Fool Moon, Part 2 (A Moonlit Stalking)

>Applejack shouts and rolls to the side as the monster comes for her, screaming in shock and terror.
>She yelps again as four lines of burning agony tear their way down her flank.
>She scrambles to her hooves and jumps, yelping as the monster's hand slams into the ground behind her.
>Her leg hitches up near her wound, and she stumbles, but she turns and faces the monster anyway.
>That's what Granny Smith always taught her about wolves.
>You couldn't let them know you were scared, or else they'd come at you with all they had.
>Even as she watches, the thing slinks low to the ground, watching her, her blood glittering on it's claws.
>It was testing her, she knew.
>Seeing if she would run.
>It would like it if she ran.
>Applejack swallows, ignoring the burning pain in her back leg, before glaring back at the beast.
"Well come on then, ya ugly varmint. I ain't got all night."
>It snarls at her, and jumps again.
>Applejack whirls and bucks it in the face.


>There is a dull thud as AJ's hooves make contact with the monster's face, and a slight impact as she feels it's head rock backwards slightly.
>AJ whirls to see the damage, but the thing, whatever it is is already on her, slamming the back of it's paw-like hand into her face.
>The earth pony apple farmer goes sailing, flying a good five feet in the air before slamming back into the dirt.
>AJ tumbles for a bit, coming to rest against an apple tree.
>Her breathe comes short and fast as the pain of her wounds becomes apparent.
>The cuts on her back burn, as if the thing's claws were poisoned.
>Her face is battered, and it feels like her back's been broken.
>The earth pony's eyes begin to glaze over as she lies against the tree, but the animal's breathing brings her back to herself.
>It's coming close to her, on four legs now, giving a low, menacing growl as it gets closer.
>AJ struggles to get back up, to get on her hooves, but the pain is too intense. The cuts, the bruises, the battered bones...
>And it all happened so FAST. The speed of it is what scares her. So many of the sheep are already dead, and Applejack will be next.
>The thing stalks closer to her, and she feebly raises a hoof to keep it away.
>The monster contemptuously bats her hoof away, cutting her again, before leaning in.
>Applejack feels its hot breath on her face as a mouth full of jagged teeth close in on her neck.


>Applejack closes her eyes.
>She's seen what's left of the sheep. She doesn't want to see that happen to her.
>She feels the first tooth, the first jagged edge, touch her coat-
>And then hears a dull thud as a red hoof slams into the monster's eye.
>"GIT AWAY FROM MAH SISTER, YA UGLY BEAST!"
>The creature's head rocks back, and it lets out a furious snarl as Big Mac slams another hoof into it's face, before turning and bucking it in the neck.
>The earth pony plants himself in front of his sister, solid as a stone. He speaks to Applejack as the animal coughs and recovers itself, starting to circle the pair of ponies.
>"AJ, can ya move?"
>She struggles to get up.
"Jus'...jus' gimme a minute. I can...I can go..."
>Her limbs shiver, but she stumbles to her feet, gasping.
"Where's Applebloom and Granny?"
>"In tha house. Granny says she's gotta git somethin' important while we scare it off."
>The beast is still circling, and both Apple siblings keep their eyes on it as it moves.
"...I don't think there's much chance we're gonna scare that thing..."
>"Eeeenope."
>The wolf-thing chooses that time to lunge, and as Big Mac turns to buck it, it rears back out of leg range, before slamming one forearm down on the earth pony's back.
>It brings it's other arm back to slash at him when AJ headbutts it weakly in the stomach, bumping it and causing it's attention to return to her.
>The creature snarls and rears back for another slash when Mac bucks himself free.
>"Gonna have to do better' than that!"
>That's when all three hear a third set of hooves coming from the house.
>"Wait fer me, Mac! I'm comin!"
>The creature whirls, and AJ lets out a hoarse cry.
>Applebloom.


"Applebloom, NO!"
>AJ kicks out at the animal once more to get it's attention, but it's ignoring her completely and focusing on the filly running towards the two ponies and the wolf-beast.
>She's carrying an apple family heirloom, the pitchfork that the Apple's father loved to use to bale hay with.
>AB starts to slow as she sees the thing's eyes on her, and she comes to a complete stop when she sees the blood of the sheep on it's mouth and claws in the moonlight.
>"A...Applejack? Mac? Wha..."
>The creature drops low, to all fours, and begins to prowl towards the filly.
"Applebloom! Don't run! Jus' back away slowly! Keep aye contact!"
>Applebloom backs away, putting on a brave front to keep the monster in front of her from attacking.
>It lasts until the creature starts growling again.
>Then she bolts, and the animal starts bounding after her, Big Mac and AJ hot on it's heels.
"GIT INSIDE THE HOUSE, APPLEBLOOM!"
>"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
>Blind with panic, the filly tries to put the pitchfork in her mouth.
>She lets out a short yelp as she trips over a small stone, going head over hoof onto her back.
>The thing snarls and leaps at the filly, and Applebloom, still panicking, raises the Apple family pitchfork.
>A three pronged head with silver tips rises into the night air.
>And the wolf-thing crashes into it.


