy apologized.
"It's fine, just get her to safety. We'll hold it off while you get help." Twilight assured her friend.
Derpy looked her in the eyes, said an emotional thank you hoisted Dinky onto her back and took off. The two unicorns on the ground stood as menacingly as the could be to a behemoth, covering their exit. As the two left the area, Trixianna turned to her fellow, "There.. there won't be anypony coming. Will there?"
Twilight let out a self defeating sigh, "I doubt it, and even if by some miracle she can find anyone to help it will probably be too late for us."
"So then this is how i go? I always figured it would be in some kind of stage accident, like somepony used a real gun instead of the prop during the Quickdraw Shootem' act." Trixianna mused.
"Hows that one go?" Twilight asked.
"Tut tut, trade secret." said Trixianna.
"Oh please, we're both going to be dead anyway." Twilight said in a matter of fact way.
Trixianna mulled it over, "What the hay," and proceeded to whisper it in her ear.
"Impressive! I would have loved to see you perform that." said Twilight.
Trixianna closed her eyes and smiled, she knew she would, it always knocks em dead. "I gotta ask, you have any regrets?"
"Plenty." Twilight said, thinking about the last moment she had shared with Spike, nothing to out of the ordinary. It was the end of a rigorous magic practice session, she had just finished working on her twenty fifth spell, the fabled mustache spell. Spike had been begging and pleading to test it out on him, and against all her better judgment Twilight acquiesced.
A flash of light later and Spike's upper lip was no longer bare, a black handlebar graced his face. "Nice, now Rarity has to notice me!"
'And i'm not going to be there for him when she breaks his little heart. When goes off to school for the first time. When he graduates top of his class. When he ... when he, oh Spike i'm so sorry.' the thought of not being there for her boy was bring her to tears.
"How about you Trixie, do you have any regrets?" Twilight asked as she wiped her eyes.
"Only one, if this is to be the last appearance of the Great and Powerful Trixie, she really ought to be in costume. Silly i know since were about to be eaten it shouldn't matter what i'm wearing but, it's kind of hard to get in character with out it." said Trixianna. To her surprise a magical glow came from Twilight's horn and from thin air materialized a wizards hat and cape almost identical to the ones Trixie wears on stage.
"Wha-how-huh?" Trixianna stammered.
"It's number eighteen, fabrication. I hope i got the pattern right, i haven't used this spell much." Twilight said shyly.
Trixianna held the purple fabric in her hooves, ran it across her fur, it felt just like the real thing. "It's perfect." She swung the cape across her back, buttoned the clasp and donned the gigantic hat. The show was about to begin, "So Ursa Major, you think you can defeat the Great and Powerful Trixie? I say it will be the other way around, it is you who shall taste bitter defeat this day!"
The Ursa for it's part took notice of the minuscule pony shouting at him. It had been lazing about, waiting for it's prey to put up a fight, it's no fun when your dinner just rolls over without struggling. He sauntered over to the two ponies and leaned in close, preparing to give one of his trademark earthshaking roars. The kind that send even the bravest of monsters fleeing. The blue one was making strange chattering noises at the purple one, 'What annoying creatures,' he thought.
He opened his mouth, drew in a deep breath, but was shocked to find his entire face was covered in a painful tingly sensation, followed by a numbness. "GWARRRR!!" Screamed the Ursa, pawing at it's face trying to regain any sensation.
"Ha Ha! Fool, you walked strait into Trixie's lighting! Taste the wrath of the greatest unicorn!" Trixie conjured up another tiny storm cloud and a second later it discharged, the bolt singing the Ursa's fur but not doing any real damage.
"And taste the.. ah.. great.. justice of the wise and uh learned Twilight's magic beam!" She shot out a concentrated beam of magic, striking the Ursa right in the eye. "Sorry i'm not used to this kind of showmanship." Twilight said in apology to Trixie.
"No your doing fine, though i wonder what your costume would like like with that name?" Trixie said in encouragement.
The Ursa reeled with pain, as his vision returned everything was blurry and hazy, so it hunted by sound and smell. It followed the sounds of their banter and swung wildly, with the back of it's paw it struck one of them sending them flying into a wall.
"Twilight!" Trixie shouted after her friend, then turned her gaze back to the hulking behemoth in front of her. "Oh poopy." She too got backhanded into a wall, quickly putting an end to the winning streak they were on. A labored breath escaped Trixie's body as she slid down the rock and onto the hard ground. Though her head was ringing like like the schoolhouse bell she clearly knew one thing, this was the end.
