Do Or Deer Script

        INTRO

 

        Applejack and Rainbow Dash are assisting Fluttershy with bringing food to the deer in the White Tail Woods. Fluttershy is excited and talks about how she’s always wanted to meet deer and learn about their lifestyle, with Applejack being supportive and Rainbow Dash groaning, complaining about how she’s rather be practicing her flying than meeting some “boring old deer”.

 

        OPENING SEQUENCE

 

        ACT 1

 

        Fluttershy rounds a large tree and gasps, with Applejack and Rainbow Dash poking their heads out from behind the tree as well. There is a family of deer grazing in a clearing in the forest. Fluttershy marvels at how cute they are, but RD just rolls her eyes. When Fluttershy walks forward, however, she steps on a twig, and all the deer turn to look at her. She blushes and squeaks, slowly backing away, before Applejack walks out and introduces her and the others to the deer. The deer seem nervous at first, until a young colt steps forward to greet them. It’s then that they notice he is wearing branches on his head, and that he is actually a pony, not a deer. An older buck approaches them, telling them to excuse his son, when Applejack mentions that they brought food for them, catching the attention of the other deer.

       

        As the deer gobble up the nuts and berries that Fluttershy brought, the colt from before introduces himself as (Tree Bark?) and says that his father was just trying to be protective. Rainbow Dash rubs her head and asks him if he’s aware on of the branches on his head. Tree Bark laughs, asking her if she’s ever met a deer before, and tells her to look around. He points out all the other bucks and says that it’s customary for males to wear branches on their heads. Rainbow Dash tries to tell him that they are antlers, not branches, but she is interrupted by Fluttershy returning with Tree Bark’s father, who thanks her for the food. Rainbow Dash mentions Tree Bark’s branches to his father, who quickly ushers his son away and tells the ponies to leave.

 

        ACT 2

 

        Fluttershy asks what happened while Applejack criticizes Rainbow Dash for being insensitive. Rainbow shrugs, and then explains what happened to Fluttershy. She gasps and immediately flies back into the clearing, apologizing profusely for Rainbow Dash’s actions. The buck rolls his eyes, says he forgives her, but tells her that she’s better off not talking to his son at all. She trots off mournfully as Applejack and Rainbow Dash follow her. However, when the buck turns his back, Tree Bark sneaks off and follows them through the woods.

       

        When the sun begins to set and Fluttershy gets nervous, Applejack tries to calm her down, but she hears a twig snap behind her and screams. They look into the bushes, only to discover Tree Bark emerging from them. He apologizes for following them, but says that he never truly felt like he was like the other deer, and wants to know if what they said was true. Rainbow Dash tries to tell him, but Applejack interrupts her. Just then, a herd of deer charge from the trees, Tree Bark’s father among them, who briefly chastises his son for running away. Tree Bark then asks if what the ponies mentioned earlier is true. The deer exchange nervous glances, and it finally hits Tree Bark, who begins to cry and runs from the others deep into the woods.

 

        ACT 3

 

        Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and the deer begin a search party through the woods, looking for Tree Bark. His father kicks at the ground, muttering about how it’s his fault that his son ran away, and that he should have been honest with him in the first place. Upon returning to the clearing, they find a hastily scribbled note stuck to a branch, detailing how Tree Bark just wanted some time alone. His father worries, since he knows the Timberwolves come out at night. As they intensify their search, they hear a scream and run over to the edge of a canyon, where they see Tree Bark cornered by three Timberwolves. His father runs down to help him, but trips and injures his leg. Rainbow Dash zooms down and pegs one, but the other two try to pounce on her. Applejack manages to make it down to the bottom of the ravine and bucks one of the Timberwolves, shattering it to pieces. She tells Tree Bark to run, and he does, scrambling up over the rocks to Fluttershy and his father.

 

        Applejack sends the other two Timberwolves scurrying as Rainbow Dash flies back up to the top of the cliff to check on Tree Bark. He is fine, and tries to apologize for running away, but his father interrupts him, apologizing instead for not being honest with his son, telling him he would understand if he wanted to leave the deer behind and go live as a pony. Tree Bark hugs him, telling him that, no matter what he is, he has always belonged to the deer.

 

        The next morning, Rainbow Dash complains that she didn’t get to smash any Timberwolves, and Applejack chuckles. Fluttershy catches up with them, turning to wave farewell to the buck and Tree Bark, who is no longer wearing “antlers”. He calls that they should meet again soon, and Fluttershy smiles and agrees, quickly adding “if, um, it’s not too much trouble”.