The senior mystic, a centaur-like creature with feline features and purple fur, lead the way out of the village. Nutmeg Inferno trotted at his heels, while Reef Skimmer gingerly lifted the shaking Set Sail and placed the pegasus on his back, cooing softly to her in the hope it might calm the mare. Azure and Blaze brought up the rear, the former wary of surprise attack, the later shaking her head sadly at another failure attempt to negotiate with the Fellissians.
Two dozen bipedal cats watched them go, with arrows nooked to their bows and long knives held ready. The wooden gates thumped shut behind them, though not before a whole squad of warriors and another of the mystics emerged to follow them to the docks. A short trip north to the ancient road, then they were heading west towards the city - ironically, where Nutmeg had wanted to go in the first place.
Blaze Trails, mind swimming in self-reflection, gave Set Sail a weary look. "...Apologies, Captain. I had no idea I could screw it up so badly with just one line of inquiry. I feel about as blind as it gets." Another sigh, "...Though I hate to say it, but I was thinking as well, if they were that hair-trigger even after being so nice and welcoming, then maybe it was inevitable. I don't wanna excuse myself at all - I wouldn't have done it if I knew." She was still trying to understand what the hell just happened; Everdream didn't seem as paranoid as that tiger 'mayor', so maybe he could explain.
Azure Feather shared the sentiment - though most of her attention was on the guards trailing them, she was sad to see perhaps their best chance at an alliance slip away. The cats were armed, trained, numerous, clearly willing to fight the drow - now their only options were the gold-hungry mercenary disaster of the land-sharks and the cryptic, aloof and presumably scarce sphinxes. Even if they could deliver what the sharks wanted, how reliable were they, when the drow could just offer more treasure? And the dragons were busy with their 'core of light', the fish-folk scared into submission and who knew if they'd see the native griffons again... Another slow shake of her head: there was no one they could rely on out here.
"So tell me, little kirin, what really happened out in the desert?" Everdream said quietly, making sure the trailing guards could not hear him. "I could not say, for fear that Flush would descend further into paranoia but... I keep note of the openings of the Eye, and it has not since the sharks last brought their brutish mechanisms to plunder our Hope."
Sighing, Nutmeg said, “We saw them mining the pillars, and they told us they'd fix their ship if we figured out how to disable the pyramid. The captain said no, obviously. She could explain why, but she was traumatized by bipedal creatures as a foal, so I don’t know how long it’ll take for her to become operational again.”
“I’m fine!” Set Sail sobbed angrily, still held in Reef’s embrace, “They were just being predators! They were just being their natural predator monster—we were trying to save you!!” She curled up again, unable to continue further.
"Now Sails, you know it's not like that," Reef said soothingly. "What would Grenelda and Gustus think, if they could hear you now?"
"You wouldn't be the first creatures, to be sewn up in a fool's bargain by those cursed sharks." Everdream told Nutmeg, his voice somewhere between a purr and a growl. "Why, when I was a kit they would delight in providing 'lines of credit' to Fellissian families struggling to make their way in this world. Certainly the fuel and parts and conveniences came, followed by ever-increasing demands for payment as the terms of the agreement became apparent."
"The sharks anticipated their 'customer's' inability to pay. They generously accepted payment in pilfered artefacts - making our own people do the theft for them and pay the price if they were caught. Very efficient." He sighed. "Royal Flush put a stop to that at least. Yet... it bought only a brief respite, before they switched to even more destructive methods."
“Credit schemes are illegal in Equestria,” Nutmeg told Everdream sullenly, “We were only gonna exchange labour for parts, at most. The captain was worried they weren’t telling us everything though. We don’t even know if the pyramid is defending the pillars at all, since it’s also destroying them. We didn’t want to help the sharks mine all that Uberite, without even learning the what the pillars are there for. I guess I ruined our chances of that.”
They were approaching the gates of the city now, or at least the portal where grand gates had once stood. The ornate towers remained, though the arch above was broken. Statues of cats and cat-taurs twice as large as life stretched out their paws in invitation, their happy faces obscured by centuries of rain and moss.
Blaze chuckled a little at Reef's gentle admonishment. Maybe it made a difference that griffons didn't have teeth. Nevertheless, Everdream's conversation has her attention, and it sounded like this time she could ask safely: "You're talkin' about how they're clearing the pillars out up north, right? Will something happen if they're all gone?" Namely, she's curious as to if the protection of the pillars is superstition or serious.
Everdream considered the question for a moment. "I don't believe so," he told Blaze. "Many of my kind would never admit this, but... I for one put little stock in superstition or obfuscation, even as tools to placate the ignorant." He looked affectionately at Nutmeg, sensing a kindred spirit in this regard. "In truth the true purpose of the pillars is a matter of speculation. We do know that were not present before the Catacylsm, and that they slowly appeared in the following years."
