The Prefect Shot.

by The Sumareian

Day 1: Crossing the bog

The train ride to Ponyville was largely uneventful (save for a rather unfortunate hot chocolate incident.)Pathfinder looked up from his map, he smiled to himself the plan was simple. A three day hike through the Everfree, sticking to the areas he had been to before and getting the worse part of it all done in one day.

"Froggy Bottom Bog? Are you crazy, wouldn't it make sense to go through Misty Hollow?" Pathfinder glanced up to mare next to him.

"Pearl, that would add another day to this whole hike and for the most part, I know very little of what we will run into out there, that and we would then have to go here." he pointed to the map, where a hastily scribbled blob followed by a doodle of a skull and crossbones.

"Whats there?" Pearl leaned forward her eyes inspecting the map more intently.

"That is dragon territory, and I would prefer to steer clear of that area." he stated as he folded up the map and placed it in his vest pocket. "Never really liked those scaly monsters."

"You mean like that one?" Pearl pointed to a small purple and green dragon who was carrying a sack filled with scrolls. Before she heard a high pitched squeal, as the panicked stallion dove behind a nearby pile of bags.

"So much for the tough as nails Equestria Explorer, I heard boast about taking on a chimera with a broken leg." she smiled in his direction.

"There is one difference. A chimera doesn't vomit fire." He peaked out from the pile of bags.

"That was an image I didn't need forced into my mind." Pearl shuddered slightly, at the though of what the fire would smell like.

"Are you two done blabbing like school fillies, we have the magics to capture." Photo Finish burst out of the train car, her dress traded out for a khaki safari coat, and rather large saddle bags.

"Whoa, she defiantly, is one prepared mare." Pathfinder mumbled to nopony in particular.

"Well then." The stallion looked around the town square hoping that dragon he saw wasn't around. Satisfied that he hadn't seen scale nor tail of the fire vomiting reptile "Lets, get started. Shall we?" He smiled to the two mares as he trotted over to his pack and tossed it over his back.

" Yes ma'm we were just talking about the route we were taking an-" She paused when the photographer raised her hoof.

"There is no need to worry about every detail right now Pearl, we are as in I Photo Finish go now to make history." She then stood perfectly still. her hoof pointed dramatically towards the Everfree.

"What the?..... Oh right, come along Mt Prudence wont hike to itself. First stop Froggy Bottom Bog."

********************************

"You have got to be kidding me, you want us to hike across this." Pearl waved her foreleg at the bubbling wetland in front of the trio.

"Smell that air it smells.. awful, but still we have to get to the other side of it before sunset." Pathfinder stepped infront of the two mares. "Okay now we need to be careful, for the most part many of the animals here aren't dangerous, but try not to stand in any puddles for to long, because the turtles will get angry."

"Ha I'm not afraid of some silly turtles." Photo looked around the bog. "I don't understand your paranoia with this place ah what was it...." she stared at Pearl.

"Pathfinder ma'm, his name is Pathfinder." Pearl deadpanned.

"Yes, yes. Paranoid stallion, take us across this.. this."

"Bog, and snapping turtles are not to be taken lightly." he trotted ahead ahead of the two.

They continued into the bog for several minutes, the only sounds they made was the occasional swatting and cursing at the numerous swarms of insects.

"Paranoid one tell me, why are we walking through this filthy place." Photo asked as she flicked a newly muddied hoof.

"Well other then the fact that this area is mapped, it's kinda where one of my friends disappeared to." Pathfinder glanced around for a dryer path, hoping that getting out of all this mud would make his companions more sociable.

"Wait, somepony you know went missing out here?" Pearl paused concern layered in her words.

"Yes and no, she has a habit of not reporting in or being where she's supposed to be. But knowing her, shes close by in some little tree fort she built." Pathfinder pointed to a densely wooded spot. "Theres the edge of the bog, we just need to get there and we'll be all set."

"About time these bugs, were starting to get real annoying." Photo swung her hoof a small swarm of mosquitoes, thier high pitched buzzing, giving way to a much louder one.

"Wait." Pathfinder paused as the buzzing grew louder and louder. "That, sound." He twitched his ears trying to locate the source before his eyes widened in shock "Oh horseapples."

"What is it?" Pearl shook a thick coating of mud from her hoof.

"Well it could be two things, either we found a bunch of really angry killer bees or we more then likely got into its territory." Pathfinder reached into saddle bag and pulled out a small jar of honey. "I really hope its the former." He began slowly stepping forward.

"None sense, what would try and claim this filthy mud pit as its home, I know I certainly wouldn't." Photo step imperiously ahead of the stallion, determined to get to the forest and away from these pesky bugs.

"Are you crazy, this is one of those moments where you just have to trust me when I sa-" Pathfinder was tossed aside as a massive black blur barreled into his side.

Pathfinder scrammbled back up to his hooves to see, the large chitinous shell of some of his worst nightmares.

"What is that thing?" Pearl shouted from behind him.

"Ladies, I can explain that later. On the count of three I want you two to run as fast as you can into the forest." Pathfinder raised up the small jar and popped the lid off.

"One." The large insect tilted its head as both it and Pathfinder locked eye to segmented eye.

"Two." The clicking of a camera, was now the only noise Pathfinder heard followed by "Oh what a excellent shot." and a face hoof.

"Thr- Starswirls beard whats that?!." He pointed further into the bog gaining the attention of the creature as he tossed the jar at its feet, and ran in the other direction.

"Stupid bugs." He snickered as he galloped through the gushy mud to the tree line.