The first thing that Fluttershy noticed when she began to come to, was that she had an unbearable headache, more so than any she had experience in her entire life. It felt like somepony or some incredibly creature powerful was trying cave her skull in with both of their forehooves or claws and drive a large knife through it at the same time. She could feel each pulse that coursed its way through her head, following in perfect rhythm with her heartbeat, and each beat that followed send another searing stab of pain through her head, causing a soft groan of agony to escape her lips.

The second thing that the buttermilk Pegasus became aware of was that her entire body felt numb from head to hoof, as if it was filled with led. Each and every time she tried to move, she’d feel parts of her body give off little twitches, along with an incredible amount of soreness following after. All four of her legs felt like they were made of jelly, and shook as if they were covered in coats of ice when she tried to move them. Even her tail was unresponsive when she tried to move it, which really confused her for some reason. Especially since she had excellent control over it, nearly as much as Goku did with her own tail, despite it being much longer than her’s.

As Fluttershy slowly began to regain consciousness and come back to the waking world, was that there seemed to be a lot of talking.

Very quiet, but still pretty audible taking, coming from what she believed were her friends.

“How do you guys think she’s doing?” The raspy voice of Rainbow Dash asked, her tone full of worry and concern. “She hasn’t moved an inch since she collapsed in front of us.”

“I have no idea.” The intelligent voice of Twilight replied softly. “I mean, she’s still breathing, and I can see her chest rising and falling, but other than that…nothing.”

“Well, at least we know that she’s still breathin’.” Applejack’s drawling voice. “Still, she looks more out of shape than an apple rottin’ on a tree.”

“Applejack!” Rarity’s regal and elegant voice suddenly snapped. “How dare you make such a statement about our dear Fluttershy?! She looks just as beautiful as she always did, how rude of you to say such a thing!”

“Now Rarity, you know that is not what Applejack meant and you know it!” Twilight chastised, sounding understandably upset. “All Applejack was pointing out was how bad Fluttershy was looking because of the amount of magic that she used! She as by no means insulting her!”

“Well it certainly seemed like it too me!” Rarity snorted hotly. “It’s bad enough that we have to deal with her suffering from such an extension of magic. Now we have to deal with Applejack here insulting her looks?! I mean look at her! The poor dear looks like she’s been trampled by a herd of cows!”

Fluttershy suddenly felt her body give a jolt as a raging soreness made its way through her body, along with another stab of pain through her head. She let out another groan. That was probably the best and downright worst way to describe how she was currently feeling at the moment. Best, because Fluttershy really did feel like she was trampled by cows, and worst, because Rarity had the audacity to use cows of all animals to describe her condition.

“And is that really our fault?!” Pinkie asked incredulously. “Look Rarity, I wasn’t really up for her having Flutters do what did she did. None of us were, and Ah do wish that we could’ve done somethin’ better when we were fightin' that giant scary kitty!”

“Then why did you even try fight it in the first place?!’ Rarity spat acidly. “Why didn’t you all just run instead of staying where we could’ve gotten cornered by more of them?!”

“Because it was the only option that would keep us from getting eaten alive!” Rainbow snapped impatiently. “You saw it yourself, Rarity! You could tell just by looking at that furball that it was not going to let us leave, and the only we could get away is if we made it leave instead! So we had pretty much no choice but to fight, including you! Not to mention that it took Zephyr out in one blow while he was caught off guard!”

“Exactly!” Pinkie said, coming to Rainbow Dash’s defense. “While it may not have been the most well thought or and accurate plan, but worked nonetheless! Plus, we’re all still alive, so that should count for something right?”

“It doesn’t matter if we managed to chase that ruffian off!” Rarity hissed at Twilight. “The fact of the matter is Fluttershy is hurt, and it’s all your faults! Maybe if you put up a better attempt at fighting that beast instead of just being reckless, none of this would’ve ever happened!”

Fluttershy could now feel herself become just the slightest bit frustrated. Why was Rarity blaming everypony else for her condition? Why did she keep calling the Everfree animals by such cruel names? The buttermilk Pegasus desperately wanted to get up from whatever position she was in and put the fashionista in her place. She could feel her body start to respond to her advances, but it was going by slowly. She would have to wait for just a little bit longer.

“Now don’t you go blamin’ us fer somethin’ that noneof us had any choice in doin’!” Applejack shouted, sounding more irritated. “Ah ain’t just gonna sit ‘ere, an’ let anypony, not even mah own friends, go blamin’ one o’ mah other friends fer nothin’! So you better cool that curly little head o’ yers missy, ‘re yer hide is gonna get bucked all th’ way t’ Canterlot!”

