Chapter seven: Into the Everfree.
Upon entering the forest Rarity commented. "I never did like this place, I must say it's not near as bad now as when we first came in. It is not like we have not gone in here more than once."
A few noises heard in the distance, and a few rustling of bushes spooked her. "I take it back. It might not be as dark as our first time in, but it's still as creepy as ever," she finished with a groan.
Rarity asked with some dispair in her voice, "Are you sure Twilight that we must go looking for it in this dreadful place?"
Without turning her attention to Rarity Twilight spoke, but softly. "Yes, as far as we know, according to Rainbow Dash it last came in here, and Dazzle felt we will still find it in here if we go looking for it now.
"I also feel it might be a trap. It might want us in here. That's why we must keep our guard up, and be ready for anything.
"I don't like the idea of doing it this way, but if we wait for it to come out, it might pick up some other unsuspecting pony. At least for the moment we have a general idea of where it is. And I want to deal with it now before it kills again.
"Dazzle do you feel anything? Have any direction we might need to go?"
Dazzle pointed ahead then curved her hoof off to the left. "Yes, Twilight. Ahead and to the path on the left. It's not where I think it is. It's where I feel we will meet it if we go that way.
"I guess saying that is the same thing though, seeing that it would have to be there if we do find it in that direction.
"And just to warn you, I don't much like what I feel is going to happen over there."
Pinkie added. "Yes, my knees feel pinchy."
This extra info put everyone on edge and high alert. If Pinkie and Dazzle both felt that something scary or bad was going to happen, none felt good about being in here looking for it at all.
Twilight had to ask Dazzle, "What do you mean that you don't like what you feel?"
Dazzle stopped and looked up at Twilight. "Pain. I feel pain. It is what I feel from others when something bad is going to happen."
Dazzle sat and thought some more as she concentrated. Her breathing got more heavy, and she gasped. "Twilight, what I feel is that everyone that stays to fight that thing gets hurt. Some real bad."
After, Dazzles eyes opened more wide and started to tear up some. "And Twilight, you get hurt real bad. More than anyone else. I don't feel anything from you sometime after that.
"I feel sadness surrounding you though, but you're not there. I cant tell if you there any time after that, like your gone. I think... I believe you die."
Everyone looks in shock at Dazzle, then to Twilight. Applejack speaks up. "That's it Twilight! You are not going any further then. You sit this one out if she thinks we're going to lose you."
Dazzle quickly turns to Applejack. "Applejack if she does not go, then I feel you die instead."
Applejack took a step back "What!?"
Dazzle lowered her head. "That is what I feel happens. If you all go, then all of you gets hurt, and Twilight dies I think.
"No, I am sure of it!
"If she does not go then, you die Applejack.
"And if neither one of you goes, then more will die. More than one. Rainbow Dash first.
"If none of you go then, none of you die. But I can't tell what happens after that. I can't tell if it comes back to Ponyville again. Because I don't feel that happen, though I am not sure why.
"It might come back, but it might not.
"Last night I didn't know it was going to get Patty so I am not too sure if I can tell you what it might do next. I don't really have full control over this. I am sorry everyone."
Dazzle just wanted to sit there and cry.
Twilight looked to Dazzle calmly, then walked over to her. "Dazzle you are doing your best. I can see that. You don't have to apologize for what you can't tell us. You have told us more than any other pony could.
"I am going to ask one last thing though. Do we kill it? That is what we came here to do. So, do you think we win? Do we get rid of it if we all go in?"
Dazzle thought deeply as more tears fell upon feeling the moment again. "I don't feel it after, just as I don't feel anything more from you. So I think you do get rid of it. But as I said, I can't tell you that for sure. I just don't know."
Twilight stomped a hoof and spoke with conviction. "That settles it! If we can, we stop it here and now. If I am the one who dies in order to get rid of it, then I will take that chance and at least try to.
"I will not have anyone take my place either by me not going. I'm the one who trapped it underground and did nothing more about it after. And I was the one who decided to wait and gather everyone to reunite the elements.
"Then that thing came back again and took Patty as well while I had us busy doing that.
"It was my responsibility to protect this town, and I failed. I am not going to lose anyone else by waiting around any longer. If it takes my life to stop it, then that is what I feel I must do."
The other girls gasped at this. Rarity spoke up, "Twilight, might there be another way? Dazzle said she did not feel it come back.
"Maybe it goes away on its own, or something in here gets it for us. Can we not wait to see? We could try to keep watch for it while we wait."
Twilight spoke up again. "It's my choice. And I am afraid we may not have another option or chance at this again. I don't wish to die, but I can't sit around and let this continue to go on either.
"So please, don't make a fuss. Let's just concentrate on what it is we came here to do. No matter what happens. I wish to do this today and now!"
Lance stepped over to Twilight. "None can ask more of a pony than what you are willing to risk for the sake of others. All while in the face of knowing what might likely happen to you.
"I didn't know you all too well Twilight Sparkle. Though now I see you are everything I heard about and more. You have a truly noble heart. And I am very honored to know you and to be here with all of you now.
"I can only hope that Dazzle's prediction of you is incorrect. Sorry to say, but I would not bet on it.
Twilight smiled at Lance with a tear in her eyes. "Thank you, Lance. And if Dazzle's prediction of me does happen, then I hope she is right about that creature as well, and we do indeed get rid of it.
"If we do, I will have no regret about my decision to go with all of you, save for not doing this sooner, and have saved two lives in the process."
Upon Twilight's gesture to continue, everyone got back into formation and followed her.
Lance leaned over to Dazzle. "And I want you to remember, no matter what you may feel is going to happens, you are not to stay. The moment I tell you or anyone of us sees it, you and your mom is to run back home as fast as you can.
