//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 - An Exchange of Ideals 
// Story: Ultimate Three 
// by idk12345678910 
//------------------------------//

	"What WAS that thing, Fluttershy?" Lyra shouted.

Lyra had been watching the monster by peeking through one of the windows. She had made absolutely sure not to make a sound until the monster was gone. Now, however, there was nothing to stop the two from talking.

"I... um... I don't know." Fluttershy whispered back.

"It was like almost as big as your house!" Lyra shouted in panic

"I saw. But, um--"

"I mean, did you see it? It's face was horrible!" Lyra interjected.

"Lyra--"

"And his eyes! They looked dead!"

"But, Lyra--"

"But the absolute worst thing about it had to be--"

"LYRA!" Fluttershy shouted.

The green unicorn turned her head in surprise at Fluttershy's sudden boldness. Realizing what she'd done, Fluttershy lowered her head a bit.

"Um, sorry. But it didn't do anything to you, did it?" Fluttershy asked , her face half-hidden behind her mane.

"Well...no. But you saw it, right? It's like it had the top half of a monkey, but the bottom half of a pony!" Lyra exclaimed.

"Yes... I saw. But Lyra, how long were you with it before I opened the door?" Fluttershy continued, "I mean, I heard you scream,  but it was only a few seconds after you left, and you look alright to me."

"Well," Lyra paused for a moment to think, "It was only a couple of seconds at best. Now that I think about it, all it really did was stand there."

"Lyra, remember when you were convinced a dog outside of your house was trying to eat you?" Fluttershy asked.

"It ran towards me every time it saw me!" Lyra reasoned.

"He just wanted you to pet him! You did feed him some treats, after all."

"Okay, okay. What's your point?" Lyra said exasperatedly.

"What if he's just misunderstood? The poor thing might be suffering..." Fluttershy looked saddened at this possibility.

"Fluttershy, it's a monster. There's no way that thing is just 'misunderstood'. " Lyra said, making air quotes with her hooves at the word 'misunderstood'.

"But remember how I told you about the time my friends and I were attacked by a manticore? The whole time it was only angry because it had a thorn stuck in its paw."

Lyra paused to considered this, and then huffed. "Fine. I'll give this monster a chance." she said. "But just one!"

Fluttershy smiled softly at this. "Thank you. Did you see which way it went?"

Lyra looked down and held her hoof over her mouth in thought. "I think it went..." Lyra paused for a moment to think, before looking back to Fluttershy in a mix of realization and horror.

"Fluttershy, it went towards Ponyville!" Lyra shouted.

"Oh no..." Fluttershy's face began to show hints of doubt. "I hope i'm right about this."

Lyra rushed over to the door, now unlocked and no longer blocked by furniture, and held it open. "Come on! There's no time to lose! We've got to try and stop it! Even if you're right, I don't think anyone's gonna take too kindly to him." 

"I guess you're right." Fluttershy said with some nervousness. "Let's go."

Together they galloped out of the cottage to hopefully intercept the monster before it could cause a panic.