Monstrum Tome of Equus

by Campanula Monkshood

Fluttershy Stalks a Chimera

*Canterlot Castle: Shining Armor POV (seven days before diamond dog breakout.)*

‘Why is this armor so itchy,” I thought as I nearly strained a muscle trying not to scratch in front of the nobles otherwise I’d never live it down. ‘Maybe Twiley knows of an anti-itch spells.’

“-Isn’t that right Captain,” Celestia asked as she was still signing something for a noble.

“Ma’am? I mean- I’m sorry your Highness, my mind was elsewhere. Can you repeat the question please,” the noble gave me one of their ‘how simple can the guards get’ looks.

“I was inquiring about the whereabouts of our newest scribe friend, the one from the island nation, isn’t that right Captain?”

“Right, sorry Ma’am… I told him to take the train from Baltimare to Canterlor, it’s only a day and a half ride-“ a Pegasus guard choose that moment to burst into the throneroom and land next to me, whispering something to me.

“Sir, we’ve just received word from an Equestrian guard for you, something about helping put a train back on the tracks.”

“Why do they need me? That’s the Equestrian Guard’s job not the Royal Guard’s, who sent told you this?”

“A Pegasus guard by the name of Ice Flow, sir, he’s from the Baltimare division.”

I sighed inwardly when I recognized the name, “Fine, I’ll go. But you are guarding Princess Celestia.” I turned to her and bowed, “I’m sorry your Majesty but-“

“It’s alright Captain, I have very good ears… maybe this is the reason young mister Monk never showed up,” she mused as finished the last of the paperwork brought by the nobles.

“Yes ma’am,” I saluted and made a dash out of the castle towards the chariot pool where there was already a chariot ready with Ice Flow and a unfamiliar Pegasus hooked up.

“Ah Captain Armor! It’s wonderful to see you again,” Ice Flow said as he saluted, “I trust you heard about our little train problem?”

I got in the chariot and they took off, “I did… It’s safe to assume that our ‘monster’ was on the train?”

“M-m-m-monster,” asked the unknown Pegasus stammered, fear evident in her voice.

The ice blue Pegasus laughed wholeheartedly, “Aye, he’s as tall as Celestia with wicked claws on the end of his gangly arms, his legs full of holes and end in thick hide…” He resumed laughing when each description made her shake in fear.

“I was under the impression that the entire guard knew of mister Monk, why doesn’t she?’

“Really simple; she’s new… like arrived like fifteen minutes after I watched him get on the train and leave new. Don’t be such a chicken, Gale.”

“S-so there isn’t a monster?”

“Of course not, he’s a totally ordinary… whatever he is.”

“He’s from Obsidinite so just refer to him as an Obsidian, Ice Flow… I think I can see the train wreck’s smoke from here. Take us in.”

“Yes sir,” they both said firmly before shearing off and landing right next to the jumbled of wood and metal.

“Hello!? Is anypony here,” I shouted down the line, hoping someone would hear it and respond.

“That’s strange,” Ice Flow said with a sniffle, “There’s nopony here and look,” he jumped down in the hole with the engine, “The engine’s still warm.”

“Dogs,” I hissed, curse my luck, “Alright, I’m going to need you two to fly as fast as you can to Canterlot and get a patrol of Pegasus to come back here. If they don’t tell them Captain Armor says ‘pepper-lily’, that should get they’re immediate help. I’m going to scan around and start pulling out belongings.” They saluted and took off in a whoosh, leaving me along in the deathly silent valley… itching…

*Ponyville: Fluttershy’s Cottage. (Two days after Diamond Dog breakout)*

“Oh Angel won’t you please eat your carrot? You need it to grow into a big strong bunny,” Fluttershy pushed the small carrot towards the little rabbit only to have it kicked into the stream by said rabbit. “Oh Angel… I guess it’s alright if you miss a meal every now and then.”

”GAAAAOOOoooooooOOOOOORRRRRrrr,” a roar filled the air as another different roar answered it causing all of her animal friends to scatter and birds to fill the sky above the everfree.

“Eep,” the Pegasus cowered under a bush my Angel’s house and the different roar sounded again, this time sounding pained, “Manny? Oh my goodness… I can’t, it’s the Everfree but Manny sounds hurt…” Angel Bunny had hopped around and gave a swift kick in the flank to get her going, “Don’t worry, Manny! I coming to help you,” she whispered yelled as she took off to the evil forest.

