Grace before Mealtime

by helmet of salvation

1. The Last Crusade

Let's try something safe, they said.

Let's try to find a destiny that would be super useful and get us a great looking cutie mark, they said.

Let's try ... botany!

Aw, don't look like that, Scootaloo. Flowers aren't namby-pamby. And they're not just for decorations either. They've got lots of uses. Crops, medicines, spells. There are lots of different flowers at the edge of the Everfree Forest. If we go exploring there, we might just find a beautiful or magical new flower that nopony's ever seen before! Wouldn't that be exciting? And no need to fall off of high places or slam into anything.

Scootaloo stole a reproachful sideways glance at her two fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. The orange pegasus pony felt like bucking the pair of them into next week. For now, though, she was somewhat preoccupied with galloping for her life and screaming for help.

The manticore was still some distance behind the fleeing fillies but gained on them with every stride. A wingless variety, he could nonetheless propel his leonine body at a ground speed beyond that of even an adult pony. Driven by hunger to the farthermost extent of his territory, he had spotted the pony foals at the edge of the forest and given chase, a chase that led him past the perimeter of his untamed wilderness home and into the realm of Equestria, specifically the semi-rural town of Ponyville.

"Quick! Into those thick bushes," cried Apple Bloom, the apple-green-coated earth pony. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, the white unicorn, followed without argument. The dense, bramble-infested undergrowth would be difficult for them to negotiate but impossible for a creature of the manticore's bulk.

As the Crusaders angled towards the undergrowth, a terrible noise erupted behind them. Still running, they screamed in pain and fear as a wave of scorching heat bore down on them, then screamed again as the inviting bushes just metres in front of them suddenly burst into flame.

What this breed of manticore lacked in flight, he made up for with fire-breathing. It was primarily a defensive weapon. He did not kill his prey with fire as it made their flesh too unpalatable. Nevertheless it had other uses against his quarry: flushing them out of hiding, slowing their escape with the pain of radiant heat and, as in this case, cutting off avenues of escape.

Panicking, the Crusaders changed their direction, further shrinking their head start, and ran parallel to the blazing thickets. The manticore cut across their angle of flight, gaining even more ground. The fillies could actually hear their pursuer's breathing behind them - steady, rhythmic, unlaboured. Simultaneously, it occurred to each of them that this might well be their last crusade. The three friends exchanged sorrowful yet grateful farewell looks. At least they'd be together at the end.

* * *

All four heads turned towards the sound of the explosion. A pale coloured cloud shot with blinding speed directly towards the manticore. The predator averted his sensitive muzzle just in time but the bulk of the volley of hard pellets thudded painfully into his side, while others landed at his paws, robbing him of traction. Hurt, surprised and off-balance, the predator stumbled and fell.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stared in astonishment at the sight, and then at the pink, pouffy-maned, young earth pony mare responsible for both the salvo of sugared almonds and the peals of gleeful, high-pitched laughter filling the air.

"Smile, you're on Candied Camera!" Pinkie Pie pronked and gambolled beside her party cannon and pulled a gallery of faces, all but begging the great beast to retaliate.

With a menacing growl, the manticore rose from the mound of sugared almonds and was about to charge the mare when he noticed some movement from the corner of his eye. The Crusaders had pulled themselves together and were putting Pinkie Pie's diversion to its intended use. The manticore took up the chase again but had barely made a stride when two pegasus mares, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, swooped down from above, gathered the fillies in their forelegs and rocketed into the air. The hunter raced to their take-off point and launched a jet of flame up at them, hoping to inflict enough pain for one of them to drop their precious cargo.

"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness," Fluttershy wittered in a tone of voice that did little to ease the fears of her passenger, Sweetie Belle. An uncertain flier under most circumstances, the primrose-coated pegasus found steering difficult with her forelegs full, and did not know whether she could dodge the blast. Especially since she dared not look down from this height lest her wings seize up in terror. Thankfully, though, she could attain an exceptional aerial speed in an emergency: Rainbow Dash checked on her friend's behalf and saw that the rising flames had dissipated before they could do any harm.

"All right, we're out of range. Let's go." Rainbow Dash undulated her streamlined, sky-blue body towards the centre of Ponyville. The stronger of the rescue pair, she carried Apple Bloom under one foreleg while Scootaloo was tucked under the other. Scootaloo gazed down in wonderment from the majestic height—a height to which her own stunted wings would seemingly never take her—and blissfully absorbed the experience for all it was worth.

Rainbow Dash's triumphant grin gave way to a look of protective concern. She turned her rainbow-maned head to each of the three fillies. "Now, are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm a little shaken but I should be fine in a minute or two," Fluttershy replied gratefully. "And what about you Crusaders, are you all right?"

"Uh-huh," they chorused, Apple Bloom giving an understanding smile and wink to the eye-rolling Rainbow Dash. The Crusaders were used to Fluttershy.

"Are you holding on tight?" Fluttershy added.

"Uh-huh."

"Is there anywhere we can take you?"

"Uh-huh. CLOSER!"

"Oh dear," Fluttershy cried. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes again, although this time she could not help but smile.