//------------------------------// // CRISIS: Equestria - Chapter Eleven // Story: CRISIS: Equestria // by GanonFLCL //------------------------------// CRISIS: Equestria Chapter Eleven: Inflammable Twilight’s dilemma was perplexing at best, confounding at worst: was Tick Tock a complete and utter imbecile, or amongst the smartest ponies she’d ever met? Normally, Twilight felt she was able to determine within a short time the level of another pony’s intellect. Now, she admitted that perhaps academic measurements weren’t the absolute answer. She certainly knew spell modification was possible, but in her experience it was mostly theories, rarely practice, and rarer still commonplace. Tick Tock had, with her usual snark, guided her through a process she thought preposterous, as if she were going over a baking recipe. Twilight wasn’t particularly impressed per se, just put off that somepony with such a lacking knowledge of fundamental magical forces could have such an understanding of obscure, specialized areas. It was like meeting a brilliant arcane physicist who couldn’t do simple addition. Now, she was hiking along a volcanic mountain trail, generating an aura of magic that kept herself and her friends in moderate comfort, protected from the intense heat. The spell was officially known as a Personal Temperature Aura, and normally wasn’t suited for extreme temperatures nor for multiple ponies. A little tweaking had turned it into a Party Temperature Aura; Tick Tock insisted on the name to keep the abbreviation the same. It wasn’t perfect by any means, as keeping it too large took a lot of concentration, and Twilight needed to keep it maintained for about three full days. They were thereby forced to travel in close proximity to one another. Only Tick Tock avoided being cramped up with the rest of them, taking the lead ahead of the group in her own personal aura. The tightly-knit group rounded another bend of the cliff and climbed over a ridge. Up close, the Redblade Mountains looked every bit more imposing than they did from afar. The great, black volcanoes dotted the landscape for miles into the distance. Rivers of red magma flowed from the tops of many of them, trickling down into various craters and forming lakes. The entire sky was covered with black smoke and ash, and they could no longer see the orange veil of the Beacon whatsoever. Worse, it was hot. Very hot. Rarity groaned as the party clumsily climbed another small steppe. “I don’t know which is worse: the ravaging all this heat is doing to my beautiful mane, or the smell from the rest of you.” She fanned herself with Lockwood’s hat, as the stallion had graciously lent it to her for expressly this purpose. Her dress, like all the others’ clothing, was damp with sweat. “Ugh... much too much pony sweat for such a confined space, and I know some of us haven’t properly bathed once since we got to this world,” she added, glancing at Applejack and Rainbow. “What stinks is that I’m not able to fly.” Rainbow sighed as she attempted to flex her wings, but couldn’t really stretch them without slapping Pinkie or Twilight. “There isn’t any room in this bubble to really stretch out.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “What’s worse is yer moanin’ about it, Rarity. Give my ears a rest. Y’all been flappin’ yer gums fer the last two hours. What’d y’all expect? One o’ them fancy sauna thingies?” Rarity snorted. “If it were, you would be certain I wouldn’t be having any complaints. Heavens, I could certainly use a trip to a spa when this is all over. I might even have to spring for the Deluxe treatment! Oh... my poor mane.” “Sugarcube, y’all gotta get yer priorities straight. We’re here climbin’ up a dang volcano and you’re worried ‘bout yer dang mane?” “And why not? Just because we’re in inhospitable conditions doesn’t mean I shouldn’t want to look my best.” Twilight sighed. “Girls, really, it’s enough trouble trying to focus on keeping this spell steady without you all bickering back there. Can we at least save it until we hit the first checkpoint? Please?” “How much longer is it, anyhow?” Rainbow asked, her eyes darting about. “We’ve been walking for hours already, and all the heat is making me thirsty.” “It's beyond the next ridge, not much longer,” Tick Tock called back from her position further ahead. The group had to cautiously tread across ground that they would have normally been much less concerned about. They coordinated climbing over boulders and steppes, sliding along crevices and cliffs, and hiking through winding paths and twisting slopes. It all seemed like trying to solve some sort of complicated puzzle. In most cases, the pegasi had to hover low while the earth ponies and unicorns were forced to crowd together, hence Rarity’s grievances about the smell. Other areas that alone would seem only slightly exerting were proving near impossible. Small chasms, not much wider than the one they remembered from Dragon Mountain, became gorges. Such a problem presented itself to them now: a narrow chasm, no more than two yards wide, overlooking a slowly-churning river of molten rock. This was no matter that a little hop, skip, and a jump would solve. Applejack looked over the edge, careful not to poke her head out of Twilight’s aura. “This sure wasn’t on the map, Tick Tock. I thought y’all said it was accurate? It sure as shootin’ showed a rock bridge here.” Tick Tock grunted and pulled her map out to double-check, showing it to Twilight and Applejack as proof. “Volcanic regions are naturally in a state of constant flux. This is a recent change, sad to say. I last came this way no more than a month ago.” The map subtly altered itself without any prodding from Tick Tock at all. The rock bridge that had been on the trail before was erased and replaced by the broken chasm that lay before them. Applejack scratched her head. “Well don’t that beat all. It did that all on its own.” “Fascinating...” Twilight said. “I really hope we get some time eventually that I can give this map a proper lookover. I’m constantly impressed at the capabilities it has. Your predecessor must have been some magician.” Rainbow snorted, drawing their attention. “If we’re not too distracted praising the piece of paper, can we get back to the fact that our route just got royally screwed over?” “Can’t we just go around?” Twilight asked, glancing back at the map. “Surely there’s an alternate route?” “Sadly not,” Tick Tock said, shaking her head. She pointed up along the trail to a higher point on the cliff. “Until we hit the second ridge, this is the only practical path in or out of the mountain range, or at least it will be for a few dozen years. When this magma cools, it’ll make for a