My Little Pony: Return of the Primal Fear

by Lizardsareradical

Work and Play

Chapter 14: Work and Play

Scootaloo attempted to break free from her confined bird cage. She's been trying for an hour and she was out of tears. She tried to shake the bars, trying to bend them enough to escape. But she immediately stopped as she heard footsteps coming from the stairs. As she took a closer look, she saw a pitch black alicorn stallion the size of Big Macintosh. He had no mane whatsoever, pure orange eyes, a pure black tail and large bat wings. He had a red moon for a cutie mark. She also saw him grow six inky tentacles from his back. She saw him walk over to her cage with a cruel smile as he used a tendril to grab the keys to her cage.

"Perfect start for today. Wake up and find a ritual in a cage." The dark alicorn said to himself as he casually walked over to the trapped pony. He then looked straight at Scootaloo with his piercing eyes. "But small stubborn Scootaloo was such a hassle to take wasn't she?" He started making baby noises to her as he opened the cage and grabbed her with a tentacle. "That marvelous mare maiden mage has gotten herself exhausted in the tussle and my great golem needs repair." He then brought the shaking filly closer to him, whispering to her. "But you did one fantastic favor for me child."

"Wha-what's that? And how do you know my name." Scootaloo hesitated to ask, expecting the worst. The dark prince just used a forehoof to point at his horn, which began to glow. She was then patted on the head with a tendril as the vile prince moved his head away from her.

"Well you got my sniveling servant out of the picture!" Screameater told her in a celebratory manner as her tossed her into the air. As she was screaming in midair, he grabbed her by a hind hoof with another tendril. "Now that blasted Blubayou isn't my problem anymore!" He then threw her up into the air again, catching her once again. "I mean seriously, I would've been worried if he was captured three days or so ago." He the flung the filly into the air another time, catching the panicked filly again by the forehooves. "But now look at me." He noticed the orange filly was not looking at her, so he just used a tendril to direct her head to look at him. "I went from a disgraceful dark prince to this suitable sized stallion." He then brought her closer to his face. "But now with your help…"He had his sadistic smile back. "…I'll get even bigger, and thus closer to becoming The Primal Fear." He let out a low, sadistic laugh.

"What are ya gonna do?" Scootaloo questioned him, flailing around, trying to get her forehooves free from his grip. "Eat me or something?"

Screameater thought for a moment. He then used his magic to give himself razor sharp teeth. "That can be arranged Scoots!" He then licked his lips in appetizing delight. But as he was going to take a bite, he felt two little hooves kick him square in the face, chipping a bunch of his new teeth. Screameater hollered in pain, but refused to let go. He just undid his spell and glare at the filly, who was sticking his tongue out at him.

"You know, you're not that tough." Scootaloo taunted him with a small laugh. "I bet Rainbow Dash can beat your flank."

Screameater just growled at her enraged by her insult. An idea then popped into his twisted mind, making him make a mock sad face. "You really mean that?" He let out a crocodile tear. "I'm hurt."

Scootaloo just nodded with a cocky face. She wasn't about to let him enjoy absorbing her.

The dark prince just put his hoof on his face, making a false sniffling sound. "Fine! I don't need you anyways!" He then began to walk out of the dungeon with the little filly still in his tendrils.

Scootaloo saw him take her past the main floor, up the second flight of stairs, past a large, obsidian door and finally, to a cliff over boiling hot lava with a throne at the middle. She was curious as to why he brought her here at first, but when she saw Screameater walking to the very edge of the cliff, she began to tremble. He then stopped at the very end, hanging the pegasus filly by on hind leg above the lava.

The alicorn laughed in sadistic delight as he heard the little filly's screaming in terror as he dangled her. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Screameater just let out a playful shrug. "Meh. If the feisty filly doesn't want to be absorbed, this is the other option for you. Besides, I can always get my oh so menacing minions to get another cutie markless pegasus filly anyways." He let out a playful pout as she saw her horrified expression. "What? Is Plan B not good enough for poor sad Scoots?"

Scootaloo mustered all the courage she can get to speak up. "You…You wouldn't dare do it."

The dark prince just tsked tsked her, still mocking her. "Oopsie daisies! Wrong answer!" He then tossed her off the cliff. "HOPE YOU CAN FLY!"