Normally when you enter the forest you need to watch out for things like Timberwolves, snakes, and other beasties that roamed but with the roars filling the air the bravest thing that would dare be out was a yellow Pegasus and a small white rabbit that gave the timberwolves cowering under a rock cropping a ‘wuss’ look. She found ‘Manny’ by simply following the roars and she squeaked when she saw what he was fighting; it was nearly as tall as three ponies, legs covered in exoskeleton that looked much like a dog’s that ended in large talons, its arms ended in wicked five digit black-shelled claws while the rest of its arms were furry, it had the muzzle of a wolf but the rest of its head was covered in green scales with sharp horns jutting out from the back of his head, its chest was part exoskeleton and part fur stopping at its ribs with large dragonfly wings set in the exoskeleton part of its back, and a prehensile scaly tail that merged cleanly with the furry backside.

It took her less than a second to take all this in and she flew between the two charging forms and shouted, actually shouted, “Stop!” The Manticore skidded to a halt using his wings as air-brakes but the chimera stopped, looking at the Manticore strangely then at the disrupter. “Now you shouldn’t be fighting, the forest is big enough for the both of you. The Manticore began making random growling sounds and the Pegasus seemed to understand them, “Oh dear, it isn’t? Not when It, oh you really shouldn’t call somepony and It Manny, when he has claimed the border to Ponyville?” Manny growled once more and glared at the creature. “Oh my… is this true,” she turned the question to the other creature.

“HIIIIIISSSS.”

“I-I’m sorry, what was that,” she asked, confused that she couldn’t understand what he was trying to say. “Don’t you think it would be better for everyone if instead of claiming the border you let others go there?” The creature looked at the Manticore then at the pony then at the Manticore before launching itself at Manny, “No!” Fluttershy flitted in front of him and used her Stare, causing him to freeze mid-jump then collapsing to the ground but got up, looking at her strangely. “Do not attack my friends, Manny I think would be best if you leave.” Manny simply turned and walked away while licking his wounds. “And you! What did you think it would solve if you two fought,” she asked him but didn’t get an answer as he ripped several medium trees from the ground and carried them off. She kept asking it questions but it never answered except for hissing or growling, she told Angel to go back to the cottage, when he actually listened to her she followed the creature as it kept gathering things. It never seemed to mind her as she flitted amongst the trees as it worked and for some reason she felt the urge to sing, she never sang, except for in private but the Everfree is about as private as it’ll get.

By the time she finished singing it was nearly night and she had followed him to a cave with an overhanging rock formation. He took each tree he had ripped out, cut off the roots with his claws, and stabbed them into the ground around the mouth of the cave. “I’ve never seen an animal make this kind of nest, beavers do something similar, oh what are these,” she asked him, landing inside the cave and looked at the cave wall where there were detailed carvings of ponies, mostly of a unicorn filly curled up on something. “They’re beautiful… what are you,” she asked but not getting an answer. Looking outside at the impending darkness, she eep’d and tried leaving but was grabbed by the creature and was hugged then released. She flapped her wings and flew home as the creature set to work carving on the wall a picture of the Pegasus and a husky sound escaped its hunched form, “Nice… Pony…” The creature must have made an impression on Fluttershy because she came back every day after she took care of her own animals. She spent time with him, brought him veggies that he ate with relish, and sung to him; the same song every day until she finally got him to follow her to her cottage.

*Ponyville: Shining Armor POV (Five days after Diamond Dog breakout.)*
Our chariot landed in the central square of Ponyville, we disembarked and the others gathered their things while I grabbed the large familiar green backpack I had pulled from the train, “Alright, the ponies that managed to escape from the dogs said they came out on Rambling Rock Ridge. I want a squad to head out and keep an eye out for a pale two legged being with little fur, Ice Flow will fill you in on the description. The rest of you find a meadow or field and set up base. I’ll need a few minutes to talk to my sister.” They saluted before going off to do just that. I placed the pack on my back and headed where Celestia said Twilight had taken residence, a library obviously, I was stopped by a frantic looking pony.

“Thank goodness, the guard is here about the roaring.”

“The roaring?”

