A few days have passed since the Pie family saw the two stallions together above the surface. Occasuly, they would see Red Comet come out of the ground to collect some water, but that was it. No pony wanted to talk with each other — Exspceaily from the Digging Unicorn. No pony from the Pie side has seen him since Limestone had him swallow his pride a few days ago, which infuriates Limestone. Not that she misses him, mind you. She hates the stallion; However, what she hates, even more is that she just cost the rock farm a major potential business partner by settling a personal score against him.
Limestone spent the past few days looking into what this so-called Digging Unicorn was. Not only did she find out that everything that her father said was true about the stallion, but she also found out that not only did he have enough bits to his name that would make the nobles in Canterlot turn heads. He is also the only stallion in Equestria that can single hoof find the rarest gems and stones in one week when it would take a whole mining crew two years to get the same amount.
Limestone Pie, a strong-headed mare and hard as nails, is currently slamming her head against the wall of her room.
"Why," WHAM! "Why," WHAM! "Why," WHAM! "Why."
As she was doing this, Marble peek from the doorway to see her sister trying to make a new hole in her wall, "Ah, Limestone?"
She stops for a moment before turning to face her sister, "Yes?"
"Why do you hate the wall?"
"It's not the wall I am upset about, Marble. It is myself." She bucks a table to the wall, not breaking it, "I might have messed up big time."
"I am sure Father can get the stallion to listen to reason."
"Not likely. And I am mostly to blame. If I had known who he was and how important he would be for the rock farm. I would have never done what I did." Limestone throws herself onto her bed, grunting into the mattress.
"Well, no pony is perfect. Even you deserve a break."
Limestone lifts her head off the bed and looks to her sister, "I know you are trying to cheer me up, Marble. But I want to be left alone, please." A moment of silence passes as Limestone lays down her head again with a sigh. "Why does life have to be so unfair?"
As she was lost in her thoughts, She soon heard the approach of somepony into her room, "I thought I said I want to be alone."
"You didn't tell me that."
Limestone raised her head off the bed to see that Maud had entered her room, not Marble, "What do you want?"
"Dad finished talking with Red Comet, and he is certain he can get his friend to continue business with us."
Limestone gets off the bed quickly, "That great news. Once the business deal is made, we can finally have proper funding for everything! Imagine all the things we could afford; imagine all the rocks."
"But there is one condition."
"And that would be?"
"You want me to WHAT?"
Red Comet rubs his ears, "As I said, I want you to help us."
Limestone's left eye has a twitch to it as she talks to him, "Why would I ever want to work with him of all ponies?"
He sighs, putting a hoof to his face, before looking back at her, "Look, I know that you two don't get along. But we have a job to do and are short a hoof down there. So this will be killing two birds with one stone."
Limestone looks to her family behind Red Comet. They aren't giving her any help. She only got a hoof sign from Mom saying to continue. She rolls her eyes before continuing the conversation, "Are you sure there isn't any other way?"
He puts a hoof to his face in thought, "Well... You could go on a date with m..." His stomach drops as Limestone growls at him, showing her teeth, "Never mind."
"So what is it that we are going to be doing?"
"To understand that, you need to understand what we are and why we do what we do."
*AHEM*"A long time ago, there were the three tribes of Ponies, Unicorn Pegasus, and Earth Ponies. The Earth ponies would cultivate the lands, the pegasus would make the weather, and the unicorns would move the sun and moon. I am sure you heard of the tales of Hearts Warming Eve and the powerful Windigos. And that through the power of friendship, the windigos were defeated, never to be seen again. But that is not the whole story. What if the division of the tribes did not cause the arrival of the Windigos? What if the hatred among the ponies what not the cause of the Windigos? After all, if that was the case, then where are they now?"
"Windigos cause a cold northern wind when the tribes don't get along. But that happens every day, so that can't be the reason. If you think about it, the windigos would still be here, causing the cold for those ponies that don't get along. So why did they only show up when all the ponies in the tribes each tribe hate each other and not before? What if the Windigos had never existed before that moment? What if the Mystical Windigos are not natural creatures in these lands?"
"Okay, so where are you going with this?" Limestone interrupted him scratching the side of her head, "Because I have no idea what you are going on about." She looks at her family to see they aren't fairing any better.
