//------------------------------//
// The living inferno Part I 
// Story: Spiders and Magic: The Harmony Avengers 
// by andrew7 
//------------------------------//

Spider-Mane, Black Cat, Spitfire, Spike along with Twilight, Sunset, Luna, Wolverine who were calved in their brand new heroic attires from Rarity, Elements of Harmony and Chrysalis materialized in a flash of light into existence on a small cliff, finding themselves somewhere inside of a large underground cavern, with some sun light beams piercing though holes in the rocky ceiling, flashing the interior.

“We are here, my friends.” Chrysalis declared their arrival despite with her voice sounding cautious and filled with concern.

“Pee-yew! What is that pungent smell?” Rarity squeaked in a very unpleasant manner and covering her muzzle as a very pungent piercing smell irritated her senses. Wondering yet humorously, Peter rose his right hoof over and purposely taking a few sniffs of his armpit, like he would like to humour his fashionista friend. Yet, he didn’t smell that bad.

“Brimstone and carbon. Unfortunately” Wolverine explained though somewhat uneasily, grumbling while taking a few sniffs on the local air and a very stingy and irritated smell of sulfur got and little overwhelming his enhanced sense of smell, covering his own nose.

“Is something burning?” Pinkie asked while trying to figure out what was that all about.

“Gee! And why is it so buck hot in here?” Rainbow Dash huffed by feeling a local atmosphere to be strangely and unusually hot.

“So, what exactly is wrong with your hive Chrysalis? How can we help?” Twilight asked, addressing the Changeling queen with more than willing and determined expression to help her newly gained ally and friend.

“Well how do you just like that?” Spider-Mane dully and somewhat unreadably trailed off, with both awe along with faint undercurrent of terror present in his muffled voice and finding himself staring over the cliff. Everpony followed and looked by the same direction, wondering what stunned their masked friend so much yet they all gasped as nearly every breath left their lungs, their expressions stiffening and feeling their hearts falling into their stomachs, well with the only exception of Wolverine what they had just seen.

The entire underground complex was literally flooded with nothing but a molten hot lava like lake, with a streams of fire blazing from it and bursting its way through a middle-sized volcano like crater in the middle of the burning lake, hurling up smoke, hot rocks and fire through. What was worse though, the local atmosphere and air were due to the intense heat generated by the magma so unbearably hot and pungent smoke coming out from the crater making it quite difficult to breath inside.

“GODNESS!” Rarity and Fluttershy both exhaled with their voices strained in terror while the others were just dumbly starring bewildered by the sight of some very peculiar and rather very unusual natural phenomenon. Normally, for intellectuals like Peter, Twilight or Sunset it would be some fascinating spectacle to witness…If it didn’t threaten their friends Changelings and their hive.

“What the?” Black Cat blurted out in both awe and slight horror. “A volcano?"

"In the Macintosh Hills?” Luna blurted out confused with her voice nearly wavering yet sympathizing with Felicias own bewilderment, finding this somewhat unsettling.

“Okay…” Spitfire dully declared while keeping her golden gaze fixed on a hot burning magma like lake. “That’s lots of lava. A way a lot.”

“Well….More like the entire lake made out of lava. Literally.” Spidey dully stated while trying to ignore the sweat that was forming on his face under his mask, unable to avert his masked gaze from the mixture of molten rocks, volatiles and solids. “Quite fascinating…If I may say so.”

“Really?! Do you want to go right now?” Sunset muttered, rolling her eyes in exasperation that Peter made some of his science monologue just in the moments like this, yet though even yellow unicorns own intellectually gifted mind couldn’t do nothing but wonder as well about the phenomenon that was transpiring and tapping her hoof over her chin thoughtfully. “Though, more important question is…Where all this magma and that crater came from anyway?”

“Oh yeah, sure. Bringin' up all that geeky stuff in th' times like these, terrific.” Wolverine growled sarcastically about all that sciency stuff that Parkers and Shimmer just brought up right now in the middle of crisis that the Avengers were dealing with.

