5 - Light at the end of the tunnel
Light
at Just of
the Passing the
end Through tunnel
Resolved, he set out once more, following the trackbed as it led away from the river and climbed the rocky slope. He had only walked a short distance before rusty rails reappeared on the track; a few meters further and the edge of the cavern materialized out of the gloom. Upon reaching the edge, the tracks turned and began running alongside it, climbing a ledge carved into the wall until they reached a small side-cavern perched high above the main cave floor.
The light from the crystal veins pooled at the entrance to the side-cavern, leaving the depths a black void. He brought out his flashlight once more and immediately gasped as the light unveiled the mysteries within. Safely above the scouring wash of the river, this cavern was more otherworldly than any of the ones he had seen before. It didn't have the spectacle of the waterfall, true, but the sheer number of formations was overwhelming, and the natural sculptures here had an ephemeral elegance that he hadn't seen before. Delicate shapes crowded the room, with even the long-vanished miners respecting the spectacle enough to route the track around the most impressive sights.
It almost felt like a scenic stroll as he wound his way through the cavern. The track crossed a stone bridge above a ringed circular pool, swerved around a wavy stone curtain and, for one particularly massive stalagmite cluster, even dove into another artificial side-tunnel. Unfortunately, when he tried to follow the path past the stalagmites, he found that the tunnel entrance had collapsed.
Looking around for an alternate route, he spotted a nearby trail of footprints leading away from the track, including the set he’d noticed earlier that looked newer than the rest. Well, it's nice to know that I'm not headed towards a dead end, but I'd be happier if my path had a little less overlap with this particular critter. Beggars can't be choosers, though, he thought, hesitantly stepping down into the otherworldly stone jungle that sprouted at the verge of the tracks.
He followed the prints closely – this wasn't an easy walk on the tracks anymore. The natural cave floor was treacherously uneven, and he was focused on avoiding pitfalls, rather than appreciating the scenery.
The trail traversed a muddy slope, before climbing a small rise and arriving at the forest of columns that sprouted from the crest. Stone pressed close on all sides as he wove his way among the clammy gray pillars, slipping between the narrow gaps and stepping carefully on the lumpy rocks below. The rock was wet and slick to the touch, while the air lay cold and heavy around him. The innumerable stone surfaces caught every echoing drip of water, scrape of boot, and labored breath, accentuating and distorting the noises into a haunting soundscape.
As if on cue, a low moaning rose around him, and he felt a chill breath of air on his neck. He looked around nervously, as shivers ran down his spine and his grip unconsciously tightened on the spear. The shadows danced as his searching flashlight gave life to the twisted stone forms, but the room betrayed no hint of movement.
Okay, it's only the wind. Just air and rocks. Nothing to worry about, no matter how much it may be creeping me out, he thought, hurrying his steps as he finally escaped the field of stalagmites.
The prints wove back and forth around a couple of other obstacles before finally running off to the side and rejoining the tracks. He set foot on the gravel ballast with a smile of relief and set out at a fast clip once more. After only a few minutes, the cave gradually began to narrow, until the track filled it entirely. A tunnel once more, it rounded a bend and disappeared beneath an old wooden door.
The wood was rotten, but the door still held together. An arc of splintered wood on the ground suggested that it had been opened recently. With no other options, he pressed forward and gave the rusty iron handle a tug. His eyebrows raised when the door belied its decrepit appearance and obstinately refused to budge. He set his feet and, with a grunt of effort and a low whoosh of air, wrenched it open. The wind rose up from behind him, picking at his clothes as it eagerly rushed through the gap. He found it a struggle to balance the heavy door against it as he slipped through himself.
The door slammed shut with a heavy thud as soon as he stopped holding it back, cutting off the breeze and letting the ambiance of the chamber quickly envelop him. Immediately, his nose wrinkled and his eyes began to water from the pungent smell of a million incontinent hamsters. He made it only a couple of steps before the stench proved too much; he turned and hastily shoved the door open once more, drinking in the dank cavern air that poured in like it was heavenly nectar. As soon as he started to relax, though, the door tried to push itself closed again. He frowned at it thoughtfully, as he considered his options. His inventory was becoming sparse, but he did still have those metal spikes he'd found on the dog along with the gems.