"There is a... tradition, shall we say, that the mystics of old created them as the island's salvation, the keystone of their plan to restore our former glory. A lovely idea... but if so, the details have been lost to time. We can safely assume, I think, that if destroying the pillars would result in calamity, the Eye would not be so ruthless in its pursuit of invaders. No... us Fellissians are more worried about a dream denied, than catastrophe anew." Everdream stared at the elegant city they now glimpsed through the empty gateway. "Not that it is any less dangerous. When a people have lost so much... dreams can be as dangerous as fears."
Blaze Trails listened attentively: "mmmm, yeah... I get the impression you cat folks are on a razor's edge. Picked on from all sides by opportunists and predators and with nothing but your prior memories to cling on to. So I guess that's the gist of why Royal Flush snapped." Another deep sigh: it was still a near and close terror to fumble so hard. "It honestly seems like most folks are strugglin' in this wider world. It's too bad - I don't think we all have to be on edge but scarcity demands being at each other's throats."
"I must bear part of the responsibility," the felitaur said nobly, "I was so eager to learn of your kind and your lands, it did not occur to me you might benefit from preparation, before speaking to our leaders."
Blaze Trails nodded, "It's fine. ...I kind of get the impression that it'd have come crashing down one way or another, no matter what. But maybe I'm just rationalisin' it. Haha. Still, if there's no hard feelings between you and us, maybe it's not all for nought."
“If I ever find out,” Nutmeg said beside Everdream, in renewed passion, “...If I ever find out what the pillars are there for, then I’ll make sure you know about it, and then you won’t need to speculate anymore.” Her ears drooped as she added, “If I ever see you again, at least. You’re the nicest mystic I’ve ever met!”
"Well thank you, little kirin! No hard feelings indeed - if I take you at your word." A moment of tension, then Everdream laughed. "I jest. Though you would do well to ignore any further 'deals' those sharks might offer. They are ruthless... and the Eye is merciless, unfeeling spellwork." He sighed. "You know, Fellis was once a beacon of civilisation on the eastern fringe - now it is at the heart of a badlands."
They were now in the Old City of Fellis itself, travelling down a broad avenue lined with extravagant buildings. It had clearly been a wonder in its day, stone and wood all carved with elaborate patterns, rising in swooping curves and spires now broken by age and invaders. The builders had clearly loved the idea of multiple levels, placing steps and ramps and balconies everywhere, not just inside the buildings. Alas many of the sky bridges that had once criss-crossed above the streets now lay as broken masonry or rotting timber.
The felitaur considered for a moment. "I do not envy your position. If it's parts you need, perhaps you might find them in Metalania, except... no, it is far to the south." Another pause as he thought things through. "Your best hope would likely be a troll town, one not yet under the thumb of the Kaosians."
Nutmeg shuddered at that, saying, “I don’t even want to know what happens when you evilise a troll. That sounds terrifying. Anyway, thanks. We’ll... be careful around the sharks. They are ruthless, but I really do think there’s some good in them. If only they could let themselves be what they could be.”
Blaze Trails pondered, glancing over to Set Sail and Nutmeg. Given all their unfinished business... it seems unlikely they'd just pack up and leave. Even if they took Everdream's advice and bailed on the shark's deal, they couldn't abandon Summer Scribe. Still, it never hurt having options, so after a while she piped up: "...And which way would we fly for that?"
It took the best part of an hour to complete the trek back to the copter. The cat-centaur led them through the semi-ruined, not-quite-abandoned city to the northern gates, and from there the half-kilometre to the edge of the island. Here the road ended in a suspension bridge stretching to the outlying island, while a little way east stood the air docks. A collection of sky piers, landing platforms, warehouses and workshops in various states of decay, the docks had clearly been a prosperous and bustling hub at some point in the past.
One hangar in particular bore the signs of recent use, but the guards tailing the group had closed up, and no-one wanted to risk their ire by asking further questions. Instead they bid Everdream farewell, Nutmeg in particular rearing up for a quick hug. Then Reef Skimmer scooped her up; at Azure's request he took Blaze Trails as well, transforming back into his roc shape to carry them both the short distance to where the Second Chance lay hidden. Set Sail flapped shakily behind, watched carefully by Azure Feather.
“We’ll try to come back somehow!” Nutmeg called back to Everdream as Reef took off beneath her, “Just you wait! You’ll let us come back one day, and we’ll be friends for sure!” She settled forward silently then for the duration of the flight, perhaps not as confident of that as she sounded. Azure Feather shot the kirin a sceptical look, the tilt of her head seeming to wonder if the kirin really believed it to be a realistic possibility. She said nothing though, concentrating on making sure everycreature made it back to the ship.
