A scraping sound at one end of the crevice drew Rainbow's attention.
"Rarity! Something's moving inside the walls!"
Rarity jumped to attention and raised her weapon-a pair of what appeared to be gigantic sewing needles. "What? Where? I'll get it!"
"Just here." Rainbow crept up to the wall an placed her hand against it. The scraping sound seemed to be getting closer and closer by the minute. She could also make out faint sounds that could pass as distant voices. And they seemed to be getting closer towards her.
"Get back!" Rarity shouted as the sounds reached the very edge of the wall. Rainbow dashed back to Rarity and raised her own weapons-small blades that had the appearance of wings.
The stone wall exploded in a shower of rubble and dust. Rainbow and Rarity coughed and spluttered, holding their hands up to their mouths and shutting their eyes. Rarity opened her eyes first, and saw a powerful looking figure, not unlike herself, standing in the midst of the cavern, dusting itself down.
"I found 'em!" the figure called back through the tunnel it had apparently dug out. Whatever it was, it had quite the heavy accent.
"Great work, Applejack!" another, lighter voice shouted back from the tunnel.
"What is going on?" Rainbow piped up irritably.
"Calm down, sugarcube." the other being raised a hand peacefully. "We're rescuing you."
"Wha-oh, yeah. Rescue. Thanks." Rainbow smiled.
"Think nothing of it. It was Twilight's idea." the other Toa said. "Name's Applejack. Honesty Toa."
"Honestly?" Rainbow joked, and the two Toa giggled.
"That was an AWFUL joke!" A high voice shouted from the tunnel.
"Aw, be quiet, Pinkie!" Applejack shouted back, still smiling. "It was better than that one about Cheerilee and the beans!"
There was a puase. Then Pinkie responded with "Good point."
"Thought so." Applejack grinned, tipping back the headshield on her mask. "Now come on, you two."
Rainbow and Rarity followed Applejack back through the tunnel. Rainbow and Applejack didn't seem to mind the dark, dirty atmosphere of the tunnel. Rarity, on the other hand, detested it.
"Eew. It's just so...yucky." she complained and moaned all the way along the tunnel and out of the side of Mount Canter. She was definitely glad to see the light of day again. Applejack helped her and Rainbow out of the tunnel and led her to a stone circle, around which three other figures stood. One was a light violet color, another many different shades of pink, and the third was bright yellow.
"Oh, hello." The violet Toa said. "My name is Twilight, Toa of Magic. This is Pinkie, Toa of Laughter," at which the pink one bounced up and down, grinning her head off. "And Fluttershy, Toa of Kindness." the yellow Toa gave a small wave and a sheepish smile.
Oh, hello? Rainbow thought as she stared at Twilight. We were just stuck in a cave!
"I'm Rainbow, Toa of Loyalty." Rainbow introduced herself. "That's Rarity, the Generosity Toa."
"Thank you, Rainbow, for that introduction." Rarity said and gave a low bow.
Twilight bowed back, a little unsure of why Rarity had done that.
"We're honored to have you two with us. Now we can begin our first meeting."
"A meeting? What are we having a meeting for?" Rainbow asked before she could stop herself.
"Don't feel too bad, Rainbow." Applejack put her arm over Rainbow's shoulder. "I don't like these much either, but they're important."
Rainbow couldn't argue with that. It was, after all, the truth. "I guess so, Applejack." she said as she took a spot in the circle, in between Applejack and Pinkie.
"Hi." Pinkie grinned at Rainbow. "I'm Pinkie."
"Hi there." Rainbow replied. "I'm Rainbow."
"Isn't this exciting?" Pinkie squealed. "I'm so excited, I can hardly breathe."
Rainbow could tell, for each syllable Pinkie said was punctuated by a breath.
"Alright, everyToa, gather round." Twilight called. "We've all been called to this island to fulfill a destiny. We are going to protect the Ponytoran and drive the evil off Ponyville Nui."
"Marekuta." Applejack said grimly. At the mention of the name, Fluttershy squeaked and ducked down in her spot.
"Where? Don't let her get me!"
"It's okay, Fluttershy darling." Rarity helped the Kindness Toa up. "She's not here."
"Oh. Um...thank you, Rarity." Fluttershy smiled.
"Anyway," Twilight continued. "Turaga Clover told me that we need to find the masks located all around the island if we're to even stand a chance of defeating Marekuta."
"Um, my Turaga Pansy also told me of the three virtues." Fluttershy said. "Friendship, promise, future. She said they were important to our survival."
"Thank you, Fluttershy." Twilight smiled a reassuring smile. "Yes, the three virtues. We need to promise to stay together as friends if we ever want to create a good future for the Ponytoran."
"Great! Now when do we go and sock it to Marekuta?" Rainbow punched the air to punctuate her comment.
"Not yet, Rainbow." Twilight said. "We still need to..."
Twilight was interrupted by the sudden darkening of the sky. Rain started pouring from the sky as lightning flashed and thunder boomed all around.
"I was told this never happens in Rari-Wahi!" Rarity shouted, obviously distressed.
"This storm ain't natural!" Applejack yelled over the thunder. Lightning hit the ground, splitting it open and creating a yawning chasm in the snowy earth. As soon as the storm had come, it mysteriously dissipated, revealing the damage it had caused. The lightning had burned the ground and melted holes in the snow. Fluttershy, who had disappeared as soon as the storm had started, re-emerged from behind a large rock close to the circle, which had been cracked in two.
"Is it over yet?" she squeaked.
Pinkie gaped incredulously at Fluttershy. "She can move super-fast! Seriously, did you guys see her? She was like "swoosh!" and was over there in a snap." She snapped her fingers to demonstrate.
"Clearly, something here doesn't want us here." Twilight said, lowering her sword. "that "something" may just be Marekuta. We need to start collecting masks quickly."