>A loud howling, the sound of animal in agony, splits the night air.
>Applebloom's terrified screaming joins it as she backs away from the roaring monster.
>The pitchfork protrudes from the monster's chest, the three prongs having barely pierced it's thick skin.
>Smoke boils from the wound as the pitchfork seems to BURN the creature's flesh, and it flails and howls in pain, backing away from the terrified filly.
>AJ and Mac reach it, but they back themselves away the second the creature lashes out at them.
>Roaring, the monster tears the pitchfork free and snap[s the haft with it's hands.
>Blood and smoke still pour from the wound, obscuring the monster's face as it tosses the pieces of pitchfork away and drops to all fours.
>It backs away from the ponies like the wounded animal it is, whining and howling as it makes its way off the farm.
>Finally, with a short roar, it whirls and bounds away, leaping the fence as it runs.
>Applebloom starts crying, while Big Mac only stares in confusion.
>"What....in Tartarus...was that thing?"
>AJ collapses to her stomach, panting.
"Brother, ah got no idea. But ya need to go git Fluttershy."
>"Why would ah do that? Ya need ta git to a hospital, and ah don't think that thing'll be back..."
>AJ takes a deep breath as unconsciousness closes in.
"Ya need ta get Fluttershy, Mac. That thing's headed towards Ponyville."

 In Ponyville
>Twilight Sparkle lay on her bed, careful to keep her lamp close so she could finish her latest novel.
>"Daring Doo and the Search for Fucks to Give," while blessed with a strange title, had been an entertaining read so far.
>Twilight turned the next page, humming to herself as she read. Spike had stepped out to help Rarity hunt for gems earlier during the day, and hadn't been back yet.
>Twilight wasn't too worried. Spike was getting older, and she trusted Rarity to keep him out of trouble.
>Suddenly, there came a rapping, a tapping at her chamber door.
>Or to be precise, a scrabbling, like claws on the wood of the tree.
>Twilight looked up, confused. Then her purple face paled as the sound became short, sharp THUMPS as something dug its claws into the wood of her tree.
>It was climbing.
>She lifted her lantern and dug deeper into the bed, hoping it was just another crazy Pinkie Pie prank.
>But what kind of prank involved claws?
>The sound stopped suddenly, and Twilight let out a sigh of relief, convinced that whatever it was, it was gone.
>She got another chapter into her book before the glass of her window was shattered by a furred arm bursting through it.


"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
>Twilight started screaming in terror as soon as the creature's arm burst through the window, teleporting out of her bed to her floor.
>The claws dug into the windowsill, and the monster heaved it's bulk over onto the bed, growling and drooling at her.
"OH SWEET CELESTIA, WHAT THE BUCK ARE YOU!?"
>The thing got a leg over, snarling at her as it made its way inside.
>It was like if a minotaur and a diamond dog had one pissed off, giant mutant baby.
>One clawed paw-hand found Twilight's book, and those sharp talons tore up the cover.
>Twilight gasped, her fear forgotten.
"Oh no you didn't."
>It snarls.
>Her horn lights up.
>Twilight notices something change in the animal's eyes. If it was just hunger and ferocity in there before, now it's pure, uncontrolled hatred.
>She didn't know what she did to piss it off, but she knew it had just damaged a book in HER library. As Rarity would say, it was on.
>Twilight's horn lights up, and rapid blasts of purple magic fly out of her horn and slam into the monster...
>And slide over it like oil over water as it lands heavily on the library floor. It glances at itself, noticing parts of it's fur are singed where the magical bolts slid over it.
>Then it looks at her and flashes what can only be a grin.
"Uh oh."