The two spooky ponies watched silently as their comrades came in to land. Soon the group was reunited on the tiny floating islet the captain had chosen to land the copter on. Clashing Gale, for one, was happy to see the squad safely back on the ship. He had a hopeful look on his face as he waited to hear if they'd gained a new ally in the western tribe of cats - yet as the others approached, that hope died. It was clear just by looking at their faces that this was yet another attempt at an alliance that had not borne fruit. "Good to see you're safe, crewmates," was all he managed to say. Alliances or no, they still had each other, and that was the most important part.
Cloud Cutter stood on the top of the deck, watching the group approach; at first uncertain why they returned so soon, but their expressions and words quickly make it clear. Blaze Trails hung her head under the purple mare's empty-eyed gaze. "I'm sorry, it was my fault." Her ears went up as she tried to inject some enthusiasm back into the discussion: "But we can make do without 'em - we still have the tunnels Summer Scribe was talking about to investigate. If we can't make it with the Cats, we can make it with the Sharks, I hope."
Set Sail, still a bit shaky, muttered under her breath: "Should have known better..."
"Indeed." Reef nodded to Clashing as he slowly transformed back into hippogriff form. "One must say it was touch and go for a moment back there. Abyssinians are fickle at the best of times, but something's got those damned kitty-cats wound up tight and spitting at shadows." An annoyed frown, then "All quiet here I trust?"
"Correct, Doctor." Clashing Gale replied. "Helps that we landed well out of the way, got to say that was a smart move. But... no luck with the cats, huh? Damn... thought you might-" His voice cut off as Azure Feather glared at him - the batpony had been against allying with the cat tribes, while she had supported. Clashing just shook his head quietly, deciding to leave it at that.
“I can't believe they don't even know what the pillars are for,” Nutmeg said in frustration, pacing in circles by the copter as she tried to think, “Why would anyone be so defensive of something that was just a rumour? Was Everdream just lying to us? I bet he was in on it!” She slowed to look nervously at the northern arm of the island, adding: “I hope we didn’t do something terrible in destroying them.”
“If you ask me, those pillars are probably just that: legend, and the kitties don’t know any better,” Blaze said confidently, “I seen their sort before, and they’ll believe a funny lookin’ melon is a sign from above. Sorry: it was a mistake to try and apologise to them, but at least now we know the pyramid’s not guarding anything except old mare’s tales.”
Cloud Cutter flicked a hoof dismissively. "My guess would be that the pyramid itself was important, culturally and perhaps even practically significant, to the civilisation they used to have here. Since it fell, things have been running on inertia. You said they didn't even exist until recently? As Blaze said, the cats are probably ascribing intent to a natural process - even if 'natural' around here is very different to what we're used to in Equestria. In any case, we must do what is necessary to survive. We can be more respectful of cultural superstitions once the pirates are gone."
Reef Skimmer frowned: "One is certainly no expert in geology or magical monuments, but... one can't shake the feeling there is something going on here that we're missing, even if the contemporary inhabitants have forgotten its nature."
“Whatever. We tried, and we’re done, and we never have to talk to those creatures again,” Set Sail said darkly, switching her tail as she headed to the copter, “I’d like to see them try to force us to leave. Are the fire crystals charged up? We have one more... group to visit today.”
Reef sighed at that. "So, erm... tunnels, is it?" A little shudder. "After a round of refreshments one would hope?"
Cloud Cutter disappeared into the cockpit, then reappeared with a roll of paper in her mouth. It was the map Summer Scribe had 'liberated' from the dirt sharks, later rescued by Azure along with the rest of the unicorn's things, after the incident in the sphinxes' pyramid. "Here we are, Set Sail... and here's where we need to go," the purple pegasus said, stretching out the map with her hooves. "As best as I can tell from Summer's directions." She'd marked a spot in the valley to the east, the other side of the central lake.
Blaze Trails examined the document: "Hmmm... and we don't know much about these tunnels, yeah? Just that there's a way to get through into the pyramid? We'll have to be alert, then."
Set Sail seemed like she wanted to object, but then shook her head, muttering, “Tunnels. Fine, tunnels. Full of... spider beasts and magic eating creatures. I'd like to have Grenelda for this sort of thing, but... it should be fine without her. Nutmeg can... stay with the copter, and the rest of us are familiar with combat, right?” She looked around; they'd all trained together in the quarry, they should be able to handle it.
“Now hold on,” Nutmeg Inferno said, “That pyramid might be mechanical in nature. You don’t think you’ll need me there to operate the mechanisms to... turn it off?”
"Indeed," said Reef, while staring at his rear tentacles and trying to will them into looking like hooves, "and would we really want to leave our prize engineer at the mercy of whatever cats might come poking around? Speaking of which," he peered at the map over Set Sail's shoulder, "probably best land the ship somewhere on the outer edge and fly over. If we descend into that valley, the noise of those rotors will echo up and down the whole thing."
Blaze gave Nutmeg an appraising look: "You don't strike me as much of a fighter, so we'll have to keep you safe on the trip there, but..." It's true the kirin had been handing out gadgets at the training session, rather than doing any fighting herself, but... there could be all kinds of wacky inscrutable gizmos inside that pyramid. "...Yeah, I think we'll be needing you. We all down with this?"