Scootaloo flailed in the air in a panic. She let out one loud "HELP ME!" before bracing herself for the lava. But she felt a pair of hooves grab her at the last second. She opened her eyes to see Rainbow Dash herself carrying her in her forehooves. The cyan pegasus dashed up into the sky, where Scootaloo saw all this purple fog surrounding the entire island. Once in a while, she saw a black manticore, a giant monstrous mantis, and other things too hard to describe. She then looked up at her hero, who suddenly stopped in midair, as if she hit a wall.

"What's the matter Dash?" Scootaloo asked her confused. They should have left as quickly as possible, why did she stop?

Rainbow Dash began to speak without looking at her. "You got some spunk squirt. Kicking Screamy in the face like that. Not many ponies can say they did that. To be honest, couldn't do better myself." She then turned her head to the filly. "Who knows? With your level of cool…"

She then revealed her orange eyes, fork tongue, and sharp fangs as she began to hiss. "Maybe you can be just like me!" Scootaloo shrieked as she realized who it actually was. "Rainbow Dash" then opened her jaws like a snake, swallowing the terrified filly whole to be absorbed.

Screameater transformed back into his normal self, except now, he was a good bit bigger. As he descended back into the Volcano of Hysteria, he admired his new look.

"Hmmm? As big as my little sister now." He then felt some rumbling in his stomach. Before he knew it, he let out a gigantic belch, which echoed around the whole island. He then patted his stomach with a forehoof. "Well…off to fix Anvillain. Time for somebody else to become bigger, badder, and better."
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Both Paramail and Fluttershy were working hard to feed the nocturnal animals. Fluttershy was feeding the fruit bats melon while Paramail was feeding the ocelot cubs some meat. The teal stallion had some bandages on his forehoof, taking care not to make his sprain worse. When he finished petting the little cubs, he turned towards the yellow mare, who was only fifteen feet away.

"That's all of them right?" Paramail asked in a quiet whisper. Many of the animals were already asleep, and many of them hated to be disturbed. The two ponies were working for almost three hours, and it was night time. I was almost full moon.

Fluttershy finished with the bats and slowly nodded. "That's each and every one of them." She then made a cute smile. "Thanks to you, I was able to work on schedule." She then looked away from him, remembering today's events. She brought her head down as tears began to form. "It's been a tough day."

Paramail walked over to her, not wanting to see her cry. He recapped all that happened today in his mind. After an attack like that, he was lucky to get out with just a sprained hoof. He then saw that fishpony get chained to a chariot. He fainted three times, but remembered the residents throwing things at him. He then stopped thinking to himself and began to softly speak. "I know how you feel." He then put his left forehoof under her chin, encouraging her to look up at his face.

"It…" Fluttershy tried to gently speak before choking on her own word. "It's not fair what Screameater did to him." She made a weak little sniffle. "He ruined his life. Made him a means to an end." She then wrapped her hooves around the stallion in front of her. "I saw what all the ponies did to him. It was horrible." She then began to softly weep into Paramail's shoulder.

Paramail began to remember what Twilight said as he wrapped his right hoof around the sobbing mare, trying to comfort her. He remembered something about this Screameater taking the Element of Tolerance away from his own family. If only he knew who that family was. As he dwelled into this matter, he felt tears begin to form in his own eyes. He then stared straight into Fluttershy's teary eyes.

"I feel the same way." He gently wiped the tears off of her face as he forced himself to smile. "But knowing Twilight, she'll get this all under control. So let's hope for the best. We are the elements after all."

Fluttershy began to absorb what he just told her. She knew both Twilight and Celestia were trying to help Blubayou. Couldn't get much better than that could it? She looked directly into the stallion's eyes as she began to feel warm inside. She just felt so safe around him as the two stared into one another's eyes for the longest minute she ever felt in her life.

But when she felt herself about to blush, she slowly let go of him, awkwardly chuckling. Paramail got out of the mesmerizing trance and rubbed the back of his head with a goofy yet cute smile. Fluttershy decided to speak up first. "W-well, anyways…thanks for all of your help." She then began to trot towards her cottage with a wide grin. "By the way, your hoof will be just fine by tomorrow. Just don't hurt it or anything." She then opened her door and was about to enter.

"You're welcome. Maybe if I finish work early I can come around again. I'm pretty sure the anaconda's starting to like me now. That's a good thing right?" Fluttershy turned to see the comforting smile of Paramail, who didn't move an inch where he was. She just turned back with her eyelids half closed, letting out a relaxed sigh as she entered the house.

