The Beast

The rough bramble of the thicket scratched against my sides as we hid. Dew-brushed grass shone like stars under the pale light of Nightmare Moon’s Moon. The light framed that rustic building, half-hidden underneath the swaying tall grasses of the forest meadow. A building I knew very well. Our home.

I stilled my breath, pressing my tummy against the earth. I blended in as best I could while I kept an eye on the sky and an ear held aloft.

A chilly night breeze cut through my coat as we hid there.

I hoped we weren’t upwind of her.

I couldn’t see her, but I knew that she was out there. Somewhere off in the distance. With Nightmare Moon’s moon smiling down upon her, the Beast was prowling for her latest catch. For fresh prey. For us.

“Does everypony know our plan?” Goldy whispered. His golden eyes shone through the grass, looking between Silv and me.

We nodded in response. “Sneak through the meadow until we reach the edge of the clearing. Then make a dash for the house,” Silv said. I nodded along in agreement.

He nodded, satisfied. “Then let’s go.”

We snaked our way through the overgrown grass, brushing close against the apple trees scattered about. More cover from any prying eyes in the sky. I studied the stars peeking down through the overgrowth, looking for any shadowy shapes searching for us overhead.

Nothing.

The three heirs to the illustrious Bellmound family — reduced to crawling through the dirt just to make it safely to our family home.

Well… the two heirs. Golden Bell and Silver Bell.

“Leafy, hurry up.” Silv said. “Don’t fall too far behind, or she’ll get you.” She slipped swiftly and quietly through the grass, her wings brushing it softly to her sides.

I bumbled after my big sister with a stilted gait, the grass scraping against my awkward earth pony frame. I rushed up to her side, panting lightly.

“Sorry Silv.”

And then there was me. Loose Leaf.

She ruffled my mane with a free wing, grinning. “Don’t worry about it, Leafy; just don’t wanna lose ya.”

Silv has to be the best big sister in all of Equestria. Even though I’m not really related to her, she has always treated me so nicely.

I’m glad that I can be considered the brother of somepony as amazing as her. I really don’t deserve the honor.

We stole our way to the edge of the clearing surrounding the house without incident. We hid under the cover of an apple tree, regrouping and steeling our nerves.

There’s still no sight of her. Where could she be? The gentle breeze rolling through the meadow was peaceful. Too peaceful.

I don’t like the feeling of this. Not at all.

“Alright, just a quick dash to the front door,” Goldy said.

“Shouldn’t we circle around downhill to the front?” Silv asked. “We won’t have to enter on the upper floor — we would come in on the lower floor, right next to Sundrop.”

Sundrop — the sacred blade passed down through the generations of the Bellmound clan. Legends say it was forged by Celestia herself from a fiery stone torn from the sun itself. A divine blade, embodying the concept of light itself, which is capable of cutting through even night itself.

The only sword capable of slaying the Beast.

Goldy shook his head. “No way. She’ll notice us for sure if we do that. It’s too far and she’ll be expecting it. We’ll just have to go through the house.”

“Oh, she’s definitely gonna see us either way.” Silv rolled her eyes and shrugged. “Alright, why not? Let’s do this your way.”

“You got that, Leafy?” Goldy placed a hoof on my shoulder. “Just a quick run to the back door.”

I crossed my forelegs over my barrel, pouting. “I’m not a foal, you know? You don’t need to treat me like a foal.”

Silv patted my back. “He didn’t mean anything by it, Leafy.” She looked up at Goldy. “Alrighty, let’s go.”

Goldy tensed his body with his wings held stiffly out from his sides, ready to pounce forward. He held a hoof out to the side. “Here goes nothing.” He swung his hoof forward and began a mad dash.

My hooves pounded the trampled grass as we closed in on the house. The air tugged at my mane as I raced with all my might, trailing just behind Silv. My legs ached, and my lungs burned. The path seemed to stretch on forever. I watched as that little house became larger and larger.

Just need to hold out a little bit further.

