Two and a half weeks had gone by since the first show I'd “starred” in. I had no way of knowing how far we'd traveled away from where I'd first found myself in this bizarre world, or in what direction; I was well and truly lost- there was no chance I'd ever find my way back to the car, let alone back home. At that point, escaping would mean having to live off the land, finding some sort of shelter and- most importantly- evading recapture.

I was more than willing to give up life on the road at this point. I'd had to endure two more “shows” over those eighteen days, both of them humiliating and infuriating; Tent's preternatural ability to break down the mental defenses of others had proven just as effective against me as any of the other exhibits in his little show. I still had the bruise from the latest show on the back of my thigh, just above the knee, where Tent had kicked me with the tip of his hoof to get me on my knees.

I hadn't been otherwise idle during the time, though, and not just the push-ups and sit-ups I'd taken to doing while stuck in the cage. Tent was using me more and more for menial tasks each night when the caravan camped, apparently finding my smaller size and more dexterous hands useful for things the minotaur couldn't do. He'd kept the shackle on me every moment I was out of my cage and had apparently assigned Ferris as my guard, but the easily-distracted regular pony left me plenty of opportunities to look around even as I did my assigned chores. That didn't leave me open to just simply bolt at the first opportunity, though- not only did I have a heavy shackle around my neck that would make running a bit difficult, but I was loathe to leave behind my belongings, especially my handgun, and if my escape was noticed too soon I didn't count it impossible that they could track me by scent. My odds of evading all five of them for any length of time were less than optimal, and in anything aside of a one-on-one fight- or even that, with one of the twins- my chances were slim at best.

I'd made the deduction that, if Tent had kept my belongings- and I saw no reason why he wouldn't have- they'd be in the main wagon itself, since every other likely place I'd been able to check had turned up lacking. Moreover, he, Ferris and Mixie each had a copy of the key for the door; I had no idea where the first two kept theirs, but the mare apparently kept hers in the food wagon, in one of the small drawers underneath the small, antique-looking cash register that she used when customers were buying food during a show. I hadn't had the opportunity to find and take it, not that I was eager to quite yet... they knew how smart I was, and something like that going missing would probably be connected to me pretty quickly. It was better that I wait until I had a solid escape chance where I could grab the key and then use it in short order.

I really didn't want to wait any longer than I absolutely had to, though. I wasn't sure how much longer I could resist the urge to snap Tent's miserable neck, and I had the sneaking suspicion that the unicorn was pushing me towards just such a thing- probably just to see what I was really capable of, all the better to break me afterwards. The bastard was smart, I had to give him that, and I wasn't eager to pit myself against him in a mental marathon.

We'd been camped at the same spot for three days now, apparently to do some general maintenance on the wagons and food restocking- there was a wide river nearby that made for good fishing, some wild apple and peach trees, and the twins had gone out with snares and came back with full bags. It had been relatively quiet and relaxed for the last couple of days- at least during the times I could escape Tent's notice- and I was having dinner just after sundown; Mixie had taken to giving me cooked pieces of meat or fish with my meals, for which I was honestly grateful. How she'd figured out I couldn't eat it raw I doubted I'd ever understand.

Even as I finished the small piece of what appeared to be salmon she'd given me tonight, though, I was left to wonder. I'd gladly kick Tent into the business end of a woodchipper if I had half the chance, but what about these other ponies? What would I do to neutralize them if they tried to stop my escape? Despite having been traveling with them for three weeks, I hadn't interacted with either of the twins even once; I hadn't bothered to assign them nicknames beyond “the twins”. But Mixie and Ferris were a different case... the mare was obviously doing her best to make things easier on me in the limited ways she had available to her, and the stallion... well, he was still distrustful of me, I could tell, but after that night he'd helped me back into the cage, it seemed he'd warmed to me a little at least. I didn't feel at all comfortable with the prospect of hurting either of them.

I was broken out of my reverie by a low, deep growl off to my right. One of the creatures on the cart- one of the ones I couldn't put a name to, that looked like a half-grown lion cub with bat wings and a scorpion tail- was pacing restlessly in its cage and growling out at something off near the treeline a couple hundred feet away. The forest didn't look nearly as thick here as where I'd been captured, so I wasn't as worried about things like timberwolves trying for the camp, especially with the twins on guard duty.

I set the tray down on the tall grass and leaned back against the rock outcropping I was using as an impromptu chair, stroking my unwanted beard- what I wouldn't have given to have my electric razor back, not to mention some place I could plug it in- and giving my meal some time to digest. But my moment of relative contentment was shattered when I saw the twin standing post closer to the treeline stiffen suddenly, his ears pricking as his head raised; I wasn't any sort of zoologist, but I knew an “alert pose” when I saw it... and something had that stallion's complete attention.

As quietly as I could, I wrapped up the length of chain attached to my shackle into a bundle and hopped down off of the rock. None of the other ponies were nearby save for Ferris, who seemed to have also picked up on something going on and had his gaze fixed on the trees out in the distance; I had no idea how good pony eyesight was at night, but my own eyes couldn't pick anything up. Still, just to be on the safe side, I maintained a casual yet quiet walk towards the wagons, thankful I'd decided to put on my shirt and shoes to combat what had been a somewhat chilly day.