“Yeah, you really need to take a damn chill pill Rarity! It’s not like Pinkie Pie was trying to get Fluttershy hurt!” Rainbow Dash added, agreeing wholeheartedly with Applejack. “What, would you rather her have gotten eaten instead?!”

“Of course not!” Rarity replied angrily. “But I certainly would not have put her through what you all did! Which is why you all should’ve been smarter no good-”

“Rarity ENOUGH!!!” Goku’s voice suddenly yelled out. The moment she made herself own, all sound abruptly ceased as the buttermilk Pegasus felt herself freeze in place. “Listen, I know that you’re upset that Fluttershy is in the state that she’s in right now, we all are! However, that is no reason for you to be so hard on everypony and be such a goddamn butch to her and the others! None of us knew that this was going to happen, and none of us wanted this to happen, but what other choice did we have?! To just go and let the Shinomōkin, Doragontora, and the Timberwolves eat us alive?! Huh?!”

“W-well…no of course not.” The sound of Rarity’s stuttering voice made its way into Fluttershy’s ears. “B-but-”

“If that happened, any which one of them would’ve torn us apart and had us for lunch, and you know what would've happened if that happened, don’t you?!” Goku continued, effectively cutting Rarity off. “We wouldn’t be able to find the Elements of Harmony, we wouldn’t be able to defeat Nightmare Moon, and we wouldn’t be able to save Queen Luna or anypony in Ponyville, including our families! If we keep pointing hooves and blame each other for things that we had no idea of happening, we won’t be able to fulfill the task given to us! Which is exactly what’s going to happen if you keep this up, so leave the other’s alone, sit that white plot of yours down, and shut the buck up! Before I make your coat whiter than already it is!”

There were no more words exchanged after that last sentence was said, and the silence that followed was so strong, that the only thing could be heard was the sound of what seemed to be the crackling of fire. Fluttershy stayed still, silently waiting for any one of her friends to start talking again and converse with one another. When the only thing she heard was the quiet, she again tried to move, and felt her body was less sore than it was a minute ago. Though that didn’t stop another soft groan from escaping her lips as she attempted to gain some control of her body.

Fluttershy soon realized that she must’ve gotten the attention of one of her friends, because she felt a warm hoof brush against her forehead. A few moments later, Pinkie, sounding more hopeful than before, called out to Rarity and the others.

“Hey girls!” The mare cried; her voice filled with excitement. “I think she’s waking up!”

Moments after those words were said, Fluttershy felt a multitude of hooves galloping over to where she was. The buttermilk Pegasus immediately picked up several magical signature around her, seven at that, even in her sore state, she instantly recognized.

‘Wait, there are seven other magic signatures? Is there an eight pony with us?’ She thought, feeling her face morph into a frown. A second later, it clicked, and a certain stallion swam into her mind. ‘Oh right, Zephyr was with us too…I hope he’s okay. Is he okay?’

“Hey Fluttershy! Are you alright? Can you hear us?!” The voice of Rainbow Dash shouted, snapping Fluttershy out of her thoughts. Before she could try to reply to her friend, she felt a rough hoof start slapping her cheek. “Come on girl, say something already!”

“Dash, don’t do that!” Zephyr’s voice scolded said sharply. “ I know you want her to wake up, but slapping her like that isn’t going to help! Just wait a few minutes and let her do it on her own…”

“Girls look, I think she’s waking up!”

Pinkie was indeed right, Fluttershy was slowly beginning to open her eyes, only to snap them back shut at the light that shined in them. After a few more unsuccessful attempts, she finally managed to open them and adjust to the light, which she could now see was coming from a fireplace. Turning her head, she met the concerned eyes of each of her friends, who were all standing over her from all sides.

“Hey there sleepy head.” Goku said softly with a smile. “Welcome back to the world of the living.”

“Hello to you too, Goku.” Fluttershy replied, her voice slightly raspy. “It’s good to be back inthe waking world.”

“How’re you holding up there Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked. “No offense, but you look really like shit.”

“Hmhmhm...yeah, I probably do.” Fluttershy giggled softly, moving a hoof to her head. “I’m definitely feeling like it too.”

“Oh, you poor thing.” Rarity cooed, reaching and taking Fluttershy’s left hoof in her right. “You must be in so much pain right now! No thanks to-”

“Don’t ya dare finish that sentence.” Applejack growled, her eyes flashing as she glared at Rarity. “Ah’ll buck ya straight outta this cave!”

