Twilight watched as Annabeth fiercely attacked the pole that Apple Jack had set up for her. She had gotten better rather quickly, but after six good hits, her next one was weak and the knife fell out of her mouth and clanged on the floor. Twilight was still trying to wrap her head around all the information Annabeth had given her. Immortal monsters that keep coming back. She was worried about the fate of her home and especially for her mentor, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Annabeth attacked the pole again. What worried her more was that Annabeth was the only good chance of defeating these monsters. Twilight looked over the map again. She had gotten reports from, six neighboring towns that had been warned and we're now prepared for the monsters. Twilight had to admit that Annabeth's plan to protect the towns and set up a messaging system was good, not that she couldn't have come up with it herself.
A pegasus startled her when it landed in front of her. "Compass Star reporting."
"Oh," Twilight recovered from being startled. "Report." She noticed that Spike had already pulled out a parchment and quill and was ready to write down everything.
"I went to Appleloosa. They have been overrun and the monsters have enslaved them."
"Oh no!" Twilight moaned.
"The neighboring buffalo, have gone into hiding in some caves nearby. I came upon them by chance. I told them that we would come to their aid." He finished his report.
"How many monsters did you see?" Twilight questioned.
"Hard to say. I didn't want to be discovered, so I stayed up high. But if I had to guess, I'd say at least a dozen, maybe more.
"Can you take us to where the buffalo are?" Twilight studied her map.
"Of course." Compass Stare saluted.
Twilight noticed Apple Jack and Annabeth coming toward her. "Okay, go get something to eat and rest for now. I'll let you know when we are leaving."
Compass Star saluted with his wing and then wandered off.
"Bad news?" Apple Jack guessed.
"Appleloosa has been taken." Twilight saw no point in beating around the bush.
"What?" Apple Jack would be alarmed, since her cousin Braeburn helped founded the town.
"The buffalo have taken refuge in a nearby cave. They are awaiting our help." Twilight continued.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Apple Jack rose up on her hind legs while kicking her front legs.
"Buffalo? " Annabeth looked like she was trying to figure out a problem.
Twilight had been in a strange world before and decided to explain, "Uh, yes. Buffalo or bison are natives of Appleloosa. They have stampedes and . . ."
"I know what buffalo are." Annabeth interrupted. "We have them where we're from. I was just surprised." She returned to her look of deep thought.
"Oh." Twilight said lamely. She forged on. "I thought we would meet up with them and plan our next move from there, after we get more information."
"Any idea on what type of monsters we are dealing with?" Annabeth asked.
"Um, no. But I'm sure we'll get more information from the buffalo." Twilight felt like she was in one of her classes taking an exam.
"And how are we going to get there?" Annabeth asked. Twilight knew she wasn't trying to challenge her, but she felt like it anyway.
"The railroad is the fastest." Twilight countered back.
"But we can't just roll into town without some idea of what we are facing." Annabeth looked alarmed.
"We'll stop the train well before we get there and meet the buffalo in their cave." Twilight finished her plan.
Annabeth was quiet for a moment as she looked to be analyzing Twilight's plan. "Okay." She finally said. "Sounds like a good plan."
"Great!" Apple Jack sounded anxious. When do we leave?"
"As soon as we get the train moving." Twilight motioned toward the train station.
"I'll get supplies." Apple Jack offered.
"Where exactly is this cave?" Annabeth scrutinized the map.
"Compass Star is going to take us." Twilight said confidently.
"Compass Star." Annabeth repeated as though trying to wrap her tongue around it.
"I know that this world is strange, but we have faced threats like this before. Maybe not exactly like this, but like this. What I'm trying to say is that this is our world, and we know it better than anyone. That gives us an advantage."
Annabeth sighed, "I know. I just don't like going into battle without a plan. I'm not good with impulse decisions. That's sort of Percy's thing."
Twilight gave a light chuckle, and Annabeth gave a questioning look. "I'm not laughing at you. Promise. It's just that I'm the same way. I have to be organized and know every aspect of everything before I just make a decision. But my friends have helped me learn how to trust and lean on others. Letting go can sometimes be hard." So many memories flashed through her mind as she said this. Her awful attempt to go back in time. The time when she first met Apple Jack and how she told her to trust her and just let go when she was hanging over a cliff.
"Your right. Just remember, these monsters can smell me and will track me, putting you in danger."
"We'll keep it in mind." Twilight assured her.
They got everything together and once everyone was on the train, they were on their way. Annabeth kept fiddling with her knife. Twilight guessed she was still getting used to having to use her mouth to hold things. Everyone was quiet with nervous antisipation. They weren't on the train long before they reached their destination. They were a ways out from Appleloosa. Compass Star headed towards the mountains. They all followed wordlessly. Annabeth kept looking around. Twilight couldn't decide if she was looking at the scenery or if she was looking for monsters. They climbed up the mountain for some time before they finally climbed up to a large cave.
"Uh, hello. It's me, Compass Star." Compass Star called out.
"Chief Thunderhooves? Are you there?" Twilight called out. "It's me, Twilight Sparkle."
Suddenly, there was movement toward the back of the cave. It was Little Strongheart. "Twilight." She addressed her respectfully.
"Little Strongheart. We got here as quickly as we could."
"It is too late." Little Strongheart looked very somber. "I tried to convince them that it was a bad idea, but my father would not listen. They attacked the strange creatures with a full on stampede, but they could not defeat the creatures. Many were hurt. All were taken and are now prisoners like the rest."
"Oh no! Why didn't they wait?" Twilight asked.
"They were too proud to be helped by ponys." Little Strongheart looked down ashamed.