I was most of the way to the meal wagon when I heard it- a deep, throaty growl that echoed between the trees beyond the campsite. The ponies started chattering nervously, except for Tent barking out what seemed to be orders, and I heard a yell from the gryphon that seemed on the verge of panic. I think she has an idea of what's going on, I thought. Me, I'm just looking for the golden opportunity here.

I made it to the meal wagon undetected; fortunately, Mixie hadn't locked the door. It was easy enough to slip inside and begin searching the drawers underneath the counter. Let's see, where are you, where are you.... A shout from one of the twins made me freeze for just a moment- but it was at a distance, not directed at me. Still, I found myself going even faster, practically yanking the drawers free to search them. Finally, after far too long for my comfort, I found the small key tucked beneath what looked like a roll of wax paper, slipped it into my pocket and got out of the cart as fast as I could manage.

The good news was that there were no ponies waiting for me outside. The bad news was that there were no ponies anywhere around outside... which left me wondering just what they were doing. I wasn't going to be deterred from my goal, but not knowing what was going on could put an end to my escape as easily as getting caught by Tent. Carefully, keeping my head on a swivel, I made my way towards the main wagon while still doing my best to look like I was just casually walking.

Then I saw the other ponies, gathered just within the edge of the camp. The twins were armed with what looked like long, sturdy sticks of wood clenched in their mouths, while Tent had his whip at the ready; Mixie had brought a lantern and was doing her best to shine its light out into the forest, using it like a miniature spotlight. My heart seemed to freeze in place for a moment as I caught sight of something large moving just within range of the lantern's illumination. The gryphon was practically beating at her cage's door now, pleading, likely to be let out so that she wouldn't be a boxed lunch for whatever the hell it was stalking around the encampment.

Tent uttered an order to Ferris, who trotted uncertainly towards the main wagon, nervously looking back over his shoulder almost constantly. I swore to myself silently, sprinting to the wagon and placing my back against the side facing away from the treeline, pulling my belt free and forming a noose with it and then waiting for the sound of hooves to come close enough for my brand-new makeshift plan.

As soon as Ferris's head came past the wagon, I struck, lowering the belt loop around his head and pulling- not so tight to break his neck or hurt him permanently, but enough to turn the yelp that came out of his mouth into a barely-audible squeak. I immediately yanked the stallion onto his rear hooves and covered his mouth with my hand, then lowered the belt just enough so that he could breathe properly- so long as he held absolutely still. “Shhhh,” I hissed into his ear.

His blue eyes were almost pinpricks as they stared at me fearfully, his whole body trembling. With my free hand, I pulled out the key to the wagon and managed to unlock the door, then ushered him inside, being sure to keep him on a short leash as I followed. The inside of the wagon was a bit cramped for me, but practically luxurious for a pony- there was even a small but plush bed at the far end, with a pair of pillows and a blanket on it. I only gave it the barest glance, though, my mind more set on something a lot less comfortable; I pointed at Ferris's hoof, then at the back of my shackle, then made a “click” sound while miming pulling the thing off.

He understood. Slowly, with a trembling foreleg, he reached around my neck and pressed his hoof against the strange locking mechanism until the lock opened; the shackle popped open and immediately fell to the floor with a heavy thud. I let out a sigh of relief and rubbed at my neck with my free hand before glancing around. As much as I would've loved to have Ferris tell me where my things were in the multiple closets and drawers that were present on both sides of the inside of the wagon, that wasn't in the cards, which meant I had to do something with the pony- who was now sporting a puddle underneath him- before I could be free to search.

My gaze settled on the bed once again. In a flash, I yanked one of the sheets off, then motioned for Ferris to hop up; after a moment of confusion, he obeyed. I immediately pulled his legs together and wound the sheet around them, hog-tying him- then pulled off a pillowcase and tied it around his head as a makeshift gag. Once I was sure he was secured and unable to call for help, I removed the belt from around his neck and put it back around my waist. Noting his utterly helpless and terrified look, I couldn't help but gently pat his head and murmur “sorry” to him before turning back to the task at hand.

It took me five minutes of practically turning the place inside-out before I finally found what I'd been looking for- my holster, with weapon and magazines still inside, and my travel bag. Looking through the bag showed me that everything inside had been yanked out, probably for a closer examination, then stuffed back inside haphazardly; my keys, wallet, flashlight and phone were inside as well, the battery of the last item completely dead- to be expected, having gone three weeks without a charge- but everything was undamaged elsewise.

I reflexively drew and checked my weapon before strapping the holster to my leg, letting out a soft sigh of relief as I did; having the handgun back was a huge balm, making me feel as though I was finally in control of my destiny again. Once my bag was securely over my shoulder, there was nothing to do but get the hell away from this crazy sideshow before Tent remembered that I wasn't in my cage. But as I reached for the door, something caught my eye- a keyring hanging from a small hook, with five dull-black keys attached to it. Remembering the terrified gryphon still locked in her cage, I snagged it, hoping that I might have a moment to give her the means to free herself on my way out.