“Oooooh…my head, it hurts so much.” Fluttershy moaned as she put her right forehoof to her forehead. “Where are we? What in the world happened to me?”

“We’re still in the Everfree Forest sweetie.” Goku replied quietly. “You had fallen unconscious after the fight with the Timberwolves. We didn’t want to take any chances in reviving you where we were, so we left the clearing and came to this cave.”

“Oh…I see…” Fluttershy asked, draping a hoof over her forehead. “Wait a minute…where’s Zephyr?”

“Right behind you Fluttershy.” The deep and gentle voice of the royal blue stallion said from behind her. Jumping the buttermilk Pegasus looked up, while still laying down, and met the garnet eyes of the Solar Royal Guard. The surprise she felt was so strong that she squealed and sat up in the blink of an eye, not noticing Goku in front of her. With a loud and sickening thud, both mares collided foreheads with one another, and the tan Thestral found herself on the ground.

“Gah! Son of a bitch!” Goku yelled as she fell over on her back, both hooves flying to her forehead.

“Whoa there sugarcube!” Applejack shouted, rushing over and grabbing Fluttershy by her forehooves. “Hold yer horses!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry Goku!” The buttermilk Pegasus cried as she looked back over at the tan Pegasus. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hit you like that!”

“Ugh...yeah, I’m fine Fluttershy.” Goku groaned, slowly getting up from the ground and onto her rump. “Geez girl, you really have a hard noggin there, don’t you?”

Fluttershy groaned, putting a hoof to the side of her head as she rubbed at it gently, trying to lessen the agonizing throbbing. “Oh...my head hurts so much. I don’t think I’ve had a headache this bad in, well...ever.”

“I’m not surprised.” Rainbow Dash said with a small chuckle. “With the amount of power that you used to heal us you were bound to feel like shit one way or another.”

“Yeah...you have a point there.” Fluttershy nodded, groaning softly. “Where…are we?”

“We’re in a cave of some sort.” Zephyr replied, getting to his hooves. “We have found it sometime after we had left that clearing. We had all been keeping watch over you and ourselves while you were resting, and so far, nothing’s come.”

“For now.” Goku murmured, staring off into the tree.

“I see…well, at least nothing has attacked us right now.” Fluttershy said, slowly getting to her hooves. “Um Zephyr…why did you have me, um…rest on top of you?”

Zephyr blushed, looking the other way. “Well, why shouldn’t I have? You did the same for me when I passed out from being electrocuted by the Shinomōkin. Besides, it felt really nice to have somepony cuddled up to me so…I decided to do the same.”

“O-oh, well…thank you.” Fluttershy said as she too blushed. “It, um…did feel pretty nice. Even if I couldn’t really feel it.”

“Are you sure that you don’t mean anything else by that?” Rainbow Dash asked teasingly. “Are you sure that you didn’t feel anything else that felt ‘really nice’?”

“Dash.” Rarity hissed warningly. “Don’t you dare go that route.”

“What’s the problem?” The cyan mare chuckled, a wide grin on her face. “All I’m asking is if there’s anything else that Fluttershy felt was ‘comfy’ to her.”

“That’s precisely what we’re saying.” Twilight said sternly. “And that’s why we are telling you to knock it off.”

“They’re right RD, we nearly got killed be all o’ these va-er, animals in this damned buckin’ forest.” Applejack said giving off a snort. “The last thing we need is y’all tryin’ to make Flutters and Zephyr as red as the apples on mah flank.”

“Oh, come on guys, I’m just trying to lighten the mood here.” Rainbow frowned. “We need somepony to do it after all that’s happened to us.”

“Uh, isn’t that supposed to be my job?” Pinkie Pie asked, a frown of her own forming. “I’m the one that supposed to be making ponies smile, now you Dashie! You’re stealing my number one job and priority!”

“Am not!” Rainbow Dash denied. “And for the record Pinkie Pie, you already have a job, and actual job mind you! So, making others laugh isn’t really what I’d consider a job!”

“Dash, darling, you do realize who you’re saying this to right?” Rarity asked. “This is Pinkie Pie that we’re talking about. To her soul priority is making others smile and laugh until they’re as red as a cherry, and to her, that just as important as any job that she may have.”

Pinkie Pie jabbed a hood in Rarity’s direction. “See?! Rarity gets it!”

“Yeah, well, I still think that it’s lame to consider that as a job.”

“Is not!”

“Is too.”

“Is not!”