“Logan is right, guys!” Twilight added with a more serious tone about Wolverines rightful concern, turning into her assertive side, though deep down young princess also felt somewhat awkward about her gruff friends rather offhand choice of words about “geeky”. “There will be plenty of time to figure this out later. Right now, we have much bigger problems to worry about. We have to help Chrysalis and her hive.”

“Look ya'll! There it is!” Applejack suddenly called out cautiously and extending her hoof to the direction of interest, prompting everypony to follow the farm ponys gesture, to see the Chrysalis enormous hive nearby on the edge of the rocky wall, dug deeply in a rock, unfortunately and for their horror with a molten hot lava surface steadily rising, threatening to flood and destroy Changeling queens home.

Yet there could be seen numerous of, if not every Chrysalis Changelings people in the distance, hovering in the air and with their combined effort casting a pink glowing energy shield like bubble, the same they used to cover the entire Canterlot during Cadances and Shinning Armours wedding around the entire hive, in a desperate attempt to stop the hot hurling magma from getting even further to protect their home, yet it could be visibly seen that the bubbles aura was steadily wavering and weakening every minute.

“Oh no! It is just going to destroy the entire hive!” Fluttershy gasped terrified with her voice strained and placing both of her hooves over her mouth, her deep blue eyes filled with terror and concern.

“So, that is th' Changeling hive, huh?” Wolverine murmured casually while scanning yet being able to take proper details of the hives sculpture with his naturally enhanced vision. “Quite convincin', I guess.” However and somewhat, even a gruff and no-nonsense stallion couldn’t deny a steadily forming hint of concern that was echoing within his chest.

“How does the situation proceeds, Chrysalis?” Luna asked the Changeling queen matter-of-factly, yet her ocean blue eyes gleaming with willingness and determination.

“My Changelings have been holding the energy shield for nearly half an hour in order to stop the magma from rising and getting any further, but they wont hold for much longer. And there are still my eggs inside. The time is running out!” Chrysalis replied, her voice wavering with concern, yet trying to level her breathing.

“Uh-Oh….” Spider-Mane muttered under his breath as he felt and clutching on his Spider Sense ringing profusely within his cranium, signalizing and warning from an unknown potent threat to come, whatever it was yet to come. “There will be bad news!” He grumbled.

“What is it, Peter?” Twilight, who though was more than well familiar with her husbands unexpected reactions like that asked with concern present in her voice. But as soon as she said that and like out of laws of the accountability, the earth under ponies hooves started shaking terribly in a very high magnitude, as the tremors echoed throughout the entire cavern and rising the waves of the magma like formed lake. Twilight, being totally caught off guard, losing her balance stumbled back, yet luckily and being alerted, Peter managed to catch his wife by her armpits in his hooves.

“Glad you have asked, hun?” Felicia huffed sarcastically while trying to maintain her balance on a trembling surface.

“An earthquake!” Luna blurted out while also struggling to keep her own balance, yet instinctively spreading her dark blue wings and with one mighty flip, the princess rose into the air as Chrysalis, Rainbow Dash and Spitfire mimicked the alicorns example.

“G-g-g-godness!” Rarity stammered in an utters shock, almost losing a solid ground under her hooves due to the tremors, yet reacting quickly Spike managed to support the white elegant unicorns frame. Yet luckily, the quakes and tremors were steadily lessening before ceasing completely, at least for then.

“Whut th' hell was that all about?” Wolverine grumbled while trying to recuperate and trying to figure out what had just transpired, yet starting to have his suspicious, which by the way was usually more than right.

“Guys! Look!” Sunset exhaled astonished and pointing her hoof to the volcano as everypony watched in shock as more of the molten magma burst its way through the crater, once again rising the surface of the lake along with heating the local atmosphere, causing the ponies to shield their eyes due the glow.

“Another eruption has just occurred.” Twilight stated through a near whisper with her worries steadily rising. “It is only a matter of time before the lava will rise even further and getting on hives level.”

“Then the time is on the essence, my friends. If we are about to save my children, we have to act now!” Chrysalis stated decisively yet though rather resembling a desperate pleading.

