The Monster in the Twilight
Mamma
Mothers are the most dangerous of monsters. A peaceful bear will turn into a roaring beast if they see a threat between them and their cubs. Even a peaceful pony can become a terror of sharp hooves and biting teeth when their foal is in danger. So when a monster’s cubs are threatened, even the giants of the Everfree walk carefully.
The manticore snuffed uneasily while glaring out into the night. Dawn had arrived earlier, but only briefly, before being swallowed again by the hungry darkness. Now her little cubs squalled and fussed at being hedged inside the cave by their overprotective mother, hungry and bored, wanting to explore the dangerous world even though they too could sense the unnatural air that hung over the night.
A noise disturbed the darkness, and the manticore rushed to the entrance of her cave to listen. It sounded like a creature with uneven steps, perhaps sick or wounded. Food would keep her little cubs warm and happy, and not out in the dangerous woods becoming food for something larger than themselves. She prowled to the bush outside her cave to peek at the creature passing by—
—and promptly returned to her cave to chivvy the little manticores back inside. The purple creature was not to be trifled with at any time. Now, it looked sick and even more erratic, muttering to itself while it moved in a flickering gait through the clearing by vanishing every step and reappearing yards away, leaving little divots of moved earth no larger than a paw print in its wake.
Far better for the mother manticore to quietly whet her claws on a nearby boulder and find some easier prey.
Sooner than she had expected, another creature came down the path with a growing buzzing rattle that echoed through the air of the clearing. Chasing her little cubs back into the cave and giving the disobedient brats a fierce growl to keep them there, the mother manticore prowled back out to the bush outside her cave.
This time she remained in place, watching the bizarre parade of little colorful cubs pass by. They looked like the purple one’s cubs. They sounded like the purple one’s cubs. They even smelled like the purple one’s cubs, with that strange changing scent they always had whenever the purple one had brought them to the clearing. The manticore lurked until they had safely gone down the pockmarked path after the purple one, then crept out to the clearing to check.
Score.
Several tiny little eggs had been scattered along their trail, which she quickly scooped up and took back to the cave to share with her little cubs. Each of them seemed to explode with flavors she never had experienced before, although they did make the cubs dash around the cave with far more energy. The little niblets of food were not enough to feed the cubs, but whatever wandered through the clearing next certainly would.
A muttering noise overlaid the regular clop of fast-moving hooves this time as the mother manticore chased her overexcited cubs back into the cave, although she had to threaten them severely before she could make it back to her bush to observe what was trekking through the clearing.
It looked tasty. It smelled far more than tasty. The faint whiff of sweat that drifted through the clearing air wafted across her nostrils with the delicate appeal of the most delicious wounded herbivore, young and fat with veins of marbling and a juicy liver.
It was too good to be true. It had to be a trap.
She hurried back to her cave, catching her little cubs as they scuttled around in all directions, dragging them all back inside and pinning them to the ground until the dangerous bait passed by. Nothing was that good to eat. Whatever was using it as bait must have been far more dangerous than she. However, after the delicious-smelling creature had gone on its way and nothing lurked in its wake, she began to think that perhaps she had been mistaken. The wailing cries of her hungry little cubs triggered a sense of regret, but before she could set out to catch up with the delicious little snack, she heard the sounds of even more creatures coming through the clearing.
A herd of herbivores. The easiest thing to hunt. All it would take is one powerful roar to stupefy them in place and a vigorous pounce with a swipe through their midst to cripple one or more of them before they scattered. She dragged her cubs to the bush and cuffed them until they remained still. They would need to learn how to hunt if they were to survive, and the little cubs made tiny little growls and thrashed their stingers as they impatiently waited on their prey. Finally, the herd of herbivores galloped into view, and the mother manticore leapt forward with a mighty roar!
* * *
The screams of the frightened ponies were overwhelmed by a powerful voice, shouting, “Behold, as the Great and Powerful Trixie vanquishes this terrible beast from the Everfree Forest! Marvel at her skill, her power over the forces of nature, her ability to bend the very rules of creation to smite—”
“Oooh, they’re so cute!”
“To smite… To… Fluttershy! Will you please stop playing with the monster’s little spawn? I’m trying to vanquish it!”
