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// Chapter 6.) Preparations Are Complete, Let's Go 
// Story: Blaze: Part II 
// by Blazing_Mane01 
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     "Dream!?"

It seemed as though I had just shut my eyelids, when it was morning. Not just that, but everypony was up and doing their own thing. Wide awake. Looks like I'm the only one who ended up sleeping in.

"Oh! Good morning, Blaze," Rarity noticed me first. "How'd you sleep?"

"I guess I... I don't know. I had a really weird dream..."

She giggled. "Oh, don't we all sometimes. Well, time to get up, sweepy-head. Got to manage our home best we can!"

"Heh, true that. Well, what can I --"

I cut my sentence short, because it suddenly occurred to me that I was the center of everypony's attention. I take a quick glance around the room to see everypony's eyes just staring right back. I could tell I was reddening up in the face, so I quickly duck over and say, "Oh, come on! Don't you ponies have anything better to do than to just stare at me?"

"Nope! Not a thing in Equestria!" Pinkie Pie bounced in place.

Faded Ivory laughed from the other end of the room. "Well, good morning, Blaze!"

"Good morning," I say, while hiding my face in my forehooves.

Then, everypony who hadn't said it yet, said the same damn thing. I'm pretty sure that was the fastest time in my life ever that I've received that many 'good mornings' at one time. Once they each said theirs, they went back to whatever they were doing prior. Well, everypony except Ivory, who looked like she had something to say.

"Are you ready, Blaze?"

I sigh. "I sure hope so. I do hope everypony does their best to be careful. All it takes is one mistake down in Neightherworld..."

"Well, a couple ponies volunteered to set it out, if that makes you feel better."

"Fluttershy?"

"And Rarity."

"Heheh. Yeah, guess that makes sense, for Rarity not wanting to go to such a -" I raise my forehoof to my forehead to mock Rarity's signature damsel moment, and prepare my voice as best I can, " -'miserable' location."

Ivory only looked at me as if I were an idiot. "Yeah... Right..."

"Oh, like you didn't see that coming?"

"No, I definitely expected you to say something. That's why my reaction was horrible. Sorry."

"Oh, you're fine. Just kinda threw me off guard, is all."

"Blaze, why are you holding your head?" I jumped as Rarity's voice suddenly rang out from behind me.

I quickly put my hoof down, turn my head, and meet her blue eyes halfway. "What? Huh? I don't know what you're talking about!"

She just sent me a sinister look out of the corner of her eye, but my smile seemed to show her that I was just joking. "Well, try not to hurt yourself, hmm? You need to be in best physical condition before you hit the road." She smiled, but turned it upside down when she took a glance at my gut. "Umm, at least best possible physical condition..."

I sigh. "I know, I know. I haven't had much food over the past two months. What little we did find in the caves, I usually just gave to Twilight, and she's no better than I am."

"Wait a minute!" Rarity stuck her hoof out. "Are you saying that you haven't eaten in two months!?"

"Oh, goodness, no! Of course I threw a few things in my face every now or later."

She nodded slowly, then sighed. "Well, see if you can't do anything about that. Here, I'll go see if Applejack has any food for you --"

"No no no, that's fine. I'm not hungry." I lied. "Rather, go see if Twilight wants anything to eat."

"Okay."

As she was walking away, I suddenly had the urge to ask her. "Oh, hey, Rarity."

"Yes?"

"You're... not coming?"

She looked down to the ground. "I'm sorry, Blaze. I can't go into that kind of place, you understand, right?"

"Rarity. What if we need you?"

"Who, me?" She started using her damsel thing. "Oh, I'm sure one of your other companions can do whatever I could possibly do down there in - heheh - Neightherworld? I'll just be a hindrance!"

Hmph! She just doesn't want to get her hooves dirty. "No, that's where you're wrong. What if we need the Elements of Harmony? Everypony has to come."

Obviously she didn't like that idea. "Oh, come on, Blaze. What could we possibly need the Elements for down there? And what if one of us drops theirs?"

"I'm sure everypony is going to treat their Element as if it were their lives. Look, I'm sorry. Every Element Bearer HAS to come."

"Mmm..." she ducked her head and dropped her ears. "Oh, alright..."