Annabeth was already looking out over the town below, looking somber. "What did the creatures look like?" Annabeth asked.
"Snakes." Little Strongheart looked like she was trying to be brave. "Giant snakes with arms, flat faces with more snakes coming out of their head." She involuntarily shuddered.
"Dracnea." Annabeth confirmed.
"More of what we encountered?" Twilight guessed.
Annabeth nodded. "How many are there?" She turned toward Little Strongheart.
"We counted fifteen. That is why we thought we could win. They were so few, and we so many." Little Strongheart shook her head sadly. "How is it that you think you can help? There are fewer of you." Little Strongheart looked disbelievingly at their group.
"Because I'm here." Annabeth said confidently.
"She is from their world and has weapons that can defeat them." Twilight elaborated.
Little Strongheart looked at Annabeth, trying to understand how she was from another world. "I think," Annabeth continued, "the best chance we have of taking them out is for me to sneak into town and take them out one by one, mission impossible style."
"Are you sure you're ready for that, sugar cube?" Apple Jack looked concerned.
"As ready as I can be. Besides, I've got this." Annabeth reached back and pulled the hat off of her flank.
Everyone gave her a blank look. How on earth was she going to defeat them with a hat? She then tried to grab the hat with her hoof to put it on, but it fell. They watched her struggle with the hat as she picked it up with her teeth and then put it on her hoof only for it to fall.
"Like this." Apple Jack tried to be helpful and took off her own hat expertly and placed it back on her head.
Annabeth tried a few more times before she finally placed it on her head and promptly disappeared. Everyone gasped at the sight. "Well, I'll be!" Apple Jack declared.
"Oh my." Flutter Shy looked on in amazement.
"Magic." Little Strongheart whispered.
"I've never seen anything like it." Twilight exclaimed.
"Is she still the there?" Spike began feeling around.
Annabeth reappeared with her hat off. "I'll sneak down there and take them out one by one."
"What about the rest of us?" Apple Jack wondered.
"We will draw their attention, should they catch on to what is going on." Twilight decided.
"I was afraid of that." Flutter Shy ducked her head down.
"Sounds like a plan." Annabeth placed her hat back on, making her disappear. It was very effective up to the point that you could see the rocks falling where she had skid down the mountain.
"Alright girls, While she is causing confusion with the monsters, we need to free the ponies and get them to the safety of the shield I will create. Okay?"
Apple Jack got a determined look on her face and nodded in agreement. Flutter Shy nodded, but looked terrified. They began making their way down the mountain.
The town was quite a ways away, and there was nothing to hide their approach. Twilight expected the monsters to rush out to attack them, but they didn't. When they reached the outskirts of the town, thee dracnea met them. They could see a few ponies looking at them hopefully, but no buffalo.
"Come to meet your fate?" A dracnea hissed.
"I am Princess Twilight. I demand that you release your prisoners and return from where you came." Twilight said confidently.
The Dracnea snickered which sounded more like hissing. "We will not leave such a pleasant place. It is ours now. Submit, pony, to your new masters."
"Never. You will return from where you came."
"What can you do?" They scoffed.
"I can do this." She stepped forward and began to create her shield, but while she was doing her magic, a dracnea suddenly burst into dust.
The Dracnea now looked at Twilight with alarm. She realized that they thought she had caused the creature to burst, instead of Annabeth. "How are you doing that?" A dracnea slithered back in alarm.
"Like this." Twilight expanded her shield. Another monster burst into dust. Apple Jack, Flutter Shy, Little Strongheart, Spike, and Compass Star then rushed forward and began freeing ponies.
The last dracnea turned to slither away calling out, "Dracnea to me. We are under atta . . ." It didn't get to finish as she spontaneously combusted into dust. Several dracnea came out, but Twilight had already expanded her shield to cover several of the ponies, who were cheering as they were freed.
A few dracnea slashed at the shield, suddenly dissolving into dust. Once the others saw that, they began to run. One by one, they dissolved into dust. But others were further ahead and Annabeth's hat flew off her head, revealing her, as she put on an extra burst of speed to catch up and take them out. They were down to four, before they realized who the real culprit of their fallen monsters was. Then they turned back and surrounded Annabeth. By now, Twilight had the entire town encased in her shield. She looked on helplessly as the Dracnea attacked as one. Annabeth rolled out of the way and managed to stab one of the Dracnea before another one slashed at her with its deadly claws.
Several towns pony were watching the fight now with interest. Little Strongheart had found her father, but they looked pretty beat up. It was a miricle that they were still alive. Compass star flew up and began throwing rocks at the Dracnea, effectively distracting it, giving Annabeth a chance to take out another one. There were two left who circled her and hissed threateningly. The towns ponies had taken heart to Compass Star's example and grabbed rocks, apples, whatever they could find and began throwing them at the Dracnea. The buffalo joined in when they located their bows and arrows and let them fly. With the Dracnea being distracted, Annabeth managed to take out the other two.
A cheer rose up when the last creature dissolved. Apple Jack whooped with her cousin Braeburn. Twilight however noticed immediately that all was not well. Annabeth was limping. "Flutter Shy!" Twilight called out. Flutter Shy followed Twilight's gaze and was by Annabeth's side in moments.
The ponys noticed as well, and quickly went into action. Braeburn led them to a building with medical supplies in it. Annabeth was promptly treated. Twilight took charge, making Appleloosa their new base. The thing that she knew she would have to do was find another unicorn to come and take over the shield for her. But things were looking up. They could be in Canterlot by the end of the week. She hoped that everyone could hang in there until then.