“I’m sorry, but they’re just so adorable! Yes, you are! Yes, you are too! Those cute little eyes and darling little paws—”
“And tiny poisonous stingers,” grumbled Trixie to herself, because nopony else was listening, far too busy staring at the little butter-yellow pegasus with three little manticore cubs tumbling over her, and the mother looking on with detached concern.
“Raarhuuh.”
“Oh, I’m sorry Missus Manticore. I know they need to get their sleep, or they’ll be cranky in the morning.”
“Fluttershy,” said Trixie quietly while trying not to grind her teeth. “If we don’t get going, they won’t have a morning.”
“Sorry! I’m sorry. I’ll come back later, would that be all right?”
Trixie muttered to herself while the rest of the group trotted down the path, giving a frustrated, “Finally!” as Fluttershy caught up. It took The Great and Powerful Trixie a moment to realize just exactly was different about the shy yellow pegasus, but once she realized what it was, she could not restrain herself.
“Fluttershy!”
The pony in question nearly leapt straight up with a shrill, “Eep? Yes?”
“Put. It. Back.”
With a heartfelt sigh, Fluttershy landed and parted her mane, nudging the baby manticore concealed inside back onto the ground and back to her mother with a soft cry of, “Don’t worry! I’ll come back later and we can play then.”
The disguised zebra moved up beside Trixie while Fluttershy ran off to rejoin her friends with frequent backwards glances at the manticore family.
“Do you see what is behind the heart of one so kind?”
Trixie growled, taking the bottle of bourbon out of her cloak and looking at it for a moment before sticking it back into her cloak. “I’m starting to think we’re the only sane ones here.”
The pink ‘alicorn’ smiled just the tiniest little smile and patted Trixie on the back. “We? Not me. For twelve years I’ve lived in my forest tree, with only my daughter for company. We zebra are a herding kind. Such solitude is damaging to our minds.”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
Filler chapter? Bah! It's better than no chapter at all.
Monsieur Bourbon knows of what I speak. Does he not?
So Trixie is claiming that only she and her cloak are sane?
...Eh, my money's on the cloak.
Smart manticore.
I'd love to see some fan art of Shy and the Manticore cubs, but I half suspect it would kill me. Might be worth it though.
Ahh yeah! A new chapter, just let me read this epic continuation of awesome.
...Damn you Georg, DAMN YOU STRAIGHT TO PONY HELL!!!
But seriously, for how eagerly I've been waiting for a new chapter, this filler hurt. Still, fun chapter and I can't wait for the next.
2678405
I think Trixie meant her and her booze. Chapter too short! Going through withdrawal!!!
Mousier Bourbon knows all. Unlike that idiot Mr. Beer.
2678451 it might but the image ............. HNNGGGH so cute.
Nice
2678479
...Right. Forgot about that. Though if she has it with her at all times, as it seems, the alcohol content of that cloak might well be not a whole lot lower...
2678491 at least Mr. Beer isn't a stuck up prick like Mousier Bourbon.
I thought it an interesting diversion. Plus you get a n ice outsider's perspective on how some of the beings of the Everfree see not just ponies b ut also the world around them. Also I pity momma manticore. She just gave her kids sugar and now has to deal with the consequences of doing so.
Also I love how she knew better then to go after Twilight's friends, and felt that Tallgrass was too good to be true an d had to be a trap. Then when she finally sees a meal... Fluttershy happens talk about a cock block.
Ah well at least we got Zecora trying to talk sense to Trixie and still being funny while doing so.
An entertaining alternate Manticore encounter... One can hardly imagine how the Steven Magnet scene will play out. Regardless, its good to see the classic Element bearers are still getting their chances to prove their worthiness.
2678811
Steven "Hello Miss Zecora. How is Flower? Need a help across the river? There you go ...Give Flower a hug for me!"
*snort-giggles herself to death!*
Oh Flutters...
I really like the idea of Twilight doing a displacer beast impression.
Very well written. I love unusual perspectives. Looking forward to more.
Aw, Fluttershy easily tamed the Manticore by playing with her cubs... and apparently, Manticores fear Monster.
Wait... nevermind, almost everything in this forest fears Monster.
Okay, so Zecora rhymes because she's gone slightly insane from solitude? Alright.