The fluttering of leathery wings cut through the sound of the wind rushing past my ears. I chanced a glance behind me. There she was, a dark shape suspended in the sky, silhouetted by the full moon.

The Beast.

“Run! Guys, she’s right behind us!” I shouted.

I felt my hooves leave the ground. I squirmed and scrambled, trying desperately to find purchase on good, solid ground again. I tugged against the sturdy legs of the Beast wrapped around my barrel.

“Goooot yooou,” the Beast sang into my ear. My blood froze in my veins.

Those hooves let go, and I found myself now scrambling for anything but solid ground. My back hit the soft grass as I was pinned by the Beast’s hooves pressing into my own legs. I stared up at an ice-cold pair of slitted eyes gleaming down at me with malicious joy. She licked her fangs, razor-sharp wing talons spread out from her back and closed in on me.

Suddenly, I found myself staring up into the open sky after Silv slammed into the Beast. She tumbled in a roll with the Beast, both sets of wings thrashing wildly in an attempt to gain dominance over the other.

A contest the Beast was sure to win.

“Go! I’ll keep her distracted.” I stared dumbly as Silv strained to keep the Beast at bay.

“No! I’m not leaving you!” I scrambled to my hooves and stepped towards them. “We’re not leaving anypony behind! We can’t leave anypony behind.”

She glanced back at me and grinned. “I’ll be fine, Leafy. Just go.” I ignored how much she was shaking. I ignored the terror in her eyes.

No! I can’t just leave Silv!

My hooves slowly dragged me towards her.

“Just go!”

I stopped. Ignoring my heart and my soul, I nodded stiffly and turned my back to her.

I galloped for the door. Goldy held it open, ushering me inside.

I tuned out the haunting sounds of the Beast playing with her prey behind me.

Silv…

Silv stood poised on her hindlegs atop a tree stump. She stood towering over the meadow grass, which waved to her like a frenzied audience, Silv the lead singer and the forest her accompanying chorus. The softly waving grass, the rustling leaves, the whine of the cicadas — everything in that natural stage served to only enhance the beauty of my sister’s beautiful voice.

She spread her wings wide as her voice ascended into a crescendo. A triumphant note, her melody seemed to carry her into the air more than her wings. I watched in rapt awe as the song drew to a close, Silv drifting back down and planting her four hooves onto the stump. A poignant silence fell on that lush stage for but a moment before I started pounding my forehooves against the dirt!

“That. Was. Amazing!” I rushed forward and gave my big sister a big hug.

She rubbed the back of her head with a forehoof as her cheeks caught fire. “It— it was nothing, Leafy.”

“That wasn’t nothing! You haf’ta be the best singer in all of Equestria!”

“Oh, I don’t know about that…”

“I do! You’re the best, Silv! I’m sure one day you’re gonna be a household name. Everypony has’ta know just how great you are!”

“I— I really don’t think that’s happening, Leafy. I’m not that good. Even if I was…”

“Silv, that was amazing!” Goldy raced across the clearing, Mommy following just behind him. They must’ve been watching from the house.

“I was only practicing.” Her cheeks dyed even redder as she tried to bury herself in the grass. “I’m really not that good yet…”

“Not good yet? Well, you’re sure good enough to get your cutie mark,” Mommy said.

Silv blinked. “My cutie mark?” She snapped her head back towards her flank. Sure enough, on her flank was now some sort of musical note. She gasped. “I got my cutie mark!” She fluttered in the air, swooping around, shouting and shrieking up a storm. “Ohmigosh ohmigosh ohmigosh! I can’t believe it!”

Mommy scooped up Silv into a hug. Goldy and I followed suit, smothering Silv in an overjoyed pile.

Goldy hastily dragged furniture in front of the door behind us. “I don’t know if this’ll keep her for long.” He paused for a second. “Honestly, she’ll probably just fly in a window anyway.”