"You are only here to help us find it. If something bad is going to happen as you say, you are not to be here and be a part of that, understand?"
Dazzle gave a little nod. "I do. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to be.
"I hate this place. I can feel it more while being in here. It's full of scary things that watch and wait to grab whatever goes astray.
"As Rarity said, this place is as horrible and creepy as that thing we are looking for."
Flower took a step closer to her daughter as they walked onward.
Applejack spoke up. "That's mostly why next to no pony ever comes in here. It is full of things you don't want to meet.
"Though some foolish ponies like ourselves as of right now, don't always heed the warnings. There is no sense in galloping around and stirring up something that is just downright unpleasant. Not every pony that comes in here comes out.
"And a few that do, sometimes lead something awful right out with them, and into a mess of other ponies that had nothing to do with what happened.
"I don't much like being in here myself."
Applejack lifted her head more while looking over at Pinkie. "And Pinkie if you start singing, I am a gonna buck you!"
For the moment. It didn't take much for Pinkie to resist the urge. For the few times in her life there just wasn't any.
She felt awful and scared. She was in just no mood to break out into song.
As they walked Rarity gasped. "I felt something touch me!"
Applejack saw it was just a leaf from some small plant Rarity did not notice. "Rarity! Just relax yourself. It was just some loose brush. Nothing to worry yourself over."
Rarity interjected, "This is the Everfree, and anything unknown in here is something to worry about. Or have you already forgotten about your little! problem you had with our running into that poison joke?
"I don't want anything in this place to touch me."
Applejack stated, "Well depending on where we have to travel, we might not have much of a choice but to deal with moving through some overgrowth.
"We will just have to hope that anything that we do run into does not cause for us any similar problems or worse. We are in here now, and we will just have to deal with it."
It was not long before they came to a fork in the path. Twilight lead the group along on the left as Dazzle suggested. Each kept their eyes peeled for anything.
It was not just the Kezzerdrix they needed to worry about. Even in the early morning, not much light shined through the canopy. They had to rely on what they could hear as much as what they could see.
Sounds came from all around. It was enough to darken the spirit of any who entered. And each of them knew some of what could be found within, having to run into them before.
If ever there was a time the girls felt the need for Fluttershy to be around, was now. She proved helpful in dealing with some of the things they might find.
The group continued slowly. Casting a glance at every noise that made them leap inside. Their hearts raced as they came ever closer to their unknown destination. They traveled for far longer than they hoped they would have to. At least that is how they felt.
They were walking without a trail now. Dazzle kept pointing the way. They were in the thick of it, much as Applejack suggested that they all might be. The trees were set dense, the canopy letting in a little less light. Other foliage was high and made getting around hard.
This spot is one of the worst possible to be in each of them felt. They knew if something were to come out now, they would be in a heap of trouble.
As of right now they have been very lucky not to have run into something. Not that they wanted to. And Twilight has taken notice that they had yet to run into anything. She thought this to be a little odd, despite that fact being welcoming in its own right to her.
Ahead the group came into a small clearing where they had now gathered. They stopped to have a look around, in part to take a breather for getting this far.
Twilight wanted to ask that burning question of, are we there yet. But could not bring herself to speak. She didn't need to. As if on cue. Dazzle got everyone's attention with a statement. "We are here! I can feel it watching us. It knows we are here. And it is eager to get started."
Everyone there felt extra jumpy and on alert.
Twilight saw on her right Pinkie hunker down as if waiting to pounce on something, just a few seconds before Dazzle even spoke.
When Dazzle finished, something in the distance moved. It moved fast from on their right moving to the left then stopped in the direction they were heading.
Lance raised his lance in the air with his magic, ready to impale whatever comes out with it.
A movement was heard and seen again as if to get closer.
Pinkie whispered to Twilight, "Knees getting more pinchy!"
She lowered herself just a little more as if to ready herself more to leap at any moment.
Lance leaned over and whispered to Flower and Dazzle, "Go back the way we came. Run Now."
The two turned swiftly, back out the way they came as instructed.
Lance wanted to move with them, to stay with them, but also hoped he could help end this thing's life in one shot. Then all would be over he imagined, so he staid.
As Lance distracted himself some with his thoughts of his family leaving, a little more to the right then where everyone was looking the kezzerdrix leaped out with such speed it looked like it was flying through the air straight for Twilight.
None but Pinkie saw it coming. She shifted slightly then leaped herself right in the path of the Twilight bound monster the instant it came out.
Lance took aim, then launched his weapon at it on reflex missing its mark. Lance grit his teeth at having failed, and losing his weapon into an unknown distance, deep in the overgrowth.
The charging beast, surprised everyone as it backhanded Pinkie across the jaw and sent her sailing off to the side like a limp ragdoll.
No one else moved fast enough to stop what was to happen next. And Twilight was momentarily too stunned at seeing Pinkie get knocked aside so quickly, she did not even think to react herself.
The kezzerdrix saw it all. He played it out in his mind right before this moment. Watching and waiting for the right time to strike.
He saw the Pink pony and how she moved. Her movements were on par with his and looked obvious to him. It became even more so as he tensed up for the strike and saw the pink pony do the same as if in sync with him.
She moved as he moved. Yet, she was not looking at him as he was at her. He thought to himself. So she has some tricks as well.
He grinned a little at this. He would try and use her own trick against her, and it worked. Nothing more is in his way to that purple unicorn pony he wanted most of all. He felt he could now kill her.
While still on the move through the air, he latched onto Twilight. He hit her with enough force to take her down onto her back.
Twilight's crown came off as her head it the ground hard.