proper nice shortcut up the slope, should save travelers a good couple of hours.” Rainbow groaned. “Great. Just great. How are we supposed to cross this all at once? We can’t exactly jump it together, we’d risk misstepping and getting all of us killed!” “Don’t look at it so negatively, Rainbow,” Twilight said. “Think of it as a test. We just have to think it out a little, that’s all. Just keep calm, focus, and we’ll get through it, just like we have with every other problem we’ve faced.” “Hmph, you would think of it like a test, Twilight.” “Is this test multiple choice, or true-and-false?” Pinkie asked. “Or maybe it’s like an essay exam? Ooh, I hate those. I remember having to write some when I was in school, and sister let me tell you, it is hard writing without magic. Nah, this looks more like fill-in-the-blank. See ‘cause there’s a big gap in the middle that should be filled in with something else, and—" Twilight breathed an exasperated sigh. “Not that kind of—" She paused. “Wait... say that last part again?” “Well, I was until I was interrupted,” Pinkie said, rolling her eyes. “Like I was saying, there used to be a rock bridge here, like Tick Tock said, right? So the question would be, ‘There used to be a blank here’, and the answer would be, ‘rock bridge’!” Twilight groaned. “Before that, Pinkie.” “Oh, about my essay? Well the topic was about this book we were reading, The Great... Gallopsby? I didn’t really like the book too much, ‘cause there was a lot of really weird dialogue in it. Pfh, who calls anyone ‘old sport’, really? And that ending! So depressing. I mean—" Twilight narrowed her eyes and gave Pinkie a grumpy look. Pinkie laughed nervously. “Oh, right. Uh... fill-in-the-blank?” “Yes, thank you.” Twilight hummed in thought for a moment. “Aha! That’s it!” she said, her eyes alight with an idea. “Pinkie Pie, I don’t often say this, but you are a genius.” “Well thanks, Twilight, I appreciate it,” Pinkie said, her smile enormous. Smile still on her face, she leaned over to Rainbow and asked, “Why am I a genius again?” “I wonder sometimes,” Rainbow replied. “We’re going to ‘fill in the blank’, like you said,” Twilight explained, pointing out across the chasm. “As Rainbow pointed out, we can’t all jump across at once and stay under my spell without serious risk. So, we’re going to pretend the gap is the ‘blank’ and we’re going to ‘fill it in’ with my aura.” “Sounds simple enough,” Applejack said. “Then we just jump across, right?” “Precisely. The gap’s not that wide, anypony here could make it across with just a—" “Hop, skip, and a jump!” Pinkie shouted. “♫It’s not very far, just move your little—" Rainbow put her hoof in Pinkie’s mouth. “Are you sure that’s wise, Sparkle?” Tick Tock asked, glancing over the chasm. “This aura is already a proper challenge to keep up, you’ve said so yourself. It wouldn’t do us any good for you to wear yourself out.” Twilight laughed. “With Rarity’s help, I’m sure it’ll be no trouble at all.” Rarity pointed at herself. “Me, darling? Oh! Am I to give you a little ‘boost’ again, as t’were?” “That’s exactly right,” Twilight said, giving Rarity her most encouraging smile. “You’ve shown us how good you are at it already, so I see no reason not to use that to our advantage. If you can help me tear open two massive slabs of metal, why couldn’t you help me get a little more range out of my aura?” Rarity smiled and brushed back her mane. “Well, yes, I suppose I am quite the natural,” she said, earning eyerolls from Rainbow and Applejack. “Very well, Twilight, let’s give it a try. No harm in trying, yes?” “Do you need my help, Sparkle?” Tick Tock asked. Twilight shook her head. “Not with the spell, no. However, I’d like you to be the first to leap across, if you would? Since you have your own aura magic, I’ll feel better sending you over to test the extent of the spell.” Tick Tock nodded. “Very well. Whenever you’re ready, Sparkle, Rarity.” Rarity and Twilight gave one another reassuring glances. Rarity channeled her magic, causing Twilight’s horn to glow bright blue instead of pink. Twilight took a deep breath and willed her aura to expand. It grew and grew, growing large enough that it could easily contain all of them. It kept growing, and soon the edge of the magical field was just touching the opposite side of the chasm. She took another sharp breath as she continued expanding the spell, until it stopped expanding just past the ledge. “Whoa nelly,” Applejack said. “It sure did get mite bit cooler in here, didn’t it?” “You can say that again,” Flathoof said, wiping his brow. “It sure did get a mite bit cooler in here, didn’t it?” Pinkie said in her convincing imitation of Applejack. Applejack and Flathoof both gave her a look of disbelief. “What?” “Phew...” Twilight took a deep breath. She blinked her eyes open, and her mouth curled into a frown. “Drat... not quite far enough. I don’t think... I can expand much more... without expending too much... energy.” “Are you alright, Sparkle?” Tick Tock asked. “I can help if you—" “Hang on, I’m going to... modify the field’s shape...” Twilight closed her eyes again and focused her mind. A perfect sphere was of no use here. They didn’t need to back up too far to make the jump after all, nor did they need much room on their sides. So, she elected on something else. Cubic? No, that held the same principle problems as a sphere and made the landing zone too strict. An ellipsoid? No, that made the issue worse by detracting from the height allowance. But, it did give them more room on the other side of the chasm. That was it then. An oblate spheroid. As soon as her brain came up with the idea, the field of magic shaped itself to her whim. It expanded just enough on all sides to give them plenty of room to land safely, but left enough room above that they wouldn’t be out of the bubble while in mid-air either. Just perfect. Thank you Mathemagicks 201. “See?” she said, gesturing out over the chasm. “Rarity and I... have this covered. No problem. Now then... let’s start getting you ponies across. Tick Tock, I believe... you’re our first volunteer?” Tick Tock nodded. “Righto then, here I go.” She stepped back from the chasm edge, then took a running leap, landing safely on the other side. “Woo! Nice jump, Tick Tock!” Pinkie cheered, holding up a large card reading 10. “Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.” Tick Tock waved over at the others. “Okay, girls, no time to dawdle. Who’s next?” “Piece of cake,” Rainbow said, stepping forward. “Watch and learn from the master, ponies.