“Yes it has been coming from the Everfree for four days now, we sent letters to Canterlot but their response was ‘Well it is the Everfree’ I mean what do they expect from us. We’ve been tormented by Timberwolves for years, a showpony got it into a couple of colts heads to bring an Usra Major into town for her to defeat but then couldn’t but thanks to Twilight she managed to get it back in the forest, not to mention the celestia-sakes DRAGON!”

I tried several time to interrupt her but couldn’t until she finally stopped after the bit about the dragon, “Ma’am, I’m not here about the roaring… I’m with the Royal not Equestrian guard.”

“There’s a difference?”

I sighed inwardly and pointed to my soldiers walking away, “Yes there’s a difference, see those ponies? Please report this to them, I have other business to take care of that is more urgent.” She huffed and trotted after them and I finally made it to the library and knocked on the door where Twilight’s assistant greeted me. “Hey Spike is Twilly around?”

“Sorry she isn’t, she’s out looking for Fluttershy. Something about roaring in the Everfree, I dunno, she never tells me anything,” he said with a grumble before perking up, “Say, you want some tea while you wait?”

“I’d love some,” I said, following him into the library and watched him run off to the kitchen to get it started.

“So what brings you by Ponyville,” I heard him ask from the other room.

“I’m leading several squads of guards while we’re looking for somepony, well technically they’re looking for a dog den that took part in derailing a train about a week ago.”

“Dog? Like Applejack’s pet winona,” he asked over a whistling sound.

“I doubt it, don’t worry about it, I’m actually here looking for someone else; a lanky two-legger by the name of Shinza, he was reported to be on the train to visit the Princess but well it derailed and he’s missing.”

He reappeared and offered me a cup which I took, “Well that stinks, any luck so far?”

I levitated the pack onto the table, “Just his belongings, I have a patrol out looking-“

The front door burst open and in ran Twilight as she began pulling multiple books off the shelves and causing paper to fly around the room, “Ohmigosh ohmigosh ohmigosh, I’ll need this and that and SPIIIIIIKE! Fetch my field kit with the Dualo-flastic Ochronomer!”

“But I just put that up and what about your brother? He came to see you,” Spike shouted at her over the loud rustling that stopped when he said brother.

“Brother,” she asked, turning around, spotting me, and dropping everything, “Shiny! What are you doing here? I just found out about it, how could you know about it, oh right the guard was notified about the roaring from the Everfree but what are you doing here?”

She was flailing her hooves about so I grabbed them in my magic and made her stand still, “I’m not here about the roaring, I’m looking for somepony.”

Spike cut in at this moment carrying a large crate, “Does this mean you found out what was making the roaring Twilight?”

“Well technically Fluttershy did-“

“Fluttershy?! But she’s terrified of everything and that roar sounded like it came from something big.”

“Three ponies big to be precise and it’s over at Fluttershy’s and I need to get over there now so kindly let me go Shiny,” after she said that I released my magic and she resumed picking up what she dropped and was out the door.

“Spike do you mind taking me to Fluttershy’s,” I asked the small dragon.

“Sure if you’ll carry the ochron-thingy, it’s really heavy.”

“Sure thing,” I lifted the crate in my magic and followed him to a cottage on the hill near the forest. Twilight was near the cottage with a yellow Pegasus and a large black furry thing that was laying on the ground. When we finally got to them Twilight had the creatures front claws open and was measuring them, “Twilly, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“It’s alright,” the Pegasus who must be Fluttershy said in barely a whisper, “He doesn’t harm ponies, he’s very sweet.”

Twilight finished measuring and the creature folded its front legs under its head and looked at Fluttershy, “It’s a he? Nevermind judging from the jaw structure-“ she tapped the jaw and it opened its mouth, “-as well as the tooth shape it’s obviously pure carnivore and you said everytime you were with it that it only are vegetables and drunk water?”

“Oh yes, I found him a few days ago fighting Manny-“

“Who’s ‘Manny’,” I interrupted.

“He’s a Manticore that Fluttershy helped when Nightmare Moon returned and tried to stop us from getting to the castle of the royal pony sisters,” Twilight said absently as she switch to the creature’s dragonfly wings.

“Yes w-w-well I heard a roar and anther roar afterward that I knew was Manny’s so I flew off to help him and found them fighting. Manny said-“

“Manny said? You can talk to animals,” I asked, interrupting again.