His claws dug deep into her sides as he raked at them. His jaws wrapped around her neck. He chewed away as hard as he could while ripping away at her sides.
He was now tearing her apart as everyone could see, and everyone was beside themselves at seeing the fearsomeness of the attack.
None wished to make a move on him, do to the way he was clinging to Twilight, in fear of making matters worse.
Rarity was the first to try something. She gripped the savage beast's jaws with her magic and pried his mouth off Twilight. Lance followed suit by prying the rest of him off her as well.
His mind was still on his two loved ones, but knew he was needed here just as much. After seeing this menacing attack, he could not turn a blind eye to what he saw.
The creature was now prone in the air, helpless. Rarity and Lance held him there. Rarity was quite upset and angry with this thing. She felt she has control of him now and is going to use it.
Spotting a nearby tree she moved him quickly in an attempt to slam him against that tree hard. She wished to beat him to death while he is stuck in the air.
Lance needed no explanation as to what Rarity is intending on doing. When he felt the thing move, he added his own force into the movement.
He marveled at Rarity's strength of magic. From what he could tell she could toss this thing about on her own without help from him. Her magic was much greater than his own.
Seeing how carefully Rarity removed its mouth from Twilight, he knew he was working with a professional. Someone with both such power and control over her magic. She was his superior. So he was content to let her lead their combined efforts in whatever she wished to do with this thing. And he hoped she knew what she was doing.
This maneuver did not go as planned. After The beast had hit the tree, his outstretched arms clung to it, anchoring him to the tree.
Derpy being the closest to him charged too dislodged his grip.
He saw her move and remembered her well.
She jumped and kicked at his arms with her front hooves. On impact, his grip was lost.
He now grabbed at the closest thing he could, and that was Derpy. He had a particular dislike for this one. Gaining a grasp on her rear side he bit down digging his teeth into her rump.
She screamed out at this and flailed about due to the pain and a need to get free quickly.
Rainbow was the next to make a move. She leaped into the air and kicked him in the ribs, much as Derpy did to his arms.
This Rainbow felt would be payback for what he did to her yesterday. However, it made him bite down harder on Derpy. In part to stifle the pain in his side from that blow.
Rarity and Lance worked together to toss him against another tree.
This attempt didn't work all to well either. He headed for the tree as to collide with it against his back. He instead twisted himself in a way so he could grab at the tree with one extended arm, near the moment he would hit the tree.
He used it as leverage to hurl Derpy at them both like a hammer toss.
With all that force moving in one direction, the balled up gray mare collided with Lance first sending the two into Rarity hard. His use of her like that took all three of them out, all at once. Leaving the monstrous rabbit grounded, where he would rather be.
The Kezzerdrix was unsure which pony needed his attention the most next. The prismatic blue pegasus that just kicked him, or the downed unicorns that had been tossing him in the air. It was not a hard choice for him after being held in the air and bing tossed around. The unicorns were easy to dispatch while disoriented and down. They also seemed the most dangerous to him, seeing that they could pick him up and leave him helpless.
He felt it best to kill them now while he can. Before they get back up and lift him into the air again, or do something else to him with their magic.
Rainbow was hoping he would turn his attention to her instead, after seeing the direction he was heading.
Applejack was already on it, seeing where he was going as well. She galloped a short distance to him quickly, to plant a blow to his hip. She hit him squarely.
He was able to hear and see her coming. So he took a swipe at her while taking that hit.
He missed with his first swipe as he stumbled, but came around with another.
Applejack jumped to the side of it receiving a light scrape from just the claw tips. This attack did little to Applejack but make her feel that was too close for comfort.
The two squared off as they regained their footing and sized each other up.
Applejack thought she was crazy to try to take something like this on. She wasn't going to lie to herself about it. She was scared out of her mind of this thing.
Applejack felt she needed to put that thought out of her head.
She cringed inside just looking at him face to face, unable to shake her fear. The fear of what he was going to do to the others if she did nothing forced her to stand her ground, as much as she didn't want to.
Her mental distraction, while she was shaking, was all he needed. He lunged at her with full intent on charging in and grabbing her.
Applejack flinched as he moved. She scurried to get out of his reach.
She was too slow, as he got her by the tail. A shiver ran down Applejack's spine from being halted by her snagged tail.
Being scared as she was caused her to kick back frantically in an attempt to get him to let go. Her struggle was not helping.
He yanked on her tail and pulled her close to him. He wanted to grapple her and bite down on her spine.
Before he could, he was kicked along his shoulder by something in the air, fast and hard. While distracting himself by struggling with the pony in his grip, he didn't even know it was coming.
From watching Derpy get her rump chewed, then tossed aside right into the two unicorns, Rainbow wished to keep it from grabbing her as well ans he now has Applejack.
And Applejack not faring all too much better in her attempt to take this beast down with a good buck, Rainbow felt lunging at him was not enough. She saw that he could see it coming, and might grab her as well.
She felt she needed to out maneuver him like she did out in the open. For this, she was going to need space to gain some speed and outflank him somehow. With her sharp eyes and with some imagination while remembering some of her training, she made her move.
This daredevil could see a trail of loops between the trees. She could follow them and use them to build up the speed for a good attack, and the trees could help conceal her movements.
She smiled to herself at her own thoughts that this thing made a mistake hiding in here. To her it would not help him.
She felt it could work. She would try to make it work. Right now, Applejack, and everyone else needed her to stop this thing.
Rainbow Dash took off like a shot in one direction into the surrounding trees. She curved around them quickly and lined herself up to hit him hard.
The hit Rainbow Dash gave caught him off guard. He let go of Applejack, after the hit.
Now he found himself having to defend himself from this unseen assailant in the air.