Forcing the door open as wide as it would go, he quickly planted the spikes to wedge it against the breeze. When he was satisfied that the spikes were holding firm, he stepped back and savored the cool breeze one last time. Although the fresher air was welcome, along with it came a familiar low moan – louder now, and rising and falling in response to subtle fluctuations in the wind.
His hands clenched the spear reflexively as the sound gave him a fresh set of jitters. Okay, stronger wind equals louder sound. Perfectly logical. I still want to get the hell out of here, though, even with this lovely new cave as the alternative, he thought with a grimace, as he put the wind at his back, and ventured into the noxious cavern. He hadn't gone far before he noticed his footsteps no longer echoed off the stone, and he looked down to see that the rock had been overtaken by a thin layer of loose brown grit that was now being sculpted by the wind. I don’t even want to think about what that is.
The stuff grew deeper the farther he went, piled in heaps and mounds like drifts of foul snow. Soon the track vanished completely, leaving only faint shapes to suggest the underlying structures. Inevitably, he stumbled into an unseen hole, the resultant stagger kicking the light grit up into an acrid dust, the smell instantly redoubling until it was almost overpowering. His stomach did a little flip, and his nonexistent lunch did its best to escape, as he hunched over, gagging.
He immediately regretted his reflex, as the air was even worse down low, and he knew that if he started to lose it now, there was no telling when he'd stop. Wait... is– is the floor moving? What is– oh, bugs? Ugh. I don’t even want to think about it. Somehow, he managed to keep himself together, only to be rewarded by a light dribble of liquid on the back of his head as he stood up. I suppose there is no point in even trying to pretend that might be rain, he thought resignedly. Looks like the inhabitants are still around.
At least I've got these boots, he thought, as he resumed trudging ahead. I can’t even imagine what it'd be like to walk through here with crappy footgear – as is, the piles are almost deep enough to overtop them. Huh. If the guano is this thick on the ground, then just what does it look like above me? Curiosity got the better of him, and he flashed the beam upwards.
As far as he could see, a carpet of bats covered the ceiling, the living tide rippling and flowing in agitation as the light played over them. He swore, causing the churning ceiling to flash into a boiling cauldron of wings. He crouched down, reflexively covering his head as a hurricane of small forms swirled around him. The choking smell rose up once more, enveloping him in a little pocket of misery.
So… no light or noise. That would have been nice to know earlier, he thought grumpily as he quickly doused the light and held as still as he could. At least the smell isn't quite as bad. Either that or I'm just getting used to it.
He nevertheless buried his nose into his shirt as an impromptu mask, and did his best to ignore the sound of the bats all around him. While not as spooky as the howling of the wind, the noise was still disconcerting.
The bats' high pitched chitters and rustling wings reverberated from the walls, melding together into an uncanny cacophony that veered between sounding like the skittering of some many-legged insectile horror, high-pitched shrieks, and even faint laughter. He just tried to put it all out of his mind, and focus on something, anything, else. Right, just don't think of the elephant. Think of fresh air. A gentle breeze on a sunny day. The bright sky with a few puffy clouds and a playful rainbow. A rainbow that suddenly erupted into a massive explosion. Crap. Uh... Beer. Cold, frosty beer. Perfectly chilled in an endless field of snow. Snow swirling in from a howling blizzard. A mighty storm raged, pouring sleet and rain. Or a slow, steady drizzle that... wasn't rain. Dammit. This is going to be a long wait.
He was afraid to check the time, but the bats eventually calmed and he chanced moving again. The noise had dropped off as well, though the ghostly giggling portion seemed more pronounced. Okay, it could be called an improvement, but I've still had more than enough of this, he thought darkly.
Eager to escape but not wanting to risk upsetting the bats again, he slowly crept forward, relying only on the dim glow from his phone to pick out his path. As the seconds ticked by, he became increasingly certain he'd entered some kind of time warp, but if the phone was to be believed, it took only about three minutes to reach the end of the fetid chamber. Here was another door, but at some point this one had come unhinged, and it now lay half-buried on the cavern floor.
Beyond it was yet another artificial tunnel. The ceiling here was uncomfortably low, and he had to hunch down to make his way through. On the plus side, it was apparently too low for the bats also, as the floor here was thankfully clean. That was less useful than it might have been, though, as the breeze was now bringing the full funk of the amassed guano along with him. The olfactory assault was encouragement enough to hurry his steps, but rounding a bend he broke into a run like the first person into a store on black Friday. Ahead, a small square of light beckoned him forth like the Holy Grail.