“Don’t worry, Chris. We are all over it.” Spider-Mane step forward, declaring in a both reassuring yet also serious tone before decisively turning to his teammates. “Lets save the hive! Totally on the up and up!”

“YEAH!” The Avengers and the Elements of Harmony all called out unanimously determined, and despite Fluttershy looked scared and her approval not sounding that firm as the others, yet the meek, shy Pegasus though mentally forced herself to be strong in order to help her friends out and to save all those poor Changelings from being burned by the magma alive.

The group proceed in a high speed gallop on the edge of the cliff like path, with an exception of Spider-Mane swinging his way instead ahead by rocky ceiling with the others following the hero in pursuit, while Chrysalis along with Twilight, Luna, Rainbow Dash and Spitfire flew instead on their wings and steadily approaching the hive. Though, it was just rather difficult for the ponies and dragon to gallop and fly due to the steadily heating atmosphere from the magma, not to mention the irritating smoke, as their breathing was slowly grow quite erratic and difficult, yet they all tried to regulate it.

“H-Hey. It takes really hot shot daredevil ponies to pass through the volcano, you know.” Spidey quipped through his steadily drying out lips in quite an awkward, uneasy way, yet trying to lift the mood a little bit, yet though his own mind argued while continuing in his repeated swinging. “Or more like total jerks.”

Chrysalis, hearing masked stallions humorous yet positive remark and despite her worried expression, the Changeling queen managed a small smile with two of her fangs exposed and even feeling somewhat lightened up a little bit. Once again, Peter positive nature and tending to joke even in the critical dangerous situations like these made the trick. A small yet honest spark of hope ignited inside of Chrysalis chest, that everything would eventually end well.



The group finally reached the high plateau of the hive with Chrysalis, Twilight, Luna, Rainbow, Spitfire land along with Spider-Mane, ceasing in his swinging momentum and releasing himself from his web strand, making a graceful somersault and effortlessly landing by their friends side, yet everypony made a couples of deep breaths to regulate their erratic breathing caused by the intense heat all around, yet also occasionally coughing due to the smoke.

 Yet in the instance, one of the Changelings, arguably a soldier calved in a dark blue bug like armour exoskeleton flew its way to the heroes, stepping forward and obediently bowing to his queen out of respect. “My queen!” He stammered in a hissing, snake like yet nervous tone, panting quite frantically. “The lava is still rising! We cant stop it nor hold it any longer! Soon the magic barrier will fade away and it will get to the hive!”

“No!” Chrysalis murmured as a worries and concern started piercing and overwhelming her mind and heart as well as dark thoughts forming inside her head. “Our hive….”

“Chris!” Spider-Mane suddenly snapped the Changeling queen from her self-induced trance in a very urgent and serious like manner. “Look, as a Knight of Equestria I want to save your hive and your people more than anything else, but a volcano eruption......Along with a molten lava and burning heat all around just might be a little outside our league to handle. You all should better evacuate, right now!”

“What do you say?!” Chrysalis blurted out in disbelief with her emerald lizard like eyes widened as well as a frustration slowly associated with her emotions, being rather upset with Peters hasty and rather offhanded suggestion. “Are you suggesting we actually should abandon our home? Never!”

“Peter is right, Chrysalis.” Twilight interjected and though with hesitation supporting her husband on his suggestion, yet though with her eyes softening. “As much as I am terribly sorry, but just look around you. It is already lost. We can do nothing against the forces of nature like this. We just have to regroup your people right now.”

“Indeed! In the time like this, it is the only possible alternative to make.” Sunset added, standing up for Spider-Manes and Twilights solution.

“But…” Chrysalis persistently protested, not wanting to give up her hive that has been a home to her and her children for nearly a decade.

“Darlin'…” Wolverine though interjected into conversation, and despite knowing the Changeling queen only for a short time, the expression under gruff stallions mask also somewhat softened and speaking with a more deliberated and honest tone. “Sometimes comes th' times when ya have ta make sacrifice fer a greater good and we all kin lose somethin' in our lives. And I know…Whut am I sayin'.” Wolverines last words sounded somewhat hesitant, before going on with his confidence immediately resurfacing. “But we eventually come out alive and doin' our best ta git back on our legs. And that whut is important.”