As Paramail watched her close the door for the night, he finally let out a long breath of air. Who knew trying to keep your composure was that strenuous? But he was happy all the same. He then began to leave towards his house.

"Well this certainly was an interesting day." He said to himself as he began to fly home. He helped his biggest crush, got into a huge brawl with Mara, sprained a hoof, got medical help from his crush, helped her again, and then made her feel better when she was down. He made a small smile as he realized that that was more adventure in one day than his whole life. He then began to think if this adventure was over. Deep down, he knew it wasn't.
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Twilight Sparkle was sitting on a bench in front of the Canterlot donut shop. Her forelegs were crossed and she was tapping her hind hoof on the ground in impatience. When she heard then door open from behind her, her mouth went agape when she saw Coocoodrill balance a tower of donut boxes in his forehooves, wobbling around on his two hind legs. She then put herself together and gave the green unicorn a stern look.

"Coocoo? Are a dozen boxes of half dozen donuts really necessary?" She asked her friend as she used her magic to catch a falling box. "We have a pony to interrogate."

The stallion just peeked behind the pillar of boxes with a wide smile. "Of course it is! Who ever heard of an interrogation without donuts? These delicious babies are virtually a requirement!" He then began to slowly and carefully walk towards his buddy, the pile of boxes getting more and more unstable. The boxes finally tipped over, but Twilight Sparkle levitated the whole dozen of them without a sweat. Coocoo just made a sheepish smile and a weak chuckle as he grabbed a chocolate donut from one of the floating boxes, swallowing it whole. The purple pony just shook her head.

"Down." Twilight told him as she pointed to the ground. Coocoo whimpered like a puppy and got back on all fours. Twilight then place the boxes on his back in two even piles. She then petted his head. "Good boy." Twilight then magically lifted a nice jelly donut to the stallion's mouth. Coocoo just smiled, wagged his tail and quickly ate the treat.

"So anyways Twi…" Coocoodrill spoke up with his mouth still full. "Who wants to be the good guard and who wants to be the bad guard?" He then swallowed. "You can choose. I won't complain."

Twilight just rolled her eyes and the silly question. Somebody's been reading too many comics. But she gave in. "Good guard I guess."

"Aw man! I was gonna pick that-" Coocoodrill then caught himself. "I mean…sure, whatever you say. To Canterlot Castle!"

He then proceeded to trot ahead. Twilight just rolled her eyes and lifted him with her magic as she walked the opposite direction. "The castle's this way."
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Blubayou was in a small room with only one light on the ceiling. He was sitting a table in the center of the room and a he saw that there was a glass that he couldn't see through to his right. He was wearing hoofcuffs for safety measures.

It's been several hours since he was taken here. He was allowed to eat, wash up his food covered body, and sleep for a few hours. He was still unsure as to why he was getting greyer though. He was just taken here forty five minutes ago and he was getting bored. He saw a moth attracted to the light and the amphibipony took a wary look around. He then shot out his sticky tongue and caught the moth. He then ate the bug and finished with a satisfying croak.

He then almost jumped up when the door suddenly opened. He then recognized the pony that was entering was that purple unicorn mare he encountered when trying to capture that filly. She walked up the table with a notepad in her mouth and sat down at the opposite end of him. He then saw a box full of strange chunks of dough of varying colors with holes in them get tossed into the room. The unicorn caught them with her magic, placing them onto the table, giving the glass window a stern look.

"THESE ALWAYS COME IN HANDY TWI!" A stallion's voice from behind the glass called out to the unicorn mare. She just facehoofed as Blu just looked around confused.

"So ya name's Twi huh? Whad ya want?" Blu spoke up in an indifferent manner, but looking away. He wasn't too keen on talking to somebody who foiled his master's plan.

Twilight tried to ignore his rudeness. "Actually my full name is Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic and Princess Celestia's student." She then offered her hoof to shake. Blu just showed her his hoofcuffs in a deadpan manner.

"Well now that you introduced yourself, it'd be only fair that I'd introduce myself." He took a deep breath. "As you know, name's Blubayou. But you can call be Blu if you want. Don't halfta, just can." Blu quickly shook his head to get to the point. "But anyways, as you also know, I'm the student slash helper slash adopted son of the GREAT SCREAMEATER!" He emphasized his master's name in a zealous manner, causing Twilight to feel uneasy around him. After a small pause, Blu just lashed out his tongue to grab a strawberry frosted donut, placing it in his cuffed hooves.