*****
Derpy had successfully escaped the Ursa's ambush with Dinky, she had accomplished the near impossible. But as she landed on the mossy ground bellow and folded up her wings she couldn't help but feel like she had betrayed Twilight. After all, Derpy was the first pony she had ever befriended, she even admitted it. And now she was fighting for her life while Derpy was safe and sound, it didn't feel right at all.
As Dinky got onto the ground she felt immense relief, feeling solid earth bellow her hooves instead of open air was very reassuring. "Now we can go home right sis?" Dinky asked hopefully.
Derpy hymmed and hawwed, "Dinky i'm about to go do something really stupid, your going to have to walk home on your own."
"What are you gonna do?" asked Dinky.
"I'm going to save my friend," Derpy said with determination, her eyes were almost dead strait ahead as if reflecting that determination.
"I'll go too! I wonna help Trixie out too!" said Dinky, who then started charging back into the Everfree, back to the site of the standoff. Derpy quickly put the kibosh on that.
"No way! Your going strait home and not looking back once." Dinky was not pleased.
"That's not fair! I wannna help!" she was throwing a little tantrum, stomping her hooves.
Derpy was firm but kind, "I know how you feel but try and think about this clearly. You can't use magic yet and you're not exactly the fastest in your class. If you really wan't to help go home and tell mom and dad what's happening." With that she unfolded her wings and unceremoniously took off.
Dinky started trudging her way back home, dragging her hooves as she muttered to herself. "It's no fair, i can help. Just because i don't know magic yet doesn't mean i'm useless." She stopped in place and turned around, "Yeah i can do plenty of stuff good, i can throw rocks and cheer on Trixie and Twilight and even Derpy." With her self confidence bolstered, Dinky took off back into the forest, by now she could navigate the grounds around her like the back of her own hoof.
"I'm gonna prove it! Just you watch sister."
*****
The scene was grim, two competent fighters reduced to near unconsciousness. The Ursa not showing any signs of fatigue, or any damage for that matter. It was cruel and playful, as it took the purple horse and pined it's tail to the ground, watching her try and run away. Much akin to how a cat will sadistically play with a mouse before finishing it off, it reveled in this act.
Twilight was scared out of her wits, she knew there was no escape, it was a sad fact of life. She wasn't expecting this maddening game, she could feel the weight holding her tail lifted and she ran as fast as she could. But a large blue paw fell down in front of her blocking her path, Twilight almost tripped over herself as she changed course running in the opposite direction, only to be stopped again.
The pattern continued until she couldn't run any more, her heart pounded wildly, her breathing was erratic and she collapsed where she stood. She didn't want this to go on any longer, in desperation she screamed at the monster. "Come on! Didn't your momma teach you not to play with your food?! Come and get some you ugly dastard!"
Twilight's horn lit up as she readied a number nine spell, when used properly it's a small fire equivalent to a match. When used improperly, like when one supercharges it with enough magic to power a city block it becomes a towering inferno burning hotter than an active volcano.
Twilight was feeling like it was an improper kind of day.
As the Ursa came down to swallow her Twilight set off the spell, she could feel her mane and tail catch ablaze and see her fur lose it's natural purple hue and become an alabaster white. It was as if she was become a vessel for the cleansing fire she was about to unleash.
But before Twilight could watch the world burn she was saved out of the mouth of the bear by an unexpected but very welcome source. "Derpy! What are you doing here?" Twilight said in shock as they flew though the air.
"I'm not going to leave my friend to die, what kind of friend would that make me?" Derpy winked and started a curving decent towards the ground. "Hold tight!"
"Wait i thought you said you couldn't fly with a passenger as big as me or Trixie?" said Twilight, her fiery features disappearing.
"I'm not flying, i'm falling with style!" Derpy said as she began to spin out of control, the two landing with a thud.
As they regained their hoofing the two were joined by a third, Trixie had picked herself up off the ground. "Think you got enough in you to go one more round?" asked Twilight.
"Trixie was born ready!" she said with a twirl of her cape.
"So what's the plan Twilight?" asked Derpy, it was clear she put her full trust in Twilight's judgement.
Something about the way the Ursa had been malevolently toying with her sparked an idea, an idea that just might work. "Trixie if you guided me do you think i could pull off the tricks you used on me during our duel, but on a much larger scale?"
Trixie thoughtfully put a hoof to her chin, "I don't see why not. There all basic spells, yeah i think it could work."