I'd just opened the door to step out when I heard a horrific crash, followed by the sounds of snapping wood and twisting metal. The scene that awaited me outside was shocking- one of the twins was on the ground, bleeding from a serious wound on his side, several of the lanterns hanging up around the campsite had been knocked over, and the exhibit cart looked as though it had been hit by a speeding semi, with several of the cages lying on the ground.

And then I saw what had done all the damage. A much larger version of the small winged-lion creature was stalking around the other still-standing twin, who had two ragged red lines dripping blood along his side but didn't seem to notice. The smaller creature's cage was upside-down on the ground, next to the gryphon's cage, the inhabitant of which looked like she'd been knocked half-unconscious in the fall.

All the puzzle pieces fell into place in my head. Mama came looking for baby.

The rational part of my brain said to just book it, to hit the road and let the chips fall where they would for my captors, my fellow prisoners, and anyone and anything that wasn't me. But... something got my legs moving in the other direction, towards the large angry predator that could probably tear me to pieces without exerting itself. Fortunately its back was to me, and its own snarls kept it from hearing my footfalls as I crouch-walked past it, towards its mewling offspring. I could see several crossbow bolts buried in the larger creature's hide that didn't seem to slow it one bit, and I wasn't banking on .40S&W rounds being able to do the job before the beast could retaliate.

My luck was in, for once; the first key I chose opened the cage door for the little cub, and it immediately clambered out, letting out a high-pitched mewl as it ran towards its parent. I hid behind the gryphon's cage as a precaution as mother and child were reunited, and after quickly checking its offspring for injury, the larger creature disengaged from battle, apparently more interested in getting Junior out of the area than keeping up the fight. Once it was out of sight, the twin let the stick drop from his mouth, his confused gaze moving between me and the retreating creatures; after a moment, he murmured something before galloping off in the direction of his fallen brother.

A soft whimper from within the cage I was leaning against caught my attention. The gryphon was still shaking her head as if to clear it, her golden eyes focusing on me- and the keyring I still held in hand. The sad and fearful expression obvious on her beaked face changed to confused wonderment when I slipped the ring between the bars for her; one trembling foreclaw reached out to snatch it from my grasp, and as quick as light she began trying the keys on the lock of her cage.

I didn't stick around to see how successful she was. I spun on my heel and began running for the trees myself, almost tripping over a broken and empty cage, sprinting past the food cart- only to stumble to a stop at the sight of what had escaped that cage I'd almost fallen over.

The naga- all nine scaly, angry feet of it- arched over a fallen and whimpering Mixie, who lay on the ground in a heap with one foreleg raised as if it could fend off the reptile about to bury its long, wicked fangs into her.

Before I even realized what I was doing, the three glowing tritium dots on my gun's sights lined themselves up along the center mass of the seaweed-colored monster.

BANG BANG BANG

Scales proved to be no proof against bullets, and a trio of holes opened up in the creature's upper body; the gunshots caused its body to shudder, and after a moment of twisting about trying to stay upright, its body finally collapsed with a gurgling hiss, twitching madly for a moment before becoming still.

Mixie's gazed shifted between me and the dead creature for a moment, but I didn't have time to see what she'd do next. I turned on my heel and took one step towards the forest.

thwip-CRACK

Something wrapped around my ankle and pulled, hard. My foot was yanked out from under me, and I hit the dirt face-first; my right hand hit the ground hard enough to jar my handgun free of my grasp, and it tumbled a few feet away. I glanced over my shoulder to find Tent, with a couple of cuts along his chest and sides, glaring at me with an almost palpable amount of hate, with the handle of the whip clenched tightly between his teeth. Using his forehooves to wind up the length of the whip, he began to literally reel me in like a landed fish.

I felt my hand brush against a small rock, and I reacted, grabbing it and flinging it at him as hard as I could. It smacked against the side of his head, sending him reeling and making him lose his “grip” on his weapon; the moment the whip loosened, I grabbed hold of it, pulling it towards me so that I could untangle myself. I had just gotten to my feet, the whip still in my hand, when I looked up to see Tent magically floating his crossbow towards him from where he'd apparently dropped it earlier.

Oh, no you don't, you fucker. My hand gripped the handle of the whip, lashed out and jerked back.

thwip-CRACKsplat

Tent fell to the ground, the crossbow tumbling past him as he screamed, clutching at his face as what remained of his left eye dribbled down his cheek. I hadn't actually meant to maim him- I hadn't expected to even hit him with the whip; I'd never used one before- but I couldn't find it in myself to feel sorry for him... at that point I wouldn't have put it past him to take a shot at me whether I was armed or not.