As the mares continued to bicker back and forth, Fluttershy took a few moments to look around the cave they were all resigned within. Thanks to the fire that was roaring beside them, she was able to clearly see the upper parts and sides of the cave, and to some extent, the interior of the cave as well. It was your average cave, with rough jagged edges at the top with small slopes protruding from the sides, along with countless numbers of little pebbles, minerals, along with small rock. Fluttershy could even detect some aged foot prints that littered the floor, indicating to her that some animal had roamed in here before, though she couldn’t quite figure out what.

“Whatcha lookin’ at Fluttershy?” Applejack suddenly asked, snapping the buttermilk Pegasus out of her line of observation. “Somethin’ caught yer eye.”

“Oh, it’s nothing Applejack.” Fluttershy replied, regaining her composure. “I was just observing the cave.”

“Observing it for what?” Twilight asked curiously. “Anything that you could possibly use in any kind of animal research?”

“Nothing really...I couldn’t help but notice some animal tracks leading from in and out of the cave.” Fluttershy replied, pointing to the animal tracks. “Some of them looked to be pretty aged, like it was months since an animal ventured in here.”

“Really? We didn’t even notice.” Goku said, surprise taking over her features as she looked down at the tracks. As she looked up, her eyes widened slightly before pointing a hoof forward behind Fluttershy. “Hey, what about those claw marks on that wall over there?”

“Claw marks?” Zephyr asked as he followed the line of the cyan mare’s hoof. “What claw ma...oh...oh wow.”

“What is it Zephyr?” Fluttershy asked, looking to look at what the stallion were staring at. She let out a small gasp when she saw what had Twilight and Rainbow Dash so surprised, and the buttermilk Pegasus felt her heart skip a beat.

On the wall on the left side of them, four huge claws marks could be seen embedded deep inside the rocky material, going all the way up from the ceiling and nearly reaching the bottom. They looked to be deep, deeper than any claw marks that Fluttershy had seen from any other animal, and the way they were made gave them an even more sinister look.

“Oh my...” Fluttershy finally murmured. “Those are, um...quite the claw marks, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, they sure are.” Twilight replied, taking a few steps forward to get a closer look at the slashes on the cave wall. “I’ve never claw marks of this magnitude before. Then again, I haven’t seen that many marks made from animals to begin with since I’ve never really been around them that much.” She sighed dejectedly. “Ugh, I really need to catch on my animal facts!”

Fluttershy didn’t give a reply to the lavender Unicorn’s comment, to focused on inspecting the unusual looking claw marks on the cave wall. They claw marks were indeed large, larger than any other that the buttermilk Pegasus had ever seen from any animal she came across. They looked to be more than several inches into the cave wall, stained with what looked to be blood, and for some reason, that did not look like a good sign.

Another thing that Fluttershy noticed was a scent. A strong, foul, and almost unbearable scent that came from deep within the cave. It put Fluttershy on edge in a way that made her feel as if she had felt it before, and the more she thought on it, the clearer it became. That was when it finally clicked, a memory from so long ago planting right into Fluttershy’s mind as if it happened only yesterday. A gasp left her as she froze in place, her eyes snapping right into the direction of the darkness of the cave as her heartbeat quickened. Goku, seeing the look on her friend’s face, walked over to her.

“Fluttershy is there something wrong?” She asked, only to paused when the mare’s fearful look got aimed right onto her.

“Guys…I think we should go and leave the cave now.” Fluttershy replied, her voice so quiet that only Goku and Zephyr could hear it. “Something is wrong here…very wrong.”

“Wait, is there an animal that you sensed nearby?” Zephyr asked, going on guard. “What animal is it? And which way is it coming from?”

Before Fluttershy could answer, both she and Goku suddenly whirled around, her ears perked up and her eyes trained on the darkness of the cave. Twilight, who was closest to Goku, was the first one to notice the change in the tan Pegasus demeanor, and the first one to stop in her chastisement in Rainbow Dash.

“What’s the matter girls?” The lavender Unicorn asked, her navy-blue eyebrows furrowed in confusion and concern. “Did you hear something?”

“I did.” The tan Thestral replied, not looking back at the librarian. “I really don’t wanna worry you guys, but I’m very sure that I heard a growl somewhere inside of that cave.”

“A shriek?!” Rarity repeated, her eyes growing wide. “Are you saying that there’s something inside there?!”

“What do you think?” Goku asked, shaking her head. “It’s definitely not that of a pony, I’ll tell you that. It’s more...animalistic and...feral.”

“Feral?” Applejack asked with a frown. “Are ya sayin’ that there’s some rapid critter in there?”

“I don’t think so.” Goku replied as she took a few steps closer to the darkness. She sniffed the air, trying to detect any kind of scent she could find inside of the cave. “Hmmm...there is an animal in somewhere in there. Not only that, it smells very much like a...bear?”