"Alright then Derpy you garner it's attention while we get the materials we'll need." Derpy took off and started harassing the Ursa from the skies, Twilight and Trixie started scrounging the trees for their tricks.
"We could use these stinging nettles for the 'Card Storm'." Trixie said as she uprooted swaths of them from the ground, careful not to get any on her.
"And this vine would work for the 'Rope Snake' trick." said Twilight as she levitated a colossal vine that had wrapped itself around a tree. The diameter of the vine was even bigger than Twilight, and likely weighed hundreds of pounds.
"But we'll need something extra... I got it!" Trixie dove into the woods and emerged with an assembly of mix matched bright foliage. Using her magic she arranged them at the end of the vine to resemble the hood of a cobra, with large intimidating false eyes.
"Ooh real scary, i'm quivering in my boots right now." said Twilight.
Trixie felt wounded, true she was no artist but she didn't have to be that blunt. "Stomp on my heart why don't ya."
"No i'm serious, i'm terrified of snakes. If i didn't know it was fake i'd be running in fear right now." said Twilight with all sincerity.
The sweetness of the compliment touched Trixie's heart, it's not often she received genuine praise. She opened her mouth and was about to thank her when she was interrupted by Derpy doing a flyby.
"Think you two could hurry it up? I can't keep this thing busy forever!" She said as she narrowly dodged a swipe of it's claws.
"Fine Trixie shall take the stage. Come fellow magician, let us show how great and powerful we really are!" said Trixie.
With a grand entrance full of pomp and circumstance Trixie took to the center of the clearing, Derpy took that as her Que and disengaged. With nothing left to chase the Ursa looked around and found a lone unicorn clad in periwinkle and adorned with stars. The moon itself shone a shaft of bright white down upon her, bathing her in it's radiance. The Ursa however wasn't impressed by the sight, only instinctively rushing to gobble it up.
But she didn't flinch, didn't run. She just waited until the Ursa was mere meters away before giving the command. "Now!"
In an instant the Ursa was surrounded, everything he could see was covered by a swirling mass of foliage, when he tried to part it he was repaid with a horrible stinging sensation. "Ha ha fool! None can match the power of Trixie!" She gave a motion signaling the snake. "And for Trixie's next act she shall bring motion to the motionless, life to the lifeless!"
The massive vine began lifting itself up and slithering around. The Ursa was immediately taken back, it was by no means frightened of snakes, but this was like no snake it had even seen. It watched cautiously as it slithered up to the unicorn lay down it's head and allowed her to lead it. Perhaps it had underestimated the ponies, if they have dominion over creatures like that.
Twilight led the faux viper swiftly, it coiled around the Ursa, binding it's limbs, and getting face to face whipping out it's hood, Twilight was trying her darnedest to keep it's attention. As the Ursa wrassled with it's opponent Trixie dismounted and took her place right on the creature's shoulders. She painstakingly crafted a thundercloud, using all the magic power at her disposal. "Right, only one shot at this," Trixie said as she carefully aimed for the beasts spinal chord.
The Ursa was unaware of what the little pony was up to, but it sure felt the results. A massive shock followed by complete darkness, and loss of all control. With deftness Trixie ran down the Ursa's body before he collapsed into a heap, His fall caused a tremor that shook the whole area. "Did we get him?" asked Trixie as she cautiously backed away from the motionless mass.
"It looks like it but i don't wan't to get anywhere near that thing." said Twilight as she emerged from her hiding place in the bushes.
Derpy was the one to step up, "Alright i'll check you pansies." Derpy said, annoyed with her friends who were more than willing to go toe to toe with this colossus but are too scared to check if it's breathing. First she flew up to it's nostrils, no air was moving in or out. Then she flew to it's eye lids, pulled one up and looked intently. The pupils didn't dilate, and they didn't follow her movement at all.
"Well? Is it dead?" asked Twilight.
Derpy landed in front of the Ursa, picked up a rock and tossed it hitting the glyph on it's forehead. "As a door nail."
But what she didn't see was the Ursa's lungs filling with oxygen, it's bright yellow eyes opening once more. She didn't see the clawed paw of the Ursa until the impact. "Derpy!!!" Twilight screamed in horror as she saw her friend get mortally wounded.
Derpy fell to the ground, claw marks ran down her side, the cuts ran deeper.
"Get away from her you cretin!" Screamed Trixie, she backed up her statement with a surprisingly powerful lightning bolt. This was enough to dissuade the Ursa from pursuing his wounded prey, if only for a short time. While Twilight rushed to her side Trixie shot a death glare, the Ursa paced back and forth waiting for the opportune time.