Clashing Gale backed her up: "Definitely. If there's anything mechanical in there - like a machine generating the beam, or booby traps - Nutmeg's the one we want with us." He nodded - if she could fix the ship and the dragon's crazy extradimensional generator, she could probably handle turning off a death ray.
“I have some defences, but yes I have very little combat experience,” Nutmeg said, “I can flash bang any spiders that get too close to me, and I brought my, uh, experimental rifle - worst case I have my levitation and maybe some flamey things I could do. If I'd known we were going to fight through tunnels I'd have come up with something more appropriate - proper lights for a start."
Blaze Trails cracked an amused grin at Nutmeg talking about combat prowess in terms of a bag of tricks. As everypony knew, it was your grit and your strength and your reflexes that carried you in a fight, not cool moves. She'd definitely need a keep a close eye on the kirin. "Yeah we had no inkling we'd be tunnel fighting 'til Summer laid it on CeeCee and Clashing here."
The earth mare fished into one of the satchels mounted on her flank and pulled out an impressively sharp knife (and that was just one of her backups). "You better take this, just in case you need to defend yourself in close quarters in a pinch."
“A-alright, I can use this,” Nutmeg said uncertainly, staring warily at the sharp looking thing. She took the knife and its sheath in her sparkling magic, and hooked it into a spot on her tool harness. “In theory at least.”
Blaze Trails grinned: "Just remember to thrust your whole body into the motion and don't hesitate." Maybe Nutmeg wouldn't get a chance to try it today, but perhaps it would put her a little more at ease. Blaze always felt better with a sharp knife at hand.
With their blind, hasty and probably terrible plan agreed, the assorted creatures crowded back into the chopper. Nutmeg ducked down to watch the engine, Clashing resumed his favourite spot by the harpoon with Blaze looking out beside him, Reef sat heavily in the centre of the deck, while Set Sail took the helm, CC squeezing into the cockpit next to her. The intermeshing blades spun up, and with fifty wary cats watching from the main island, the pretty pink copter lifted off and soared away.
Set Sail headed north, skirting the cluster of outlying islands and descending steadily, before wheeling around to the east and bringing the little ship down beneath the northern arm of the cross-shaped island. She hadn't seen the deadly beam in action, but she'd heard enough that visions of the thing swatting their ship out of the sky in one blast danced in her head. Better to keep the mass of rock between themselves and the danger; the crew were left to stare up at dark crevices passing overhead as the ship traversed the underside.
After a few tense minutes they were out of the shadow and back into the sunlight, turning south and climbing gently to approach the eastern arm of Fellis. Here rocky ridges rose up on each side to hide the central valley from view, offering little purchase for vegetation or, they hoped, feline patrols. Spying a flat spot amidst the cliffs, Set Sail brought the craft down to nestle half way up the outer edge of the northern ridge. Here the ponies made their preparations, along with a hippogriff preparing by wolfing down a can of tuna.
With a nod from the captain, Cloud Cutter took to the air; ostensibly their stealthiest flier, she was the logical choice to scout the destination. Flapping up over the peaks bordering the eastern arm of Fellis, she emerged into a long, steep-sided valley. The terrain became steadily more inhospitable the further it got from the central lake; half way up, only unappetising bracken and weeds colonised the rocky slopes, with a narrow strand of pine trees hugging the central stream.
The purple pegasus began to glide across to the far side of the valley, and sure enough she soon spotted a substantial structure perched on the slope. The size of Ponyville town hall, it was clearly industrial, clad in rotting wooden planks that had fallen away in places to reveal a rusted iron frame. From this distance she couldn't make out anything inside, but the massive pile of spoil covering the slopes below and the remains of an air dock made its purpose fairly clear.
Swooping back down from her reconnaissance flight, Cloud Cutter reported in: "Hmm... you might wanna take a closer look at this, Set Sail." She gestured into the distance: "The place you mentioned? Not just a cave entrance, there's a big derelict building on top of it. Maybe a mine? Probably no one around anymore but couldn't hurt to make sure."
“Everypony wait here. I’m going to go take a look with Azure,” Set Sail said cautiously, “If we’re not back in an hour, take the copter back to the ship and prepare for a major rescue operation. Silent Arrow said the spidrow wouldn’t kill us, but I don’t want a single one of their... cocoons remaining, if they manage to put us in one of them.” That made Blaze spit out her oats in shock: nopony had said anything about being stuck in a cocoon.
"Captain! We can't just abandon you!" Reef said indignantly. "I realise I am a little, erm, conspicuous but..." his voice trailed off, but he stared at Azure as if to say 'don't screw up'.