Now it was Rainbow Dash’s turn to frown. “Bear? What do you mean a bear? I don’t know of any bear that lives in this forest. Are you sure that nose of yours is working the right way?”

Rarity looked over at Rainbow Dash with a disapproving look, having not taken kindly to the cyan mare’s rather rude question. She opened her mouth to scold the athlete, when she and the others all heard the sound of deep growling combined with a bone chilling hiss coming from somewhere deep in the cave. All of the others’ eyes snapped forward to the source of the sound as they all took moved back some, except for Goku, who stayed right where she was.

“Does that answer your question Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked with a slight hiss.

“Whoa!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, shaking on the spot. “Now that sounded reeeeeeeally scary!”

“Now what in tarnation was that?!” Applejack asked as her eyes narrowed.

“I have no idea.” Goku replied. “Whatever it is, bear or not, it’s big...and its powerful…and it’s getting closer.”

Twilight looked over at the Pegasus with worry. “How powerful?”

The tan Thestral went to answer, when they all heard the sound of something big slamming onto the ground, causing it to shake and nearly making them all lose their footing. Just a split second later, a powerful blast of wind suddenly flew out of the cave and engulfed all seven mares in its powerful gust. They all obscured their eyes from the blast, digging their hooves into the earth beneath them as they fought to withstand unexpected onslaught. Try as they might however, none of them could withstand it, and they all found themselves blown out of the cave, tumbling across the ground.

“Okay…” Rainbow Dash groaned as she rubbed her head. “...that was totally not cool.”

“You said it RD.” Applejack nodded as she got up, shaking the dirt off of her fur. “That sounded more powerful than one o’ Granny’s giant siren power speakers that she uses at th’ Apple Family Reunions.”

“Are you okay Fluttershy?” Twilight asked as she ran up to the buttermilk Pegasus. “That was a hard tumble that you took back there.”

“Yes, I’ll be okay.” Fluttershy replied, holding onto Twilight as she helped her up. “Other than the added soreness and cramps in my body, I’m not too banged up.”

“That’s wonderful and all dear,” Rarity said with a gulp, her eyes wide with fear as she stared ahead of her. “But I something tell me that we’re gonna get more than ‘banged up’, if we get out of here.”

“What makes you say that, Rarity?” Pinkie Pie asked curiously.

“I think she means that Pinkie Pie.” Goku said gravely, putting a hoof on the bubblegum pink Earth Pony’s head and turning it forward. When Pinkie Pie’s cerulean eyes laid on what the tan Pegasus, Rarity and the others were staring at, she let out a loud extended gasp of shock. Her fur, mane and tail turned a bright shade of lavender and deep indigo as she and the others stared wide eyed at the sight before them.

The creature that was standing just outside the cave, eyes flashing with bloodlust, was probably one of the most bizarre creatures that Goku and the rest of her friends had ever seen. Just like she had assumed, it was a bear in appearance, standing over nine feet tall, though there were some glaring differences. The bear-like creature had fur that was as black as Nightmare Moon’s looking to be wild and matted like a rabid animal. All four of its limbs held quite the amount of muscularity, more so than any bear, with all for paws having long sets of curved black claws. It had a huge set of bat wings, with the membranes going to the base of its extended muscular tail and two huge thumb claws as long as a sword.

On its face, were three claw marks on the left side of its face, and its upper back, lower neck and its left flank were burn, showing off the bear’s black skin. It also had arrows stuck around where its lower neck and upper back were, showing that it had some run ins with ponies some time ago. Its eyes were two orbs of pure orangish golden that pierced through the darkness of the night like two twin lights, and it made the eight ponies’ own eyes burn as they looked back at them. What was most disturbing, was its gaping canines, which oozed some sort of soft green texture that hung down from its mouth as if it was some colorful saliva designed for a specific purpose. As it ran its tongue along its mouth, the green saliva that was hanging from its teeth fell, and as it hit the ground, the grass covering the earth to seemed to sizzle way as if acid was dripped on it.

“My Celestia…” Zephyr gasped as a chill ran down his spine. “What in the name of Celestia is that thing?!”

“Hay if I know!” Rainbow Dash replied, scrunching up her face in disgust at the green substance coming from the bear’s mouth. “I can’t tell if it’s some kind of winged wolf or giant bat or whatever!”

Fluttershy gulped inaudibly, feeling her heart beating against her chest as she murmured. “Battookuma…”

“What was that Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, having heard what the buttermilk Pegasus had said.