Applejack was not sure what happened herself. She ran to the side of a tree shaking and shivering at haven been able to get away relatively unharmed.
Another hit came after the last one, then another each in succession.
The kezzerdrix was now on the defensive. After the fifth hit, he saw what was attacking him as it took off in another direction.
It was that blue pegasus he ignored in favor of going after the unicorns. To his surprise, this thing was gliding through the trees as if they were not there. All by doing so in a way that made it hard for him to see her doing it, or predicting where she might be coming from next.
At one point, he lashed out, and Rainbow Dash ducked under as she slid along the ground, still propelled by her wings.
She next did a bicycle kick, hitting him squarely on a back shoulder blade.
He stumbled forward, though stood his ground. He spun around to try and rake her, but by then she leaped away and was out of reach again. She was going fast and getting faster.
Rarity got up and could see this display Rainbow was putting on. Feeling a little too off to focus enough to help she watched much as Applejack was.
Rainbow Dash was building to such speed she was leaving her telltale signature Rainbow trail she is known for.
Rainbow was circling in again and again now creating a rainbow tornado. The irate victim of Rainbow's torrent attacks struggled to be on the offensive while making any strikes of his own when he saw an opening.
That opening disappeared far faster than he could react to it. He found himself having to deflect as many kicks as he could, instead of lashing out at her as he wanted.
All Applejack could do now was watch. She did not dare interfere and distracted Rainbow as Rainbow had her way with him.
Applejack was also a little afraid of being kicked herself by Rainbow if she did move in to help and got in the way.
Rarity while keeping an eye on the action moved to get Lance up insted of just standing around. She felt she could at least do that while her head clears more.
She knew she would need to concentrate for her magic to work. She also didn't dare confront that thing personally. Rarity felt Rainbow Dash seemed to be doing that quite well enough on her own for the moment.
As Rarity had a look at Lance, she was surprised to see his armor caved in a little where Derpy had hit him.
She saw that he took the brunt of the impact and is still out.
Derpy had just gotten up herself and was none too steady. The two felt like they just walked out of a train wreck. Derpy more so than Rarity at the moment.
Rarity was wondering what Derpy is made of, for being able to knock Lance out like this, and dent his armor like that too.
Was he ever going to wake up? She asked herself.
This whirling rainbow that kept hitting the Kezzerdrix from all sides was wearing him down, even though the effort was doing the same to her as well.
He felt he needed to stop this, but every attempt he made to claw at her or knock her aside she evaded, and only left him open to another hit from her. He felt this was not going well for him.
He knew something had to change, and it did. His opponent slipped up. As she did he knocked her aside.
To his surprise, it did not slow her down much. Before he could capitalize on her being grounded, she leaped into the air just barely missing being raked by his claws once more.
She was not about to let that happen again to her.
He watched in dismay as she disappeared around some trees again not knowing where she was coming out or when.
Rainbow came in from behind and gave one last kick to the back of his head.
As she was it, this was taking too long for her. Rainbow felt she could not keep up this pace any longer.
That last hit she took from him about had her immobile. That monster rabbit got too close for comfort on his last swing, as far as she was concerned.
She stopped to take a breather. Had she continued she would have gained more ground in taking this thing down on her own. She was getting to worn out herself giving it her all, however.
Now she decided she was getting sloppy.
She hurt him good with that last kick. His head throbbed making him lose a little of his concentration and vision. This state he is in, Rainbow did not know of as she moved a distance away from him to catch her breath and think.
Rainbow thought in frustration, What was it going to take to finish this? I know it should be hurting bad, but it keeps swinging and deflecting some of my hits as if i am not doing anything to it. If I am not careful and get too tired, it might get a hold of me again, like last time I fought with it. If that happens, it might be over for me. And for all of us!"
Rainbow had seen one other get up. At first she thought this was a welcome sight and had filled her with the hope that she was OK. Seeing her behavior, however, made her feel uneasy and unsure if she was indeed OK.
~~~~~~
Flower and Dazzle ran with all haste. They pushed through the overgrowth as fast as the two could without losing each other.
When they got to a clearing, they picked up their pace. The both of them strive to get out as soon as possible.
They reached the foot of the path that would lead them out. As they got to it, Dazzle felt something was wrong. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but she felt she was missing something.
Something about this place, and what they were doing right now felt wrong to her. Something Applejack said told her so.
She voiced those words to herself. "There is no sense in galloping around and stirring up something that is just downright unpleasant. That's what was bothering me."
Dazzle thought. That was it! That must be why nothing came after us all the way to the clearing. The group was moving slow and quiet and had gone unnoticed. And fast moving ponies like mom and I are now moving would attract predators.
Something else hit her mind intrusively right after that thought. A name came into her head of just such a pony that was always quiet and was told could likely walk in this place almost freely. One other than Zecora.
Fluttershy!
Her name rang in Dazzle's mind once as if trying to tell her something. It felt like a warning. It told her to be like Fluttershy. To do as she would do. To be calm and quiet while in here like they were.
With all those thoughts in her head of first Applejack, and now Fluttershy, there was no doubt in her mind as to what she and her mother needed to do.
Without yelling Dazzle did her best to get her mother's attention. "Mom, we need to slow down."
Her mother's pace did not change. "No. We need to get out of here now. As fast as we can."
At this Dazzle slowed to a trot then sat down. Her heart was racing and was breathing heavy from all that running.
Flower saw her stop and went back to her. "What are you doing? We need to get going. Do you need to rest? We can do that after we get out. It's not safe in here. If you need to rest, just get on my back. I will take you out of here myself, we can't stop."
Dazzle looked up at her. Her mother still looked in a panic. But now a look of concern fell over her mother as well. "I know Mom. I know we can't stop. But trust me. If we are to get out safely. We need to calm down before we attract something. We must move in silence, so we can go unnoticed.