Wolverine short yet highly sensible and honest comment earned him a couple of collective gazes of his teammates. Despite his rather uncouth, rough and somewhat brutish demeanour, there was definitely something way more hiding inside the grumpy Canadian mutant outworlder than anypony could expect on the first place. Being also a pony of unplumbed depths, unique views as well as considerable experience. Maybe, just maybe they could stand having him around after all. Peter and Twilight though smiled serenely, not seemingly being surprised that much.

“Logan is right, Chrysalis.” Luna declared, her voice sounding decisive, yet her demeanour softening and even placing her hoof on Chrysalis shoulder. “Yet what is also important is that you and your people are not alone in this. You have allies as well as friends who stand right behind you and ready to support you.”

“Mmmm…….” Considering her friends honest and deliberated words, Chrysalis shifted her viper like eyes to her Changelings that despite the energy of the shield steadily fading away yet they were still doing their best to protect their hive, then glancing upon a still hot magma and a raging volcano hurling more molten lava, hot rocks and smoke on the surface, the Changeling queen eventually submitted to her friends suggestions, forcing a lump in her throat. “So be it.” She nodded, yet a small fanged yet honest smile formed on mares face, with tears steadily forming in her eyes.

“So…What will we do, guys?” Spike asked while brushing yet another amount of sweat forming on his forehead, though sounding somewhat hastily. “The sooner the better, though. I am starting to feel like a marshmallow.”

“There is so much at stake here. Yet our main priority is to evacuate and get Changelings into safety. And there are still eggs inside the hive.” Twilight considered the situation intently, yet still deciding how to do lots of things at once.

“I will take care of this, honey.” Spider-Mane voluntarily and without hesitation offered himself for the job and sharing a glace with the rest of his teammates. “Appleajck. Rarity. Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash. Pinkie. Spitfire. Felicia. Spike. Wolverine. You are coming with me.” Masked stallion although hastily picking up the candidates for the rescue, yet the Elements of Harmony along with the cat burglar, baby dragon, Wonderbolt and the X-Men all nodded their head simultaneously in agreement.

“I am going with you, Peter.” Chrysalis assertively offered her part of the help. “I shall navigate and lead you right into the centre of the hive where the hatchery is located. They are….My eggs by the way and they are also my responsibility.”

“No, Chris.” Spidey though politely dismissed the queens request, yet smiling underneath of his mask. “I really appreciate your help, but we all got to take some responsibility on this. So, it would be the best you stay here and aid your Changelings in holding the barrier a little bit longer, so we could get your eggs out.”

“Chmm….Your judgement….is logical. Very well then, my friend. I and my children shall buy you some more time.” Chrysalis though hesitating for a while eventually gave herself in, knowing the Knight of Equestria had a point and nodding with a serene smile.

“And you actually know where those eggs are, darling?” Rarity asked questioningly, though the fashionista didn’t have a slightest idea on her own, therefore never being inside the Changeling hive before.

“Well…Eghm…” Peter though muttered sheepishly, yet focusing and trying to recollect his memory and scratching a back of his neck, chuckling like a dolt. “I actually have been in there once as well as a few times. But then again….Echm….It is more like an emmental maze inside. Even a mole could get lose in there.”

“Hurm, this is a surprise.” Wolverine huffed quite indifferently as he interjected, yet also turning into his own assertive side, not quite caring at all about Parker forgetting the way. “Whutever. It ain't matter. We are gonna find those eggs anyway.”

“Oh really? How?” Pinkie Pike dully asked and titling her head on the side.

“Trust my Pinkie.” Spidey though chuckled reassured and having a faith in Logan. “Wolvie has his ways, you bet.”

“Yet…We also should do something about that crater.” Luna spoke off decisively and shifting her attention to the volcano in the middle of the lava lake. “Till it is still hurling magma and generating heat and smoke, it makes our task complicated. Maybe if we just could block it somehow, we may have stop more lava to get on the surface. That way we might get some more time to save the Changelings.”