Music:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGj1GCcJOrk
"SOMEPONY HEEEEELP MEEEEEEE!"
>Twilight took off down the streets of Ponyville, screaming as the thing, whatever it was, hurtled after her.
>Whatever she tried, she couldn't get away. It could hear her, or smell her, or SOMETHING, and it kept coming after her.
>It didn't even seem to get tired! Which would be a fascinating thing to study after she was finished running for her life.
>Twilight desperately reached out with her magic, hurling rocks and crates behind her to slow the thing down.
>It lept over them with ease, jumping to building walls and running along them like a spider before crashing back onto the street again.
>As it ran, it roared after her, sending those ponies brave enough to check on the midnight commotion back into their beds.
>Twilight was getting tired.
>The animal was relentless.
>The purple mare skids to a stop, panting. She can't keep this up. She has to fight it.
>She turns, her horn glowing as she prepares another spell for the monster, but she finds nothing where it once chased her.
>The only warning she gets is the sound of two padded feet hitting the cobblestones behind her.
>It is not enough.


>Hate.
>You are not hungry any more.
>The sheep saw to that, your belly is full.
>Now there is only the thrill of the hunt, and the hate.
>And the pain.
>Four legged things hurt you, used the White Metal on you.
>They would pay for that.
>This one, this purple one. She stank of magic. Filthy, disgusting magic that even the weak half could not stand.
>You would eat her slowly.
>Your claws lash out as she turns around, scoring a deep gash on her back even as she darts forward.
>You hook a claw in her wound and reel her back in, even as she screams and struggles.
>You were going to eat her.
>Eat her live, eat her screaming.
>She would pay for the apple one's White Metal.
>You pin her, lean over, and take a quick bite.
>Just a nip, really, but she screams nonetheless.
>Her screaming makes her heart pump, thrilling music to your ears. She will taste deli-
>Impact.
>You wince as something slams into your head, and then snarl, dropping the whimpering purple mare back to the street.
>You sniff. Another one, new, fast heart. She stank of fear.
>You turn around, still snuffing, and then you find her.
>Your yellow eyes stare into her cyan ones, and you freeze.


>Twilight couldn't breathe.
>She knew she was bleeding, she knew she should be in agony, but she couldn't breathe.
>She couldn't feel the bite wound on her neck or the clawmarks on her back.
>She was too busy watching Fluttershy staring down this...whatever it was.
>Timid little Fluttershy, stare down a monster. A real monster, something even Twilight had never heard of or read about.
>They hold position, eyes locked on each other for what seems like hours as Twilight lies between them.
>The creature twitches.
>Fluttershy comes to the ground, still staring.
>It twitches again, coming to all fours, still staring at Fluttershy.
>The yellow mare speaks to it softly, her voice quavering ever so slightly.
>"What are you?"
>That hint of fear, the uncertainty in her voice, does something and the creature lets out a menacing growl.
>Fluttershy doens't blink.
>She knows she can't.
>Her Stare seems to grow, until even Twilight has trouble looking away from her eyes.
>The creature roars at her now, full of hate and disbelief as that stare grows.
>And then it whirls and sprints away, padding into the night like a gigantic mastiff.
>Fluttershy lets out a quiet whimper and flies over to where Twilight lies still.
>Everything seems to crash in at once for the purple mare, and her vision blurs as pain and shock set in.
>"Twilight? Twilight can you hear me? Are you okay?"
"M'fine Futtershy. Jus' need to sleep..."
>Twilight's head lolls, and she passes out.


>Hate.
>All you can feel is hate, even as your legs mechanically propel you away from that yellow horse.
>From those eyes.
>You wanted to hunt, wanted to feed, wanted to kill and rip and rend and tear.
>But all you could do was run.
>You snarl in anger as you lope out of the prey-dwellings, back towards the forest.
>The weak half would be awake soon.
>You'd be forced to sleep, again, forced back into darkness.
>No food, no hunting, no killing.
>You howl out your anger, struggling to resist the yellow horse's compulsion.
>You struggle to turn, struggle to go back and kill and kill and kill and kill.
>They had used the White Metal.
>They had turned you from your hunt.
>This was no longer merely a hunting ground.
>You wanted revenge. You wanted blood. You wanted slaughter and suffering and anguish.
>You would drink the tears of the prey-herd while you took their weak, their young, and their old and-
>You collapse into the dirt halfway back to the forest.