Speaking of shooting.... I managed to find my gun again, and this time had to shake out a bit of dirt that had compacted at the end of the barrel. When I turned around, I found that Tent had curled up into a ball, still holding a hoof over his ruined eye, his voice hoarse from screaming. I felt all the helplessness, all the rage I'd been subject to over the last three weeks well up inside me, turning my vision red and sending my blood pounding through my ears; I stalked towards him, my hands trembling as I raised my weapon, the glowing dots forming a perfectly straight line with the damnable unicorn's skull underneath the center one. I felt my pulse thudding through my skull as I began to squeeze the trigger-

-then realized belatedly that I shouldn't be feeling my pulse thud through my feet as well.

I turned to see a fist almost as big as my head flying towards my face. Through reflexes I didn't know I had, I jerked backwards, evading the blow almost entirely- except for the last knuckle on that blue-furred hand, that just barely grazed my cheek yet delivered a blow that a heavyweight prizefighter would've been proud of. The strike sent me stumbling backwards several feet, somehow managing to keep my feet under me and my weapon in hand as I ended up in a crouch. I looked up to find the minotaur stomping towards me, both fists clenched, and his former blank expression replaced by absolute fury.

I had no clue as to what set him off, but I wasn't sure if I could outrun him, and there was no way I was going to be able to subdue him with anything smaller than a pickup truck driven at highway speeds. Once more I raised my handgun and sighted my target- though I'd have to make an effort to miss the onrushing behemoth- and fired three times.

The first two rounds thudded into the creature's chest, hardly even slowing him down. The third round rocked his head back- but my heart stopped for a moment as he lowered his head again, and I realized that the bullet had literally glanced off his skull. Panic overwhelmed training and I just started pumping rounds into his center-of-mass, and only after five more shots did the beast begin to falter, his mask of hate fading into confusion as he began to stumble, reaching up towards his wounds as if just now noticing them for the first time. He let out a strange rumble, staring blankly past me and managing a few more steps forward before he simply pitched forward to slam into the ground face-first; his massive body bounced once, then went still.

I took a moment to catch my breath and look around. Tent was gone, as were Mixie and the gryphon- I was alone, free for the first time in three weeks, and my next move was entirely my own.

So I ran.

(-)

It was actually turning out to be a pretty nice night, in Wheel's estimation. The weather was cool and just a little breezy, exactly the way he liked it; he had fresh fruit in his belly and soft grass under his rump, and- best of all- Big Top was nowhere in sight. He felt more free than he had in months, and even the knowledge that the bald yeti- well, a little less bald now; don't know why fur's only growing back on his face, but whatever- was walking around nearby didn't bother him all that much. He wasn't quite as afraid of the creature as he had been, though he didn't in any way like him... but Wheel figured that the creature was here for the long haul, so it'd be better to at least learn to co-exist with him. Besides, at least one of the twins was keeping an eye on the creature at all times and was ready to pounce if he did anything dangerous.

“Nice night, huh?” He looked up at the sound of Wisk's voice, as she trotted towards him.

“Yeah, it isn't bad,” he replied. “Nice dinner tonight, too.”

“Thanks. I like to use the fresh stuff when I can.” She sat down next to him. “You mind if I talk to you about something?” she asked.

“No, go ahead.”

“Next town we hit... I'm thinking of staying there.”

He blinked in shock and turned to her. “What? Why?”

“I'm getting tired, Wheelie. Going a little gray around the edges. Four years on the road... it wears on you when you're my age.” She sighed. “I'd hoped that Top would decide to finally set down stakes somewhere, pick a spot where the audiences could come to us, but it ain't looking likely.”

“But you're not that old-”

She stopped him with a raised hoof. “I adore you for the sweet lie, but that's what it is. I'm creeping up on forty years, now... I ain't sure this is what I want to do with the rest of the prime of my life, you know?”

“I guess....” He went quiet for a moment. “Top isn't gonna like it, though.”

“Top don't run my life, much as he'd like to think otherwise.” She snorted. “He knows how I've felt long enough. If he thinks he's got a leash on me, I'll be happy to tell him where to shove it.”

“That... that's not everything, though, Wisk. Top... he's been getting meaner lately. Haven't you seen it?”

“Another good reason to get out, and maybe you should be thinking of it too.”

“I dunno. I'm... kind of scared of him now. I mean, things were bad enough after what happened with Cobalt, but now Sveti? He's treating her almost as bad as the manticore- maybe even worse, since he's messing with her body and her mind! She's not some beast; she's a griffin!”

“Thin enough line for him.” Wisk sighed. “Wheelie, you're wasting your life here. Come with me, before this whole business turns you into something you shouldn't be.”

“But I can't-” A deep rumbling noise, just within the range of his hearing, caught his attention; his words died in his throat as he looked up towards the source somewhere in the trees beyond the caravan. “...did you hear that?” he half-whispered.

“Huh? Afraid not, my ears ain't what they used to be....”

“Shhhhh.” He'd lost track of it, but he knew he'd heard something; he glanced off to the right and saw that Stout had apparently heard something as well- his ears were pricked and he was watching the treeline intently. “Stout heard it too, I think. Something's in the woods.”