I drop my ears, too. "Hey, I understand you don't wanna go. I do. I don't really wanna go, either. But it's my mother down there! How would you feel if it was your mother?"

She swallowed. "Well, uhh... I-if it was... My mother... Then..."

"See? I need your help. Luna needs your help."

"Okay." A smile reformed on her lips. "I'll do my best for you, Blaze. For Princess Luna. But right now, I need to see if Twilight is hungry."

The way she said it brought a smile to my face as well. "Would you kindly?"

Once she made her way across the room, I turn back to Faded Ivory, whose conversation with me I have completely forgotten. Thank goodness she started it back up. "Wow."

I pretend to be irritated. "What!?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I just didn't know you could talk like that..."

I raise my eyebrow. "'Talk?' Whada you mean?"

She smiled. "Blaze, that was awesome! You're such a persuasive talker! I wish I had a tongue like yours!"

Feeling like a smartass, I stick my tongue out. "wath tho thpethial about my tongue?"

"Not your tongue, tongue, just -- Oh, never mind."

"It's alright. I know what you meant."

Ivory nodded. "Okay, well, uhh... Get your stuff together, Blaze. We've got a long day ahead of us."

I shrug. "I don't have any stuff."

"So, you're ready?"

"I guess so..."

Our conversation was going nowhere. Thankfully, Rainbow's voice rang out from across the room. "Alright, everypony ready to go?"

Pinkie answered first. "Yes, ma'am!"

Next was Applejack. "Yup!"

Followed by Rarity. "As ready as I can!"

Then Ivory. "Yes!"

Up next; Twilight. "Absolutely!"

I took my turn. "All set!"

Rainbow looked behind me. "Fluttershy?"

Reflexively, I turn to see what she was looking at. Sure enough, there's a creamy-colored pegasus huddled up in the corner, shaking up a storm. "Please don't make me go..."

At the sound of her innocent voice, I half-smile, half-sigh as I start to walk up to her. "It's okay, Fluttershy. We'll take care of you."

She gasped and hid under her forehooves. "No! I don't wanna go!"

The way she said it brought my ears down. "Look, Fluttershy," I say slowly, "I'm sure none of us want to go. It's just that we have to. Luna's depending on us."

"Luna can depend on you all, but not me!"

Her stubborn attitude is quickly irritating me. "Oh, yes she does, Fluttershy! She is depending on ALL the Element Bearers, just in case."

"Mmm, What could you want with the Elements down in... In...?"

"Neightherworld?"

She yelped. "Forget it! I'm not going!"

That pissed me off. "You know what!?" I throw my forehooves in the air and turn to face the others, "Fine! Let's just leave Luna to rot down there, okay!? Just because Fluttershy's too stubborn to play her role as an Element Bearer! Fuck it, Rainbow; we're not going anymore!"

Rainbow raised her eyebrow. "You sure, Blaze? I mean, if we can't get her out of there, Tyrant Celestia wins!"

I shake my head. "We need Fluttershy, just in case we need the Elements."

"Oh, come on, Blaze." Twilight had walked up to my side. "Don't you think you're jumping the hurdle just a bit? All of Neightherworld is rumored to be where all evil is locked away, so it could render the Elements useless."

It took me a short moment to decipher Twilight's meaning. "Oh, okay, I gotcha. You're saying if we were to use the Elements down there, the evil entities would just refresh themselves, because they're already in banishment..."

"Unfortunately, yes, that's what I'm getting at."

I turn back to the pegasus on the floor. "Well, Fluttershy, looks like you're getting off easy this time."

"Now wait just a minute!" Rarity blared out. "If I have to go, then she has to, too!"

"Nope. Rarity, you no longer have to go, either."

"Oh, I'm still going. I'm doing it for Luna. For you."

A smile formed on my face as I walked over to Rainbow Dash. "Well, thanks, Rarity. Thank you all, everypony."

Pinkie. "You're welcome!"

Applejack. "Well, shucks."

Rainbow. "No prob, Blaze."

Rarity. "Of course."

Ivory. "Absolutely, Blaze."

Twilight. "It's the least I can do."

I nod, and clear my throat. "Okay, let's try this again. Preparations are complete?"

Everypony except Fluttershy threw a hoof up. "We! Are! Ready!"

Without looking, I pull up the foldable door of the hideaway. "Let's go!"