“So help me Reef if you end up bound up in some cocoon next to me, then I’ll break my own way out just so I can kick your tail,” Set Sail growled, “I don’t think these creatures are all that powerful, but if they are, I don’t want them taking us out one by one, as we each fail to rescue the next. Get back to the ship, get ready, and then go all out, and you might be able to save us. It’s probably nothing though. Azure is... fearsomely strong, and we’re not going to take any risks we don’t have to.”
"Very good, Captain," the hippogriff said unhappily, ear fins flattened against his head.
Azure Feather had been staring into space, still thinking of alliances - could the trust the sharks or the sphinxes, and if siding with one meant making an enemy of the other, who should they choose? Her instincts told her that the sphinxes might seem aloof and primitive, but they likely had secret magic the ponies had yet to see, and their trust once given would be more reliable than a mercenary's.
Still, she had to remember her place here. Was she the Captain? No. Leader of the expedition's guard detail? Not even that. She was the newest Lavender Blade, a low-ranking Soldier who'd arrived late and ended up on the support ship - then the Friendship was lost to the storm, making her the only guard. Her duty, she reminded herself, was to protect the ponies and creatures on the ship. Not to play Friendship Princess. Not to play Morality Queen. To guard. To fight. That was all.
Set Sail's words dragged her out of her reverie. "Understood, Captain," was all she said: the captain clearly meant business, and being called up was a kick in the tail. Like she said - they'd make a flyby, check for hostiles, anything that objected would get a wind blade in the face.
The two pegasi swooped away from the cliffside, cruising around and gaining altitude to crest the ridge, glide over the valley and approach the abandoned structure. “I don’t like this,” Set Sail said uneasily, “This isn’t just a tunnel. They could be... nesting, all over that building.”
"If you want my opinion..." Azure began, as she scanned the scene for movement, looking around, "this is just a scouting mission. They won't be expecting a pair of pegasi. Let's stay mobile and airborne, stick together, fly out of range if we see any sign of hostiles. No need to be heroes. Worst comes to it and they have flyers of their own... you clear the airspace, I'll unleash the fury of the storm on them." A pause, then "unless you have other orders?"
Set Sail grimaced, then nodded uncertainly. “Yeah that sounds good... we've gotta get a close look, but scatter if you hear any movement. Other than that... I dunno, you know more about fighting than me.”
Close up it was clear that the damage to the building was not just from time and elements. Sizable holes had been blown in the wooden cladding and in places flaking paint gave way to scorch marks. Whatever had happened must have been long ago though, with moss and lichen grown over the scars and shrubs sprouting where dirt had collected on the roof. Peering through the gaps in the walls, the ponies spotted substantial machinery within, showing solid rust where the wind had blown through and thick layers of dust where it hadn't.
Assorted junk and debris was scattered around the site, including a pile of rotting timber that had probably been intended for tunnel supports. The gravel path winding down to the riverside causeway was collapsed in places and overgrown with bracken in others. The only movement was leaves rustling in the wind; if anything still inhabited this place, it was not evident from the air.
The place reeked of death, decay and disuse, Azure thought. If anything dwelled there, it was either hiding, nocturnal, or 'alive' only in the sense Cloud Cutter was. "Place looks like the sharks may have hit it once or twice. They have heavy weapons on their ships..." she speculated, looking closer at the holes. "Though... wouldn't they have stripped it, instead of leaving that machinery to rust? Seems safe enough to bring the full squad. As much as anything is safe here."
Set Sail flapped up and away from the mine, beckoning with a hoof for Azure to follow. “Yeah, I’ve seen enough. Let’s get back to the others.”
Five assorted creatures sat expectantly on the deck of the Second Chance, waiting for the two pegasi to return. Set Sail landed lightly and took a deep breath, holding it before slowly letting it out. “Summer Scribe is totally insane."
She trotted over to their map, gesturing with a wing. "She must not have realised just how far away this tunnel entrance would be. Even if it were a straight shot,” she traced a feather down to the centre of the island, then straight from there to the pyramid, "it’d be... ten kilometres? And it's not just a tunnel, it's... an abandoned mine? So probably a maze of shafts and galleries. Even assuming we don't get lost down there, we’d be facing magic eaters who can see in the dark, in a confined space, no doubt full of traps they've set for the sphinxes."
She began to pace back and forth, sounding increasingly agitated. "Even if there was a route through, it was a century or more back - there may have been a collapse. It might collapse while we're down there! Nutmeg’s right: we have minimal weapons, very few sources of light, no way to mark our passage. There was a building full of mysterious rusted machines that no one had walked off with. Those cats were building their homes out of places like this, so why has this one been left alone to go to rust?"
“I’m sorry,” she concluded, “but this is just suicide if we try it now. We need to return to the ship, and make preparations for a long underground exploration. We need ponies like Melonwater and Grenelda, who are not completely out of their element here. So unless anyone has any objections, I’m... going to say we should just cut our losses and get back for now.”