>You wake up an hour later to a splitting headache.
"Fuck. Fuck. FUCK."
>You clutch your head, shuddering, as the faces and the images race past your mind.
>It always happened like this, the next morning. You'd see faces, hear screams, taste blood, get little glimpses of what the Dark Half had been up to.
>It was never pleasant.
>You stumble to your feet, cursing, as you take stock of yourself.
>Naked, bloody, in the middle of the Goddamned forest, feeling full as a stuck pig and sick as a dog, with a headache like a pickaxe to the skull.
>Yeah, it felt like Tuesday.
>A thought stops you short.
>It wasn't a regular goddamn Tuesday, because this time some...pony might have gotten hurt. You weren't prepared. You couldn't lock yourself away or point yourself in the right direction.
>You'd gone on a rampage, and woken up with a full stomach.
>That meant someone, or somepony, likely many somponies, was dead.
>You choke back the vomit, like you do every time this happens, and start stumbling towards the water. You needed to wash all the blood off.
>You fall in, heedless of the extra pain as you float in the water.
>Who had been hurt. Who'd been killed? What if you'd gone back and hurt the lizard, Spike? What if you'd hurt Rarity?
>What if you'd EATEN Rarity?
>FUCK.
"I need a goddamned drink."


>You make your way out of the water, cursing as you hold a hand to your pounding head.
>Your other hand was clutched to your chest, where you had three FUCKING holes there.
>Seriously, what the fuck? You'd never woken up to injuries before, aside from the headache, but FUCK if this wasn't PAINFUL.
>About to halfway to Ponyville, you realize you are entirely naked.
>It takes you the rest of the way to realize you don't give a fuck.
>You need to see if Rarity's okay.
>Yeah, yeah, horse wizard, but horse wizard who'd offered to wash your fucking clothes for you. That was more than anyone else in the world had ever done.
>The least you could do was see if she was still alive.
>As you stagger through Ponyville, ponies stop and stare at you, many of them confused and horrified at a naked alien walking through town.
>You ignore them, and make it to Rarity's house, Carousel Butick or whatever she called it.
>You knock on the door heavily, dreading what might come. Dreading the silence.
>Rarity dispels your fears by opening the door.
"Rarity?"
>"Anon!? What happened? You look positively dreadful! Well, moreso than usual."


"It's a long story..."
>You stagger in past her as she looks up at you in concern.
>"Were you attacked as well? Some dreadful beast when on a rampage last night! When you didn't come back, I thought you'd broken our deal, but then I heard about the animal..."
>White pony, you have no idea.
"Attack? Were any of the ponies hurt?"
>"Twilight and Applejack had to go to Ponyville General and get STITCHES! Dreadful things, stitches, but I tell you, I almost panicked when I found out! I thought they were going to just DIE, but the nurse assured me they'd be..."
>She trails off, her worry and nervousness dying down as she comes to a realization.
>That you are completely naked.
>You come to a realization around the same time.
>She is somewhere in the area of four feet from forehead to hoof.
>Her face is JUST above your crotch, and you're facing her while she talks.
>The white mare's face goes bright red, and your face pales.
>Almost simultaneously, the pair of you turn around, you pointing your pony-level wang towards the wall while she goes toward her storeroom.
>"I'm going to go get your clothes."
"Mhm. Thanks."
>"We'll trade stories after you get dressed."
"Yep. Sounds great."


>Half an hour later, you and Rarity take a seat at her table while she brings out tea.
>It wasn't alcohol, but it would have to do.
>Thankfully, you are finally fully clothed.
>That doesn't stop her from blushing every few minutes and glancing at you in a way you find mildly disturbing.
"Oh come on, I'm sure I don't have anything you havn't seen."
>"Why, I never! I just...you...right in my face..and..."
>You grin and keep drinking your tea while she sputters.
>"This...oh stop laughing, Anonymous! It is NOT funny."
"It kind of is."
>She scowls, but under your grin that scowl turns into a tiny grin.
>"Maybe it is...a little bit. But tell me what happened after you went on your walk."
>You set down your tea and start talking. You'd had time to think up a good lie. You'd been out on your little stroll when some THING had jumped you out of the bushes, stabbed you in the chest, and slammed you against a tree trunk. You were lucky to be alive.
>Rarity swallows the bait, hook, line, and sinker.
>"Oh Anonymous. Poor dear, that's dreadful. We should get you to the hospital. Oh! Speaking of hospitals, Twilight and Applejack are going to be released today. I was going to go visit them to make sure they're still doing alright. You should come along, give me a chance to introduce you. They might have suffered a dreadful assault, but I'm sure a new friend would cheer them right up!"
>You grimace behind your teacup. That "new friend" was the same person who put them there in the first pla-
>A cold chill runs down your spine as a thought strikes you.
"Rarity?"
>"Hmm?"
"Were either of your two friends....did either of them get bitten?"
>"Why...yes. Twilight, on her neck. Why?"
>Your cup of tea shatters on Rarity's floor.