Fluttershy closed her eyes and took a deep breath, fighting to keep her heart rate under control as she spoke louder. “I know what that creature is...it’s a Battookuma.”

“A what now?” Applejack asked. “Ya mind repeatin’ that Fluttershy”

“What’s a Battookuma Fluttershy?” Pinkie Pie asked curiously.

“It’s the largest species of bear that’s known to live in the Everfree, and the only bear that’s known to live in the Everfree Forest.” Fluttershy replied, not taking her eyes off of the beast before her. “It looks similar to a Short-Faced Bear, the only difference being that it’s more muscular and is a cross between two animals. That, and it usually lives on its own in caves like the one we were in just a few moments ago. I noticed the claw marks on the cave, which gave me an assumption that we were in its cave.”

“What, you knew what those claw marks where?!” Rainbow Dash, growing indignant as she glared at Fluttershy. “Why didn’t you tell us that sooner?!”

“It didn’t any large paw prints or any signs of poison that coated the ground. The claws were the only thing that I had to go by, but it wasn’t enough.” The buttermilk Pegasus replied, not bothering to look at the cyan mare. “The Battookuma is known for having incredible physical strength and stamina, equivalent to that of a dozen Timberwolves, and it’s known to be very fast, both on the ground, and in the air despite its size. It can suck in huge amounts of air and shoot of enormous blasts of wind that are powerful enough to take town full grown trees. It can also use its wings to deliver powerful slices and gusts of wind, pretty much like I can, though with the chaotic magic it has, it’s bound to leave some destruction behind. It can even pull trees out by the roots with its own physical strength. Although...that’s not what we need to watch out for.”

“It’s not?” Goku asked. “What is it?”

“Take a good look at its mouth.” Fluttershy instructed like a teacher to a class of foals. “Do any of you notice the green substance coming out of its mouth?”

“Yeah, we can see it fine Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash replied; her tone slightly sarcastic as she gave a roll of her eyes. “I mean, it’s not like we haven’t due to the fact that it is glowing!”

“Simmer down there RD, now ain’t th’ time fer sarcasm.” Applejack said firmly, before looking over at Fluttershy. “Now...go on sugarcube...you were sayin’ ‘bout that stuff that was in that critters mouth?”

“Right...you see, the saliva coming out of the Battookuma’s mouth isn’t really saliva.” Fluttershy replied with a grimace. “It’s poison.”

“Poison?!” Rarity repeated, whipping her head around to face the other mare. “Why would it need poison of all things?”

“To kill its prey.” Goku replied, giving the alabaster Unicorn a deadpan look. “What do you think?”

“The Battookuma’s main weapon, isn’t it’s strength or speed, or its wing attacks. It’s the acidic like poison that they have packed inside of their mouths.” Fluttershy explained. “Battookuma’s have been known to pack a potent saliva like venom inside of their mouths that is extremely toxic to any creature that it comes across. Their immune to their own poisonous bites, but those that aren’t, be it another carnivore or prey animal, are very unlikely to survive if they get bitten. A single bite, even so much as a flesh wound is enough to send the poison coursing through the victim's body and cause the skin, muscle, and bone to very slowly dissolve. The poison will also spread across the victim’s body, slowly weakening them until the Battoookami goes in for the kill.”

“I-It’s poison can dissolve skin flesh and bone?” Pinkie Pie stuttered, her purple and lavender color becoming more pronounced.

“It can.” Fluttershy nodded as her ears flattened. “It hasn’t been known to attack ponies because they normally don’t venture in the Everfree for obvious reasons. However, it’s been said that anypony who encounters a Battoookami, will suffer a slow and brutally agonizing death if not given immediate medical attention. As for the poison…” She paused, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves before continuing. “...well, there hasn’t really been any known cure for it, so the only way you can stop the poison from spreading as if you drain it not long after your bitten.”

“So basically, what you’re saying is, if we get so much as nipped by that guy, we’re bucked?” Rainbow Dash asked knowingly.

“Yeah, that’s just what she said Rainbow Dash.” Zephyr said bluntly. “Were you not listening at all?”

Just then, there was a loud thudding sound as the Battookuma slammed one of its large paws on the ground. It’s feathered bat wings spread to their fullest span as its powerful tail slowly swayed behind it, its jaws drooling with the acidic poison as it hunched its body.

“I think we should save scolding Rainbow Dash for later girls.” Goku said as she took a step back. “Our new guests looks ready to pounce.”

“You think?!” Rarity spat as she glared at the tan Thestral.