Blaze Trails listened to the tirade, her ears twitching. She was ready and rarin' for some spelunking, but the more she heard, the more her expression wilted, because the captain wasn't lyin' - the odds were stacked against them. Ten klicks of caves wasn't something you explored in an afternoon.
"...Damn, you've got nothing but good points. Yeah, we have to take this seriously, Set Sail. I dunno if I'm ready to give up on it, though - what other shot do we have at escaping those pirates?" Grenelda would be a welcome ally, she mused - though your average griffon liked tight spaces even less than your average pegasus.
Raising a two-toed hoof, Nutmeg asked, “What were the machines for?”
“I don’t know, Set Sail said unsurely. "Moving materials around? They were all rusted so probably not anything we could use.”
“They might not be entirely rusted though,” Nutmeg said, rising to her hooves. “Can I take a look, at the machines at least?”
Even with the inscrutable beak, Reef Skimmer was clearly relieved that the pair had returned, quickly and unharmed. "It does seem like a terribly long way to be crawling in the dark," he agreed. "Although... I concur with Nutmeg, that we should at least check this building. A map of the tunnels would be a tremendous help, or perhaps there are other documents, clues as to what we might face down there?" That blue mare would be happy to have more reading material, he thought.
Blushing, Set Sail said, “W-well the building seemed deserted but it might be full of those magic eating creatures I don’t know.”
“Please, it doesn’t matter if they’re broken,” Nutmeg says earnestly, “If they’re only rusted on the surface, the metal underneath might still be good. There might be working components, or... probably not anything large enough to beat into propellors. Not anything we could carry at least. But I’d like to take a look. I’ll be careful, please?”
Blaze Trail closed her eyes and thought for a moment. As long as it was just fightin' in a barn, they had enough heavy hitters to bust out of an ambush - and like Nutmeg and the doctor said, there could be useful supplies and intel. She opened her eyes and nodded: "Yeah, long as we're careful about it - don't wanna leave empty hoofed."
Set Sail sighed in defeat, saying, “Alright then, let’s all get over there. You'll see what I mean. If there’s any trouble, we’ll just have to be more trouble than it is. We... do desperately need parts and metal. Documents would be nice too - Blue Type must be tired of deciphering soda sales figures.” Her eyes grew hard though as she reminded them: “But whatever we find in there, do not turn anything on.”
"Well said, Captain," Reef nodded in accord, before rippling and expanding into the giant grey eagle. "Shall I be transporting you good mares once again?" he asked.
"Sure!" Nutmeg nodded, "Uh- wait a sec!" The kirin turned tail and dashed into the engine compartment, banging about for a few seconds before emerging again with the thermal crystals in tow. Levitating them over to Cloud Cutter and Clashing Gale for safe stowage, she pranced over to the roc and leapt onto his back. "Good to go!" she chirped.
Hopping equally happily into his back, Blaze Trails said, “You’re just the most gentlemanly creature I ever rode in since that one time in the Outback. Marsupials have their pouches on their bellies, don’t you know?”
"Oh indeed! One was unaware we had a fellow naturalist on the Harmony!" Reef said in happy surprise. "You know, that would permit a better view of the terrain, wouldn't it? Perhaps for the return trip?"
“Oh I’m no sorta scholarly science pony or anything, but I do get around a bit,” Blaze says with a blush, “Whatever you think is best though.”
Azure nodded quietly - her role hadn't changed. The risk was going up though, with wingless creatures to carry and any chance of stealth out the window. "Shall we divide into squads, captain?"
“Yes, I said let’s all get over there,” Set Sail said giving Azure an uneasy look, “How many ponies—creatures is a squad? Wouldn’t that be that all of us?”
The other pegasus cleared her throat: "There isn't any set number, Captain... but the Blades often work in fours," Azure explained. "We're special operations, we don't do set-piece battles. Even three, for a bodyguard detail... but I digress."
"Cloud, Azure, on me." Clashing Gale said firmly, answering Azure's question. "We're the lead element. Reef and Set Sail will form the second element, he's a bigger target and he's carrying non-flyers. If that's alright with you, Captain." Set Sail felt a sudden appreciation for how handsome and professional the sleek bat-winged stallion was - just as she had back in the meadow, when he'd asked to lead the expedition to the shark's island.
“Well of course, Clashing!” Set Sail said to the batpony with a wider smile, quickly growing quite smitten as she subtly shifted her tail aside, adding, “That sounds like the perfect plan. That sounds like we should... we should well... hehe,” laughing to herself at what she was implying in her funny joke, she thought about how wonderful and nice all this was, standing there gazing at Clashing in silent adoration.
Blaze Trails squinted at Set Sail's sudden tone of voice. What's with the lovey-dovey stuff now? She thought this was being taken seriously! It's almost too big of a tone change to believe unless... Set Sail and Clashing Gale are secretly falling for each other...? If so... really it was none of her business.
