Title:           Anon the Mystery Creature (unfinished)
Author:          FlamingHomophone
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/KqNXKwPe
First Edit:      Tuesday 13th of October 2015 01:28:38 AM CDT
Last Edit:       Tuesday 13th of October 2015 01:28:38 AM CDT

>"Aww, come on Rarity, Applebloom and Scoots' are going!" Sweetie Bell pleaded to her old sister.
"Absolutely not. Even without some horrid beast roaming around Ponyville, I could never allow you to walk about in the Everfree Forest on your own in good conscience." Rarity said in kind.
>Sweetie Bell responded, "But I won't be alone! I'll have all those other ponies with me!"
>She gestured to the mighty posse Applejack had assembled, composed of some of the best trappers and wranglers the Apple family had to offer.
>"And I'd be even safer if you came along!" Sweetie Belle added.
"True, but even so, there is no way I'm going. And that means you're staying right here, next to me. And that is final." Rarity said, offering her ultimatum.
"Besides, it looks like Applejack and Rainbow Dash are setting off."
>Rainbow Dash soared overhead, scouting ahead for any signs of the creature.
>"Mount up ponies! We got ourselves a critter to catch!" Applejack said, as she reared up on her hind-legs, giving a hearty "YEEEHAAW," before speeding off into the Everfree Forest, her posse in hot pursuit.
"I know you and your friends have been infatuated with this brute. Why, I'll never know, but hopefully, they'll bring something back for you to get a good look at, and Ponyville can finally be done with this horrid business." Rarity said.
"Now, how about we stop by at Sugarcube Corner for a treat?"
"Sweetie Bell?"
"Sweetie Bell, I was talking to you."
>Rarity looked down beside her, expecting the familiar white-coated filly to be giving her a mean look.
>That would've been far more preferable to the empty space she found instead.
"Oh, horsefeathers."
>More frustrated than angry, she galloped ahead into the forest, with a tinge of fear at what she might find.
>Rarity trudged along the overgrown path.
"Applejack! Rainbow Dash! Sweetie Bell!" She called out.
"Oh, maybe I should've taken the right earlier."
>Stray branches tugged and pulled at her less than pristine coat.
>Twigs and leaves infested her mane, along with who knows what else could've fallen from the canopy above.
>Rarity stopped as a sudden realization dawned upon her.
>Has it been getting darker?
>It was already dark to begin with, the trees overhead preventing any trace of light from reaching the forest floor.
>Rarity felt tears tug at the ends of her immaculate lashes as she realized the sun was setting.
"I hope they're alright, at least."
>Even alone, Rarity's thoughts went out to her friends and little sister, wishing for their well-being above all else.
>A bestial scream disturbed her thoughts.
"What was that?" Her words coming out a whisper, barely audible.
>Another series of inpony roars and noises sounded nearby, as if they were coming closer and closer.
>Rarity scrunched down, wishing she could just curl up into a ball and disappear.
>Rarity closed her eyes, her exhausted mind lingering on the thought of home, of warm beds and hot cocoa.
>What sounded like a footstep forced her from her fantasy.
>Slowly, she opened her eyes.
>In front of her, standing on the path, was the hooded, bipedal creature.
>Rarity's heart sank.
>She sat there, her entire body frozen, her unwilling legs refusing to obey her screaming mind.
>The creature extended a single, horrific, furless appendage in her direction.
"AAAAAIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
>The movement forced a scream out of Rarity's lungs.
>The strange sight was the impetus she needed.
>With fear-induced adrenaline flowing through her legs, she ran off the path and fled deeper into the forest.
>The brush scratched at her face and body, leaving long, red marks in her coat as she barreled forward, heedless at what lay ahead and concerned only with putting as much distance between her and that monster as possible.
>As she turned her head to look behind her, Rarity slammed into an enormous, gray wall in the middle of a small clearing filled with moonlight.
>She fell back on her flank, dizzy, trying to blink the stars away from her vision.
>As her sight gradually returned, the wall began turning.
>It grew armored scales, then claws tipped with razors, and finally a horrid, reptilian head, grinning a smile filled with fangs.
>Rarity realized that she had ran smack dab into an enormous crocodile.
>Blood and pieces of fluff clung to the cold-blooded reptile's jaw, the remains of some poor, fuzzy animal.
>The crocodile glanced down at her and let loose a deep, throaty growl.
>Rarity whimpered.
>The rustling brush and heavy footsteps signaled the approach of something else behind her.
>The crocodile looked up, ignoring her for the moment to get a glance at this new challenger.
>Rarity groggily turned to look as well, her mind clouded and dizzy with fear.
>The hooded figure had apparently followed her.
>It slowly entered the clearing, a thick branch covered with pitch clutched at the end of one outstretched limb, like the pony knights of old wielding steel spears.
>The figure produced a small metallic object from its (frankly appalling) cloak and slowly raised it to the wooden branch with its free limb.
>For an instant, a small flame briefly drew breath in the figure's grasp, blowing away the darkness around the creature's covered face, revealing a visage not unlike that of a pony.
>The next second, the tar covered branch exploded in flame, illuminating the entire clearing with roaring, lustrous light.
>Rarity cowered at the unexpected sight.
>Even the gargantuan crocodile seemed to shrink at the fearsome weapon in the figure's paw.
>Unafraid, the figure advanced slowly, waving the torch back and forth in a intimidating and almost mesmerizing manner.
>The crocodile began backing off, backpedaling into the forest.
>The figure ignored Rarity as it passed by, never taking its gaze off the scaled beast.
>As the crocodile nearly disappeared into the tree-line, it seemed to reconsider its chances and stood its ground briefly.
>The figure didn't even hesitate, moving within a few feet of the jaws of the crocodile.
>At this unwavering fortitude the crocodile cowed in response, finally turning around and running off as fast as its stubby feet can propel it.