Wisk frowned slightly. “Huh... well, I don't think anything dangerous lives this far on the outskirts of the Everfree....” She paused as the sound seemed to repeat, just a little louder this time. “...but to be on the safe side I'll go get Top,” she finished, quickly getting to her hooves and cantering off.

In the time it took Wheel to shakily get to his hooves and trot over to Stout Hooves to see if he knew what was going on- and, if he was being honest with himself, to feel safer in the much stronger pony's presence- Wisk had retrieved Top from wherever he'd been. “Celestia damn it,” the unicorn grumbled. “Finally get around to working on the books... what in Tartarus do you all want?”

“Something's out there.” Direct and to the point as always, Stout waved a hoof towards the treeline.

“Big bucking deal! It's called the wilderness, you know, and there's lots-”

snarrrrrl

Wheel felt his heart skip a beat. Even Top looked a little less arrogant now. “...well, then,” he said, more quietly than before. “Wisk, get one of the lanterns from my wagon; Stout, get your brother and arm yourselves. We may have attracted a couple of timberwolves.”

“Timberwolves? Oh, sweet Celestia....” Wheel immediately regretted all the peach tea he'd had that day; his bladder had a history of letting go under extreme stress.

“Relax. Unless it's a full pack- which wouldn't be hunting out here- we don't have much to fear.” He snorted. “Would love to have one in the show, but the damned things always disintegrate after a week or so of captivity, no matter what you do for them.”

Wheel nodded distractedly, remembering how he'd had to clean what had amounted to twice his own weight of moldy mulch out of the cage last time they'd tried to keep one of the things. While they waited, Wheel heard Sveti holler something that sounded like “what the buck's going on out there”; he had half a mind to answer... then glanced at Top and thought better of it.

Wisk was back with the lantern in less than a minute, and Stout had rounded up Strong and gotten both of them armed about two minutes after. Even with the illumination, it was nearly impossible to pick out whatever it was that was stalking them just past the trees- until he just caught sight of a long, powerful body with a thin, segmented tail pass between two treetrunks.

“Oh sweet Celestia, it's a manticore,” Wisk whispered. “An adult one.”

Wheel's knees locked up, and he fought to not faint dead away. He could hear Sveti's voice change from concerned to panicked, and a rattling sound showed that she was trying to escape her cage, not that he could blame her at all. “What do we do, boss?” he whimpered.

“Get my crossbow, Wheel,” came the reply. “It's in its lockbox on the side of the wagon.”

“Y- yeah....” Wheel did his best to canter sideways, not wanting to let that treeline out of his sight for a moment lest the beast somehow sneak up on him. The only sounds he could hear were his own hooffalls and the griffin's hysterical shouts as he walked around the back of the wagon, turning the corner to get to where Top kept the crossbow hidden in case of bandits or beasts attacking.

Then something brown flashed past his vision, and the next thing he knew he was being strangled, lifted off his forehooves by his neck; whatever it was that had him squeezed tightly enough to almost make him black out immediately, and spots danced in his vision as he struggled fruitlessly to get a hoof between his throat and whatever had caught him.

Then a familiar pair of tiny grey eyes came into view, and he froze in place. The yeti. He's got me. I'm going to die.

One of those strange forepaws covered his mouth- for what, Wheel didn't know; he could scarcely breathe, let alone scream- and the beast made a weird hissing sound in his ear. He wants me to be quiet. I'll be quiet, I promise. Just please don't hurt me.

The yeti pulled something out from his clothing- a small key, Wheel could make out- and somehow managed to unlock the wagon's door, then pushed the pony inside, clambering in afterwards. Once the door was closed, the monster stared directly into his eyes, kneeling down and pointing at the shackle around his neck, then making a strange jerking motion with his forepaw. Now he wants me to free him. The shackle's not stopping him anyway, and he'll probably just hurt me if I don't do what he wants, so.... With only a moment's hesitation, Wheel pressed his hoof against the shackle's lock, turned the small knob three times, then pulled left, then right; it gave off a small click as it unlocked, and the shackle opened, falling onto the floor heavily.

Those eyes came back to his again, and he felt his bladder let go from sheer terror. He's free now. He's free, and he's smart, and he planned this, and dumb creatures will just kill you if you make them angry, but smart ones will kill you slow....

Then the yeti did something unexpected- he stripped the sheets off of the bed, then motioned for Wheel to get on. His fear somewhat thinned by rising confusion, the stallion complied, feeling the mattress give underneath his hooves. Then the next thing he knew, he was on his side, and the creature was tying a sheet around his legs, binding them together- and then he tasted linen as a pillowcase was tied around his head as a gag.

Utter terror flooded Farris Wheel's brain. He's free and I'm helpless and I can't move and I can't even scream oh sweet Celestia save me I'm so sorry for everything bad I've ever done.... He felt like his heart was about to explode as the creature returned to the side of the bed, leaned over him....

...and lightly patted his head, murmuring something that sounded almost... apologetic?

And then the yeti was gone, and he was alone, and alive, and whole. The adrenaline crash that followed the realization left him a weeping, quivering mess on the top of his employer's bed.