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Dash, y’all can fly. This ain’t nothin’ hard at all.” Rainbow snorted and laughed. “Oh AJ, please. If you’re going to leap a chasm, you may as well do it with style.” She snapped a hoof over at Pinkie. “Pinks, my cheering section all set?” Pinkie raised a pom-pom covered hoof. “All set, Dashie!” Rainbow stepped forward and snapped her wings open to flex them, earning a flustered sputter from both Rarity and Twilight who got faces full of feathers. She took a graceful leap over the gap. About midway through, she casually twirled into a loop, and ended up scraping the top of the aura, ending up outside of it for a fleeting second. She yowled and dive straight back down and landed on the other side of the chasm, beating her wings to cool them off. “Ahhh hot hot hoott!” she shouted, stroking her slightly-singed wings. “Sweet Celestia, it’s like I just took a bath in boiling water!” “Fancy that, it’s hot outside the protective aura. Who’d have thought, eh?” Tick Tock said. Rainbow snorted. “Oh shut up...” “Yay Dashie!” Pinkie cheered, waving her pom-poms around like a madmare. “Well that was somethin’ alright, Dash,” Applejack said, trying not to laugh. “Y’all sure ya don’t wanna give it another go?” “Yeah! Encore!” “Not helping, Pinks!” Rainbow shouted. Twilight turned to the others and gestured towards the other side. “That’s two down... who wants to go next?” “Well shoot, I’ll do it,” Applejack said, adjusting her hat. “I’ve jumped wider at dang near every rodeo I ever entered. Like Dash said, ‘piece o’ cake’. Only I won’t go burnin’ my biscuits.” “Oh, ha ha,” Rainbow said. She took a step back so that she was even with Tick Tock, who was standing exactly where she’d landed earlier. “Ten bits says you can’t make it over my head.” Rarity snorted. “Girls, this is no time for—" “You’re on, Dash,” Applejack said, her mouth curling in a smirk. “These legs o’ mine ain’t just good fer buckin’ apples, y’know? Tell ya what, double or nothin’ I don’t even need a runnin’ start.” Rainbow huffed and paused to think a moment, then snapped her hoof at Applejack. “You’re on, AJ!” Applejack chuckled, took a single step backwards, then leapt forward and with a great push from her hind legs. She sprung across the gap, an eagle in flight. Rainbow’s jaw dropped as Applejack sailed over her head, ducking as the earth pony’s rear hooves narrowly missed her. Applejack landed perfectly, just inches from the protective aura’s border. She turned, and gave a proud whinny. “Yeehaw!” “Horseapples...” Rainbow muttered. “This looks like fun!” Pinkie said, bouncing about. “I always did like the lava levels. Can I go next? Huh? Can I can I can I?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Yes. Fine. Just... be careful, Pinkie. This isn’t a—" Pinkie took an exaggerated but effortless hop across the chasm, nowhere near good enough to make it across. “Pinkie!” Rainbow bolted forward and made to charge out and grab the tumbling earth pony, who was about to miss the other side of the gap and fall into the magma below. But then, to everypony’s surprise, Pinkie somehow managed to bounce in mid-air and bound over Rainbow’s head, landing precisely next to Applejack. Applejack stepped back. “What in tarnation...” “How did... wait, what in the... did you just... how?” Rainbow blurted. “Pshaw, piece of cake, Dashie. Or piece of Pie rather,” Pinkie said, snickering and waving her hoof. “Tutorial levels are really forgiving anyway. No trouble at all. You’re looking at the master of the double-jump.” “There are no words,” Tick Tock said, shaking her head. “Well... um, right.” Twilight coughed and turned back to the others still on her side. “Okay then, who wants to go next?” Flathoof snorted and took a few steps back. “Step aside, please, Miss Sparkle, Miss Rarity. I’m the only actual jumper left anyway, I think.” Lockwood laughed. “Oh, good for you, Flathoof. I suppose you were just being polite, letting the girls go first?” “Oh shut up.” Flathoof charged forward and leapt into the air, sailing across the chasm. He just barely landed in front of Applejack, almost bumping right into her. Applejack chuckled, shaking her head. “Gosh, sugar, y’all barely made it as far as I did.” “Uh...” He shook his head. “W-well, I didn’t want to show you up, is all. I could have made it as far as you.” “Well alright then... now the other two pegasi... can cross,” Twilight said. “Fluttershy? Mister Lockwood?” Fluttershy glanced over the side of the chasm and gulped. “Oh d-d-dear... do I h-have to?” Lockwood gave her a bright, reassuring smile. “Nothing to be afraid of, my dear Miss Fluttershy. Why, as Miss Pie over there said, it’s just a—" “Hop, skip, and a jump!” Pinkie shouted. “♫It’s not very—" Rainbow stuffed her hoof in Pinkie’s mouth again, causing Pinkie to roll her eyes and mumble through it. “B-but it’s so... wide.” Fluttershy shuddered and shied away from the gorge. “I c-c-can’t do this.” “Would you like me to... carry you across, perhaps?” Lockwood suggested. “I mean, if it’ll make you feel safer.” “Oh, I d-don’t want to trouble—" she started to say. She turned her head to Rarity, who was giving her a wide-eyed, expectant look. “W-well, I suppose if... you want to.” Lockwood stepped over to the side of the gap and spread his wings, then gestured for Fluttershy to hop on. She awkwardly got onto his back and wrapped her hooves around his neck. “Um... th-this is a little... embarrassing. I d-don’t usually take r-rides from anypony... w-well, except Rainbow Dash.” “It’s no trouble, just keep a loose grip and mind your legs,” Lockwood said. He took a few steps back, then leapt out over the chasm and spread his wings, gliding slowly through the air. He turned his head back to his passenger and said, “Remember, don’t look down, okay?” “D-down?” she asked, unable to resist the temptation. The sight of her and Lockwood gliding over deadly magma made her squeal loudly and tighten her grip, causing Lockwood to fumble in the air and lose altitude. She continued clinging to him even as they landed on the other side, and Lockwood stumbled to the ground. “M-Miss Fluttershy?” Lockwood wheezed. “If... if you could... loosen up a tad—" She opened one eye and looked around. “Huh? Oh!” she squeaked, releasing herself and scrambling off of him. “Oh d-dear, I’m sorry! I j-just... got a little f-f-frightened and... oh no, I hope I d-didn’t hurt you. Are you okay?” He took a deep breath. “I’m all right,” he said, tugging his collar. “A dainty thing like you choking me to death would probably be the least painful way to die out here.