"Derpy! Say something, anything! Just let me know your still in there." Twilight was unsure of what to do, she had done some rudimentary research into medicine, mostly so she could tell when Spike was really sick or just faking it. Though she was no professional she could already tell she was in no good shape. There were four deep lacerations running down her midsection, and copious amounts of blood loss.
But her life had not left Derpy just yet, her golden eyes flitted open and she said, "Oh hi Twilight, i was just having the most wonderful dream. I was going on a trip and everyone came by to see me off, they even brought me muffins to take with me. Isn't that nice?" Derpy said in a woozy voice, she tried getting up on her own, only to find she didn't have the strength. "I need to go thank everypony for making me muffins."
"No Derpy don't move, your going to make your cuts worse." Twilight was beside herself.
Here is how matters stood at the moment, One: all three of them were trapped in a smallish arena with an Ursa roughly ten times their size. Two: both Twilight and Trixie had been utilizing their magic so much they would soon become exhausted and no longer be able to defend themselves. Three: and most importantly Derpy had just been gravely wounded and without medical attention soon her situation looked grim at best.
Just when things couldn't get any worse they did, a tiny voice echoed into the arena. A voice that all who heard it had hoped she had been safe at home by now and not in this dangerous place. "Never fear, Dinky Doo is here!" Dinky's little head popped over the ridge, she was cheerful. As she topped the hill she could be seen in full, she had tied her mane up with a vine to keep it out of her eyes. Her cheeks were marked with lines of mud, similar to a hoofball player. She was also carrying a foreleg full of rocks, evidently she had come to lend her support.
"Dinky what are you doing? Get out of here, it isn't safe!" said Trixie, not turning her back to the Ursa.
"That's what Derpy said, but i can help. I even brought these rocks." She proudly presented the rocks, lost her grip on them and they tumbled down the steep incline, she followed after them. "Plus i can do other stuff to like-" Dinky stopped herself when she caught sight of what had happened to Derpy. In the moonlight Derpy looked like a bloodstained angel, Dinky ran all the way, tripping several times because she could take her eyes off her.
"Oh hello Dinky, are you here to bring me more muffins?" said Derpy, she seemed genuinely pleased to see her, still apparently in her dreamworld.
"S-s-sis your b-bleeding. W-why are you b-bleeding?" Dinky was shivering uncontrollably.
Derpy looked down at herself, and was shocked to discover that she was indeed bleeding. "Whatya know i am bleeding."
"We thought the Ursa was gone for good, but he faked us out and hurt her badly. If we can't get her out of here soon she might die." said Twilight, unaware of how her words were affecting the young child. Dinky started silently crying, her tears pouring down her cheeks and onto the parched ground.
"Daw, don't cry sis, Mr grumpy bear's just grumpy because he hasn't had any muffins. You know what'll solve that?" Derpy raised her head to Twilight expectantly.
Twilight although happy her friend was still contious and not going into shock, was starting to get annoyed by her odd behavior. "Let me guess it's muffins, right?"
"It's Muffins!" Derpy weakly through a vaguely muffin shaped stone at the Ursa, it didn't make it more than a few feet. "Dinky can you go bring Mr. grumpy bear his muffin?"
But Dinky didn't move, didn't say anything, only tears kept rolling down. Twilight finally took notice and tried to comfort her, "Don't worry we'll find a way, things always have a way of working out-" It was Twilight's turn to get interrupted, as she placed a hoof on Dinky's shoulder her eyelids shot open. Instead of her beautiful golden eyes there was a blinding white light emitting from her sockets. Her body began convulsing and twitching, raw magic radiated around her and she began levitating.
"Well that's new!" said Derpy.
"What in blazes?! Twilight what's happening?" asked Trixie, the spectacle was enough to get her to stop her stare down. The Ursa as well was distracted, frightened even.
Twilight knew the signs by heart, after all she had dealt with the same condition as a filly. "She's having a magic surge! Her body's producing more magic than it can handle."
"Well is it dangerous?" asked Trixie.
"Only if she starts firing off random spells!" A ray of magic flew off, freezing the tree it struck. "Yes this is very dangerous!"
Spell after spell began firing, sunlight, darkness, pockets of space loosing all gravity. One fortuitous spell turned the pile of spillt rock near Derpy into a pile of freshly baked muffins with butter. "Thanks Dinky." said Derpy as she dug in.