It may not have been the wisest choice, but he was beyond caring as he dashed recklessly down the last few meters of the low, rocky tunnel. Bursting out onto a large circular patch of gravel, he briefly recoiled at the painful brilliance of the pure white light around him. After a few moments of squinting, his eyes had adjusted enough for him to realize he was standing at the bottom of a large stone shaft – one wide enough that he suspected it could’ve swallowed his entire garage. Daylight poured in the open top, illuminating the far side, but not quite reaching the bottom. From the angle of the light, he guessed it was now late afternoon. The shaft itself appeared to be a natural formation, but the ponies had clearly been hard at work here, too. Spidery metal framework rose along one side, supporting what looked like an old, broken conveyor system and a rusted-out lift. Looking at the state of disrepair, he wasn't about to trust any of it.
Fortunately, next to the lift was a series of steps carved directly into the wall. There were a few sections where the stone had crumbled, but nothing insurmountable. “Woohoo!” he whooped, a huge smile breaking out on his face as his wild cheer echoed up the stone walls. I’m finally getting out of here! He hurried over to the stairs and began to climb determinedly.
There were a couple of difficult sections, but he made good time up the first stretch. Past the third switchback, however, his legs were starting to feel a bit rubbery. He was glad to see that the shaft widened a few meters up, creating a broad rock ledge. Almost there. Just a little bit further, and I ca–
"Hey, wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?" Aww crap, my alarm. He hastily fumbled for the phone before it could... “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
Several very long seconds later, blessed silence fell as he glared at the obnoxious device in his hand. Why did I ever think that was a good audio clip to use? He sighed. Yeah, time to wake up from my nap indeed. No lying on the couch hitting snooze today. I certainly wouldn’t mind waking up from all of this, though. His sigh morphed into a dark chuckle as another thought occurred to him. The alarm on my tablet is synchronized with my phone – I wonder what those dogs are making of it right now? Or do the ponies have it? Either way, I'm sure they're having fun trying to turn it off.
The all-too-familiar rustle of leathery wings intruded on his musing, and he reflexively ducked before looking over to see a dark stream of bats boiling out of the tunnel and passing overhead. Huh. Those bats just won't calm down. I wonder what set them off this time?
As the last few stragglers departed, he climbed the last steps to the ledge he'd noticed earlier. He was still drained from running; now his legs were shaking from the climb as well, giving a few nearby stones an almost magnetic attraction. He tottered over to them unsteadily and collapsed with a groan. Stripping off the backpack was a relief as well, but not as much as turning it around to see the foals still bundled up within, safe and sound – if a bit more fragrant. They were still breathing steadily, but showed no signs of waking. Whatever those dogs gave them must’ve been pretty potent.
For a moment, he could ignore the remaining flights of stairs and the knotty task of trying to salvage his relations with the locals. Now, it was enough to simply sit back, take some weight off his aching feet, and feel the cool breeze as it set dust motes adance in the afternoon sunlight pouring down the shaft.
His mind drifted, idly cataloging the pleasant sensations while gradually circling in on weightier issues. Even with the evidence right in front of him, it was hard to believe everything he'd done in the last few hours – on more levels than one. He wasn't sure which was crazier, the fantastical events, or his own preposterous reactions. Stealing a lock of hair from a mythical monster? He chuckled briefly at himself. If I do wake up in the funny bin, the doctors there will have their work cut out for them.
His reverie was cut short as he heard hoof-falls and snatches of conversation echoing up from below. After a brief battle, curiosity overcame fatigue, and he walked over to the edge to peer down. Below, six colorful forms milled around in front of the exit to the tunnel – the same six ponies he'd seen earlier. How did they get past the rockfall? he wondered.
It was easier to make out detail in the light, though the two ponies with headlamps had left them on, illuminating the bottom of the shaft, but still making it hard to look at them directly. Man, I just don’t get why they’d put up with such a lousy design, he thought crabbily.
Despite the glare, he was still noticing things he hadn't before. Most striking was the blue pegasus; not only were her sky-blue coat and rainbow mane even more vivid in the light, he noticed her entire lower half, wings, and tail were caked in a familiar dirty-purplish muck.