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Smooth.” Twilight took a deep breath. “Whew... okay, just two to go. Go ahead, Rarity. Your turn.” Rarity nervously glanced over the chasm. “Oh dear. Uh... darling, I’m not too confident I can make that jump. Athletics aren’t exactly my forte, see, and—" “It’s alright, Rarity.” Twilight called over to the other side, “Rainbow!” Rainbow glided over and saluted. “Rainbow Dash Airlines, reporting! Ready for the ride across, O Delicate One?” Rarity huffed and stroked her mane back again. “Hmph. Just try not to get your filthy hooves all over me, Rainbow Dash. It’s bad enough I have to clean up all this mess I’m already in, without you—" “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’,” Rainbow interrupted, grabbing Rarity by the sides and gliding back over with the unicorn in tow. “Rainbow Dash, you ruffian! You brute! I didn’t say I was ready!” “Quit squirming, Rarity!” Rainbow dropped Rarity off safely on the other side, next to Fluttershy and Lockwood. “Sheesh. Over-dramatic much?” “And that just leaves me,” Twilight said, taking a deep breath. “Rainbow, are you ready to—" “*hic!*” Everypony stared at Pinkie Pie, who’d just randomly hiccuped. “Uh-oh...” she muttered. A rumbling tremor shook the earth around them. There was a loud crack, and the edge of the gap Twilight was on lurched outward and started sinking into the magma. “Twilight!” Twilight stumbled and fell to the ground as it crumbled beneath her. In her panic, she lost some focus on her spell, and the protective aura began to shrink. The ponies on the other side of the chasm started shrinking towards the edge of the gap in order to stay in the bubble. “Rainbow!” Twilight shouted. “Hang on Twi!” Rainbow darted over and scooped Twilight up just as the outcropping slid into the magma and was washed away. “Whew... that was close. You okay?” Twilight gulped and nodded. “Yeah... yeah, I’m alright. Of all the times for an earthquake...” Midway across the gap, another resounding crack filled the air. “That... didn’t sound good...” Flathoof said. “Aw horseapples...” Applejack said, stepping back and away from the edge of the gap. The ground beneath the other ponies lurched forward the same as the other side had done, but the added weight hastened the crumbling. Rainbow and Twilight watched in horror as the pillar of rock their friends were on started to tumble towards the river of magma below. They quickly landed on the side of the cliff that was still intact, and Rainbow lunged over the gap to start carrying ponies across, starting with Pinkie Pie. Lockwood helped get the trembling Fluttershy across, then he and Rainbow bolted back across to get Tick Tock and Rarity, respectively. But, the pillar continued to sink, and with another crunch, it swivelled towards the lava. Applejack whinnied and braced her rear hooves on the edge of the falling rock, lurching her fore hooves towards the edge they’d just split from. Despite it looking like it was much too far, Applejack’s hooves hit a chunk of solid ground that somehow had suddenly jutted out of the cliffside. The pillar of rock stopped moving long enough for Flathoof to leap the distance on his own. Once he was across, Rainbow scooped up Applejack and delivered her to safety, letting the rock crumble into the magma. “Whew... thanks, Dash,” Applejack said. She took a deep breath and fanned herself with her hat. “Golly, that was close.” “Perhaps it would be best if we keep moving before more of the cliff breaks apart, yes?” Tick Tock said, starting towards the next leg of the trail. “Yeah... good idea,” Twilight said, nodding. “Come on everypony. We can take a breather at the checkpoint.” *** Applejack wasn’t exactly sure how it had happened, but she was glad that it did. When that rock spire had broken off, all she could think about was how desperately she wished the other side was just a little bit closer. When it happened, she didn’t know what to make of it; now, she just chalked it up to luck. There was no sense in dwelling on it now, though. There was climbing to do. The group continued towards the top of the next ridge, avoiding perilous pitfalls, shaky slopes, and dangerous drops that barred their way. As they climbed higher and higher, their sweating intensified, and their panting became more frequent. Despite the checkpoint only being “just ahead”, as Tick Tock repeated every time somepony asked, it still felt like it was much too far. Every ridge they reached wasn’t the one they were moving towards. At last, they climbed over another ridge and ended up on a flat, clear patch of rock midway up the peak of the first volcano. A river of magma from the volcano top churned along just beside the clearing, though it had long since cooled. “And we’re here,” Tick Tock announced, trotting into the center of the clearing. “Time for a rest, everypony. Sparkle, you can decrease your aura’s radius a bit, we don’t need much room.” Twilight nodded. “Thank goodness, a chance to relax. This spell is exhausting. I don’t know how I’m going to keep it going for three whole days. You still haven’t explained how I’m going to keep it up while sleeping.” “We’ll worry about all that later, trust me,” Tick Tock dismissed. “For now, yes, relax. We’re going to need it.” Twilight shook her head and settled herself in the center of the clearing next to Tick Tock, shrinking her aura as she did so. It now just barely covered the ridge, far out enough that her friends could stretch and breathe. Flathoof, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash set the collection of saddlebags down, opening them and passing out their supply of Dolor products. They’d brought Dolor Green for food, which tasted like soggy green beans with too much salt, but was both nutritious and filling. They’d brought Liquified Dolor Blue to drink, which tasted like watered-down spearmint toothpaste, but was basically like drinking mineral water, at least according to Lockwood. Nopony agreed with him. Unsurprisingly, their rations turned out to be easy to ration. Applejack’s curiosity was piqued by the series of berry bushes that stood alongside the cooled river of magma nearby. Bushes, here? If this were a regular mountain, sure, they could be any assortment of berry bushes, most likely blueberries. However, this was a volcano. When Flathoof had told her about these things called ‘magmaberries’ that grew here, she assumed it had just been a marketing gimmick, one older than dirt, to get customers to think the berries were exceedingly rare. Dishonest, but heck if it wasn’t effective. Each bush was completely devoid of leaves and almost entirely covered with tons of little berries that Applejack had never seen the likes of before. They were tiny red and black spheres with thick, pulsing orange veins. She eyed them with caution, because to be fair they didn’t appear very palatable. In fact, they looked downright deadly. But, Flathoof had claimed not only