Fear Me, for My Name is Twaith!

by Michael Hudson


Fluffy's Day Out

Fluttershy poked her head out of her tree just as the sun set the sky ablaze with an orange glow. She let out a long yawn before beginning to stretch out. And right on cue, just as she stretched her wings­-

Thump, thump, thump.

She looked down and saw a small, white rabbit standing on a root of the tree. A smile immediately lit up Fluttershy's face, and like most evenings, she went to fly down, only to remember how important stretching her wings was and almost crashed. And like most evenings, the bunny silently chuckled in response.

Fluttershy shook herself out and laid out a wing for her friend. "How are you tonight, Angel?"

Angel hopped up onto her back before stretching out and pretending to nap. Fluttershy never saw these movements though, and only understood the hops. "I'm happy to see you're so energetic tonight. That should help you get along with everypony else's pets."

Angel simply scowled and would stay like that for the whole flight to the park. Then again, few had seen the rabbit with any other face..

The park was, for the most part, empty. Few ponies were still wanting to do things in the dwindling sun, and were finding somewhere to be for the night, whether that was a bar, a club, or just at home. In one corner though, Fluttershy saw her friends, waiting for her while their pets had already begun to play. She didn't dare go any faster though, just in case it forced Angel off.

By the time she landed, Applejack had already spotted the batpony and wrapped a hoof around her sister while Angel got off. The bunny rolled his eyes before hopping away, determined to get the crocodile to react today.

And for a while, all was as it should be. Four ponies, watching four pets play, all while discussing things about life, and bonding. A slight chill to the air alerted them of something being amiss, and Fluttershy finally noticed Twilight hovering above them, waving.

Twilight floated down at Fluttershy's beckoning. "What's going on here?"

Applejack swallowed hard. While she had been acclimating to knowing the specter, she was by no means comfortable with her around, especially when those initial thoughts on her attractiveness came to mind. "Well Twilight, we're having a pet playdate. What brings you to the park?"

Twilight's eyes shone with excitement, ignoring the question as she came closer to Applejack. "Pet playdate? As in a chance for pets to make friends? Why didn't you tell me?"

Rarity sipped her tea before giggling a little. "I'm sorry honey, but normally, one needs a pet to be part of a pet playdate."

"But I have a pet."

Pinkie jumped up at the mention of the manticore. "And oh boy, is it a doozy!"

Applejack nodded and stood up. "Well, if you want, you can bring him by so we all can see him. The more the merrier... right?"

Twilight nodded before laughing a little. "Don't worry about me needing to bring him though. He should be here any-"

Crash!

A blue blur zigzagged around another tree while a long curl of laughter escaped her. Just as the beast that had just knocked down a tree came into view. Its hulking frame added enough weight that its claws easily found purchase, even in the firm, compacted dirt in the park. They watched as the manticore continued to run after Rainbow, chunks of ground flying into the air. Almost simultaneously, Pinkie and Twilight shouted, "Hi Fluffy!"

The undead behemoth turned to the two mares and rose a paw towards them for a moment before remembering he was still playing catch with the blue pony thing, and took off again. When he was going to barrel through the crowd of ponies though, his master levitated in front of him with an outstretched hoof. "Fluffy, stop. Rainbow Dash doesn't need help with cardio anymore-"

"Hey!"

"But you need help. Help making friends."

Fluffy would have blinked a few times if he had had eyelids but as he was, he could only tilt his head to show his confusion. His master pointed away from herself, and his eyes followed to see four morsels staring at him. "Go burn some of that playful energy you have with them. I know they'll love to meet you."

Applejack stepped up, staring at the large maw that the manticore had. "Twilight, are you sure that's such a good idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be? Fluffy is nice, caring, and fun, so there is nothing-"

A loud crunch came as Fluffy crashed through the bench between him and his prey, ready to 'play'. The animals scattered, with the white rabbit catching his attention first. With each bounding step, Fluttershy's heart leapt into her throat. She tried telling herself everyone was going to be okay, but her want to scream was almost suffocating her as those fangs came closer and closer to her wonderful little rabbit. Applejack could see the terror in her sister's eyes and whistled loud. "Round him up, Winona!"

Fluffy tracked the brown blur after it jumped off of his head, and back onto the ground. He tried growling and giving pursuit, but didn't slow in his turn. He slid along the dirt until his balance fell apart and he crashed to the ground. It wasn't long until he got back up, his smile gone, and Fluttershy fainted.

Applejack was just about to start screaming about the wraith not caring about their pets when Pinkie put a hoof over the farm mare's mouth. "Shhh. I can take care of this." She turned to Gummy, who hadn't moved so far, and saluted him. "Captain Gums, I am afraid to report that the manticore may need to be subdued. Can you do this?"

Gummy's eyes slowly closed, one after another.

"Good, then I entrust in you the mission to take down that beast!"

Applejack's eye was almost twitching while Rarity decided it would be best to keep Opal under her hooves. Twilight though, frowned. "Gummy... Gummy isn't going to hurt him, right?"

Pinkie pretended to pull a pipe out of her mouth. "He'll try, but I can't guarantee anything that maverick does."

Applejack grit into her teeth. "Pinkie, if you're going to do something, do something! Don't just..." She had looked down to where the crocodile had been, but saw nothing. Instead, Gummy was in the middle of the clearing, and Winona had just passed him.

Fluffy rose a claw towards the small green animal before making eye contact with thee reptile, and stopping. The creature didn't move or cower, or even attack, and that puzzled the manticore.

Gummy meanwhile, was facing many life questions at the moment, as was normal. Many faced around life and death, such as whether or not Fluffy may have been in agony because he was supposed to be dead, or was in ecstasy for the same reason. The same thought though kept coming back, one he had asked many times in his six years of life.. Why was Pinkie sending him out to do something so incredibly dangerous, and why does that make him happy?

Fluffy lowered himself. To most, it might mean he was calming down. To him though, he was simply taking a better look before he ate the odd reptile. That is, until a bright, white dot appeared on the ground.

Applejack finally let out a sigh of relief as Fluffy attacked the spot, though Rarity had to keep Opal from charging for it herself. Looking behind themselves, they saw Sunset, scowling as she levitated a fireball and a magnifying glass. Rarity bit into her cheek. "What brings you here darling? I thought you weren't interested in hanging out with our pets."

Sunset rubbed at one of her eyes. "I'm still not, especially since pet hair normally makes me itchy. However," her horn glowing and tying a rope around Twilight, "I am here to bring her home, especially after her, Fluffy, and Rainbow Dash have been barreling through almost half the town, leaving a path of destruction wherever they went."

Rainbow Dash smirked as Sunset continued to use the bright, magnified light to attract Fluffy behind her and kept Twilight bound up. “So, do you do this often with Twilight? Kinky."

Sunset glared at Rainbow, and the azure mare soon felt her rump get very warm. Twilight looked at the increasingly red face of her friend and frowned. "What does kinky mean?"

Sunset put the light on Twilight and barreled away from Fluffy, making sure that the conversation ended there. The next day, a no manticores rule was implemented on the park.