2678491
But he and Trixie have such an abusive relationship...
2680100 That seems like better reasoning than most, like how she can only speak equestrian in rhyme and whatnot.
2680100 actually, that does makes a bit of sence poor Zecora and I happen to like her
oh well nice chapter. waiting on the next one
2678403
What are you doing commenting? Get back and start writing more Dresden. Or you shall receive the whip once again!
It was short. It was not bad and it showed all the groups hunting each other...but not much more than that.
2673034
Right now, your arguments defeat itself: Twilight can be more assholish than Tony Stark when she is flustered. But she won't get flustered over big things like fights, basically defeating your whole argument of Twilight being similar to Iron Man. And then, when the fight is over, she freaks out because she sees a little dust on the suit that was only lent or stupid stuff like that.
That does not sound like Tony Stark at all...
Hmm...I don't think Twilight would want to live like that, though.
As long as Scarlet Pinkie promises me to be 100% NOT Pinkie Pie or even closely related to her, then she throw such a party.
2681191
Not the whip! Have mercy!
2682538
Do I hear pleading for a branding? Cause I know I don't hear typing!
Your avatar makes me smile whenever I see it, why is a skull in a baseball cap so funny?
2682582
Because a skull is a grim reminder of our own eventual mortality. Then, I put a goofy hat on it.
2682651
Whenever I see it I don't think "death", I think, "It's surf'in time."
2682687
Because of the hat.
2682702
That hat must have some history behind it if it can make a skull look like it is ready to hit the beach.
Short and sweet :)
2678491 Ah, but beer must be sinful, because In Heaven There Is No Beer
2680173 It's not an abusive relationship. One could say it is considerably affectionate, because as their relationship grows during the night, Trixie becomes very attractive, n'est-ce pas?
2679777 The one thing that fears Monster the most is herself.
2678591 Well, the alcohol content of her previous cloak was fairly high from spilled drinks and such, but most of it burned off from Nightmare Moon's killing spell and the resulting fireball. This new cloak is getting a good breaking-in.
2678542 I'd love to see fanart of Flutters and the cute little baby Manticores too. There's not many scenes in here that would be generic enough that a picture of it would not be fic-specific, but that would work great.
I think we're the only sane ones here.
Zecora: Bitch please! I'm nuckin futs!
2692597
Trixie: Bitch please! I was talking to the bourbon!
About the title, did you write it in a different language?
Because that's how mother is spelled in Swedish.
2737251
Mamma is a common slang for mother...
It's one of the myriad words in English we have for it.
o that sweet sweet call of pain go bye bye juice I know it well(mmm butter shots yum!)
Ahh, filler chapters. They fill me with joy.
Not much to say on this one. But I guess it proves the point that Whiskey talks.
I would think the more intelligent creature's in the everfree forest would know to be very careful around ponies. After all ponies are the dominant race so they will know that killing them could lead to problems. Most animals also avoid hunting humans unless it's a golden opportunity and most animals still won't attack even then.
Hee. Not Laughter, but Loyalty, pushing through the fear trap? Nice change!
Hah! Well, technically it is too good to be true; all the yummy stuff she sees is only a shapeshift
I see what you did there. The original crew plus Trixie have to overcome all the obstacles from the original episodes, while Monster and the CMC crew all breeze ahead of these problems
She didn't!
Yeah. She totally did.
Saw that coming
See? This kind of thing is what's throwing me off. You've already given such clear indications that the foals are going to be the Element Bearers, and yet here you are giving entirely different indications. I don't know if it's by accident or intentional, but either way it feels clever.
5393511
Is called being a smart writer.
5805096
Agreed. Misdirection is the meat of both great fiction, and stage magic.
Hahaha oh loved the Manticore's thoughts! Great work!
Classic
Oh Manticore. You just can't find food without it trying to either play with your kids or extinguish them can you?
7752496
Bourbon, the only source of logic in these trying times.
ICR which 19th century novel I read this in
One character described Bourbon as the sorce of all life
second charcter "Primordial heat and moisture is the source of all life" (19th century biology)
"Sure and that's Bourbon"
8461319
Good sir, I will have you know it is coffee that is the sustenance of life!
2678403
Dude, stop hoarding those likes!