to have eaten them, but to have enjoyed them, and to have family who made a living harvesting them. She was fascinated just at the prospect of such a thing. The farmer in her could not resist the urge to figure out how this crop prospered under these conditions. “So these are magmaberries, huh?” Applejack asked, stepping over to one of the bushes that was inside Twilight’s protective spell. It took her a great deal of effort not to just reach out and touch. “Eeyup,” Flathoof said. Applejack inwardly flinched at the word, but brushed off the feeling. “Well they sure do look a sight. And they’re awful big too, bigger than any berries I’ve seen at home.” “This crop isn’t even the best,” he continued. He gestured towards the top of the volcano they were climbing. “The best stuff grows closer to the volcano top.” He paused for a moment, then picked one of the berries and presented it to Applejack. “See, the best ones are a bright orangish-red. These are more of a reddish-black.” “I never pegged ya fer a berry expert, sugar.” Flathoof chuckled and shrugged. “Well, I’m really just parroting a bunch of stuff Bundtcake told me. I was hoping your knowledge of farming would help me learn more.” “Well, seein’ as I ain’t got much experience with ‘em, I can’t really answer much, but I’ll give it an honest try,” Applejack said. She took the berry from Flathoof and began looking it over. She was used to examining berries and the like for quality, but this was something completely different. The berry in her hoof looked and felt strange, and when she glanced back at the rest of the bush, she noticed that all the other berries looked just as unique, not a one sharing the same red-black pattern. How was she supposed to judge their quality if they all looked different? What did bruises even look like on these? How could she tell if they were ripe? “I ain’t never seen berries like this before,” she said, passing the berry back to Flathoof. “How do they grow in these conditions? Nopony tends to ‘em, right?” “They’re magical,” Tick Tock interjected. Applejack glanced over at the nosey unicorn, not remembering inviting her to join in the relatively private discussion she was having. “Magic, ya say?” Tick Tock nodded, and gestured out into the distance towards the Wastelands they’d left behind. “The whole northern continent is covered with latent, subtle magicks. It makes for some proper strange phenomena, since it’s all Chaotic in nature.” Applejack noticed Tick Tock shoot Twilight a quick look, as if expecting a rebuttal. Twilight must not have heard the quip, as she hadn’t reacted to it at all. Tick Tock continued, “These berries are just one of the many things that all that magic has made possible, and sad to say is one of the only good things to come out of it.” “Magical fruit... huh.” Applejack smiled and stomped a hoof. “Well shoot, that ain’t nothin’ new ta me. We got magical fruits ‘n’ the like back home, too. Heck, my family takes pride in our yearly zap apple harvest, an’ boy if those things ain’t just the pickiest eats y’all ever had. Only grow in just the right conditions.” “Zap... apples?” Flathoof shook his head. “First it’s regular apples, now you’ve also got magic apples?” Applejack chuckled. “An’ ta be honest, them zap apples sure as shootin’ don’t work like regular apples do neither. Had ta get used ta whole new guidelines fer judgin’ the quality.” She took the little magmaberry back from Flathoof and gave it another firm look. “Jus’ like these here magmaberries. I’m sure with a lil’ time, I could figure ‘em out. Granny Smith didn’t raise no fool.” “Enough talk!” Pinkie shoved her way over to the bush, wedging herself between Applejack and Flathoof. They each gave Pinkie a disgruntled glance, which she didn’t notice. “It’s lunchtime, and I’m getting sick of these packets of soggy green stuff! I’m as hungry as a horse!” Pinkie grabbed a hoof-full and moved them towards her mouth. “Wait!” Flathoof yelped, reaching out a hoof too late to stop her. Pinkie wolfed down the whole mouthful with enthusiastic chews and a very loud gulp. Flathoof and Tick Tock watched in awe, mouths hanging open. “Oh. My. Celestia!” Pinkie grabbed the sides of Applejack’s face. “Applejack! This is the best food in the universe! Tell me there’s some way you can grow these at home!” “Uh... I’ll try? Applejack said, squirming out of Pinkie’s grip. “I s’pose I could round up some seeds, give it a go when we get back. Won’t hurt ta give it a shot.” She tapped her chin and smiled. “Shoot, could make a real killin’ on the market too, havin’ a totally unique product ta sell like this. Hmm...” Pinkie pumped her hoof in the air. “Yes! Oh boy, I can’t wait to put these in pies and cakes and punch and—" “You ate half a dozen, all at once,” Tick Tock deadpanned, shaking her head. “Bloody incredible, that is.” “Why’s that incredible?” Applejack asked. “You’re not supposed to eat more than one at a time without a break in between! They’re too spicy!” Flathoof exclaimed, looking at Pinkie like she was some sort of oddity. Well, more of an oddity than normal. Pinkie grabbed Flathoof's hoof and shook it with great enthusiasm. “Hi! My name’s Pinkie Pie, and I looove spicy stuff! I also love sweets and bite-sized snacks, so magmaberries, which are all three, qualify as the best food ever!” “Liking spicy food is one thing, but this is something totally different. How could you possibly build up that kind of tolerance?” “She puts hot sauce on everythin’,” Applejack explained. “And I do mean everythin’. Salads, popcorn, flowers, heck, even ice cream ‘n’ cupcakes.” Flathoof stared at the two other earth ponies, then shook his head and sighed. “You never cease to amaze and perplex me, Miss Pie. Most ponies can barely stomach these, and here you just made it look easy.” “Well, y’all did say I’d like ‘em. Let me see how ‘too spicy’ they are.” Applejack took the berry still in her hoof and popped it into her mouth, then bit down, coating her tongue in thick, bizarrely cool juice. For a fleeting second, she felt the urge to spit it out; the spice was overwhelming, like she’d placed a hot coal in her mouth. Seconds later, a strong, sweet flavor rushed in and replaced all the heat, enough to make the fur on her neck stand on end. “You okay there, Applejack?” Flathoof asked, a tiny grin on his face. Applejack flushed red, embarrassed to be caught looking like she couldn’t handle a little spice, and quickly swallowed. “Hoo doggie, these things got some kick, I tell ya what!” “Told you.” Flathoof took one for himself and gulped it down with a shudder. “These mild ones are good for starters, though.” Applejack’s jaw dropped. “Mild?!” “Okay, okay, move aside, ponies,” Rainbow