Chapter 21

Nature's Fury

Flute R'Shye watched as Reyna paced back and forth along the wall to their cell. The barbarian forehead creased as she concentrated on finding a way out of their situation. It wasn't too long before she noticed a large lump of something in the shadowy corner of their chamber.

"Maybe that's something we can use," Reyna said as she walked over to the lump. The closer she got, the more of the object she could recognize. Right next to it, she could see that it wasn't an object at all, but one of the largest ponies she had ever laid eyes on.

The stallion on the floor in the corner had a black cutie mark shaped like a dumbbell. His pelt was a dull orange color and had a dark brown mane. He opened his eyes and yawned, looking to the mare and greeted her, "Well, it's been a while since I had guests. Hello there, little savage."

"Savage?" Reyna sounded insulted, "Hey, I can be just as not-savage as those other ponies if I wanted to. I just don't want to. Besides, who are you to talk?"

The stallion got to his hooves and stood to his full measure. He was even larger than the barbarian expected and his deep voice seemed to shake in her chest, "I'm what some ponies call a hero and trust me, lass, I've seen my share of savages and you are as savage-looking as they come. My name is Horsecules. What's yours?"

Flute's eyes lit up and she stared at their cellmate. She could hardly contain her glee as she cheered, "Oh my gosh! Horsecules! I'm such a huge fan! Could you sign my saddlebags?"

"Who the hay is Horsecules?"

Rainbow Dash looked worriedly at her friend, "What's got into you, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy was nearly bouncing in place as she told her, "He's only one of the strongest, most heroic and handsome heroes in the Equestraland novels," she seemed to calm down a little, "He's, um, one of my favorite characters. Rarity's too."

X giggled before saying, "Well, thanks for saying that. It took me a few tries before I made a character that could survive one of Roller's campaigns. Of course, speaking like him makes some ponies give me weird looks."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash scratched her head, "How do you do that with your voice anyway? That's pretty deep."

Roller chuckled a little and spoke up, "I made her some Poison Joke tea as a prank when we were still in grade school. She sounded like that for a week afterwords. Who knew she'd learn how to recreate that low pitch later?"

"Wait," Fluttershy realized something, "X is the one who made Horsecules? Not you?"

"Yeah," X and Roller said in unison.

Fluttershy blushed a little as she told the pink pegasus, "Can, um, can Rarity and I have your autograph later?"

"Sure. Later. It's always nice to meet a fan."

Horsecules looked over the cell door. He sneered at them and said, "No matter how I try, I can't seem to break these bars down. I think there's some kind of magic protecting them. Neither of you would happen to be a sorceress, would you?"

Flute and Reyna shook their heads, but then Reyna got an idea. "Hey, Flute, what if you could slip between the bars?" she asked, "You know, turn into a cat or something."

Flute bashfully kicked at the floor and muttered, "I can only do that once more before I have to recharge my powers. Besides, I don't think I can unlock it even if I got to the other side."

"It's the best shot we have," Horsecules shrugged, "One of the guards should have a key if you can get it from him. Good luck."

The forest pony took a deep breath and cast her spell. Her body became smaller, her hooves turned into paws, her mane shrank away and long whiskers grew out from under her nose. In a few seconds, she had taken the form of a small, yellow cat with leafy, green vines wrapped around her neck like a collar. In this new form, she squeezed between the bars of the cell door and stumbled out onto the other side.

Looking around, Flute could see other cell doors down the hallway and a wooden door at the end. As she moved to the end of the hall, she peered into the cells she passed and saw other ponies. They looked thin, sickly and miserable for the most part save for the few of them that looked angry.

As she reached the wooden door, the cat could hear something on the other side. It was like the grinding of a mortar and pestle or grinding of stone against one another. The rhythm was regular, though she didn't recognize exactly what the noise was until she resumed her forest pony form and looked through the small, barred window in the middle of the door.

Just on the other side was an armored Diamond Dog with his helmet pulled over his eyes and snoring in slumber. Flute tried to open the door, only to find that it was locked. Peering through the window again, she could see that the sleeping guard had a ring of keys hanging from his belt.

"Oh, um, Mr. Guard?" Flute's voice was as quiet as ever, but the dog stirred and awoke from his slumber as she continued, "I'm sorry to wake you, but I think I need that ring of keys. Would you please give it to me?"

"You've got to be kidding."

Rainbow Dash's tone was flat and irritated, "You can't really think this will work. You just..." all she could do was let out a frustrated sigh.

Roller smirked and told the embarrassed yellow pegasus, "I'm going to have you roll a Charisma check for this. You know, just so I can see how badly this goes for you."

"Okay," Fluttershy nodded and rolled a die. The piece of plastic bounced around the table a few times before landing on a single side. Fluttershy looked at the number on the die and did a little math in her head before saying, "I got a total of twenty-four."

Roller's ears perked up and he gave her a confused look, "Twenty-four is your total? That can't be right. The highest modifier you can have at your level is four and the highest you can roll is," the author stopped talking and looked at the die himself. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped before he whispered ,"No possible way."

X snickered a bit before finally succumbing to the fit of laughter she was trying to hold back. She talked in between uncontrolled laughter and gasps for air, "Ha-ha-ha! A natural twenty! Ha-ha! I can't beli... ha-ha-ha! What are the odds of that?"

"Um, I don't get it," Fluttershy blushed, "What happens now?"

Roller cleared his throat and explained, "The roll on a natural one indicates a Fumble and I've already explained that to you after Pin Kay's little bonfire incident. This is a natural twenty, the opposite of a Fumble. You rolled what's called a Critical Success and that means you automatically succeed at whatever it is you're trying to do. In this case..."