"It will take us longer, Yes, but it is the safest way out of here."
Flower knew her daughter was smart about things sometimes. She didn't know where Dazzle got it from.
To flower, a little filly such as her own shouldn't hold such wisdom about situations such as this.
She knew though that her own daughter is thinking more clearly than she is, and felt she had to listen to her. What Dazzle had said sounded more than reasonable to her.
The two had taken a short breather for only two minutes before they both noticed a group of eyes were gazing at them in the distance, back in the direction they came from.
Flower spoke as calmly as she could. "Dazzle hunny, It's a little too late for resting or moving quietly. We must run again."
Seeing what her mother had seen Dazzle gave a nod.
As the group of eyes revealed themselves as timber wolves, all six of them gave chase.
The two weary ponies got up quickly and started to run again. The short rest helped them both to pick up their pace, but they still had a ways to go to get out, and the wolves were gaining on them.
A fresh boost of adrenalin hit them out of fear for their lives, as they felt the wolves getting closer. The distance evened out to all of them moving at the same pace for a short time.
Dazzle was the first to get winded. Her chest was feeling like spikes jabbing into her. She couldn't keep this up for much longer.
Another worry gripped Dazzle as she remembered one other thing Applejack had said. "Not every pony that comes in here comes out, and a few that do sometimes lead something awful right out with them."
Dazzle though on this. Even if we made it out, the wolves might still continue to make chase!
It seemed hopeless as she felt too ragged to move much further, never-mind having to push on if she ever escaped this place.
Flower saw Dazzle's pace slow again. She quickly moved closer to Dazzle and placed Dazzle on her back as she suggested earlier.
If nothing else they made it to the divide and was about to head right to the exit when a Manticore rushed out from on there right along the other trail they didn't take. It looked angry.
In an attempt to flee from the wolves, they were heading into the path of this very large Cat.
They rounded the corner of the divide, but Flower was getting much too exhausted herself to continue as well. She collapsed, as she tripped on a root sticking out of the ground.
Dazzle fell off her back and curled up on the ground. Flower moved in an attempt to protect her little & loved one with her own body. Both in a huddle for anything to be on top of them they waited.
While shaking and scared, Flower cried out in desperation, "Someone! Please! Help us!"
From what she could tell something seemed to have heard her.
Behind the two in the direction of the incoming forest monsters, a bright-yellow light shined like the sun for a moment, so brilliantly it was hard to look at.
Both dazzle and flower turned and squinted to have a look just the same.
After appearing the light faded slightly, but still quite bright.
Both asked of themselves, was it Celestia? Had she come to help at last?
It wasn't her. It is not like anything they had seen before
A glowing yellow silhouette of an average size pegasus with outstretched wings was just floating in the air. All the light emanating from this entity is still quite bright to them.
The wolves retreated and the Manticore had stopped near ten feet from the light's aura. It sat and didn't move. It just looked at the floating apparition.
All of its fury melted away till it is no longer moving. It looked calm to them as if it is just waiting.
Dazzle and Flower's heart was beating hard not just from the run. The beating deepened in their chest while in this unknown presence before them.
It was there, yet not there. A sense of overpowering awe fell over them both, in something like fear but more like astonishment.
What they saw seemed so impossible to them. As if something monumental was happening before their eyes. As if some type of salvation they could not imagine, had come to their aid.
Dazzle pointed at the light. "Mom! Is that-"
Flower quickly leaned down to her and with a near whisper cut her off before the question she knew Dazzle was going to ask could be finished. "Don't say a word. No one would believe us anyway. Let's just go while we are given a chance too."
The two got up and started to walk out slowly. Only making it a few feet. Then the light faded away completely.
Worry struck as the two looked back quickly. They saw the Manticore get up.
Dazzle and flower's eyes widened in horror as they thought it would start chasing them again.
Instead, it just turned around and headed back the way it came as if they were not there.
The two looked at each other in silence. Still feeling overwhelmed by the experience, they walked out of the forest very shaken up, not fully sure of what had been seen.
They felt it a gift given, to be still alive.
They walked till they got to Fluttersy's home and continued to where she is buried, much as they had before entering the Everfree Forest.
Flower sat then began to tear up and cry in relief at having gotten out. Dazzle sat down beside her feeling the same.
Flower put a hoof on the edge of the mound. A thought had come to her mind. The Everfree was full of strange, wild, and unknown magic. It made all sorts of things like the timber wolves they ran from. And Fluttershy lived right next to it, at peace with nature and this other place that was mostly free from pony influence.
Fluttershy seemed she was at home with being near it Flower continued to think.
Not knowing how the magic in the Everfree worked, and as an earth pony not really knowing magic well at all herself, Flower wonder if a part of Fluttershy was still living in that Forest some how.
Admiration and appreciation for this pony she did not know well, filled her heart, for what was a possible intervention by Fluttershy, and prevented the likely death of her daughter, and herself.
She felt that there was something needed to be said, and so she did. "I don't know if that was really you who helped us in there, or what. If it was, thank you. Thank you for saving me and my baby. I will never forget this last act of kindness you had given to us."
Flower pulled Dazzle in closer and held onto her tightly as if never wanting to let go of her precious little bundle. They walked into death's home and came out alive as they saw it.
The two of them hoped the others will do the same.
They waited while feeling a comfort in that spot, as if somehow protected there by some unseen guardian. From what the two had witnessed they had no reason to question if it was true or not. They simply felt it was.
~~~~~~
Back in the forest where a conflict was still going on. Someone had come to.
As memories of what just happened filled in the blanks for her, fear, anger, and excitement started to build all at once. A rush like she had rarely felt before was now overpowering her will.