"TOLD YOU THEY'D WORK!"

Twilight just rolled her eyes at the interruption from behind the window. She watched Blu examine the delectable pastry, sniff it, take a tiny nibble from it, make a wide grin, then finally begin to eat it. After finishing, he looked back up to her.

"These things are delicious Twilight Sparkle. But what are they?" He spoke gently and without any hint of hostility.

Twilight began to speak up. "Well Blu they're-"

"DONUTS!"

"COOCOODRILL!" Twilight called back to the window annoyed.

Blubayou just thought to himself. A donut? Such a fine food. Why hasn't Screamy ask for one? He'd love these. But then he realized what was supposed to be going on. "So aren't ya going to question me some more?"

Twilight stopped glaring at the window and looked back flustered. "Oh yeah! I was supposed to do that! So how did you ever meet this "Screameater"? She used her magic to lift a quill, ready to write in her notepad.

Blubayou let out a small, sad sigh. "Well, when I was a mere foal, maybe only days old, my parents abandoned me on Phobos."

Twilight knew something about his story was fishy just by the first sentence she wrote down. "So why did they leave you?"

"I don't really know why, but judging what those ponies out there did and said to me, I can take a good guess." He then looked at his body, showing a slight amount of shame.

Twilight was once again quite skeptical. How could he believe two normal ponies can have him? He then questioned him once again. "Why did Screameater take you in?"

Blubayou was quick to answer this one. "He needed me. He was trapped on an island with nobody but himself and a few artifacts."

Twilight scribbled some more notes. "So how did he get trapped in the first place?"

Blubayou thought for a bit on this one. "Well from what I remember him telling me, he was banished by his two sisters there on accounts of being…as I quote "A hero to the oppressed". He's been working on an escape ever since, hoping to restore Equestria to its former glory."

Twilight Sparkle looked into his eye in curiosity. "Do you…believe that his own family would imprison him for helping the helpless?"

Blubayou thought for a moment. "Depends on their goals."

Twilight spoke up once again. "Then explain Princess Celestia rescuing you from those ponies."

The stallion just stared at the table, pondering what happened back in town. He rememebered how gentle she was to him. She could've easily rallied up the ponies to throw twice as hard. But no, she gave him mercy. All Blu could mutter was a shaky "I can't".

Twilight took a deep breath, mustering the courage to ask a more risky question. "Have you ever considered that…Screameater…might be lying to you?"

Blubayou spine shivered, his eyes went wide, and he started to breathe quicker. He slowly shook his head. Twilight could tell that he wasn't completely sure of himself.

Twilight let out a quiet sigh of sympathy. She then turned to the window. "Coocoodrill, can you please get in here now with the document." There was no answer. She called out again with less patience. "Coocoodrill. Are you listening." Still no answer. Twilight groaned in annoyance as she signaled Blu to wait a moment as she checked on him. She opened the door and yelled out "COOCOODRILL!".

The green unicorn was fast asleep on the floor under a pile of mostly empty donut boxes. He was snoring and rolling around in the litter. Twilight just facehooved and poked the stallion on his shoulder, causing him to jolt up.

"I LOVE YOU MARE DO WELL!" Coocoodrill then noticed his surroundings. He then saw Twilight's stern look. He let out a weak chuckle.

"To be fair it's like ten o'clock." Coocoodrill tried to justify his laziness as he grabbed the folder from under a half eaten cinnamon donut. His real excuse that he was just bored would just make the situation worse. He then followed Twilight into the room with a groan. They make these so much cooler in "The Marvelous Mare Do Well" comics.

The two unicorns took a seat and they both noticed that Blubayou was still lost in thought, frowning. The two interrogators looked at one another.

Coocoodrill was the first to speak up. "I thought you were supposed to be the good-" He was cut off by Twilight's shushing him. She then lifted the folder Coocoo was holding and passed it to Blu, signaling him to open it.

Blubayou hesitantly opened the folder and sorted out the papers with his tongue, not knowing what to expect. As he dragged the first paper towards him with his cuffed hooves to start reading, he was shocked, his eyes going wide. A few seconds later, he raised an eyebrow in confusion. He then fully opened his eyes once again, making a soft gasp of horror, his hooves trembling. As he delved more into the documents, he began to grit his teeth. Twilight Sparkle and Coocoodrill patiently looked on as the amphibipony pushed the notes away from him. Twilight wrote more stuff down on her notepad.