Even with the mud, though, he realized that the blue pegasus reminded him strongly of the yellow pegasus with the fiery mane he had first encountered – just as lithe, and if anything, even more vivacious. So, another she? With that thought in mind, he took a more critical look at the others as well. They’re not as athletic as the blue one, but otherwise, they all share the same sleek, underlying build. Again, nothing like the stallion. So these are all mares, then? he speculated.
Their actions didn't give him much in the way of clues. Blue was vigorously flapping her wings, which raised a cloud of dust, but failed to get her off the ground. The orange one with the cowboy hat walked up to her and asked what sounded like a question, to which blue responded sharply, assuming he was correct in reading how Orange laid her ears back. Orange moved away and over to converse with the purple one, while Blue started irritably trying to preen the mud from her wings. The glare from Purple's headlamp kept him from making out much about her, but the way she had gravitated to the center and how Orange and the others kept walking over to talk with her… Maybe she's the leader?
Near her was the yellow pegasus, walking carefully with her wings outstretched and a few bats circling around her. This didn't seem to faze her in the slightest, though it seemed to unnerve some of the others a bit.
After finishing her conversation with Purple, Orange had moved away, and was now the one closest to him; she seemed to be examining the stairs intently, and not liking what she saw. Yeah, there were a couple of tricky bits on the way up – and that's coming from the fellow with hands, he thought, amused.
The white pony with the blue headlamp was last out of the tunnel, mincing gingerly, as if she were trying to distance herself from her own hooves. Even from here, streaks of dirt stood out against her alabaster coat, and something about her tail seemed off. It’s the only one bobbed short among the six, he realized in surprise. Wasn’t it longer when I first saw them? Did something happen?
Bouncing around them all, seemingly at random, was the bright pink pony that had stared at him earlier. Now, her constant movement made it hard to make out anything, but once again, she seemed to somehow sense his attention, pausing and glancing around quizzically.
Well, the only way to go is up, some of them can fly, and there’s basically no cover up here anyhow. I’ve got the foals, so it looks like it’s finally time to meet the locals. I just have to introduce myself, show the backpack, and– what the heck is she doing?
The pink one had abruptly shifted, looking comically backwards to where her crazily poofy tail had just started to vibrate like an unbalanced washing machine. She yelled something out loudly, causing the ponies to all instantly huddle together and start looking up and around worriedly. The orange one spotted him almost immediately, pointing him out with a startled exclamation.
I guess this is my cue, he thought, rising to his feet as all the ponies turned to stare. But even as he stood, he heard a scritch scritch scritch -snick- to his left and felt the rock beneath him give a disconcerting lurch. Jumping back quickly, he watched in horror as a large chunk of the rocky ledge gave way from where he'd just been a moment ago.
A chorus of screams echoed up from below, and then... nothing. No crash? he thought, confused. Hesitantly, he dropped to his hands and knees and crawled across the still-trembling rock to where he could peer over the new edge. His jaw dropped as he saw a boulder the size of a delivery van hanging in midair, encased in a bright magenta glow. A resonant humming filled the air, and as he watched, the glowing field pulsed and the boulder snapped in two with a sharp crack. Another pulse and the halves split again, then again and again and again, the sound like a hail of gunfire until the boulder was reduced to nothing but a dusty cloud of floating gravel. A brittle quiet settled over the shaft as he stared down in terrified awe.
Heartbeats later, the glowing cloud parted in the middle, revealing the lavender pony once more. He could make out more now, as the blinding illumination was gone, replaced by a subtler glowing aura that danced and shimmered around the top of the mare’s head like a living flame. Though still bright, he could now clearly see her head and make out a jeweled tiara and horn atop it. Waitaminute– a horn? Those ponies weren't wearing headlamps – that's a unicorn!
Said unicorn stared back up at him, and even at this distance, he quailed under her piercing gaze. Oh hell, if she can do that to a huge boulder, clearing that rockfall earlier would've been nothing – they must have been nipping at my heels the whole time. I am so screwed, he thought, hastily scuttling back from the edge.
Okay, I can't panic yet – I just need to return the foals, and we can still sort things out. Backing up to the rock he had sat on earlier, he stopped and reached over for the backpack, his flailing hand frantically grasping at empty air. Whirling around, his eyes took in the bare rock, before tracing the brand new cliff edge, narrowing as he spied the freshly dug tunnel the edge bisected, and finally widening in horror as he spotted the canid figure standing next to it holding his backpack.