Azure's response was just "Understood." Internally though she was relieved: Clashing's plan was a smart one. The three better fighters as a vanguard, Set Sail escorting the doctor who would be acting as a transport for the non-flyers. Another nod: it was time to move out.
Reef Skimmer might have been concerned by Set Sail's attitude shift, if he hadn't been too enraptured by the possibilities of shapeshifting pouches to pay attention to pony social etiquette. Soon the explorers had taken wing and were making their way across the valley: the batpony in the lead with a pegasus on each wing, then some way behind the enormous grey roc with brown pegasus flitting along beside. No cats were visible below - though while movement would be easy to spot on the barren slopes, there was ample opportunity for concealment in the central stand of pines.
In any case the Equestrians went unchallenged as they circled the mine building before gliding down to a landing outside the main entrance. The oversize double doors lay smashed and hanging half off their hinges, permitting easy entrance to the cavernous interior. While Reef went through the tedious process of extricating his passengers and returning to hippogriff form, the lead squad advanced to the threshold.
Inside was a three-dimensional maze of conveyor belts, hoppers, catwalks and the enormous toothed drums of rock crushers. Rubber drive belts lay rotting on the floor amidst dust, debris and animal droppings. Several mine carts were strewn about, some empty but most full of crushed rock, sitting on rails that lead to the back of the complex. There, where the building butted up against the rock of the valley wall, the rails disappeared into dark tunnel entrances.
Back on her hooves, Blaze Trails was on high alert: the place was half-way to a ruin, not much use for mining but definitely a good spot for an ambush. She stuck close to the captain, boggling at the apparent complexity of the operation. "So, this is what you were looking to poke your hooves into, Nutmeg? Not sure it'll be of any use to anyone."
Having escaped Reef Skimmer's gooey back, the kirin went skipping hastily in to catch up, then looked around with wide eyes at the carnage but also the possibilities. Set Sail's eyes were still on Clashing... watching him trotting along there, flanked by, Azure & Cloud Cutter, well-formed rump and swishing tail... content and almost spaced out.
As the ponies advanced through the structure a hulking bipedal shape came into view, standing in a kind of alcove formed by two silos and an overhead catwalk. Bigger and bulkier even than a storm beast, the boxy body was supported by oversize metal feet and flanked by enormous wooden hands covered in iron spikes. Huge steel jaws jutted forward from the body, while its wide-set eyes resembled lanterns. A chimney jutting from the thing's back left no doubt that it was a machine of some sort.
Blaze Trails whistled, then chuckled with amusement. "Now, if I didn't know better, I'd say that's some kind of mechanical monster. Look at the thing - like it's got a face and arms and legs and everythin'. But what would a mine need something like that for?" She tilted her head, puzzled. "Must be some reason why it has to look like that, I dunno."
Nutmeg’s eyes lit up upon seeing the abandoned hulk. She ran ahead of Blaze the others and hopped up right up onto the steel jaw, her hooves clinking as she walked along it, declaring, “Oh wow, look at this! And in such good condition! Do you know what this is??”
High alert or not, Azure couldn't contain a chuckle. This brought back too many memories of the previous mechanical monstrosities the group had encountered - and how that quickly devolved into a mess of magic worms, malfunctioning machinery and general chaos. Watching Nutmeg investigate closer, though, Set Sail's words rang true in her mind: don't turn anything on. Hopefully Nutmeg would recall...
"Some kind of golem?" Reef Skimmer said, in a distracted tone. He's been staring around the space, jerking his head back and forth as if searching for something he could sense but not see. "I say, are you sure you want to mess with that? Looks like it could do some serious damage."
Blaze Trails stared at the kirin, happy as a foal with a new toy, "Not a clue, and so long as you don't make it come to life and start attacking us, I won't object."
“Huh?” Set Sail said distractedly, glancing over to the excited kirin. “Nutmeg, w-what are you doing up there??”
Ignoring the captain, Nutmeg stood atop the wreck and declared: “No, it’s not a golem. It’s an excavator! These round spiked thingies here they can break through solid rock, and they open to form grasper scoops that can lift the material onto this platform here and carry it away! It’s entirely coal powered, and these these eye looking things here are headlights to light your work area in front of you! Their only design flaw is no seat so you have to climb up the rock as you pile it on. But these things are classic um... ancient artifacts. I haven’t seen one in... I–I mean the ones in ...Equestria are a lot different.”
"Well I'll be!" Blaze Trails gaped. "Never seen anything like this back at home. Err, not that I'd know either way, really, but it's certainly a fancy way to do the job." Seemingly disarmed by Nutmeg's innocuous explanation, she trotted in for a closer to inspection. Seemed harmless enough - looked like it hadn't moved in a century.