said, pushing her way to the front. “You guys aren’t the only ones who’re hungry, y’know.” “Y’all might wanna be careful there, Dash,” Applejack said. “They might be more than ya can handle.” Rainbow snorted. “You saying I can’t handle a little spice? Pft, whatever, AJ. Anything’s better than those packets of green junk.” “Applejack’s right, Miss Dash—" Flathoof started. “Look, you don’t need to keep calling me ‘Miss, alright? It’s cramping my style,” Rainbow said, giving Flathoof a sidelong look. “Just ‘Rainbow’ is fine.” Flathoof nodded. “Well, okay then Rainbow, but really, Applejack has a point. Just be careful, okay?” “Ah whatever, check it.” Rainbow grabbed one and tossed it into the air, catching it in her mouth with an exaggerated chomp. Almost instantly, her face turned bright red and she spat it out all over the ground. “Hot! Hot hot hot! Water!” She scrambled for a packet of Dolor Blue and attempted to open it, but after a few failed attempts, she snapped the lid off and chugged down the liquid that way. She downed the entire thing in under three seconds flat, then let out a sharp exhale and started scraping her tongue with a hoof. “Holy Celestia! It’s like I just ate fire! Who can eat this stuff?! I just about burned off my tongue!” Applejack could barely keep herself from laughing. She nudged Flathoof in the side and winked. “We warned ya, sugarcube.” “Aww, don’t sweat it, Dashie,” Pinkie said through a mouthful of more of the berries. “They’re not that spicy. You just need to get used to ‘em. They’re certainly not as spicy as a rainbow.” “Says the pony with the iron stomach.” Dash rolled her eyes, taking another swig of unpleasant-but-soothing blue liquid. “What makes these better is that they have flavor,” Pinkie continued. “It starts with a very aggressive bite, but is balanced out by a pleasant, luscious aftertaste.” Rainbow arched an eyebrow. “Aggressive? Pinks, it’s a berry, not an animal. How can a berry be ‘aggressive’?” Rarity chuckled. “They’re flavor descriptors, darling. Usually for wines, mind you. But, fruits and berries are used to make wine, so I suppose it might be applicable here.” She hovered a berry over to herself, giving it a once-over before taking a small bite. Her reaction appeared much the same as Applejack’s - a brief tweak at the sudden kick, then relaxation and pleasure. She giggled and gave Pinkie an appraising look. “Mmm, Pinkie dear, your assessment is quite accurate, I must say. I never knew you were a sommelier.” Pinkie shrugged. “Goes with the territory sometimes. Not all parties have just punch, y’know? Gotta be ready to appease every kind of crowd.” The magmaberries were passed around to the rest of the group. To the group's collective amusement, Twilight proved once again to be completely intolerant of spicy foods, and was left a sputtering mess for most of the next hour. Rainbow chuckled and pat Twilight on the back. “Twilight, when are you gonna learn?” she asked before taking another swig of Dolor Blue. “Isth not mah fauht,” Twilight mumbled after choking down a third serving of bland blue liquid. “Pinkie thed dey weh sthweet. I didid thin dey would be dad hod.” “Even after we all told you they were spicy?” Tick Tock asked. She shook her head at Twilight’s apparent sheepishness. “Sometimes I wonder about you, Sparkle. Do you ever listen?” “I jus wanted to twy it...” “If the spice is giving you that much trouble, Miss Sparkle, here,” Flathoof said, offering Twilight one of the branches from the bush. The branch had a bright green interior that could clearly be seen at the spot where Flathoof had snapped it off the bush, dripping a whitish-green liquid. Twilight accepted the branch and looked it over. “A bwanch? Wad am I gonna do wid dis?” “Bundtcake told me that you can suck on the branches and get the juice inside. It’s a little waxy, but instantly soothes your taste buds, plus it doesn’t taste half bad.” Flathoof grabbed another branch and lifted it to his mouth. “Here, like this.” He chomped down on one end of the twig and suckled it to demonstrate. His expression remained mostly flat, but not displeased. Twilight eyed her own branch, then followed his lead. Her ears perked up instantly, and she pulled the twig out of her mouth with a relieved exhale. “Oh wow, that’s incredible!” she exclaimed. “Magical foods never cease to amaze me. To think these wild berries are so spicy, but their branches have the method for counteracting it. It’s like they want to be eaten.” “Well don’t that beat all,” Applejack said. She took a branch for herself and did the same as Twilight and Flathoof had done. Her ears perked up as the thick liquid rushed over her tongue, washing away the lingering burn from the berries’ spice. “Mmm hmm! That works like a charm.” “Hey, how come you never told us about that little trick before?” Rainbow asked, slightly indignant. “That could have saved me a little bit of trouble.” Flathoof chuckled and rubbed his neck. “Truth be told, you’re not really supposed to use it much, or you might become dependent. Only ponies who can’t handle the heat at all should be using it. The branches only carry so much, and if everypony here were using it, we’d run out before we finished all the berries.” “Ah, the good ol’ ‘cookie-to-milk ratio’, albeit with different variables,” Pinkie said, nodding sagely and earning cursory glances from the others. “Truly the second-greatest conundrum of our time, just ahead of ‘why are we here?’, but behind ‘where’d I leave my keys?’” “Well, hopefully Applejack figures out a way to make it more abundant,” Twilight said, licking her lips. “The aftertaste certainly was sweet, so I’d hate to miss out just because I can’t handle the spice. Any ideas, Applejack?” Applejack barely heard Twilight talking at all. She was more focused on Flathoof chewing on a magmaberry twig. She couldn’t explain why, but the heavy feeling in her stomach made her think the sight was a little too familiar, and she didn’t like that one bit. She couldn’t put a hoof on why it made her feel so uneasy, and that actually made her more worried. “Applejack? Hello?” “Huh? Oh!” Applejack adjusted her hat, hoping nopony noticed what she’d been distracted by. “Right. Uh... well ta be frank, I’d have ta spend a few harvests ‘fore I started worryin’ ‘bout specializin’ ‘em. I guess ‘til then, a good glass o’ ice cold milk should do the trick.” *** Tick Tock tucked her map away into her pocket again, as the remaining path ahead was straightforward enough to get by without it. Besides, keeping the map aloft via levitation was leaching magical energy that she needed to channel into her personal aura; the closer they got to the top of this first volcano, the hotter it got. It