(-)

I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. Ancestors save me.

Sveti pulled frantically at the door of her cage, her hindclaws scraping against the floor as she fruitlessly struggled to free herself. “Let me out!” she shouted. “You plucking idiots, let me out before the manticore kills the lot of you! I can help!”

She hoped beyond hope that they'd believe she would help with their defense if they freed her. She wouldn't, of course; the manticore could eat the entire lot of them before she'd lift a talon to stop it... but she needed out, now, and she'd say and do anything to secure her release. She could feel her feathers brushing against the sides of the cage as her instincts screamed at her to get free, get out, get into the skies.

There was a yell from past the wagon. The manticore had finally left the trees and was charging in towards the campsite; one of the two brawny stallion twins charged forward to meet it- and surprisingly made a decent accounting of himself in the short but violent fight that ensued, scoring a number of strikes with stick and hooves on the manticore before it landed a crushing blow on his side, sending him tumbling across the ground, trailing blood from the claw wounds on his side.

The other twin let out an enraged snort and charged forward, but the manticore paid him no heed, turning towards the camp and leaping forward. Sveti realized with a thrill of horror that it was running right towards the exhibit wagon- right towards her. “Oh beloved ancestors-” was all she managed to get out before the monster slammed into the cart with the force of an avalanche; her cage pitched over, and she found herself in freefall for just a second before the bars suddenly rushed up to meet her.

She didn't know how long she was dazed after that, but when she regained her senses, the manticore was gone, the still-standing twin was running off somewhere... and something was behind her. She managed to turn around, and found the yeti- now fully-dressed- standing at the back end of the cage, looking at her. But it was what dangled in one of his strange forepaws that caught her attention- a familiar keyring, the one the earth ponies used to unlock the cages when Big Top wasn't around.

And then her breath caught in her throat when the creature slipped the keyring between the bars and held it towards her.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you was all that went through her mind as she snatched the keys away, spun around and began jamming one of them into the lock. It took her three tries to find the correct key, and a quick glance behind her as she shoved the door open showed her that the strange creature had already moved on. She didn't know why it had gone to such lengths to grant her her freedom, but she'd be forever grateful.

So grateful was she, in fact, that she stopped twenty-five feet in the air, despite the ache in her under-exercised wings and the instincts screaming at her to put as much distance between herself and here as griffinly possible, to see where he'd gone. She spotted him running past the food cart, then stopping as if he'd hit a wall- and then she saw the naga, freed from its cage and as furious as she'd ever seen it, rising up to strike the downed cook, mouth wide open enough to swallow her whole and fangs ready to pump her full of paralyzing poison, its entire body promising a slow and agonizing death.

The yeti raised something in its forepaws and pointed it at the naga, and something exploded three times- can something explode three times?! she wondered- as concurrent bright flashes of light lit up the area like daytime, and holes opened up in the naga's belly. It snarled, twisting back and forth as some invisible force shoved it around... and then it slumped over and collapsed in a heap.

That settled the matter. That creature does not need my help, she decided, wheeling around and pumping her wings as quickly as she could, heading north with all the speed her aching body could manage. But I have a debt to it... and I swear to the Ancestors, one day I'll repay that debt.

(-)

Silver Wisk could hear her heart thudding in her ears. Strong Hooves was down with what appeared to be critical injuries, his brother Stout wasn't looking all that good either, Farris Wheel had up and vanished, and she hadn't seen Big Top since the initial skirmish. But it seemed as though the manticore had accomplished whatever it'd come for and left, so she was risking a quick gallop towards her cart for the medical supplies she kept there just in case.

She was so intent on figuring out how to work out triage that she blindly slammed into something large just behind her cart. She tumbled backwards a couple of feet, ending up on her side, left disoriented from the impact; she looked up to see what she'd run into... and froze.

The naga had been in the show longer than she had, and it was unique among the exhibits in that it had never calmed down in captivity, not even the slightest bit; where other creatures would become acclimated, either due to time or Top's “attention”, the naga withstood all manner of torment while maintaining a single-minded hatred for those who had taken its freedom. And now here it was, in front of her, every last scale seeming to glow with malevolence in the lantern light.

Her mind did her the “favor” of bringing up every last story Top had told the crowds about the creature. About how its poison brought about an excruciatingly painful form of paralysis, allowing the naga to swallow its prey whole, to be digested over the span of days- while the unlucky victim lived long enough to “enjoy” a significant part of the process. And as that great mouth opened wide, and a pair of glistening fangs extended, one realization made itself clear to the mare.

Oh sweet Celestia, I'm about to die.

Then the entire world seemed to explode three times over, and when her vision and hearing cleared, the naga was folding in on itself like a wet cardboard box, with a trio of red holes decorating its front. A glance to her side showed the yeti- now carrying everything they'd found him with initially- holding that strange, metal object in its forepaws, with smoke coming from the small tube in the front. A weapon, she realized. Some kind of insane, magical weapon. Thank the Princesses we didn't go messing around with it!