“Goldy… do you think Silv—”

He rested his forehooves on my shoulders. “There’s no time to worry about that now. Silv will be alright.” He bit his lip as her tormented shrieks resounded from behind the door. “She’ll be just fine. We need to hurry, or we’ll be next. We need to defeat her. We need to get Sundrop. We can’t lose this.”

Wooden floorboards creaked under us as we raced down the hall. We ducked and weaved around end tables, stands, and misplaced toys scattered around the hallway.

Wow, we really need to clean up in here someday.

Goldy’s ears perked up when we were halfway through the kitchen. He held a hoof out. I skidded to a halt, tumbling head over hooves. Before I could get my bearings again, I found myself yanked to the side as he dragged me into a cupboard alongside him.

“Goldy, what are—” He jammed his hoof into my mouth, making a shushing motion with his wing while shaking his head. Be quiet. Got it.

At first, I heard nothing, but soon the approaching sound of heavy hoofsteps dominated my senses. Sitting in that dark cupboard, deprived of my sight, the only thing I had to focus on was that dreadful sound.

That, and the taste of mud. I wasn’t talking anymore, but he still didn’t remove his hoof from my mouth.

Rude.

“Little prey, wheeeere aaaaare yoooou?” the Beast sang. I heard the slow clip-clop of hoofbeats pause every now and then.

She was searching for us.

I began hyperventilating as those hoofbeats became louder and louder. The oppressive darkness and dank wooden musk closed in on me. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying to Luna that the Beast wouldn’t find us.

I felt Goldy stroke my back with a forehoof as he wrapped me in a hug with his wing. “It’s alright, Leafy. You’re just fine,” he whispered into my ear. “Big bro is here. I’ll protect ya.”

Hypocrite. How come you get to talk?

I leaned into him and sniffled.

Slowly, those hoofbeats grew quieter as the Beast passed by.

I leaned into my brother for a few minutes yet before he tapped me on my withers. “Are you alright, Leafy? You’re not too scared, are you?”

I shook my head. “I’m good… thanks.”

“Anytime, little bro.” He ruffled my mane. “Let’s finish this.” He silently nudged the cupboard open, just a crack, and peeked out. Satisfied, he opened it and let me out.

We inched forward through the kitchen on nearly silent hooves, cursing every tiny click and clack our hooves made on the hardwood.

A perked ear. My brother shoved me to the side as a shadow crashed down onto where I just was. I sprawled out on my back in a daze. I watched as my brother stood between myself and the Beast. No, not again. Not Goldy too!

“Found you.” The Beast sized up Goldy. Surely he’d be a tougher fighter than Silv was. He’s a lot bigger. But still…

“Run,” Goldy said.

“No! Not right after Silv…” Tears streaked down my face. “Not you too, Goldy,” I choked out between gasping breaths.

“Go! One of us needs to get their hooves on Sundrop. I can hold M— her off. I can keep her busy much longer than you could. This is all up to you now, Leafy!”

I knew he was right. I felt that oppressive weight bearing down on my shoulders.

The fate of Equestria.

The fate of the world.

All in the hooves of somepony who wasn’t even a Bellmound. Not really. Just some earth pony.

I squared up the apple tree directly behind me.

Alright. I got it this time. I tensed up my body like a spring. With a single, mighty motion, I displayed the unparalleled power of earth ponies and gave a terrifyingly powerful buck. My hindlegs shot out and gave a firm impact against… thin air.

I landed hard on my tummy with an “oof!”

Goldy fell off the fence, laughing.

“It’s not funny! The tree… the tree just moved! I’m sure of it!”

“Right, right.” Goldy wiped a tear from his eye. “The tree moved on you, Leafy. Sure, it did; I saw it.”

Still, he laughed! “Stop it!” My cheeks burned.

He flapped over and plopped a hoof down on my head, ruffling my mane. “Don’t worry, Leafy. It’s alright if you can’t buck trees. You can just pick the apples by hoof, like always.”

I stared at the apple on Goldy’s flank with burning envy.

“No. I can buck them. I hafta. It’s what earth ponies are good for.” I stuck my tongue out at Goldy.