had reached the point that Rarity had insisted on assisting Twilight with the group’s aura in order to keep it at a manageable temperature, despite Twilight’s protests that she could handle it alone. Rarity hadn’t budged. The cliffside path ahead twisted around the volcano until they reached the end at a point almost halfway up. Here, the path continued inside the volcano via a massive crack in the side, large enough that three ponies walking side-by-side could comfortably fit through. It was the only way forward, as the cliff ahead came into a sharp, almost vertical drop, and it was otherwise impossible to climb up the volcano. “This is probably the stupidest thing ever,” Rainbow said, looking up at the smoldering crater far above. Flathoof shook his head. “I can’t say I disagree, Rainbow. I thought it was crazy before, just going through a range of volcanoes. I didn’t know we’d have to actually go through one.” “This is First Peak, so named because it is the first actual volcano in the typical path taken by travelers,” Tick Tock explained. “The ponies around here sure do love creative names,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes. Tick Tock laughed. “That they do, Sparkle. At any rate, it’s the first one because it is the least active volcano on the entire exterior circuit. It might be just as active as every other volcano in the range, but significantly less often. The last eruption was twenty-three years, five months, twelve days, fifteen hours, and... twenty minutes ago.” Twilight blinked, staring at Tick Tock with a blank expression on her face. “That was... rather accurate.” “Time is my special talent, if you remember? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” Tick Tock stepped towards the fissure and lit up her horn with a light-blue glow. “What are you doing?” Twilight asked. “Is that a diagnostics spell?” “Yes, this is a diagnostics spell,” Tick Tock said without taking her attention away from her task. “As for what I’m doing, I’m taking measurements of geothermal readings. Volcanic activity in this region is chaotic and unpredictable, to a degree. It’s not impossible though.” Twilight chuckled. “You mean... you’re attempting to predict a volcanic event? With a diagnostics spell? That’s typical of a medical procedure, not geology.” “It’s all a matter of improvisation, Sparkle. A diagnostics spell can measure temperatures fairly accurately.” “Huh... well when you put it that way, I guess it makes sense.” “You mean she’s taking the volcano’s temperature?” Rainbow asked. “Of all the crazy—" “Actually, Rainbow, that is one method geologists use to measure and predict volcanic activity.” Twilight gave Tick Tock a reassuring smile. “I really am impressed at your ingenuity, Tick Tock. I don’t think that’s the typical spell used with this sort of procedure.” Tick Tock sighed, and her horn stopped glowing. “Unfortunately, without my Timekeeper, I’m forced to rely on more... elementary readings, nothing too precise. If I’m interpreting the data correctly, I'd say there’s roughly a fifty percent chance of minor activity.” “Fifty percent?!” exclaimed the entire group. “Give or take twenty percent,” Tick Tock continued, giving a casual shrug. “Like I said, my readings might be a little inaccurate. Margin of error and all that rubbish.” Rainbow swept forward and got in Tick Tock’s face. “You’ve gotta be kidding! You’re telling me you basically just walked us up to a death trap?” “What are we standing around here for?!” Rarity exclaimed, grabbing hold of a trembling Fluttershy. “This thing could explode any second!” Flathoof snorted and stomped over to Tick Tock as well, giving her the same dismemberment-threatening glare Rainbow was. “You were supposed to be leading us along the safest route through! Remind me again what part of ‘safe’ you didn’t understand!” “Everypony calm down, this is nothing to fret over,” Tick Tock said, putting a hoof to her temple. “Minor activity does not include eruptions. Minor activity would account for overflow, drainage, temperature anomalies, etc. Par for the course.” “Oh, oh, I see, so you’re telling me we shouldn’t be worried that there’s a fifty percent chance the volcano could overflow while we’re inside?” Rainbow asked, her mouth curled in a snarl. “Miss Tock, I am beginning to think that my confidence in you as a guide is sorely misplaced,” Flathoof added. “You can think or not think all you want, fact is that fifty percent is lower than average,” Tick Tock said, not bothering to hide her angry scowl. “That doesn’t make me feel any better,” Twilight said, clearly trying to put herself between Tick Tock and the two glaring ponies. “Isn’t there any way to get around the volcano instead? I’ll admit that you and Applejack took over most of the route-planning.” Tick Tock shook her head and pointed towards the side of the volcano. “As you can see, nothing but a steep drop down, or a steep climb up. Sure, our pegasi companions could certainly fly around, but what about the rest of us? What would the pegasi do without your aura?” Applejack nodded. “As much as I don’t wanna agree ta what we’re doin’, I looked over that there map plenty. There ain’t no way we can get through inta the rest o’ the Redblade Mountains without goin’ through this here volcano.” Tick Tock gave Applejack an appreciative nod in return. “Well said, Applejack. Glad to know somepony’s been bloody listening.” “Point made,” Twilight said, looking out over the side of the cliff. “So I guess this is it then. We’re going through the volcano.” “This is ridiculous!” Rainbow shouted. “I can’t believe we’re actually going through with this. We’re risking being inside the thing if it blows! I swear, if we all die, I am so gonna say ‘I told ya so’. I don’t wanna do it, but I will.” “It’s not going to explode, Dash,” Tick Tock said. “You just said we have like a fifty percent chance!” “Of a minor event. Eruptions are a major event, obviously. Those are even easier to predict.” “Well... what are the odds of an eruption then?” Flathoof asked. “By my calculations, there’s less than a three percent chance of an eruption, with a three percent margin of error. In my experience, that means we’ll be plenty safe.” “That’s still a three percent chance we all get killed,” Rainbow said, crossing her hooves. “Call me crazy, but I don’t like the sound of those odds one bit.” “We don’t have a choice,” Tick Tock replied. “The alternate route is longer and no less dangerous, but those dangers are guaranteed, not just probable. Call me crazy, but I’d rather risk a chance than risk a certainty.” “And the more time we spend arguin’, the more likely there’s a bigger risk,” Applejack said, stomping a hoof. “So let’s mosey