“Shiny, stop interrupting her!”

“Sorry.”

“W-well Manny said they were fighting because this sweet guy had claimed the Ponyville border of the Everfree which explains why there haven’t been any monster attacks and so I got Manny to leave and after he left this guy became docile. He then began ripping out some trees and took them to this cave nearby that was filled with stone carvings of ponies an-an-and when I tried to leave he hugged me. I came back several times and he had added a carving of me to the wall, it was so beautifully done.”

As she finished her story I noticed Spike walk up to it and the creature growled, he stayed where he was, looking at the things tail, “Hey! That’s Dracon scale!”

“I know Spike,” said Twilight from atop the beast, “And these are dragonfly wings, and this is Dracon scale on its head as well as a wolf’s muzzle, and its legs are an insects with large talons of some kind- maybe dragon or hydra. I know what this is! It’s a Chimera which explains why Manny was fighting it; Manticore are chimeras as well, just a more well-known family and all Chimeras, not just Manticore are very territorial.” She took a breath after that explanation, opened the crate I was carrying and began piecing together a large machine.

A cry from overhead from a familiar Pegasus called out, “Captain Armor!” He landed and pulled a pair of goggles from his face, taking a hissing breath when he saw the creature.

“Ice Flow, tell me you have news on the whereabouts of Shinza,” the creature turned when I said Ice Flow’s name.

“Something tells me we don’t need to keep looking,” stated dumbly as he stared at the creature looking at him.

“And why is that,” I asked, mad that he’d give up when he’s the one that wanted to find him the most.
“Because he.“ “Is.” “Already.” “Here,” he spoke then another huskier voice spoke behind me, I turned around and the creature was shrinking.

“Oh my goodness he talks,” Fluttershy said in wonder.

“Hello Captain, I guess they were right about me being a monster…” as he spoke; all the extra bits began pulling into him, turning back to his normal pale skin until he was back to normal size and missing his vest and pants. When he spoke his voice was normal and he asked while he covered his lower bits, “I don’t suppose you have my backpack do you?”

“I do,” I said, summoning the pack from where I left it in the library with a soft pop, “Mind telling me where you been for the past two weeks?”

“Two weeks,” he shouted as he hopped into a pair of shorts similar to the ones he had when we first met. “Where do I even begin…”

“How about at the part where you were taken by the dogs.”

“Ugh a perfectly good pair of sneakers ruined… wait, taken by the dogs,” he asked before wincing, “I don’t remember, I remember the train-wreck but nothing after… Ah they’re not sneakers but they’ll do.” He pulled out something that looked like his ‘sneakers’ but they just slid over his feet.

At this point Twilight was having one of her meltdowns at Shin’s transformation which was intriguing me as well, “B-but you and the Chimera and… that’s not POSSIBLE. What are you?!” She began getting that manic look in her eyes again and I started to step in.

“I’m Shinza Monk, pleased to meet you, I take you’re Twilight Sparkle? How’d that thing with Nightmare Moon go?”

“It went fine, Princess Luna is back to normal with Princess Celestia but you didn’t answer my question what are you?”

“Ah Ice Flow, good to see you. What are you doing here,” he asked ignoring Twilights question which I answered for him.

“Twilly, he’s an Obsidian. He’s the one I’ve been looking for,” I explained to her, “I’m not sure about the chimera bit but I’m sure he can explain.” I looked over to Shinza who was busy hugging an startled Fluttershy while sniffling and I heard him whispering.

“Thank you, thank you so much Fluttershy,” as he whispered this to her she hugged him back then he set her down and dried his eyes. “Well of course I can explain… just… not sure myself. So I’ll just say this; magic,” he chuckled slightly before going back to his bag. “My word, that’s the largest lizard I’ve ever seen.”

“Hey,” I heard Spike shout, “I’m a dragon, dragon. I don’t do that tongue thing.”

For some reason Shinza just burst out laughing and when asked what was so funny he just responded, "Inside joke."

"Come along Shinza, I think it's best we get you caught up to speed. Twilight do you mind if he stays with you? I doubt any inns would let him stay there.

"Sure Shiny and while stays I can run some tests on him."

"Whooboy," I heard Shinza whistle under his breath as she led him back to Ponyville.