Icy dread crawled up his spine. “You son of a bitch!” he swore in shocked disbelief. This can't be happening! Not now. Not after I've come so far. Frustration and despair transmuted into anger, as he reached over to the other side of the rock and felt the smooth, reassuring shaft of the spear. Abruptly snatching it up, he charged the dog, yelling incoherently.
It backpedalled in surprise, and he grinned ferally as his rush put him between the digger and its tunnel, cornering it at the end of the ledge. He pressed forward, jabbing with the spear experimentally. The dog rose onto its hind legs, guarding with one paw as it held the backpack in the other. “Yeah, that’s right, back off,” he said. It may have armor, but it's still cautious, he observed.
He stepped forward again, this time thrusting seriously, but the dog melted to the side, forcing him to follow. He found he had no trouble staying ahead of it, though. It can't move well with those tiny legs when its arms are full, he realized, cutting off its line of motion. It retreated briefly, before settling into a guard stance and growling something at him.
“Sorry, I don’t speak dog,” he groused. “I don’t suppose you speak English?” It gave no reply. “Parlez-vous Français?” … Merde. “Tu hablas Español?” Nada. Frustrated, he finally threw in the towel and just made a ‘give me’ motion at the backpack. The dog’s bared fangs were reply enough, and he matched it glare for glare as he waited for it to make the next move.
Its ears twitched, and it looked away to the side, but he wasn't about to fall for the old ‘hey look over there’ trick, and stepped forward with a low stab. As he leaned into the thrust, the canid’s empty paw struck like a snake, and he was suddenly fighting to maintain his grip on the spear. Splinters and purple muck flew as the two contested the weapon until he finally twisted it loose from the dog's powerful, but awkward, grasp.
He staggered back a step, palms burning and legs trembling despite the adrenaline surging through his veins. He stood there for a moment, trying to look tough and nonchalant, as opposed to desperately catching his breath. It seemed content to wait, though it didn’t look particularly distressed; he hoped that it was merely a better actor. As the burn receded, he sprang into motion once more, this time mindful of the canid’s grasp, but the dog was ready, too. Its free paw always seemed in just the right place to intercept any thrust he made, and found he couldn’t press too hard for fear of losing control of the weapon again.
Crap. This isn't working, he thought in concern. As if sensing his hesitation, the dog leaned in aggressively and began to advance. “Bloody hell,” he exclaimed, backing up a few steps in alarm. The dog kept pace with his retreat, thwarting his attempts to harry it with his agility, and ignoring his feeble feints as it continued to take ground.
He hastily changed tactics, trying a slash instead, but the dog was already moving to counter. As his swing went wide, the dog charged him like a bull, batting the spear point away contemptuously, and lashing out with a taloned paw. He cried out in desperation as he threw himself aside, feeling the wind from its swipe on his face, even as he thrust the butt of the spear into its legs. He heard a meaty thock and a strangled yelp just as the back of his head erupted in pain.
He lay stunned for a few long moments, the world spinning above him, before he recalled his situation and levered himself up with a grimace. His gaze passed over the large rock he'd landed against, blurring in and out, as he turned to glare at the prone canid.
The dog was still sprawled on its stomach a spear length away, with the backpack lying just behind it, thrown clear of the fall. The flap hung open and some of the wrappings had fallen askew, but the foals were still cradled reassuringly within and looked fine. The canid started to rise, but hissed in pain and fell back down as soon as it tried to put weight on its right leg. The dog glared at him from where it lay on the ground, but he didn’t notice – his gaze had locked onto the backpack. He lurched towards the fallen bag, but not quickly enough. Realizing his intent, the dog rose to its three good limbs and pulled itself over to the backpack first, where it crouched down, growling.
“Dammit!” he swore, voice tight with pain. I don't have time for this! Gritting his teeth in frustration, he leapt at the dog, but even as the spear shot forward, a shimmering field sprang up around the canid, and the weapon glanced off the barrier as if it had struck solid steel. The dog seemed almost as surprised as he was, and its eyes went wide as it whipped its head around to the side.