Dinky's mind was in chaos, like a whirlwind of ideas, flooding her contentiousness, driving her mad. Then there was a calm, an eye to the storm, a singular idea with such clarity it had to be right. Something awoke in side Dinky... Dinky realized the power of the true form spell.
With out touching the ground Dinky moved to the Ursa, it backed away in fear until his back was to the wall. When it couldn't get any farther it decided to fight, only to find it's attacks blocked by the invisible force of DInky's magic. With barely any effort she cast true form, it's magic twisted and warped the body of the Ursa, reducing it to nothing more than a frightened looking bear, no larger than a normal bear cub. With no chance left the former Ursa turned tail and disappeared into the Everfree.
Dinky silently floated back over to the group of three, her apparent purpose over she waited for what was next. Her eyes glowed ever so sightly less, the convulsions had reduced to noticeable twitches and kicks. "What do we do now?" asked Trixie.
"She needs someone she trusts to help her out and back to us. And i don't know how well Derpy would do at that considering the state she's in." Twilight motioned to Derpy, she was playing with muffins, mushing them all over her face and licking up the crumbs.
"A-alright i'll try." Trixie took a deep breath and inched her way till she was right next to the eerily floating filly. "Hey Dinky you did good, you did a good job. The Ursa Major is gone, we can all go home now."
She didn't respond only floated. "Keep trying," Twilight said encouragingly.
"You saved us all, i'd say you were even worthy of being called Great and Powerful." Trixie was delighted that she finally responded, her eyes returned to normal, and she no longer floated like she was possessed.
"Really!?! I'm great and powerful?" said Dinky, not missing a beat.
"Yeah kid, you really are." Trixie said, leaning in and gave her a great big hug. As she did all the spells she had cast during her surge state began reversing, including the muffin in Derpy's hooves turning back into a stone.
"Aww i was gonna eat that one." Derpy said sadly, she got up and joined the hug. "Glad your okay now Dinky."
"Hey! Your not bleeding any more!" Dinky said with surprise, and indeed she wasn't. Most of the cuts had healed over, and dried up.
"Hmm, i'd guess that the dissipating magic did that." Hypothesized Twilight.
"Who cares how it happened, get in here and join the group hug Twilight, we all deserve this." Derpy said, it felt good to have control over her mental faculties once more. Twilight obliged, and she had to admit it felt nice. Being here with all these ponies who had come to to mean so much to her in such a short time. Having concurred what seemed insurmountable, it was.. nice.
They held on together for what seemed like an eternity, until they heard something unsettling, the distant roar of the Ursa. "I think his spell just wore off, what do you say we continue this from the safety of Ponyville hmm?" suggested Trixie. All were swift to agree, and even swifter on their feet, booking it to the Everfree exit and home.
*****
It ended up being several more days till Trixie left Ponyville. The all night excursion had left her too exhausted to haul her cart to her next stop, so she ended up canceling the whole gig. After a well earned day of rest she went strait back to performing on stage for the the foals and adults alike. She even was starting to develop some regulars.
Derpy had the remaining damage looked after at the hospital, where she had them dressed in bandages for the next couple of weeks. Dinky was immediately grounded for life upon returning home as well as lectured to no end for worrying her dear mother to death. Secretly both her parents were immensely proud of both their daughters and the lengths they went to for each other.
Twilight went home and started making up for lost time with Spike, talking with him about every little thing, until he got sick of it. As the week was coming to a close Twilight sat down to compose her report to Celestia. The past days had been jam packed with so much, she was unsure what to put in. But she tried anyway,
Dearest Princess,
I am truly blessed in friendship I've discovered. I have so many friends i can count on, in everyday life and when it really counts. And I've also striven to be the same for them. It's truly beautiful, the fruitage of that type of friendship, i'd like to see the world filled with that someday.
P.S.
I think i may have found a promising candidate for the School for Gifted Unicorns. It's the younger sister of my friend Derpy, she shows great magic potential, not unlike me at her age. I'll keep a close eye on her and try and foster a yearning for learning. I'll keep you posted if anything happens.
Your faithful student
Twilight Sparkle
As she hoofed over the letter to Spike for dispatch Twilight decided to give him a little space and read for a while. She pulled out her old monster encyclopedia and looked up Ursa's, in case one ever decided to show up in town she wanted to know all about how to properly fight them. Much to her dismay however she discovered something that churned her stomach. A labeled illustration, of two creatures. One they fought against and one she was glad they didn't. Above the blue bear was "Ursa Minor" above the Purple bear, four times it's size was "Ursa Major"
"Oh, that was just a baby......" Twilight felt like it was time for a little lie down.