All hyped up on adrenalin. Her body quaked with the need to assert herself on something.
It did not take long to find her target. Though when she did, even though her face seemed to go dark to Dash who watched, she brushed a hoof over a bruise on her left cheek, and she had a smile.
Rainbow Dash saw this look on Pinkie and was not sure what to make of it. Was this good, or not? The look on Pinkie made Rainbow worry.
Pinkie bounded over to the Kezzerdrix with speed. She leaped into the air upright. Wound herself up with a hoof cocked like the hammer of a pistol gun while yelling "Here's Pinkie!"
The momentarily dazed creature looked in her direction.
She finished off with a right hoof strait to the kisser. Everything was given into that one smashing hit. The blow sent him head first to the ground hard.
She stood on all fours after while huffing and puffing from the exertion and trying to speak. "Did you like that? Ha? Do you want another? Cause I got another for ya!"
She stood up more onto her back legs as she started to wind up to give it to him again.
He got up and pushed her aside with irritation, and confusion as to what just happened. His head pounded more than before. From what he could tell his jaw felt broke but wasn't.
As she was pushed she fell on her back while feeling a little silly about it, and a little irritated as well.
He was not sure what hit him but did not want it anywhere near while he tried to gain some focus and shake off the throbbing pain.
Pinkie leaned forward propping herself up with her front hooves down at her side and behind her. "Hay! No need to get pushy, buster!."
A group of timber wolves showed up to see what the commotion was all about and if there were any pickings to be had.
Seeing the wolves Pinkie got up fully, then hopped up and down waving her front hooves in the air. "Woo-hoo! Now this IS! a party."
Rainbow Dash swooped in again and landed a back kick, after regaining some composure.
This time harder than ever before, tossing the Kezzerdrix in the direction of the wolves. She enjoyed doing this to him, but she over did it this time and sprained her leg real good. She would not be able to use that one for kicking again for a while.
For the moment someone else caught her attention with some out of place antics. She stopped right in front of Pinkie. "Pinkie. Will you get serious? Those are timberwolves. Not party animals."
As the timberwolves all looked at the downed white mass in front of them. Pinkie jumped up and down again in a show of excitement. "Dog pile on the rabbit!"
Rainbow face hoofed and said, "never mind. I forget who I am talking to."
Almost as if they were listening to what Pinkie had said, the wolves charged in on what looked like an easy meal.
Not so. As the first one bit, the raging rabbit whirled around and tossed the one that bit him right onto a tree trunk. The timber wolf splintered into pieces.
The rest of them stopped their advance, then turned tail away from this scene.
Pinkie stopped bouncing, then slumped a little showing disappointment. "Party poopers!"
Rainbow dash squinted with some confusion at Pinkie. "I think he hit you a little to hard earlier."
Pinkie waved a hoof at her. "Na. I'm fine."
Rainbow leaned in. "You sure about that? Do you even know what is going on!?"
Pinkie yelled "Yes! We are here on a wabbit hunt to hunt and kill this wascally wabbit!"
Rainbow dash yield. "Pinkie! You are out of your mind!"
Pinkie just shrugged. "So, what else is new?"
Rainbow deadpanned and shook her head. "I- I- This isn't happening.
"OK. Let's go kill this wabbit. I mean, rabbit, or whatever, and we'll talk about this some time later," Rainbow finished saying as she rolled her eyes.
She was hardly believing she was even having to have such a ridiculous conversation with Pinkie at this very moment. To Rainbow, this was just not the time.
Pinkie bounced up and down some more, still hyped up as if on some caffeine trip. "Sounds good to me!"
The Kezzerdrix was only distracted by the timberwolves for a moment till he moved in on Applejack again.
She was standing between it and the other two unicorns it knocked over with Derpy again.
Applejack tried to protect her friends once more, while the other two tended to Lance. "Ya, ain't havin-em. Ya, hear?"
She did her best to give herself a boost of confidence while standing in his way.
Applejack spun around to give him a good bucking much as Rainbow had been doing earlier to him.
His head still hurt and was tired of getting kicked around by these ponies. He saw kick coming.
Applejack nearly fell from connecting with nothing as it stepped aside.
With her back legs outstretched he grabbed one of them and did the same to her that he did to the timber wolf that bit him. With a heave, he tossed her against the side of a tree like a sack of potatoes.
She let out a grunt like "Oof!" as the impact near knocked the wind out of her, and did a job on her back.
After she hit the ground the Kezzerdrix jumped into the air and landed on the leg he once had and broke it. She screamed.
Looking up she winced as she saw it ready to give her a good mauling with its open claws.
Feeling battered too much already, and unable to move, she felt there is nothing she could do about it. All was left in her mind is to mentally prepare for more pain and even death by this thing.
At hearing Applejack cry out, Rainbow and Pinkie were already heading for him. Each leaped at him on opposite sides. In a poof, he disappeared.
Rainbow and Pinkie collided with one another.
Lance came to, a moment ago while the beast was attacking Applejack.
Lance along with Rarity, Derpy, and Applejack saw it vanish.
Rainbow Dash pulled herself off Pinkie then looked around. She remembered almost hitting it then flying straight into Pinkie instead.
Pinkie looked wide eyed as she exclaimed, "It's gone!"
Rainbow stomped a hoof. "Of course it is gone! But where?"
She turned to Applejack. "Did you see where it went?"
Applejack just shook her head. "Ow!" she said as her head hurt. "But it got me good though. I can't move all too well at the moment."
Pinkie looked to the both of them. "No! It is gone. As in, not here at all. It's not in the woods anymore as far as I can tell."