Roller let out a sigh...

"This is so wrong."

The guard passed his keys through the window, eyes still heavy with sleep as he did so. After that, he drifted back to sleep and Flute went back to her cell and unlocked the door. Reyna and Horsecules stepped out into the hall and thanked her.

"Nice job," The large stallion congratulated, "I can't tell you how long I've been stuck in there. Anyway, as long as we're together I should probably try to keep you lot out of trouble."

"I'm looking to cause a little trouble," Reyna said proudly, "Let's set these other prisoners loose and see what kind of damage we can do!"

The sounds of ponies moving to the front of their cells echoed throughout the hall. "Somepony is setting us free?" one voice asked. Another shouted, "Hey! Do it already! I want a piece of that evil wizard as a trophy!" to which the others all started yelling in agreement.

"Um, this could get violent really fast," Flute shuddered, "C-can we just set them free and find a way out?"

Suddenly, the room was silenced by a loud thumping noise. Everypony went silent as the hallway was suddenly filled with a mass of white fur. Before the party now stood a truly massive rabbit, glaring at them with all the anger his adorable face could muster.

"Killer rabbit!" Horsecules shouted as the monster kicked him across the...

"Angel! No!"

Fluttershy shouted at her pet rabbit as he jumped onto the table and threw a powerful kick at one of the figurines on it. The pawn flew through the air and struck the Horse Master right in the face. Roller clutched where he was hit and shouted, "OW! MY EYE!"

"My miniature!" X cried out, "Bad bunny! Very bad bunny!"

Fluttershy picked up Angel in her teeth and put him on her back. Looking to the others, she spoke very quickly, "I'm so sorry! He's just cranky because he refused to take his nap earlier. Are you okay?"

Roller rubber his eye and glared at Angel from across the table. Through gritted teeth he said, "I think I'm alright. Not the first time a twelfth-level Dire Rabbit has interrupted an adventuring party. Just get that little hellion out of my shop!"

Fluttershy moved away from the table. As she left, she kept apologizing, "I'll leave him at home next time. Um, Are you sure you're okay? I think I have something for your eye if it's..."

Roller cut her off with an order, "Don't talk. Just go," and she obeyed without another word.

Rainbow Dash moved to the door. She tolled the others, "I'm just gonna see if Fluttershy is okay. She's kind of sensitive. You understand, right?" and then left.

X walked to the other side of the table and commented, "Wow, you sure know how to pick 'em. Don't you, CR?"

Roller stopped rubbing his eye and looked down. Picking up a mostly brown pony figurine, he grumbled, "What is it with players and causing me pain?"

X giggled, "We like to see horse masters squirm. Why else would I keep my old character sheet?" before looking over her miniature and saying, "Speaking of whom, I think ol' Horsecules there got a little scuffed. You sell any model paint?"

The author nodded and went behind his counter. He pulled a bottle of brown paint out from under his cash register and put in down on the table. "Don't worry about payment," he told her, "I'll just put it on the Cutie Mark Quartet tab."

Fluttershy was halfway down the street when Rainbow Dash appeared next to her. "Hey," the weather pony said softly, "You alright?"

Fluttershy nodded, but her voice was shaking a little "Oh, I'm f-fine. Angel is j-just a little out of line t-today. That's all."

Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow and asked again, "Are you sure? I mean, isn't this is the kind of thing that upsets you?"

The yellow pegasus insisted, "Really, Rainbow. I'm okay. I just wasn't expecting Angel to do that," to which the rabbit crossed his arms and turned up his nose. She continued, "He's so impatient today."

As the two approached the end of the block, they could see Rarity and a portly, yellow colt leaving the Carousel Boutique. They started walking towards the Hobby Horse when Rarity recognized her two friends, "Hello, girls. Out for a walk?"

"I was just on my way home," Fluttershy explained, "Angel is kind of cranky right now and I've got a lot of groceries in my bags. Sorry, but I really shouldn't stay and chat. Um, I hope that's okay. Bye."

As the quiet pony left, Rainbow looked at Rarity's new acquaintance. "Um, Rarity?" she asked her friend, "Who's this guy?"

Rarity gestured to the gentelcolt and said, "This is Piccolo Concerto. He's a part of A Capella's entourage and was just waiting for somepony in my shop," she then turned to the earth pony, "Concerto, this is my friend Rainbow Dash."

"Hi there," Concerto said with a friendly grin, "We were just on our way to the Hobby Horse to get my friend X. Wanna come?"

Out from a nearby doorway came a blur of pink fur and high pitch noise. "The Hobby Horse?" gasped Pinkie Pie, "That's a great idea! I'll go with you! Can I come with you? I'm coming with you."

Concerto was nearly knocked off his hooves by the new pony, but Rainbow moved to keep him from falling over. "Wait," Concerto was stunned, "Who are you? Where did you even come from?"

"My name is Pinkie Pie," the pink pony introduced herself, "I was just hanging out next to the fourth wall and saw you guys heading to the next chapter. I think it has more role-playing in it. This is gonna be fun!"

Rainbow Dash shrugged her shoulders and said, "I think I've just about had my fill of vitamin crazy for the day. If anypony needs me, I'll be napping over Sweet Apple Acres."

As the pegasus flew off, Rarity, Concerto and Pinkie began walking towards the Hobby Horse. "Oh! Look over there!" Pinkie exclaimed, "I think we've reached the end of the chapter. See? There's the Author's Note!"

A/N: My editor says that he'll forgive me for smashing the fourth wall like that if this chapter inspires pictures of Fluttercat or Flutterkitty. I'll have another chapter up next week as usual.