"Y'know, kiddo.“ Goldy regarded me with a sad smile. “You don’t have to buck trees just because other ponies seem to think that’s all earth ponies are good at. I mean, look at me.” He lifted a wing. “I sure didn’t follow nopony’s expectations by bucking trees.”

My face burned as I lined myself up for another buck. This time, my aim was true and my hooves collided with the tree with a satisfying ‘thud’.

Finally!

I looked up at Goldy with a smug grin.

A single apple shook in the tree. It’s stem snapped, and it fell down.

Right on top of my head.

I clutched my head with tears in my eyes.

“You alright?” Goldy brought me into his forehooves.

I nodded, pushing myself off of him. “You don’t need to coddle me. I’m not a foal you know.”

He rolled his eyes and laid down in the grass. He patted the grass next to him. I hesitated for a moment before lying down next to him. I watched the pinkish-orange clouds float by overhead. It really was a beautiful twilight. “Leafy, you have to find what you like to do, not what others expect of you.”

“But won’t Mommy be disappointed if I can’t help out with the crops?” Like I’m supposed to do. “I just don’t want to end up being useless…”

“Leafy.” He stared into my eyes, frowning. “I know for a fact that Mom won’t care if your talent turns out to be anything other than farming. She’ll love you no matter what.”

I sniffled. “Really?”

“Yes, really. I mean, she’ll still want you to do your share of the chores, of course.” He rolled his eyes. “There’s no escaping that. But no matter what your talent is, I know for a fact that Mom will love you just the same.”

“Thanks, Goldy.” I looked up at the stars just beginning to peek out as the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon.

“Anytime.” He patted my hoof with his own, a grin playing on his face. “Big bro will always be here for ya.”

No time to take the stairs. I hurled myself over the railing, tucked myself into a roll, and ended up sprawling out on my back in the middle of the grand ancestral communal chamber.

Okay, fine, the living room.

I fought back tears as I tuned out the echoing cries of Goldy begging for mercy. There’s no time to dwell on that now.

I need to finish this.

There it was. Resting on the fireplace mantle was the sacred sword Sundrop. I’ve seen it so many times before but never dared touch the weapon. Much less take it for myself.

Can I really—

I shook my head. No, this is time for indecision. I grabbed the hilt between my teeth.

I didn’t need to hear her to know she was there. I slowly turned around to face the Beast behind me. Her eyes glinted like cracked ice in the moonlight.

"Well, well, well, my little prey.” I stared back into those eyes, mine burning with the fiery determination of the sun. “Somepony has finally bared his fangs.”

We circled each other, each daring the other to make the first move. And so I took it for myself. With a flash of metal, I charged at the Beast. The wan moonlight peeked in through the windows and rolled off the blade.

The Beast slipped to the side and planted a buck in my side, knocking me away into a roll.

I pushed into the roll, bucking off the wall and launching myself into the air. As I bore down on her, I curved the blade down towards the Beast’s neck.

She flapped her wings, charging forward beneath me. She pushed my hindlegs up, throwing me into a frontal flip.

My back hit the ground with a dull thud. While I was still reeling, the Beast slammed a hoof down onto the blade, tearing it from my mouth. With a flick, she kicked it behind her, the blade clanging dully against the wood of the far wall.

No!

My heart sank. That was our last chance. Our only hope.

The Beast rushed forward while I scrambled to the side. I need to get back to the sword! I crawled along the floor but a hoof pressing into my back halted my advance.

I was flipped around, and I found myself staring face-to-face with the Beast again — pinned again — with her terrifying visage lit in underneath the pale moonlight.

The Beast leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Good fight, kiddo. But not good enough.”

My body shivered as I started to tear up. I wasn’t fast enough. Wasn’t strong enough. Wasn’t good enough.

And now I’m just doomed, just like my brother and sister had been.

The Beast bent her wings. Her wing talons slowly closed in on my sides once again.

And just like that, it was all over.

My sides burst into flames as she bore into them.