“I am going with you, Princess Luna.” Twilight offered her assistance to Guardian of the Night. “I believe that together we shall come up with something.”

“I also have an idea.” Suddenly an idea sparkled within Sunsets mind and glancing upon Rainbow Dash and Spitfire “Hey, Rainbow. Spitfire.”

“What is it?” Both mares asked simultaneously, wondering what a red maned unicorn might want from them.

“Do you remember the time when you along with Fluttershy and other pegasuss by flying in a top speed in the circles created a twister and literally sucking the entire water from the lake? My guess is that by doing so again, you could create though a miniature tornado in order to suck the heat and smoke and then, as well as cooling the atmosphere down a bit.”

“You know…” Twilight though deeply, yet being seemingly very impressed by fiery maned unicorns thinking, giving her own approval. “That actually might work.”

“Come to think of it….This place could really use air condition.” Felicia stated hopefully why waving her hoof over her face in hopes to cool her face down a little bit.

“Well….We could give it a shot. What do you think, Rainbow?” Spitfire glanced upon Rainbow with a challenging like expression and fixing her trademark googles over her eyes.

“You bet, Spitfire!” Rainbow agreed without a second though and slamming her hooves together, yet also seeing another opportunity to show her idol what she could do.

“Then it is all settled.” Spider-Mane decisively declared. “Lets go for it! The sooner the better if I shall recommend.” Masked stallions last words though sounded a somehow defensively, as his Spider Sense once again started buzzling within his cranium as yet another series of quakes and tremors echoed throughout the entire cavern, sounding more intensively then the last sets as well as more magma burst its way on the surface thought the crater. “See what I mean?”

“Right!” Everypony declared with one voice decisively and like out of empathy before parting, each pursuing her or his own specific task. Spider-Mane along with Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Felicia, Spike and Wolverine galloped their way inside the hive while Chrysalis flipped her insect transparent like wings, joining her Changelings in the air, while Twilight along with Luna, Rainbow Dash and Spitfire also lifted their frames into the air and flying across the hot magma lake towards the renegade volcano.

“Don’t give up my children.” Chrysalis instructed and encouraged her Changelings via telepathic link to try last a little bit longer, while also using her own green magic aura generated through her horn and alone reinforcing already weakening magic barrier around hive. “Everything is going to be alright.”

“Twilight! Princess Luna! Wait! I am coming with you!” Sunset Shimmer called upon and voluntarily offering Twilight and Luna her assistance with the volcano.

“Sunset! We really appreciate your offer, but this is dangerous!” Princess Luna though called back concerned while keeping her frame airborne.

“And you just cant fly.” Twilight added further, knowing that without wings there was absolutely no another way of getting near the volcano.

“You don’t say…” Sunset, though not letting herself discourage and quite for both alicorns awe smirking smugly, while concentrating her yellow magic aura through her horn and in the instance, the fiery maned unicorn lifted herself from the ground with small sparks sparkling around her body, with her cape waving effortlessly in the air as she levitated and joined the astonished mares side. “A simple levitation spell. Quite a convenient compensation for the lack of wings.”

“Chm. Chm. You are so dependable.” Twilight murmured for herself yet a bright smile formed on her face. Once again, the unicorn managed to make good impressions with her magical abilities on both Twilight and Princess of the Moon herself. Nodding in their approval all three mares carefully approached the volcano in the middle of lava lake, yet not being able to get any closer than for over hundred feet distance due to the ever-intensifying heat the crater was generating, with more and more magma indefinitely pouring its way from it.

“This doesn’t look good.” Luna declared cautiously without losing her stoic demeanour yet gritting her teeth while shielding her face with her hoof from the unbearable heat and keeping a safe distance. “Due to that intense heat and smoke, we cannot get any closer.”

“Princess Luna.” Sunset though addressed the iron clad maiden strangely with a hope present in her voice. “Can you actually control elements? I mean….Do you think you actually might make the volcano shrink and cease the magma from rising?”

“As much as your suggestion sounds promising, Sunset Shimmer, but I am sorry to disappoint you.” Luna though shake her head in a disappointed like way. “In order to control elemental power as well as forces of nature, there is necessary way more greater magic and power, or being to be rather a personification of the element itself. And this is unfortunately beyond me or my sisters control.”