"Seems awfully elaborate for a steam shovel." Reef said vaguely. "Captain, there's something... hmm. One has this feeling, there's something in here. It feels more like, erm... Blaze? ...than anything else." The peal-tipped spines that had adorned his head since his transformation were twitching slightly. "Stronger at the back... inside that entrance perhaps," he suggested, gesturing with a claw at where the rails disappeared into the tunnel entrance.
Looking steadily towards the dark entrance, growing perfectly still, Set Sail asked quietly, “Is it moving closer?”
"Can't exactly get a bearing," Reef whispered back, "but it doesn't seem to be getting stronger. Could be mushrooms for all I know," he admitted sheepishly.
Azure was already tense, half-expecting that machine to somehow come to life despite Nutmeg's assurances. The doctor's alarm set her wings spreading and her eyes looking for targets. She didn't know what he was sensing or how, but if the hippogriff's new abilities worked like hers, then... they were likely in for trouble.
Blaze Trails tensed up as well, gazing into the gloomy tunnel, trying to make something out... "Should we have a flyer investigate? Azure, Clashing, Cloud Cutter maybe? Back off if there's any sign of danger."
“Flyers aren’t much use underground, Blaze,” Set Sail murmured, still looking that way, “What I want to know is if anypony has a light.”
“We have flares,” Nutmeg suggested.
Looking to Nutmeg gratefully, Set Sail says, “Okay Cloud Cutter, could you take a flare, then do your... shadow movement thing, to get in there closer? It might be best if you... do the other thing first, just in case it’s dangerous.”
"Alright," Cloud Cutter nods. She quietly accepted a lit flare from Nutmeg, ducked behind a pile of rock, and... wasn't there anymore. Phasing back into existence closer to the tunnel entrance, she tossed the flare ahead. The sparkling pyrotechnic arced into the darkness, bouncing and rolling before stopping short against a rail. The tunnel turned out to be only a few metres before ending in a sizable cavern carved out of the rock.
Revealed in the light of the flare was a small steam train, dusty but intact and complete with a full set of mine carts. A miniature marshalling yard of rails and switches was connected to the outside complex and two tunnels leading further into the earth. Various other shapes loom the recesses of the cave: the ends of the conveyers that carried rock up to the crushers, stacks of crates and rows of wooden cabinets, entrances to further underground rooms.
Inching up to the entrance beside Cloud Cutter, Set Sail peered inside, murmuring: “I don’t see anything... it clearly goes quite a way in. We’ll probably have to come back to this.”
Cloud Cutter marvelled at the train for a moment - that could be useful, even if only for parts - before nodding to the captain. "Yeah, I don't see anything besides more mine, and we can't just keep poking our heads in deeper indefinitely. Shall we call it here, Set Sail?"
Hopping up between them both, Nutmeg looked overjoyed, then whined "Oh, but that is such a cute little train!"
Reef Skimmer was next to creep into the cavern, looking around nervously - there was enough headroom, even for a creature the size of a small horse, but not enough that he could take to the air. "Thoroughly civilised way to travel... certainly faster than walking. What do you say Nutmeg, can you make it run?"
Azure had to object to that: "I thought the idea was not to turn anything on...?" Did they already forget such a recent order? A train wasn't likely to attack them, but they were noisy contraptions and likely to draw the attention of anything lingering in the tunnels.
"Who'd a thought - a whole steam train, down here. How d'ya suppose they deal with the smoke?" Blaze wondered, looking to Nutmeg. "You thinkin' maybe it goes all the way to our destination?" That'd cut the travel time down by a lot. Problem is, just being in a train doesn't mean we can't be ambushed anyway... though it would sure give us some cover at least."
“Well I don’t see what good making a train run in a—oh! Yes I could do that!” Nutmeg said, brightening as she realised just how useful that could be, “What do you think are the chances there’s a track going the way we need to go?”
"We can only hope the former owners left a map somewhere," Reef began. "Perhaps if- what on Equus... over there!" His outstretched claw pointed at an opening in the rear wall, through which something was emerging. Something that writhed and slithered, something blue and purple the size of a tree trunk. Something with baleful yellow eyes that glowed faintly as it surveyed the intruders, before a sound somewhere between a screech and a roar echoed through the space.
Blaze Trails spotted the unnatural beast and backed off slowly, her eyes wide. Her mouth went to her holster, quickly fetching her combat knife, clenched between her teeth. "'th hell's tha thing?!" she mumbled around her weapon. Was the entire underground full of monsters like that? It didn't bode well!
“Hurry, we can—” Set Sail said, turning to flee, only to have her ears filled with the sound of a loud buzzing. The ponies darted back through the tunnel towards the rock crushing plant, then skidded to a stop as green shapes emerged from hollows and crevices and launched themselves into the air. Oversized insects with abdomens that glowed bright green, they zig-zagged through the air, closing in on the creatures that had disturbed their queen.
Azure grumbled as she saw the writing on the wall. First that monstrous... slug thing, and now giant glowbugs. Luna curse these this place: "Pincered..."