But... but that means he killed the naga! He killed it! But... but it was about to kill me! He saved my life! But....

Either ignorant of, or uninterested in, her inner turmoil, the yeti turned to leave... when an all-too-familiar whipcrack sounded, and the end of Top's lash wrapped around the creature's hindleg, tripping him up and making him lose his weapon. Wisk turned to see the unicorn pulling the yeti towards him with a wicked expression on his face; the blood that had stained his coat made him look like something out of Tartarus.

She wanted to shout at Big Top to stop, to just let the creature go, but she couldn't get her throat to make the sounds- she was nearly as terrified of the unicorn now as she had been of the naga only a few moments ago. He's gone mad, she realized, watching the utter glee on his face as he tugged the creature towards him; probably the only thing keeping Top from using his magic on the yeti was the strange problem he had getting any magic to work on the creature.

Then a small rock smacked against the unicorn's head, sending him tumbling back, and she turned to see the yeti pulling himself free of the whip and standing. A scraping noise and the bright light of a magical field pulled her attention back to Top, who was pulling his crossbow towards him.

thwip-CRACK

Then Top's left eye exploded, and he fell to the ground screaming, the crossbow flipping past him. The yeti dropped the whip and retrieved his weapon... and then aimed it at her employer. Once more Wisk felt terror seize her entire body as she waited for that strange device to explode again-

-and then Cobalt was there suddenly, lashing out with a punch that would've taken the yeti's head off if it had landed fully. The blow sent the creature stumbling back, but he managed to recover; once more that weapon came up, and the minotaur- either ignorant of what it could do, or too enraged to care- stormed forwards towards it.

The weapon spoke three more times, once directly at Cobalt's head, rocking him back- but somehow his skull had managed to deflect the insane power of that strange object, and the two hits he'd taken to the chest didn't seem to slow him down one bit. The yeti seemed exceptionally disturbed by that, and he began backing up, his weapon exploding five more times before the minotaur finally seemed to register its effects; Cobalt's fury dissolved into confusion, then went blank as he toppled over like a felled tree.

The minotaur's impact with the ground shook Wisk out of her frozen state, and before she knew it she was on her hooves, galloping towards the first safe place she could think of- Top's wagon. She reached for the door's handle, even as her brain screamed at her that it would be locked and her key was in her own cart- but, miracle of miracles, it opened easily before her, and she practically dove inside, slamming the door shut behind her.

And there another shock awaited her- Wheel, bound and gagged on the bed, looking up at her fearfully.

“Sweet Luna, your night has gone insane,” she murmured, rushing over to free the stallion. He coughed weakly as she removed the tied pillowcase from his mouth.

“The yeti....” he murmured.

“I know.” She pulled him off of the bed and helped steady him on his hooves, resolutely ignoring the wet streaks along his hind legs that matched the puddle on the floor. “The twins and Top are hurt. We need to help them.”

She led him back out of the wagon and towards the food cart, her head on a swivel as she watched for any sign of further hostilities- and finding none; the yeti was gone, leaving the two corpses he'd created on the ground, and Top had apparently managed to get away as well. She opened the door of the food cart and grabbed her emergency bag of medical supplies, then brought Wheel back to where Strong Hooves had been; Stout was there with him, doing what he could to comfort his wounded brother, but Top was nowhere to be found.

She was just opening her bag to retrieve some bandages when the flapping of wings caught her attention.

(-)

Aircolt Swift Wind had never seen anything like this before in all his life, let alone the four years he'd been in the Royal Guard. When he and his wingmare had first heard the strange explosions near the edge of the Everfree, he'd expected to find some group of young ponies playing with fireworks away from the prying eyes of adults, but what he'd found instead was utterly horrifying- a halfway-destroyed traveling show of some kind, two injured stallions, a third practically catatonic, a traumatized mare... and the bodies of a minotaur and some kind of giant snake creature, both still bleeding from multiple wounds the likes of which he'd never seen before.

He'd sent True North back to Canterlot to notify the royalty the moment he'd spotted more of those strange tracks his air wing had been briefed on close to a month ago. A quick inspection of the area turned up small brass cylinders similar to what he'd heard being discussed by some others further up the chain of command, but he left them where they were for a forensics team to come check on. His attention was turned to questioning the ponies even as he helped the mare treat the two wounded stallions.

Even then, though, he knew that something was very, very wrong.

(-)

“I'm glad you could come so quickly, Princess.”

Twilight nodded to the guardspony as she stepped out of her chariot, while the two pegasi who'd flown her here unhitched themselves to patrol the area. “I'm glad you sent notification so quickly, Aircolt,” she replied. “What happened here?”

“True North and I were on our assigned patrol over this area when we heard strange popping noises and came to investigate. When we arrived, we found the scene just as it is now, except for the four ponies. They're being held for treatment and questioning just outside the encampment.”

“I see. And nopony has touched anything since?”

“No, Your Highness. The forensics team hasn't arrived yet- you're seeing everything as it was when my wingmare and I arrived.”