Twilight rubbed her chin with her hoof thoughtfully, considering the situation carefully, yet her gaze fall upon large rocky stalagmites growing up from the ceiling right under the volcano and in the instance a good idea lightened up Princess of the Friendship mind. “Princess Luna! Sunset! Those stalagmites! We could use them to block the crater!”

“By using a considerable yet balanced amount of our magic bolts, we should be able to release those stalagmites from the ceiling without causing it to fall down. Good idea, Twilight.” Luna smiled, prizing and being satisfied with Twilights quick thinking.

“Well, what do we got to lose? Lets do it.” Sunset bided while started levitating around as both Twilight and Luna followed her unicorn friends lead.

The mares were flying/levitating around the volcano in circles like sharks circling around their prey on the sea, before they all started shooting bolts of magic from their horns simultaneously right on the stalagmite formation right above them on the ceiling, bombarding it so intensively yet with a moderated force and attempt, as the formation soon started cracking and rock like stakes eventually started falling down one by another by mares combined effort, falling their way right onto volcano, though some missed, yet some felt right in and blocking its crater nonetheless sealing it, therefore managing to stop the hot magma bursting its way on the surface.

“That should do it. Good job Twilight. You too Sunset.” Luna prized both Twilight and Sunset for their effort with a genuine smile, also watching now blocked crater with a little relieve and brushing a sweat from her forehead with her hoof.

“Okay. Part one is done. Now for the part two.” Sunset stated also satisfied with herself and glancing upon Twilight.

Nodding her head, Twilight shifted her attention to Rainbow Dash and Spitfire that were hovering, keeping their frames in the air nearby, ready when their turn come. “Rainbow! Spitfire! Your turn!”

“On it!” Both pegasus called out with determination and crisscrossed their hooves, snapping like into each other. The captain of Wonerbolts though smirked and giving Rainbow a smug glance, yet actually trying to encourage her partner. “Well Rainbow Dash. Lets see what you got.”

And just like that, two mares started spinning around their own axis in the mid-air, steadily gaining on rotations and their speed increasing every second, when they both resembled rather a spinning top, spinning in an incredible speed as they even turned and creating a small twister and causing an intense wind bursts throughout the entire cavern. Rainbow Dashs and Spitfires combined effort and the force of the vacuum of their twister was so strong that it managed to suck most of the heat and smoke that was plaguing the atmosphere in as well as cooling the caver down a little bit.

However, inside and in the middle of the twister, now though filled with intense heat and pungent smoke from the volcano, yet luckily Rainbow and Spitfire managing to withstand an unbearable conditions due to the chilling centre of the vortex. Both mares shared a mutual glance with each other, nodding and ready to make yet another step. They both then literally drove their self-made tornado through one of the holes in the ceiling outside of the cavern.

And then in the instance, both mares finally ceased in their momentum, breaking apart as their twister slowly started losing on intensity, releasing the heat and smoke that was previously plaguing the caverns in the process before dissipating completely into the air.

Meanwhile Rainbow Dash and Spitfire, though feeling just a little bit dizzy anyway from their stunt like that and though the entire world spinning with them, yet unable to control her momentum, Rainbow collided with the ground in spinning like motion with a loud THUD like sound, yet creating and digging small trench in the ground be the process with her head, before finally ceasing and grunting painfully and spitting out dirt and clay.

“Rainbow Dash!” Spitfire nearly freaked out while though also still spinning around a bit, yet managing to land safely on a solid ground and rushing her way to rainbow colour maned pegasus side, her deep orange eyes filled with concern under her googles and offering her hoof to her partner. “Are you alright, girl?”

“Don’t sweat it, Spitfire. I am fine. A little heat as well as dirt had never hurt anypony right?” A tomboyish pegasus replied with a few more spits as some more dirt remained in her mouth before accepting Wonderbolts captains gesture and maintaining her confident posture nonetheless, finally managing to recuperate herself.