“Mommy! Ahaha! That’s — haha ha haa — NOT how the story’s supposed to go!!” My cries for mercy fell on deaf ears as the infernal Beast — “Hahaha! Mommy, stop it!” — tickled me relentlessly.

“Will you give up on your quest to defeat me, o brave heir to the Bellmound family?” Mommy asked, her playful smile betraying her monstrous facade.

“Never!”

“Then perish.”

Not a facade! Not a facade! Mommy is pure evil!!

Mommy’s tickle torture somehow doubled in intensity. I tried writhing and curling up into a ball to escape the torment, but all was for naught. It was all I could do to catch my breath between fits of laughter.

Eventually, the torture eased up. I collected myself and looked up into Mommy’s icy blue eyes.

Dinner Bell trudged down the path from Hope’s Point. She dragged her hooves through the dirt. Fresh tears clung to the fur beneath her eyes.

“Door…”

How can somepony move on?

How could anypony move on?

After something like that... after somepony dies like that?

She looked down upon the village and felt a bitter thread draw her toward it. Home. A place that was once home.

A place she’s no longer welcome.

Where her kind is no longer welcome.

She looked up at the moon hanging in the sky. Princess Luna’s… well, her sister’s moon now.

Nopony could be ignorant of the entrapment of poor Princess Luna. Her face now marred the surface of the moon, after all. Trapped for all eternity by her very own sister.

What will ponies say centuries from now about the fair Princess Luna? Will she be known for her efforts to bind the tribes together? The winters have been growing longer and colder, after all. Something had to be done. Something Celestia was refusing to acknowledge, playing favoritism to Pegasi and especially Unicorns while ignoring everypony else.

She shook her head. No, certainly not. History is told by the winners, and Princess Luna will certainly go down in history as a monster that turned on her own sister. A simple story of betrayal. Of the triumph of good over evil.

A chill cut through her. The nights have been so much colder since that day.

Maybe Celestia will do something? She frowned, then sighed. Hopefully. We’ll just have to hope.

What can be done at this point? Now everypony hates us…

No, she can’t go back to the village anymore. She couldn’t ever go back again.

She turned right onto the path, circumnavigating the village.

The early spring breeze tugged at her mane, carrying the pleasant scent of hyacinth. If somepony ignored the oppressive chill, it was actually a pretty nice night.

Her ear twitched and swiveled towards the forest. Did she just hear…? No, it couldn’t be.

She pulled herself from the path and pushed her way through the overgrowth. Her ears caught the sound better now. The sound of somepony crying. Some foal.

Her hooves pounded the dirt as she weaved her way through the densely-packed. A few minutes in, she found him. An earth pony foal, only a hoofful of years old. He was curled up beneath a tree, crying his precious little eyes out.

She stepped forward but paused, her hoof held mid-air. Can she really call out to an earth pony like this? She shook her head.

What was she thinking?

She slowly walked over and sat down before him. “Everything will be okay, little one. Did you get lost?”

The little colt lifted his head and looked curiously at Dinner. Better than the now-usual crying in fear. He nodded his little head.

She sidled next to him and wrapped him in a leathery wing. He seemed uneasy at first, but snuggled into her side in the end.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of here. Did you get separated from your mommy and daddy?” What sort of parents lose their foal in the middle of the woods? At night?

He looked up at Dinner. “Mother told me not to, um, talk to strangers, miss.”

Even at a time like this? While snuggling into her side? “Well, my name is Dinner Bell. It’s nice to meet you!” She held out her hoof.

The colt stared at her hoof for a couple of seconds before gingerly meeting it with his own. “Nice to meet’cha miss. I’m Loose Leaf.”

“See? Now we’re not strangers anymore,” Dinner Bell giggled.

A faint smile crossed Leaf’s face. “I guess not.” He sniffled. “Umm, thanks for coming out here, Miss Dinner Bell. Did Mother send you? I hope Mother’s not mad at me for being so late.” He seemed to shrink with that last sentence.