No sooner after those words left her mouth, the Battookuma let out a tooth grinding shriek combined with a howl that echoed throughout the forest. The eight ponies’ ears pinned firmly against their heads as the sound resonated painfully in their ears, making them want to jam their hooves inside of them and rip out their eardrums just to escape the painful noise. It was so loud that they didn’t notice the bat winged wolf had had made the first move until he was already flying right at them.

“Oh crap, here he comes!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she instinctively reeled back, preparing to face their new adversary. “Lightning Pegasus: Thunderous Explosion!”

The cyan mare’s eyes glowed as she sent a blast of lightning at the Battookuma, the bolts ripping through the ground. The Battookuma stood up on its hind legs, letting out a roar that caused a blast of wind to shoot out of its mouth. It collided with the Rainbow Dash’s wave of lightning and after a brief power struggle, the beast’s attack won out and cancelled out the lightning attack. Rainbow’s eyes widened upon seeing her attack get stopped, and she found herself and the others screaming as they felt themselves being blown away and sliced to ribbons. The Battookuma, seeing its opponents down, took their moment of weakness to move in and deal another blow, hut Zephyr wasn’t about to let him.

“Oh no you don’t!” Zephyr shouted, turning tail and rushing towards the bear. Orange flames came out from under his hooves, causing them to light up as fire slowly began to emerge and flicker around him. “Fire Pegasus: Twin Flaming Hooves!”

Just as the Battoookami was about to reach the mares, Zephyr leapt into the air, the fire around him leaving a flaming trail as he stretched his forelegs forward. With a heave, Zephyr slammed them both into the Battookuma’s chest, sending a wave of heat throughout the bat winged bear’s body as it roared with pain. The Battookuma didn’t have much time to fight it down before Zephyr whirled around and bucked it in the face, sending it crashing to the ground.

“Alright, nice one Zephyr!” Rainbow Dash cheered with a fanged grin. “You show that giant mutt what we’re made off!”

“I don’t quite think that now is the appropriate time for cheering Rainbow Dash.” Rarity chastised.

“Are you alright everypony?” Applejack asked, turning to the others. “That varmint didn’t get ya too bad did he?”

“Don’t worry Applejack, we’re okay, he didn’t get me. Though these wind slashes do hurt pretty bad.” Fluttershy said reassuringly as the tangerine Earth Pony helped her up. As she got back on her hooves, Fluttershy shot Applejack a disapproving frown. “And I would like it if you and the others would please stop the animals those names please. I get that you and the others want to keep each other safe, but that’s no reason to call them such rude names.”

Before Applejack could reply, the form of Zephyr came crashing past them before coming to a stop right in front of Twilight. As she helped him to his feet, she and the others screamed upon seeing the slash marks covering the right side of his face, blood seeping from them.

“Damn it, that varmint got Zephyr real good with that one.” Applejack murmured inspectingly, turning back to the Battookuma. “Looks like we’re gonna have t’ take this up a notch!”

“In that case, why don’t we give this ruffian a taste of our own medicine?!” Rarity asked, igniting her horn. “Belle Machine Gun: Gattling Gun!”

“Oh, wait for me!” Pinkie Pie said, bouncing in between the two mares.

When the Battookuma got within range, Rarity fired off with her Belle Machine Gun, sending a flock of magical bolts at the bear. The bear grunted as they hit, but managed to use its large forearms and wings as a shield against the assault. With a growl, it flared its wings, sending a blast of wind that eradicated the rest of them, only to see Pinkie zooming towards him. Pain exploded in the Battookuma’s face as the pink pony gave him a kick that sent him flying away and crashing to the dirt ground. He said himself up and glared at the mare, but before he could get up, vines appeared and ensnared him, holding him in place.

“Earth Make: Vine Snare!” Applejack shouted; her eyes glowing as she grinned at the Battookuma. “He’s all yers Goku!”

“Right!” The tan Thestral shouted flying passed the tangerine mare as she ascended high into the air. When she was high enough away, she dived down towards the Battookuma lightning coating her entire body as her cat-like eyes flashed. “Lightning Thestral: Twin Electric Hooves!”

The Battookuma roared loudly as Goku slammed both of her lightning coated hooves into its chest, sending lightning throughout its body. In her haste to take the Battookuma out as quickly as possible, she failed to notice the lightning destroying the vines holding the beast down. This left the Battookuma able to move, and it delivered a powerful blow to Goku’s side, sending its claws deep into her right side and sending her crashing into a tree.

“Goku!” Twilight shouted as she watched the tan Thestral get blown away. Her horror soon turned to fear when she noticed the Battookuma flying towards them. Twilight’s body got rooted with fear as the creature got closer, but luckily for her, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie all intercepted it.