"This is too much." Blu muttered with a grimace, not even looking at the two ponies. Both unicorns looked confused.

"You don't believe us?" Twilight asked awestruck. The proof was right there, how can he deny it?

Blubayou stared up at the two. "Do you just expect me to buy that I was taken from a loving family?"

Coocoodrill quickly nodded.

Blu snorted. "Two things are wrong with that. First of all, how would somepony have a child like me? I have yet to see that during all of my visits beyond the island. Second of all, where are my "parents" right now?"

Twilight tried to answer. "They live in Berrybash Bottom if you read."

Blu scowled at her. "Yeah I've read it. But what I meant is…" He began to feel his anger increase. "Are dey alive? Why didn't they search for me? Why would this "fallen prince" botha to take me away if he already owned this "Element of Tolerance", nevertheless feed me, teach me, and all around help me?"

Twilight tried to answer once again. "But he stole those elements. The elements are within us. Getting the stones help, but true harmony is within you, me, him…"

"Me?"

"Yes Coocoo, you. But as I was saying, he took you as a means to an end, a key to the outside world, a way to keep the Elements from ever foiling him again. With you on his side, he can become what he wanted to become for thousands of year…The Primal Fear."

Blubayou spoke up yet again, beginning to stress out even more. "But why me? Of all these "Elements" he coulda taken, why did he go for me?"

Both unicorns wondered that same question. Both of them did nothing but shrugged. Both of them can only answer "By chance."

Blubayou just uttered one more question in a mellower manner. "If what I did was wrong, why are you being so nice to me?" He remembered his punishments from Screameater being far worse than just answering question although this particular discussion came very close to him.

Twilight placed a sympathetic hoof on his. "Because me, Coocoo, Celestia, everyone wants to help you." She let out a sigh. "I know it's hard to comprehend all of this new, life changing news, but just try. And I have heard that you're parents are alive and well from the princess yourself. They miss you. They are a wreck without you. The sooner this is all over, the more bearable this will all become." Coocoodrill nodded in agreement.

Blubayou just put his restrained hooves to his face as he slowly began to weep. As Twilight and Coocoo saw him slowly turn completely grey, he began to mutter a few words. "I don't know who to believe anymore." He then looked up towards the two. "I can't handle this anymore. I'm too tired and my noggin ain't working straight." He looked at the ceiling with blank eyes. "I'm sorry for hurting either of you and I'm sorry for threatening the rest of your friends." He then looked back at them with a glare. "But until you guys find a way to get myself to remember, I can't get myself to believe ya."

Both unicorns took a glance at one another, and then at the broken stallion. They then realized that there was no point in trying to speak to him anymore. So they both decided to call it a day and headed for the door. Before Coocoo head for the door, he pushed the box of donuts on the table towards the melancholic fishpony, who didn't even respond.

When he saw that the two left, Blubayou let out a sigh and grabbed a plain donut a brought it in front of himself. He then noticed how generic the donut was compared to the rest of the pastries in the box. He let a single tear drop from his eye as he began to speak up as he admired the donut. "Why can't I be more like you? Normal."
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Meanwhile, "Blueblood" was lying around, playing with a paddleball by his indoor pool. He was wearing a button up shirt that was yellow with green and red flowers on it and a red pair of swimtrunks. As he was admiring his skills with the toy, a servant stallion came in.

"Sir!" He called out. "I have dire news!"

"Alright bro!" The prince turned towards to butler with a docile deameanor. "Shoot."

"Try to comprehend this master."

"Don't have to call be master dude! But go on!"

"This frogpony thing has been sent to prison by your aunt this evening!"

"Blueblood" began to recall a certain pony just like that. He slowly spoke up. "Why was he taken in?"

The servant began to feel really uneasy. "According to the guards and your aunts, it's you father. He's trying to come back."

The prince imposter comtemplated the matter of what to do. But then he realized something. Hey I'm a prince now! I can make a "My dad ain't never coming back party". It'll be non-formal, it'll be rad, and it'll make a nice trap.

The Mara then focused on his servant again with a wide smile. "No worries bro! My dad's never gonna get here! So don't you worry!" He then put a hoof around the butler. "But I've been thinking of a party. Can you call a caterer for a party tomorrow night?

The butler was stunned. "At this late at night?"

"I'll give you a raise."

"Done." The butler then trotted off to find a catering company. The prince then went back to his paddleball, contemplating his plan with Screameater with his master's telepathy. He knew the fallen prince would like it.