“Good. Maintain watch, if you would, Aircolt Wind- don't allow anyone aside from members of the Guard or agents of the Crown into the site without express authorization from me or your chain of command.”

“At once, Your Highness.” The pegasus took off to follow her orders, and Twilight turned her attention to the scene around her. It was an absolute nightmare, even in the rays of the early-morning sun- the knocked-over cages, the dried blood spattered across the ground... and the two corpses laying on the dirt. Unwilling to move the prone minotaur just yet, she instead approached the enormous reptile that lay curled upon itself some distance away.

Three small holes decorated its upper body, from which a surprisingly small amount of blood had spilled. A quick glance showed that there were no corresponding holes on the other side of its body; the wounds didn't look like what she would expect arrows to leave, and naga scales were exceptionally resistant to magic- any spell able to overcome that would have caused much more damage. Unable to solve that mystery, she left it for ponies with better training to handle and moved on.

It didn't take her long at all to find the little cylinders Aircolt North had talked about, scattered among more of those strange tracks. There were eleven of the metallic objects in all, each having burn marks around the open end, scattered haphazardly around as if flung at random. Twilight carefully stored them in her saddlebags, then cataloged them and the places she'd found them on her clipboard. That done, she made her way back to the minotaur, and used her magic to gingerly push the large creature onto his back.

What she found shocked her out of the air once again. No less than seven of the small holes decorated his front, and he bore another wound on his head, one that had scraped away skin and muscle and carved a furrow into the bone, but hadn't been able to get through the thick, protective skull. What could do this?! she wondered, fighting back nausea as she took a closer look; a minotaur's skull was practically an armor shell for its brain, so to be able to make any mark on it at all was a considerable feat. And then there were the other seven wounds....

She froze in place. Eight wounds on the minotaur, three on the naga... eleven cylinders. There has to be a connection. She raised her head. “Air Sergeant York?” she called out. “I need you.”

A few moments later, Peppermint York flew up to the scene, hovering next to her Princess. “Reporting in, Your Highness,” she said in her Manehatten accent. “What do you need?”

“The forensics team coming in... do they have anypony trained to perform autopsies?”

“Autopsies?” The other mare was visibly taken aback, before glancing down at the bodies on the ground. “Oh... um, yes, Princess Twilight, that's standard operating procedure. Each examination team will have at least one pony capable of examining a body to determine cause of death... just in case.”

“Good. Once the scene is checked and cataloged, I'll be teleporting the team and both of these... um, unfortunates... back to Canterlot. We need to understand more about what happened to them, as soon as possible. We'll also need to locate the minotaur's next-of-kin if possible for permission to examine him.”

York was still nodding when a younger guard came galloping up. “Air Sergeant!” he called out. “You should come-” He froze when he saw Twilight gazing critically at him. “...urk,” he choked out, staggering to a halt. “F- forgive me, Your Highness!”

“It's okay,” she told him, giving him a slight smile. “But what's the matter?”

“Maybe you should come too, Princess.” He waved a hoof back the way he came. “The mare, Silver Wisk- you need to hear what she has to say.”

Twilight was loathe to leave the site while there was still so much to find out, but this young stallion seemed convinced that the sideshow worker had something important to tell, so she accompanied him and the Air Sergeant to the small portable gazebo tent that had been set up to shelter the ponies who'd been found here. There she found the earth pony female that had been identified as Silver Wisk standing apart from the others; Wisk saw Twilight approach and practically threw herself into a deep bow. “Princess Twilight!” she gasped.

“Easy, easy.” Twilight motioned for the other mare to stand; she did, slowly. “I'm told that you can tell us what happened here.”

“Y- yes, Princess.” Wisk gazed down at the ground. “I can.”

It took fifteen minutes for Twilight to question Wisk, taking copious notes the entire time; once they were done, the alicorn excused herself, trotting back towards the encampment with York close behind. “Air Sergeant,” Twilight said in a quiet voice, “I want a pony with good artistic skills to interview Ms. Wisk and develop a composite sketch of this 'yeti'.” She couldn't keep a little condescension out of her voice with that term; it was clear to her that, whatever had been here, it was no yeti. “Spread posters to every city, town, village and settlement within a hundred and fifty miles of here asking anypony to report any sighting of it to the Royal Guard immediately. And I want regular sweeps of the area by pegasus teams, and two-pony teams of earth pony and unicorn staging searches of any place the creature might be able to use as long-term shelter.”

York came to a halt, blinking in surprise. “Your Highness... isn't that a lot of effort to find one escaped sideshow exhibit?”

“We're not dealing with a mere animal, Air Sergeant,” Twilight replied, her tone brooking no discussion. “The creature we're looking for is sapient, intelligent, and capable of using advanced tools we don't have the slightest understanding of. It has also killed two other creatures, one of them also sapient and intelligent, and demonstrated an apparent willingness to harm and even kill a pony.” The alicorn sighed. “Even if the acts might have been in self-defense... until we understand more about it, we must treat this creature as a potential threat- and do all that we can to capture it before anypony, or anyone, else comes to harm.”