This time he followed its gaze to where the rickety old elevator was rocketing up, encased in an all-too-familiar magenta glow, and arriving at the platform in a spray of rust and a shriek of tortured metal. Even before it stopped, the six mares were leaping off – eyes narrowed, and bodies tense like overwound springs. The dog cried out something in that strange tongue, holding up the backpack and pointing a shaking paw at him accusingly as the mares ran past, forming ranks against him.
His heart sank at the sight, stealing away his last dregs of strength. It's all falling apart, he despaired, but I can't just give up yet. He grimaced involuntarily as his vision swam, white knuckles gripping the spear for support. I've got to keep it together somehow; this isn’t the time to appear weak.
The ponies certainly looked strong enough; the purple unicorn in the lead had a wild look in her eyes, and her multi-hued mane was dirty and frazzled about the edges. The others were similarly disheveled and looked just as determined, except, did that pink one just wink at me? … No, that’s surely a serious look on her face. The blue pegasus, in particular, was clearly all business – she glared at his purple-coated spear point like it had personally offended her. The only kind look was from the yellow pegasus, but she was directing it at the backpack. When she looked up, he found himself caught by two bottomless teal pools that were as gentle as the spring breeze, but hard as diamond.
A deep sense of guilt overcame him; he could vaguely hear the ponies speaking, but his thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind, leaving him standing there dumbly clutching the spear. Tension sang in the air – thick, heavy, and warm like a hazy summer afternoon, but with a building potency that was making his hair stand on end. The light seemed to take on a different hue, the colors shifting – bright and almost painfully oversaturated to the point where the ponies' eyes and the gems they wore even appeared to glow.
His mind was heavy and sluggish; the very idea of either fight or flight impossibly tiring, and there was no place left for him to run to, anyhow. He should just lie down and rest. No! I can’t! he struggled instinctively. He opened his mouth to say something, anything.
"Hey, wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?" asked the purple unicorn’s saddlebags brightly. A thought floated up from the void. Oh. They found the snooze button. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" The oppressive tension spiked as a handful of panicked bats dropped out from beneath the yellow pegasus' outstretched wings, causing her to gasp and look down in concern.
His thoughts snapped free of their lethargy and he realized that his struggle was lost. But even as the spear fell from his nerveless fingers, the purple unicorn had already narrowed her eyes and was stamping her hoof. There was a sense of sudden release, and energy poured forth in a coruscating rainbow torrent.
All went white.
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Lawlnto the alarm
Worth the wait, as always!
Yes! Update!
No! Cliffhanger!
Well. This keeps getting better and better...
Meanwhile, several chapters back when Twilight found the tablet...
"GO!"
"Magic Book! TELL ME YOUR SECRETS!"
Ah, lack of communication. A good way to do conflict.
Was that… a Fluttershy Stare?
Edit: if they call him a foal hunter, I'm leaving /rifftrax.
I am having a hard time understanding what just happened. First they helped him against the diamond dog and then they attacked him? Or did I get that completely wrong?
I have been waiting forever for an update on this.
and yet another story falls into the cliche trap of ponies trying to hurt the hapless human.
My eternal foe has struck once again......CLIFFHANGER!
Egh... We already has story with similiar setting of problems with lack of communication and totaly bigoted racist ponys. Thx for work anyway.
3785836 ERM, it looked like he and the diamond dog were fighting over who kept the foals. Like hungry predators. If not for the diamond dog he would have been able to return the foals with less misunderstanding.
However, the elements shouldn't hurt him, he has had no evil or chaotic intentions.
3786001 This one's unique. It already feels very different then others of the same category.
I think that this will be a splendid new(cough actually around before avats I think) take on the genre.
I'm torn between, "it was an honest reaction" and, "RACIST PONIES!!!"
It did seem like a reasonable reaction, but I see it in so much HiE that it's an instinctual thing for me to just point and accuse ponies of racism. I wish it didn't have to go that way, though. To be honest, I feel this chapter would have been better without that whole scene.
Besides, he's already been unconscious twice now. Stop plot devicing!
On a side note, this has been the most confusing title chapter to read so far. Keep it up, and please tell me that's not what kept you from updating earlier.
XD The Most Annoying Sound in the World. XD I can totally imagine the ponies screaming back at the phone. XD
3785832 They didn't help him - the Mane 6 saw both fighting and broke the fight up. The diamond dog framed the human and the Mane 6 attacked the supposed foal-napper instead.
