Product of Friendship (My Little Pony)

9 Swiss Cheese (2/5)

The peaceful goings in the streets of Ponyville were rattled by the shade of the Roc that soared past the settlement. Creatures gaped at its presence, hiding beneath their bartering counters, jumping into bushes, and even one diving into a large fountain.

Behind the Roc, Wist and Luster galloped in pursuit. The chaos from the morning proved to be a helpful practice session for Luster as she juked past the stunned residents.

"Why couldn't you have just told me earlier where Lil' Cheese was!?" Luster shouted at the changeling.

"How was I supposed to know that a giant bird would swoop by!?" Wist argued.

Chasing the Roc down the streets, a pink mare with luscious violet mane eyed upon Wist from the entrance of a building. "It's you!" The mare pointed at Wist.

"Not in the mood for lunch right now!" Wist kept her sights upon the Roc.

"Did you just treat me like food!?" The mare voiced appalled. "Hey, get back here!?"

Obviously, Wist would never do that and left the seething mare at the distance. Her only focus was the colt that cheered at the two of them from the Roc's grubby talons.

"We're not getting like this," Luster voiced. "One of us has to go up there and grab him."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Wist groaned and began to flutter her wings. "It's not like you're any good here."

Wist rose to the sky with the Roc, working here wings to great heights to close their distance. Lil' Cheese awed in excitement of Wist's excitement; never a dull moment for this colt. She had no time for any quips as she summoned her strength inch closer and closer to Roc's talons. Her hooves were only inches away from nabbing the colt until all went terribly wrong.

For reasons she could not explain, nor could any sane creature of the land, a large pink bear had suddenly leaped before Wist and clutched her back to the lands. She had little time to be shocked when the creature gripped her into a passionate bear hug so strong that she could feel her soul seeping out of her mouth.

Luster stopped before the charmed creature that coddled the overwhelmed changeling with its Herculean strength. "What is a Cuddlebear doing in Ponyville!?" Luster voiced.

"Get," Wist started with a croak. "Get me out!"

"Oh," Luster said with an indifferent look that Wist could really do without right now. "Didn't you claim to be a natural master of friendship? Why not use it to trick the bear to let you go?"

"We don't have time for this!" Wist tried to push the Cuddlebear away, but it's ridiculously strong yet warm and fuzzy body was starting to break her spirit.

"You're right," Luster nodded. "So, I'm going to hurry up and save Wist."

"Wait, no!" Wist angrily pleaded. "Don't leave me with this thing!"

"Don't worry," Luster started as she began to continue her chase for the Roc. "They're herbivores. The worst it could do to you is eating your leaf-looking mane."

With the fall of Wist from the chase, it was all left with the Luster to be the responsible pony to rescue the colt. She should have relied on her magic from the beginning instead of providing chances for that pestering changeling to redeem herself. Something as uncaring and careless as her was doomed to fail.

Luster charged her horn in a yellow light. If her magic can reach the Roc, she could trap it in a magic bubble and scoop the colt out. It's a spell that she went to lengths to modify in many of her researches at Canterlot.

She shot a line of yellow light that stretched towards the Roc. Only a few feet more and she can initiate the bubble. Enshrouding a creature of great size required a high amount of concentration that she could expend carelessly.

However, that concentration was robbed from when a woodpecker nested on her head. Luster raises her eyes to meet the Woodpecker. "What the—" The bird proceeded to peck upon Luster's head before she could sound another word. "—Hey!"

Luster raised a hoof to swat the woodpecker away. Thankfully, her hooves scared it away with ease. However, she picked up too much speed to stop her from crashing into a nearby dining table of an outdoor restaurant.

Her body briefly flew to the air after tripping upon the table and then slammed her back upon another table where two ponies had taken their seat.

"Ow," Luster groaned.

"What in Equestria do you think you're doing!?" A mare voiced and pushed Luster off the table. "You're ruining our anniversary!"

Luster picked up her ragged body that was now smudged with dirt and bruise. She saw the angered about to confront her more before a stallion stood in her path. "Honey," the stallion said with an assuring voice. "It's okay. We haven't ordered yet."

Luster wasted no time leaving the premise. However, back into the streets, she was welcomed by the impish changeling that held glee. "My," Wist started. "Is this what they call karma?"

"If you're done," Luster said. "We have a colt to rescue." Luster looked at the sky but could no longer see the Roc anywhere. "Where did it go?"

"I saw it land in a forest," Wist answered and pointed at a clustered build of trees within the distance. "It's a rather eerie looking one at that."

"Why the Everfree forest of all places?" Luster groaned.

"Will you stop with complaining already," Wist said. "I don't want to be the one to tell his mom that he became lunch food."

"Don't even joke about that!"