on outta here.” “You’re not really okay with this, are you Applejack?” Flathoof asked. Applejack shook her head. “Okay with it? Hay no, I ain’t okay with it. But it’s the best chance we got, and ta be frank... I’m confident that Tick Tock’s lil’ measurements or whatever are accurate.” “You are?” Twilight asked. Applejack shrugged and scuffed her hooves in the rock beneath her, giving it a curious look. “Call it a hunch, sugarcube, I dunno. I know the chance is there, but somethin’ tells me we’ll be fine.” “Again, well said, Applejack,” Tick Tock said. “If we’re all done arguing about what bloody route we’re taking after we’ve already been taking it all afternoon, we need to get moving. Applejack is absolutely correct: the longer we stand around, the higher the odds of a volcanic event.” She pointed into the crevice and started walking into it, and the rest of the party followed, though very few of them seemed at all enthusiastic. If it was hot before outside, it was even more so inside, enough that Twilight gladly accepted Rarity’s continued assistance without any protest. Once they passed through the initial arch and ended up inside the volcano proper, they were greeted by an incredible sight. The inner cone of the volcano was, as expected, completely hollowed out, barring a few important things: First, there were several ledges of rock strewn about the walls. Most of them were pretty small, but some were large enough to support at least one pony. The one just at the crack they’d entered through was big enough to support several, and the one on the opposite side, just below another crack leading out, looked about as sturdy. Second, many of these ledges were connected to others via large strips of rock that served as bridges. The smaller ones looked precarious, and most of them were cracked and broken. The larger ones didn’t look much safer, as they were so thin that they looked as though they couldn’t support much weight. This included the one straight ahead, which despite conveniently linking the two fissures leading to the outside, was terribly thin. “You really expect us to cross these things?” Flathoof asked. “They don’t look very sturdy...” Lockwood added, taking to the air. “They ain’t too bad,” Applejack said, tapping her hoof against the bridge. “Just gotta watch yer step, I think.” “Correct, you just have to tread lightly.” Tick Tock demonstrably walked over the rocky bridge, taking slow, careful steps. “Some sections might be weak until another lava flow reinforces them. One wrong step and—" Tick Tock set her hoof to the ground. With a loud crack, it broke beneath her, and she nearly fell into the gaping hole her misstep had created. Her eyes blinked open. She’d only fell for half a second, and had felt something snag onto her tail. “Hang on, I gotcha,” Rainbow said, tugging Tick Tock back up through the hole. Tick Tock slumped flat against stable ground, then let out a sigh of relief and wiped her brow. “By the stars...” “You alright?” Tick Tock staggered upright, and graciously shook Rainbow’s outstretched hoof. “Thank you, Dash. You’re the last pony I expected to rush to my rescue.” Rainbow laughed, patting Tick Tock on the back. “Yeah well, I need somepony to yell at. Y’know, if you wanted to prove that we should watch our step, there were easier ways to do it.” “Yes... well.” Tick Tock coughed into her hoof. “Ahem. Now you all see that we just need to tread lightly, and everything will be—" “*hic*” Tick Tock’s ears perked at the sudden noise. “The bloody hell was that?” Pinkie raised a hoof, and delivered another hiccup. “Sorry *hic* but my Pink- *hic* Pink- *hic* Pinkie Sense *hic* is acting up *hic* again.” Tick Tock rolled her eyes. “Oh dear, what lucky coincidence is it this time?” “Hiccups... hiccups...” Twilight pondered aloud. “Say, didn’t Pinkie hiccup earlier, when we were at the chasm? That was a Pinkie Sense?” “Well shoot, at least it ain’t that ‘doozy’ one,” Applejack said, her eyes darting around. “That’s the one I’d be worried about right now. Somethin’s got me feelin’ uneasy...” “I think it's *hic* worse than *hic* that, App-*hic* App-*hic* AJ.” “It is?” Rainbow asked. She shrugged. “Worse than a doozy? Really?” “Hic-*hic* hic-*hic* hiccups is for *hic* ear- *hic* ear- *hic* ear- *hic*” “Will somepony get her a glass of water? This is ridiculous. And it’s wasting time!” Tick Tock shouted. “Ear- *hic* ear- *hic* earth- *hic* earthquake!” “See? She got it out,” Twilight said. Her smile dropped quickly. “Wait, what?” “Earthquake!” Pinkie yelped, grabbing onto the sides of Twilight’s face. “We’ve gotta get out of here!” “Okay everypony, don’t panic,” Twilight said to the rest, who were starting to do so. “We have to move quickly, but carefully. No sense in causing trouble getting out of trouble.” “Oh please,” Tick Tock said, rolling her eyes. “Are we really going through this again?” “Just because you doubt it doesn't mean the rest of us do,” Rainbow said, pushing her way past Tick Tock. “Haven’t you seen enough to convince you?” “Coincidences, nothing more. I’ve seen enough real magic in my lifetime to make me fairly certain that these sort of ‘premonitions’ are a bunch of bunk, no matter how contrived they may be.” “Of all the—" Twilight stomped her hooves. “We can argue later!” she interrupted. “We need to move. Go. Go!” “Fine, but don’t get sloppy just because you’re in a bloody hurry,” Tick Tock said. “I still don’t see what all the fuss is. Earthquakes aren’t just spur of the moment, there are warning signs. If there were a quake coming, we would’ve felt a tremor by—" She was interrupted by a fierce rumble that made the entire volcano shake. “Well shite.” “Move!” Twilight shouted. Twilight’s horn flared, bathing the group in a much larger aura as they ran, letting them keep a fast pace without worry of separation. The aura was reinforced with a barrier spell, protecting them from crumbling rocks and dirt that fell around them. The other end of the rocky path loomed ahead, ending in a shaky ledge and a sliver of light, the only beacon of hope for escape. Other, smaller bridges and ledges strewn about the cavern collapsed towards the rising magma below. A loud crack came from behind them. Tick Tock chanced a glance behind, and saw the thick cracks in the rocky bridge spreading after them like lightning. The light ahead grew closer and closer, brighter and brighter. Almost there. The cracks behind them grew into deep gashes that caught up to and surpassed the fleeing ponies. Almost there. Another sharp crack behind them. The ground gave way. Applejack leapt for the crumbling edge of the path. A spire of rock burst out of the ledge ahead, reaching towards her. She fell terribly short.