3786410 Ahh, thank you.
Welp, Dash is partly covered in Smooze by-product but doesn't appear to be being eaten alive by it, so I guess the girls must have been able to deal with it.
3785836 However, them using the elements of said human is comparitavley a rarity
And now, for our fellow bronies, I shall be bugging you non stop
You know I started this chapter thinking, "Some talking ponies had better appear in this chapter, or I'm reversing my thumbs up vote!"
Then the Mane Six appeared. They were super effective.
At this point I'm half wondering if the Diamond Dogs aren't trying to rescue the foals themselves. Babies aren't much good to them, and ponies probably pay a reward for this kind of thing. And the SI probably doesn't exactly look like a paragon of all things good and wholesome to either party.
"It's" should be "its", as replacing it with "it is" doesn't make sense in context.
He should have had a CCW.
Oh come on! Do I have to break out the crowbars and torches, bring me the next chapter before I get all cliffhanger-enduced rage on your ass!
3785836
3786001
It's not that the ponies are being racist or inherently hostile, so much as they just dealing with a situation that looks bad, and additional events have been reinforcing the perspective.
3054845
Has had the most accurate summation so far.
To which you can now add a couple of new items, such as siccing the bats on them with his strange magic device, and dropping a huge boulder on them.
3787021
Thanks, fixed
Did he just get friendship lasered? Wait, did he just get framed by a diamond dog, then friendship lasered?
Wow, things are not looking up for our hero. Then again, considering all the accidental damage he's managed to cause on the way, it's not really much of a surprise. What will be a surprise (at least, in-story) is whatever effect the Elements actually have on him. I'm betting either Ponification or nothing.
Well this was allright I guess. See you in 5-6 months with the next chapter?
3787759
Why would the Elements ponify him? That makes no sense. And where was the rainbow? (And I don't mean
SkittlesRainbow Dash)From what I can gather from the end there, Twilight hit him with a sleep spell. Possibly more than one as he was apparently shaking off the effects for a while.
It's also pretty obvious the Dog, who can speak Equestrian, framed the guy... adding another nail in his coffin from all the crap he's been doing that makes him look guilty as all hell.
3788089
Glowing eyes and gems? Looks like the Elements to me. True, no rainbow is mentioned, but then again whatever it was that happened wasn't really described in detail. The best we get is a mention of colours shifting and becoming oversaturated, and a massive release of energy. Could be anything, but with the clues mentioned above I'm going to stick with my guess of Elements.
As to why they'd ponify him... Well, the Elements haven't exactly been consistent in their method of dealing with problems. At least Discord got the same treatment twice; Nightmare Moon didn't even get that courtesy!
If a being from another world or even another universe - in this case our main character - is distrupting harmony with his presence, then turning him into one of the native species isn't too far out of the realm of probability.
Besides, with a power as vague and undefined as the Elements to play with, the writer can pretty much do what he likes with them, so long as he can come up with a decent justification.
Fantastic! This is probably my second favorite story on this site! It's another great chapter, and I can't wait for the next one!
No, seriously... that was a cruel cliffhanger! You terrible person. I can't wait another half a year to find out what happens next!
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Don't forget these now:
1. Intentionally and violently getting in the way of the Diamond Dog's attempt of returning the foals.
2. Having the tablet's alarm go off when the main six were passing through the bats' cave.
3. Keeping that one door open with spikes so that one cave would sound creepy to discourage them from following.
So I can't help but be interested in seeing what happens next.
So I'm a tad bit confused as to what happened in this chapter
What I got out of it though is that the diamond dog was trying to steal the foals and then he blamed the human and then ponies happened.
Can someone explain?
I don't really see why the Elements would have "Banished" him, back to Earth or anywhere else. Much like how, in the brilliant story "Hail to the King" the Crystal Heart had no effect on a guy who was in the body of Sombra because he wasn't evil, regardless of how incriminating his actions made him appear this guy isn't evil either & the Elements should be able to detect that. So its far more likely to me that the Elements will "Restore Harmony" by allowing this guy to talk to the Ponies & clear everything up, either by just allowing them to understand each other or by Ponifying him.
Unless of course the Elements are just as racist as the Ponies themselves are, & determine that Harmony is best served by getting rid of the nasty ape-creature, in which case I will be very disappointed in them.
