//------------------------------// // Ch 04 Fresh From The Fight // Story: Cherry Tune: A New Tune Season Two // by CherryTune //------------------------------// Sugar and Promenade head straight across to the far side of the BUrial Grounds. While heading Westward towards the end of Sunny’s and Sapphire’s route they discover a cave entrance on their path. They venture in and notice stone ancients lining the walls.  “Hey Sugar, think you can light the way?” Promenade asked. “I..I think so.” Sugar replies nervously. Her horn lights up and reveals even more stone ancients down the cave. “Ooooh, these things are creepy….” Sugar said as the light revealed the blank faces on the stone ancients. She ducks her head and trembles as she moves forward sticking close to Promenade as she walks stoically and fearless at the sights. “They look like they’ve been moved.” Promenade observed. “Uh....who… who would move them?” Sugar asked. Promenade took a closer look at the ground and only saw hoofprints that only the golems could have made. “They moved themselves, but why here? And how long ago?” Promenade said. “W-w-what do you mean moved themselves…. I-I-I thought they all stopped after Torment was sealed away.” Sugar said almost completely on top of Promenade at this point. “Perhaps they moved here during the battle, maybe in an attempt to seek out living survivors of the ancients. As if it was they’re last thought and had to complete it regardless of how much time had passed.“ Promenade speculated.  “Ooooh Prom you’re not making this any less scary.” Sugar said, her voice shaking.   They continue further in and see light at the next turn. Promenade whispers for Sugar to turn off her light. Promenade then peaks over the edge and sees many creatures in dark cloaks meandering around the cave. At the very back a purple Unicorn with her hood off, revealing a sky blue mane, commands some creatures to do something.   Promenade gets an uneasy feeling almost as if she can feel the bitterness and sorrow from the mare. Not a moment later the mare looks up in Promenades’ direction. She calmly motions several creatures to investigate.   Promenade looks at Sugar and whispers, “Time to go.” They make it halfway out of the cave when the stone ancients start to twitch to life revealing the same red symbols from the Battle of the Spirits.   Promenade and Sugar are surrounded. Even in the Badlands, Sugar was never one for a fight as Sapphire had always been the one to keep the two of them safe. Sugar was almost frozen as she didn’t know what to do without Sapphire. She stumbled to find Zecora’s potion and dropped it, shattering it on the cave floor. Sugar and Promenade are back to back and Sugar asks “What are we going to do?”   Promenade says “Just keep the light up, I got this.”   “Mhmm” Sugar responds nervously relighting her horn.   The ancients charge forward and Promenade bucks, kicks, and shoves the stone creatures. The golems shatter with her precise and swift attacks.  The ancients charge forward and Promenade leaps into the air and swings her right back hoof square in the jaw of a stone ancient. She then sweeps the legs of another in the same motion and forces her front hooves down on its head. Promenade then swiftly kicks her back leg up under the face of another. She pauses for a moment and sees a path out of the cave and says to Sugar “Run straight to the exit now.” Sugar leaps up and runs toward the cave opening.   Promenade moves quickly jumping in front of Sugar shattering approaching ancients. They make it out of the cave and the stone golems remain inside as if unable to step outside the opening. Sugar was panting, trying to catch her breath but Promenade was not tired one bit. She stood chest out toward the cave as if to intimidate any other foes that may have tried to get out.   “How did you do that?” Sugar asked.   “What do you mean dear?” She replied calmly, her eyes still engaged at the cave entrance.    “Those moves! You're calm under pressure! That was amazing!” Sugar said.   “Oh, just some things I learned in a past life. Nothing special.” Promenade said still watching as the golems headed back inside into the darkness of the cave.   “The Wonderbolts? I heard you were once in the reserves.” Sugar asked. “Yes Sugar.” Promenade said. “But that was… long enough ago. Let’s get moving. We need to tell the others what we found.” She continued.   The two meet up with the others and discuss what they found. The others find significance. They then return to Canterlot to discuss their findings. Sugar explains what happened in the cave and brought up the vials of potions were kind of fragile. “Yeah I dropped it in the heat of the moment.” she said. “Sure you weren’t just clumsy Sugar?” Sapphire Spark teased. “NO! Shut up.” Sugar replied. “That’s okay Sugar.” Cherry said. “I dropped mine too and I wasn’t even in combat.” she continued thinking back on it. Sunny handed over a vial to Cherry who dropped it trying to place it into her bag but missing completely. “Well Cherry is a little clumsy too…” Moonlet said.  “Sure am!” Cherry delightfully agreed.  Sapphire Spark thought for a moment and recalled that Zecora had an ancient amulet made of crystal that had contained ancient magic. “Hey! I have an idea.” Sapphire said. “Why don’t I try to create a gemstone amulet that’ll hold the potions magic. That way it won’t break and we won’t have to keep using vials before a battle that we might not even be in.” Sapphire said. “That’s a good idea Sapphire!” Sunny said. “Perhaps Cherry can get you into Starswirl’s lab where the potions were made.” She added. “That would be awesome! I’ve only briefly seen it when I got the vials from Starswirl and with my former experience with gem magic and the expertise of those in the workshop, I am sure I can whip something up in no time!” Sapphire said. “You mean like your successful transformation gems back in Klugetown?” Sugar said glaring at Sapphire.  Sapphire paused. “That’s messed up Sugar… I respect that.” Sapphire replied with a smile. Sugar Cloud rolled her eyes, walked over to Sapphire, and gave her a hug.  “Alright you two. Let’s go check out the lab when we get back!” Cherry said bouncing off.