Applejack stated, "Ya, mean to tell me that thing just up and vanished altogether?"
Pinkie just nodded.
Rainbow felt ripping mad. "So, what the hay happened to it? Where did it go? Aaaaaaaa! I hate this!
"This is just great! That freaky thing shows up and kills two ponies. And we were just about to buck its ass all over Equestria for doing so.
"Now it gets away again? I can't take this! This is so unfair! How many times are we going to have to go after this thing? Or lose more of us to it?"
Applejack interjected, "Not ta stomp on your little rant, but we were not winning RD. After all we threw at it, mostly you Rainbow, it was still coming after us strong. I for one am glad to see that monstrosity disappear.
"Now will someone finally go check on Twilight! I can't get up, and I do believe she is the most hurt of all!
Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide with that realization, and remember what Dazzle said about Twilight. She pushed forward off the ground then glided swiftly to Twilight's side.
To Rainbow's surprise Pinkie was already right there on the other side of Twilight, also remembering what Dazzle said.
Rainbow Dash Cried out. "Twilight! No No No No! This doesn't look good."
There were lacerations all along Twilight's upper sides. Her throat looked the worst. It looked as if she had lost way too much blood. All while laying there during the struggle the others went through trying to protect her and kill the creature.
They could see she was still alive, but fading fast.
Twilight rolled her head and shifted it slightly to look at Rainbow Dash. But her eye looked off in the distance, not directly at Rainbow. "There you are. Is it gone?"
Twilight looked near expressionless as if trying to hold on with some inner struggles of her own and not really focusing on Rainbow Dash at all. Blood formed at her mouth as she talked.
Pinkie grabbed one of Twilight's hooves to her left. "Pleas Twilight, don't speak."
Twilight could not make her head move again to look over to Pinkie, but she could hear her and feel her. A bit of gurgling came from her as she spoke again. "I'm sorry girls. I am afraid I am not going to make it. I am growing cold."
Her breathing became more heavy and raspy. She choked on her blood, then she gave out and went still.
Both Pinkie and Rainbow held still while waiting to see if Twilight might start breathing again.
Shock set in both as fear started to rise when Twilight didn't breath again. Fear that she is dead gripped them both as they witnessed Twilight fade away.
While Pinkie could not move, Rainbow Screamed out. "Twilight! Don't leave us. Don't goooooo!"
Rainbow fell to Twilight's chest and held Twilight's other hoof while Squeezing it tightly between her own. "You can't do this, you can't leave us. Come back to us Twilight. Please, please, pleeease! come back," Rainbow pleaded to Twilight.
A grim dismay hit Rainbow, Pinkie, Derpy, and Applejack, that they just lost another friend. Each of them shook inside at the horror of that thought. It seemed so unreal, and yet it was real.
As they saw Twilight is dead, and nothing could be done about it. It seemed to them that they came in here only to get hurt and see another friend die.
Lance spoke up clearly so each of them could hear him. "She is not gone. I am holding her in stasis. A little trick I learned during my travels that had helped a lot in such situations. I can't hold it forever though. So we will have to move her soon."
Rainbow Dash gave out a big heaping breath. She ran a hoof over the top of her head then down the side of her face. "You couldn't tell us this sooner?"
Lance answered, "No. With my head the way it is and her condition I needed to concentrate and do it as quickly as possible. I might have even been a little too late as is.
"She did lose a lot of blood. I managed to stop her bleeding, and possibly make her stable. I just hope she is stable enough to survive.
She is not out of it yet woods yet, literally. From what I can tell she might still make it, so long as we get moving and get her the help she needs fast."
Rarity walked over. "I got the sled and cot ready. Both of them. Twilight's is the cot made for two to carry. Pinkie dear, will you help Lance with caring Twilight out?"
Pinkie hopped up. "Yes, I will. Anything for Twilight. And I will be real careful. I promise."
Rarity smiled. "I know you will."
Applejack hollered over from her resting spot. "That was mighty fast of ya, Rarity. So who is the sled for?"
"Why, you," Rarity Answered. "And I started making them the moment Lance was helping Twilight."
Applejack waved a hoof. "No need of that. All I is needin is a splint, and I can manage on three. Once I can get myself moving again that is."
Rainbow hollered back. "No, you don't AJ. I know you are just as stubborn as I am, but if you want to be able to get back to bucking apples, you are not walking or hobbling out of here. I will pull you out myself. If that's what it takes."
Applejack noticed Rainbow bleeding from her bandages around her midsection. "Looks like you exerted yourself a little too much already as is. You're bleeding again."
Rainbow pointed out, "Ya. Well, you're bleeding too. But I'm not the one with a busted leg and possibly broken back. You can't move, but I can." She hobbled a bit from her sprained ankle after saying that.
Applejack was unsure if she should continue her argument after seeing Rainbow limping.
However, she knew Rainbow was right. She was not getting out of here on her own. Not while trying to walk. Rainbow was limping but could still walk. That was far better than she could muster for the moment.
Applejack had to admit, she needed the help.
Derpy limped right over to Rarity, Lance, and Pinkie.
Lance and the other two took stock of Derpy.
Derpy turned her head to look over at her rather indignant injury. It looked bad. It was still bleeding.
She could walk, but it hurt a lot to do so, and they had a long way to go to get back into Ponyville.
Lance told Rarity he has a small med kit inside his side bag, with gauze and bandages.
Rarity took the kit and walked over to Derpy to have a look. "Well, this a sight!"
Derpy blushed wishing this would be over soon.
Rarity pointed out, "Well, you can't walk with this. Someone will just have to carry you. Seeing how there is no one left to do it. I suppose I must make another sled and carry you out myself.
