Friends Forever Issue 23

My Little Pony: Friends Forever #23 is the twenty-third issue of IDW Publishing's My Little Pony: Friends Forever comic series. In the issue, Applejack and Fluttershy become involved in the search for a legendary creature called the Pigasus.

Summary
Applejack and Fluttershy are excited about their camping vacation in Splendor Woods, but their rest and relaxation is interrupted by a large and loud group of ponies running through. They—and Canterlot reporter Nosey News—are hunting for a mythical creature called the Pigasus, a creature with the body of a pig and the wings of a bird. Applejack is skeptical that such a creature exists, but Nosey provides a fuzzy photograph of the Pigasus as proof, and dozens of ponies have come to the woods to join in the search.

To Applejack's frustration, the other ponies are a constant disruption to her and Fluttershy's vacation. In their camping tent that night, Applejack tells Fluttershy that part of her frustration is because she believes Nosey News is fooling everyone about the Pigasus.

"Lies hurt. Even if they're small, even if you're tryin' to help—somepony always ends up hurt when you lie."

- Applejack

The next morning, Applejack and Fluttershy are alarmed to find the Pigasus inside their tent, hiding from the Pigasus-hunting ponies outside. Applejack considers hiding the Pigasus on Sweet Apple Acres, but Fluttershy says the Pigasus cannot be removed from her natural habitat. Unable to leave the woods before ensuring the creature's safety, Applejack and Fluttershy decide to trick the Pigasus catchers into leaving – despite Applejack's views about lying.

Applejack goes to the Pigasus catchers' camp and tries to convince them to stop disrupting the Pigasus' habitat. She neither confirms nor denies the creature's existence, and her unconvincing speech only earns the other ponies' mockery—as well as Nosey News' suspicion.

Applejack returns to the tent to inform Fluttershy of her failure, admitting that as the element of honesty, she is incapable of lying. As they try to come up with another plan, Nosey News arrives to confront Applejack about her earlier claims. While Fluttershy hurriedly hides the Pigasus, Applejack appears before Nosey. Nosey asks her straight out if she has ever seen the Pigasus. Just before Applejack admits the truth, something with wings swoops out of the tent. Believing it to be the Pigasus, Nosey News and the Pigasus catchers give chase.

When the ponies corner the winged creature, it is revealed to be Fluttershy in her sleeping bag. An angered Nosey News accuses Fluttershy and Applejack of trying to steal her news story, and she inadvertently reveals that her photograph of the Pigasus was faked. The Pigasus catchers realize they had been led on a wild goose chase and angrily turn on Nosey.

Some time later, the Pigasus catchers have left, and Splendor Woods is peaceful again. Applejack and Fluttershy enjoy the rest of their vacation with the Pigasus as their companion, and Applejack takes comfort in the fact that she was right all along:

"When you lie, somepony always ends up payin' the price!"

- Applejack

Quotes

 * Applejack: Ah sure do love these trips of ours, Fluttershy. It's nice to get away from it all... especially with another pony who really appreciates nature!


 * Applejack: This is yer "proof"? This don't look anything like a Pigasus! Looks more like... a squirrel wearin' a trenchcoat to me.
 * Fluttershy: If you turn it sideways, it looks kind of like two hedgehogs dancing...


 * Applejack: You know I don't lie. I used to lie when I was a filly, but I stopped when I realized... lies hurt. Even if they're small, even if you're tryin' to help—somepony always ends up hurt when you lie.


 * Applejack: Maybe she'd wanna live on Sweet Apple Acres? We could protect it there.
 * Fluttershy: No, Applejack! We can't! This is the Pigasus' natural habitat! If we move her, it might disrupt the entire ecosystem!
 * Applejack: Okay, okay, you're right... Sheesh it's the bats all over again.


 * Pony 1: Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist!
 * Pony 2: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence!
 * Pony 3: It belongs in a museum!


 * Applejack: Dang magical Element of Harmony! Why'd I have to get the element of honesty? Why couldn't it have been the element of stubbornness? Or apples?


 * Nosey News: What do you think you're doing?
 * Fluttershy: Well—um—
 * Nosey News: You're going to ruin everything! You and your partner are just here to get in on my scheme, is that it? Well, forget it! This is my scoop!