“Nice job by the way, Rainbow Dash.” Spitfire, though uneasily gave Rainbow Dash a great deal of credit for her effort and playfully patting her shoulder, yet also still needing a while to recuperate herself from the spinning. “It still might not be quite enough for breaking the records, but once again you have showed a lot of guts.”

“Gee…Thanks.” Rainbow murmured meekly, with her violet eyes gleaming with enthusiasm that she actually managed to make an impression on her idol, yet though turning into her willing and loyal side with a realization, spreading her wings and rising up into the mid-air. “Come on! We still have to help the others!”

“Right!” Spitfire agreed with and understanding Rainbows concerns before flipping her wings as both mares flew their way back into the underground by the same hole they came out.



Spider-Mane along with Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Felicia, Spike and Wolverine ahead were galloping their way throughout the Changeling hives corridors. The interior, being sophisticatedly dug in the rocky wall was literally nothing but like a maze from the inside, exactly as Peter mentioned that, having dozens of holes and being interwoven by spiralling like passages and corridors, leading whoknows where to. However just like outside, the interior was unfortunately filled with the same intense and nearly unbearable heat, making the heroes no easier and difficult.

“I am beginning to know how the mouse in the maze feels. Yet though, this also might the case when they also let the cat inside the maze.” Spidey snarked sarcastically under his mask through regulated intakes of breath, playfully glancing upon Felicia.

“Just be careful I wouldn’t catch you handsome.” Felicia though snorted playfully and giving the Spider a provocative like wink.

“Are we there yet?” Pinkie Pie asked innocently for more than second time, yet also inadvertently annoying some of her friends with her questions, Logan ahead included, gritting his teeth yet also trying to hold his temper at bay and trying to concentrate on his task.

“Are you sure this is a right way, partner?” Applejack asked while panting for breath and sweat rolling over her face, following her mutant partner in pursuit.

“Th' nose knows, Blondie.” Wolverine declared casually with a hint of positive present in his gruff voice, leading the group throughout a wide array of passages and corridors of the maze, led by his infallible superhuman sense of smell, regularly sniffing the air, as the scent associated with Chrysalis natural fragrance as well as strangely combined with slime and yolk was getting stronger and stronger, when they all eventually reached their destination. “We are here.”

It was a very large rounded graven room like cavern filled with dozens, well if not even hundreds of cocoon like green eggs of a rugby ball like shape, some of them being carefully stacked in rock like cartons while some being fixed on the walls with sticky green substance like slime. That was indeed Chrysalis personal hatchery room alright, a place where all the Changelings were born.

"Quit an irony, really. Instead of making the Changeling omelets or fried eggs , we are actually suppose to save these eggs now when Chris and Changeling are our friends. Chm. Ellen Ripley had to be truning in her grave right now. Guess that the science-fiction horor movies with aliens are no more so hotshot as they once used to be.   Peter though inwardly for himself, indicating on Alien movies with Sigourney Weaver.

“Oh my…” Fluttershy gasped on quite a peculiar sight by seeing so many eggs on the one palce.

“Holy moley! That’s lots of eggies!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed in awe, sharing her yellow meek pegasus friends bewilderment.

“Looks like we have just hit the jackpot.” Felicia smugly scoffed for herself by eventually finding the hatchery alright.

“How do we suppose to get all those eggs out of here? We just cannot let them burn down.” Rarity asked, concern strongly present in her voice.

“Easy…” Spidey calmly declared with a confident like demeanour, pressing his web shooters, as masked stallion created an improvised bag from his webbing in a few moments and sharing a glance with Applejack, who by the way also looked quite baffled, wondering what her adoptive brother was up to. “It is just like picking up apples or eggs back on the farm. Right, AJ?”

“You got it, Pete.” Applejack, now understanding the point smirked deviously, taking the web like bag from Peter and shared a glance with everypony and baby dragon around, challenging them all to get into work. “You have heard the man, everypony. It is time for an egg harvesting. Lets do this!”

“Great.” Wolverine though snarked sarcastically and glancing upon blonde. “Now furthermore, after pickin' up apples all day, we are gonna bother ourselves with picking up bug-pony crossbreeds eggs.”