Rarity held a hoof over her head in a show of dispair. "Oh, I do declare, You are getting to be such a headache. First, you get thrown into me. My head still hurts from that one alone. Now I got to be the one to bandage you up, and carry you out."
"What next!?" Rarity asked in an overly dramatic tone.
Derpy hung her head, pawing at the ground with a hoof. "I am sorry Rarity. I didn't mean for it to happen."
Rainbow and Applejack both started to laugh at Rarity. Obvious to them of her jesting.
Applejack do to her condition quickly regretted doing so.
Derpy looked at them in confusion, knowing she missed something. Then it hit her.
Her face went blank. Then she shook off her confusion. She still couldn't help but feel bad about it anyway. "I am still sorry about all of this Rarity."
Rarity waved it off. "I know, and it's not your fault. I am just teasing.
Rarity went right to work patching up Derpy as she talked. "You did try to help and got hurt like the rest of us. Well, some of us more than others. But we are in this together and need to do our part as I said before.
"Now just relax and enjoy the ride. I don't mind at all helping you out of this despicable place.
"The sooner we get out, the better. That grotesk rabbit might be gone, and no telling when it will be back. Aside from that thing, there are plenty of other nasty things in here we need to get away from as well.
"It's still not over till we get ourselves out and get the three of you fixed up."
After Rarity finished with Derpy she went to make a sled for her too, as quickly as possible.
Rainbow grabbed hold of the sled for Applejack to help her onto it. She dropped it for a moment after hearing what Rarity had said. "Of course this isn't over. We still have that thing to deal with, wherever it went off to.
"And how are we going to beat it? As Applejack here said earlier, it just kicked our flanks. Then it disappeared. What are we going to do about that?"
Without breaking concentration on what she was doing, Rarity was not sure of what to give on an answer. "I don't know. We will have to think about that later. For the moment, we just have to lick our wounds and try again.
"As much as I don't like the thought of going through this once more. We may have too."
As Rarity was finishing with Derpy's sled, Rainbow Dash had finished Getting Applejack onto her own sled and was now fitting it to herself while still listening.
Rarity moved onto piecing together a few more parts of the sled with ease and speed while she continued. "The Royal Guards should be at Ponyville by now.
"Actually, according to Twilight they should have been here yesterday. Perhaps we can ask the Princes to send a few more to help find the beast and take it down!
"While the ones sent, stay to guard Ponyville as instructed. We can't ask of any others coming to help go looking for it, and have it killed. It's much too dangerous for us to let it live. Not wile it hunt us in our own homes.
"As it stands, we four are all that is left of our little group able to move well.
"Not that we alone are the only ones who can do anything. Ponyville is not exactly filled with soldiers. Neither are we really.
"From what I can tell, you did well enough because you have been in training for the Wonderbolts. However, other than Lance the rest of us are not trained well at all for something like this.
"As for Pinkie, I have no explanation.
"Together the seven of us only proved to be not enough. And without Twilight, who will be out of it for a while if she makes it, we can't even make use of the elements. So now we must wait."
While Rainbow was waiting for Rarity to finish her work she blurted out, "This sucks! And remember, the Princess did not want this thing killed. Why would she send anyone to help kill it?"
Rarity looked at her. "Simple. For what it did to Twilight. This is the second time we may lose full use of the elements do to that thing, and without Twilight, we may never use them again.
"For whatever reason she may have had for letting it live as she requested, that may change.
"She has a very personal attachment to Twilight. If the Princess sees what happened to Twilight, Celestia just might go off and kill it herself."
Rainbow Dash stated with a scowl. "Well, I hope she does! I hate to think of her sitting in her castle while we get our asses handed to us by this unknown.
"She could have helped personally earlier. She is an alicorn of all things. She should be helping instead of sitting around all safe in her castle. We could seriously have used her help in dealing with this thing."
Rarity spoke up in shock as to Rainbow's accusations of the Princess. "Rainbow Dash! You hold your tongue!
"What makes you think the Princess is doing nothing. She has a whole kingdom to deal with as well.
"And I am sure she thought Twilight could handle this as much as the rest of us did. I know I did. But we were wrong.
"As I said, once the Princess sees what happened she will most likely take personal action then."
Rainbow scowled again. "Sure. But I still think she should have gotten involved personally the moment she found out it killed Fluttershy. I can't believe she has done nothing about that. What did she do? She sent some guards that are not here and left the rest to Twilight. What was she thinking?"
Rarity thought it best not to continue with this debate. In her own heart, she was feeling much the same as what Rainbow had just stated. Plus the thought of Fluttershy was now tugging at her again, and she no longer wished to speak anything more on it.
Lance and Pinkie had managed to get Twilight carefully hoisted up and onto their backs, ready to go. Pinkie even managed to find Twilight's crown and placed it with Twilight so she would not loos it.
Rarity soon finished and affixed the sled mounts onto her back. She glanced over to Derpy. "Getting on?"
With a nod, Derpy moved and settled herself on the sled.
Feeling a little silly seeing that she was one of the least hurt out of the three being carried away, she did have to admit it did feel better not having to stand or walk.
She felt grateful Rarity is willing to help her like this.
The group moved out, each of them thinking that this could have gone better, but mentally winced knowing it could have gone much worse. Each knew none of them might have been walking out alive.
Each felt better knowing that none of them was killed yet by the beast they fought with.
As for Twilight's condition. No one really knew how it would turn out for her. They did know they might still lose her yet as Dazzle said. So each walked back in silence. Each deep in thought, mostly there thought's all on Twilight for the duration.
For a reason unknown to them, they managed to walk out without any disturbance. The scraping of the two sleds should have caught something's attention, but there was nothing. The travelers didn't even notice this fact, as they exited the forest.