3788089
Actually, it was the elements - 3788183 is correct, though since you brought it up, I added a mention of 'rainbow' to the text to make the situation a bit clearer.
Your theory on the sleeping spell was a good one, but 3785688 got it right - I tried to make his mental state corresponds to whether or not fluttershy is looking at him.
As for the actual effect of the elements, well, that would be telling... (aside from one previously seen effect that will make
happy)
3789762
Basically, him and the dogs were both trying to return the foals in order to dig themselves out of their respective holes.
Sadly for him, the dogs were rather more effective at communicating this. Also, it isn't just a matter of what the one dog said during the fight - the six also had an opportunity to question the pack.
Taste the Rainbow, dude. Something tells me that he's going to find out what happens when a non-chaotic and non-insane creature is struck by the Elements of Harmony.
Probably? He's going to wake up feeling reeeaaalllyyy gooooood!
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Hey hey, no need to lick dash, just her skittlishous mane.
I hate it when I start something like this and then it ends on a cliffhanger.
I'm kind of expecting him to get some wort of temporary magic rainbow armor or temporary magic+flight+timestop upgrades or something. Like, he would become the soldier Equestria needs in it's time of trial, except that no one actually needs him right now. That way, Twilight get's to have a mental breakdown over how little sense that makes to her, "feeling pinky keen" style.
Also, this story was a treat
soooo.....i cant figure out if the Six used the elements on him, or the diamond dog. which in a case as simple as this, with twilight using her magic to split a boulder, are elements of harmony really necessary at this point?
Damn, hit by the Elements and he didn't even do anything. Sucks to you laddie.
Seems being a human in Equestria is a way to ensure the worst day of your life, in like nearly every fic.
Remember this lads, don't go to Equestria unless you're in a tank.
MOAR!!!!!
UPDATE!!!!
They may be shorter then the ones I usually read, but they're just soooo jam packed it's ridiculous. 
google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&docid=oOlj0Lx1IitcZM&tbnid=Zb_pxCbK-45QPM:&ved=0CAUQjBw4SA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sunshinefireentertainment.com%2Fimages%2Ffirespearaction.jpg&ei=z7XXUs3PGoiIogTR8IDQCw&psig=AFQjCNGjkJ4qVjyCjF3fJSl7NwUTD3s04w&ust=1389954895479914 
...
I've said it before, but I just love your chapters!
And I'm ecstatic that I was used as a reference 3787678
I was thrilled by the additions to the list of "Things that make the human look bad", and the only thing I could think to add would be if the purple goop on the spear was flammable, that way if our human somehow accidently made a spark he'd be fighting with a flaming spear! how cool/intimidating would that be!!
Might be dangerous for dash though
As for what the elements will do to the protagonist...
I think they will either do nothing, which would be awesome, or possibly allow him to communicate with the ponies, which is also sweet
O, and Rarity will get her tail hair regrown
Can't wait for more!!!
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).
I had the same thoughts while reading this chapter. I really hope we get to
seeread the look on the Mane Six' faces after they realize the Elements didn't work (except for Pinkie: she must surely knowI wonder if it's at all possible that the Elements will make him a Pegasus?
He would then be able to explain, apologise, offer practical help in repairing Cloudsdale as a way of making amends, but also get to indulge in his love of flying in a far more direct way.
If I were the elements I'd just send him home... Buuuuuut that'd be no fun now would it. Also, please don't make the ponies into complete dumb-asses. Maybe the Elements give him the ability to speak Equestrian?
Damn it Pinkie Pie, what do you know?! Stop reading ahead and just help the human out a little.
Probably from Chapter 3 or 4, but eh. Be a.
(But seriously, I hope they meet up again, aviator to aviator.)
I'll admit it would have been different to have the elements restore harmony by sending him back home, and that he's already had quite the little adventure here, but it is enjoyable to have it keep going. Also, he hasn't rejoined with Spitfire yet! I hope he meets up with her again, after all they've been through together. Why, they're practically a couple now, with kids and everything!
3793253
Sometimes I wonder if I'm reading a different set of HiE fics, because I don't actually recall seeing the elements used on humans particularly often. Believe it or not, I actually thought I was being somewhat original by taking that route. Oh well.
I agree, though, that pretty much any situation can be improved by having a tank, such as water-balloon fights, trips to the DMV, inter-dimensional travel, and ballet recitals.