“Stop right there!” They all shouted as they met the Battookuma head on. Rainbow Dash struck with powerful volts of electricity while Rarity fire off more magical blasts. They sent the giant bear crashing to the ground, allowing Applejack and Pinkie to ensnare it in their vines, leaving the other two mares to be able to hit their mark. At some point, Goku had recovered from being thrown, before she too rejoined the fray.

“Wow, they’re really getting into it.” Zephyr murmured, standing close to Fluttershy. “Are the two of you okay?”

“Not as okay as you are Zephyr.” Twilight murmured, wincing at the bloody cuts adorning her body from the Battookuma’s first attack. She looked over at Fluttershy, who was lying in between them. “Are you alright Fluttershy?...Fluttershy?”

It was at that moment that both Twilight and Zephyr saw the look of absolute horrified shock on the buttermilk Pegasus’s face. It wasn’t quite the same one that she sported back in the cave, but it had that addition as to where is she recognized something or somepony from a sensitive part of her past. One that she believed that she would never see again, or ever even wanted to ever see again for that matter.

“Um, Fluttershy?” Zephyr asked. “Is something the matter?”

“T-T-Twilight…t-that Battookuma…” Fluttershy whispered, slowly looking up at the lavender Unicorn. “…I-I know that Battookuma!”

Twilight paused, giving her friend a perplexed look. “You…you do?”

“Yes, I do!” Fluttershy cried, shooting to her hooves. “Do you remember four years go when you first came to Ponyville?! How Ponyville was attacked by a Battookuma very much like that one?!”

“…Yeah, I do, that was when I was around seventeen.” Twilight replied, as the memories of the night that Ponyville was attacked by an Everfree creature flooded her mind. “Why? What is it about it that makes this Battookuma connected to it?”

“Take a close look at it.” Fluttershy said hastily. “Do you see the burn marks in between its neck and back, along with the on the left side its leg? Along with the claw marks arrows sticking out from behind it?”

“I see them.” Twilight replied, looking even more confused. “But I still don’t see how-?”

“Think back on that day when a Battookuma from four years go attacked the town.” Fluttershy said, sharply cutting Twilight. “What injuries did it sustain?”

“Fluttershy, why are you-?”

“What. Injuries. Did. It. Sustain?” Fluttershy repeated, sterner this time. “Just answer the question Twilight, please!”

Twilight, sensing the urgency and demand in Fluttershy’s tone, immediately replied. “From what I can remember, it suffered a claw slash to the face. Along with some burns to its upper back and lower neck area, and some claw slashes to the same area as well, and all of them were done by-” She stopped abruptly, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks as she finally caught onto what Fluttershy had. “Oh no… you don’t mean…?”

“I think it is Twilight.” Fluttershy nodded. “Without a single shadow of a doubt.”

At that moment Zephyr walked up to the mares. “Um, girls, I don’t mean to interrupt, but could you please inform me on what you found out?”

“It’s worse than you can imagine Zephyr.” Fluttershy replied, unable to hide the fear in her tone. “About four years ago, Ponyville was attacked by a Battookuma, much like this one, and tried to go after the residence for food. Luckily a one of my friends were there to stop it before things go too out of hoof, and chased it back into the Everfree.” She gave an audible gulp as she looked back at the Battookuma that was still fighting four of her friends. “That wasn’t just any random though, this particular Battookuma has been reported to have been sighted in the cities and towns of Hallow Shades, Fillydelphia, Manehatten, and even Appleoosa! They call him…Mor’du.”

Author's Notes:

Well guys, here's the 34 chapter of the Special Edition Guardians of Harmony with the next beast the girls are facing off against in the Everfree! Now, I know what you guys are going to be asking, and are probably annoyed by this. In the last chapter, I said that I was going to be adding two scenes in this one, but once again, I saw that the chapter was too long for that, so I ensure that it would happen in the next chapter after this one. I had taken the scene with our Dark Goddess and her subjects and put it in the next document that I'm planning to write, so the next chapter will come relatively quickly depending on just how much time I have tomorrow. Also, for anypony that's able to guess who the beast is that Zephyr and the girls are fighting, especially with the name that I gave it, you will get a nice big crispy cookie!

Anyway, that's all for this chapter, I'm gonna and catch up to the chapters that the rest of my followers left for me to see and review. I might have the next chapter up later on the next day, or tomorrow, but either way, I'm pretty sure that I have it all planned out in my mind. Even if it feels like it's weighing down on me from all that's been happening to day, and oh boy was it a lot!