Red Comet sighs at this before summarizing his speech, "To put it simply, the reason that the Windigos only showed up when they did is that somepony summon them. Or rather, somepony made them."
"WHAT!" Everypony exclaimed.
"How is that possible?" Limestone asked,
"An old ritual with a lot of ponies. You have seen them already."
"You mean that spirits in the city underground? I thought that you said they were put there because they have a strong attachment to the town they are a part of. And that is why they are still there."
"Yes and no. For the most part, what we have told you earlier is true. However, recently we have found signs of a ritual circle in the underground town binding them there. So even if we finish our job to reinforce the walls and ceiling of the city, they can't move on so long as the ritual circle is still there."
Limestone nods at this, "Okay, so what do you want me to do?"
"Nothing too serious. You will mostly stay quiet most of the time, chant a few words after a little dance, and that is it."
"That is it?"
"That is it."
"So, why do you need me?"
"Because for the removal of the ritual circle to work, we need three ponies. One from each tribe."
"And that is where I come into play?"
"That is right."
"So, how long will it take?"
"Not long at all. Five minutes at most."
"Five minutes? If it takes that long to free those spirits, how is this still a problem?" The other Pies nod in agreement,
"It's not common knowledge of how to free them, and this is far few in between to raise awareness about them. It would be a waste of time. Also, I believe we might have found the last one. So there is no point in telling anypony about it. But performing the ritual to free them is very dangerous for anypony that don't know what they are doing."
"If it's so dangerous? Why are you asking me for help?"
"Originally, we had another earth pony coming to help us. But he got on the wrong train, and you can guess the rest."
Limestone rolls her eyes, "But why me?"
"Well, I thought you could do it to help patch up your relationship with D.U."
"Nothing is going-"
"Yeah, yeah, nothing going on between you two;" Red waves his hoof dismissively, "I get it. But I hate for your family to miss out on a great opportunity over an argument. I can guarantee you that if you help us. D.U. will forgive you."
Limestone takes a breath before giving her answer, "Fine,"
"I know, right? It is a win-win for every pony."
After Limestone bid her family goodbye. She and comet head into the underground, where the Digging Unicorn was waiting for them at one of his workstations. But he was less than enthusiastic at hearing from Red Comet what happen earlier.
"No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No!" The Digging Unicorn screamed at Red Comet, he tried to speak up, but D.U. interpret him, "NO!"
"Bro, come on."
"No, you come on. You know what will happen if we let her participate in the ritual removal?" This got Limestone's attention but could not voice her concern as the two stallions bicker amongst themselves.
"That will only happen if we don't do it correctly. Not to mention that the process is so simple that a foal could do it."
"Regardless, what makes you think I would ever what to work with her?"
Getting annoyed, Limestone spoke, "I am right here, you know."
"No, Pony cares!" He turns to face glaring at her,
Red Comet puts a hoof on The Digging Unicorn's shoulder, trying to calm him, "Calm down already. We don't have many options, and she is willing to help. You know better than any pony that the longer we wait, the harder it will be to remove it." He removes his hoof, "Besides, we are running out of time,"
He huffs at him, "Fine," he turns to face Limestone, "Just do what we say, no questions asked, and for the love of all that is good, stay quiet." Limestone didn't say anything, "Will you speak up so I know that you heard me."
She smirks, "I am sorry, but I was told not to say another word."
"I hate you so much."
"And I hate you."
Red Comet shakes his head, "Can we get this going?"
As they move further down the tunnels, Limestone speaks up, "Hay Comet?"
"Yes?"
"Well, during these past few days, I was researching your friend."
"Did you know?" He had a smirk on his face,
She glares at him, "Business reasons only. During my research, I noticed that no pony or text record has ever mentioned his real name. The only thing I got is that he goes by the Digging Unicorn. Not even Maud knows his name; she is more into the rock community than me."
"Oh, that. Well, I can't tell you."
"Can't or won't?"
"Let's say that nopony is not allowed to speak his name." Comet pointed at the Digging Unicorn, "But that is a tale for another time."
"Why, what happened?"
"A mare that couldn't leave me alone, that is what happened," The digging Unicron said, looking back at her, "Now, are you done stalking me? Or do we have to sit around for an hour sharing painful memories?"
They continue their journey in silence, with one thought bothering Limestone the whole way as the city came into view. Just what happened to you?