“I’m afraid not, little one. I don’t know your mother.” The colt visibly wilted. “How did you get separated from her?”

“Mother sent me out here to look for food.” Dinner frowned.

“She sent you out here? Alone?!” He’s a foal. Only a few years old. And she sent him out alone?

“I’m not a unicorn like everypony else in the family. I have to make it up with the talents I do have. Mother always said that scrounging up food was the only thing mud ponies are good for, so she sent me out here to get some more.”

Dinner stared at the colt in horror, klaxons blaring in her mind.

There are animals in these woods. Monsters.

Why would somepony send their foal out into the woods…

Dinner knew the answer. She just didn’t want to voice it.

And the way the colt was crying, huddled up beneath a tree without anything that looked like food in sight, she was sure the colt knew too.

A smart colt for his age. What kind of monster does that sort of thing?

To toss out your own child just because of their tribe. It’s just horrible.

"Listen, kiddo, you can’t stay out here overnight. It’s not safe. Why don’t you stay over at my place tonight? I have a couple of foals just a few years older than you that you can play with.”

“But I need to get food for Mother,” he said, while curling up into a tiny sobbing ball. “Mother trusts me. Mother loves me. She has to. She just has to.”

“Please, little one. It’s not safe out here. There are monsters out here ready to tear you limb from limb.” Or toss you out like trash. “I insist. Please come with me tonight. We can go see about gathering up some food tomorrow.”

The colt scraped his hoof against the dirt for a minute before nodding.

“Okay, thanks miss.”

Dinner planted a kiss on top of the colt’s head. “Let’s head home, Leafy.”

Mommy stared down at me, tears starting to mist her eyes. Then, she pulled me into a crushing hug. I thumped my forehoof against her back. “Can’t… breathe…”

Mommy smooched the side of my head. “I love you so so much, Leafy.”

“Love you… too… Mommy… Please let me go…”

My vision started to turn black. Through the haze, I caught sight of a couple pairs of eyes peeking between the stair balusters. Silv and Goldy’s faint snickers could be heard between my gasps for breath.

Mommy cradled me for a few more seconds before gently letting me go. “It sounds like someponies want a second round of my patented tickle torture.” Momm— the Beast’s voice dripped with bloodlust.

Silv and Goldy let out matching shrieks and tried to scramble back up the stairs, tangling in each other’s legs. The Beast flapped her wings and, with a great swoop, landed atop them. They shivered with dread as those awful wing talons closed in on them.

This is my chance!

I darted for the fallen sword. Holding it between my teeth, I turned to face the Beast while she was distracted.

Ignoring my siblings’ screams of torment, I bore down upon the Beast, plunging the blade deep into her side. With a mighty spasm, the Beast let out a guttural cry. “Oooh, ya got me!” And collapsed to the floor.

“Finally. The Beast is vanquished. Equestria is—”

“Ouch! Leafy, honey, please don’t poke your toy too hard against my side.”

“Oh, sorry, Mommy.” I lifted the wooden swo— I wrenched the sacred sword Sundrop from the Beast’s cadaver, the silvery blade glistening with the monster’s blood.

“Finally, Equestria is saved.” I have carried on the glory of the Bellmound family. “And now, with the Beast slain, Equestria entered a golden age, and everypony lived happily ever after, forever and ever.”

THE END

“Did I get my cutie mark?” I chased my tail in circles to get a better look at my flank. “Shoot!” Still blank. I crossed my forehooves, blew a raspberry, and plopped my rear down on the floor. “And here I was certain I’d get my mark in script writing or acting.”

Mommy chuckled. “No need to rush things, Leafy, you’ll get your mark one day.” She paused, a smile tugging at her lips. “That was fun, though. We should do that again sometime. I could really get into my role as the Beast, y’know.” She rubbed her chin with a wing, her little smile growing into a wicked grin. The grin of the Beast. “It gives me a loooot of good opportunities to tickle you three.”

I shared a collective look of horror with my siblings.

What monster have I unleashed on this world?

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