Paying their gruff companions sarcasm no mind, Spider-Mane created some more bags from his webbing, as Applejack along with Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Black Cat, Spike and Wolverine started picking up the eggs one by another as fast as they could, yet with an aid of Raritys telekinesis, levitating the eggs into bags instantly, while Spidey in the contrary was literally and gradually snatching the eggs from the wall with his webbing strands, pulling and placing them into bags little by little. And Pinkie…..Of course and how else….The party pony was just zipping around the room with a speed matching that of the Rainbow Dash, picking up every egg she could find and placing it into her own webbing bag, when eventually after five minutes and with everyponys combined effort and cooperation wasn’t any more egg left.

“Is that all of them?” Spider-Mane asked while fixing the bag filled with Chrysalis eggs on her back.

“Yes. That is the last.” Applejack declared while carrying her own webbing like cargo.

“I really hope so. I almost cant handle it all.” Spike though grunted somewhat uncomfortably, while holding another filled bag over his back, being bent a little bit by its heavy weight.

“Good. Then it is time for the old fashioned narrow escape.” Felicia nonchalantly replied and being about to leave with the loot on her back.

“Hold on a sec guys.” Wolverine suddenly halted and his ears under his mask suddenly perking on. His enhanced and sensitive sense of hearing picked up distant sounds, significantly enhanced by the caverns echo, resembling something like a squeaking and child-like whimpering, coming from an another near yet deep tunnel.

“What is it Wolvie?” Spider-Mane shared a concerned glance with his gruff partner, eying the tunnel cautiously, yet the knight could also hear the sounds coming out from there.

“Whut I hear….Someone in trouble. Big trouble.” Wolverine answered somewhat offhandedly, yet also with insignificant hint of concern in his voice while keeping his masked blank glance fixed on the tunnel.

“Oh no!” Fluttershy gasped as dark thoughts emerged within her mind. “Maybe some of the Changelings didn’t make it out.”

“We gotta help them.” Applejack stated decisively, being about to put the bag with Changeling eggs down, ready to pursue into the tunnel.

“No, Applejack!” Spider-Mane though dismissed and step into Applejacks way, holding farm pony in her tracks while exchanging the glance with everypony standing around. “Get the others along with the eggs and go ahead while me and Wolverine will check this out. Don’t worry about us. We will catch up with you guys later.”

“And letting you go alone, darling?! Just like that…?” Rarity gasped in a both disbelief and shock.

“You just cannot do all the dangrous stuff on your own.” Felicia also objected with quite a faint yet genuine concern present in her voice.

“Listen guys!” Peter spoke off in a both firm and gentle like manner, politely dismissing his friends objections with a determination gleaming in his eyes under his masked lenses. “There is a lot at the stake here. Changelings, Chriss eggs, their hive that is just beyond saving, our lives included. You all just have a bigger chance to get all those eggs into safety, while it would be better if I just go alone on this one.”

“But…But…” Pinkie muttered in protest.

“Leave it ladies.” Wolverine surprisingly cut the mares protests short. “It is kids choice. If he feels and wants ta do a right thing, then let him.” The X-Men assured the girls while mockingly glancing upon Parker. “Ain't worry. I am gonna make sure, he wont git himself in trouble by himself.” Peter thought on the other hoof felt both content with Wolverines support yet also a little awkward about being watched over.

“Alright. But just watch yourselves, guys.” Applejack blessed Peter and Logan, reluctantly though, yet grabbing Peters bag, while Felicia took the one from Wolverine, being ready to make their leave.

“Lets go!” Felicia urgently challenged the rest of the group as she galloped out of the room by the same way they came as Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Felicia and Spike followed the cat burglar in pursuit, each carrying a bag of Chrysalis eggs into safety, leaving though voluntarily Spider-Mane and Wolverine behind.

“You are the one with the nose. Lead the way.” Peter addressed his gruff partner, prompting him to lead the way.

“Peace of cake.” Wolverine nonchalantly replied, taking a chew sniffs of the air as both heroes proceed in a gallop into an opposite tunnel to the rescue.


To be continued……